Geometry of an interplanetary CME on October 29, 2003 deduced from cosmic rays

Abstract

A coronal mass ejection (CME) associated with an X17 solar flare reached Earth on October 29, 2003, causing an ∼11% decrease in the intensity of high‐energy Galactic cosmic rays recorded by muon detectors. The CME also produced a strong enhancement of the cosmic ray directional anisotropy. Based upon a simple inclined cylinder model, we use the anisotropy data to derive for the first time the three‐dimensional geometry of the cosmic ray depleted region formed behind the shock in this event. We also compare the geometry derived from cosmic rays with that derived from in situ interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) observations using a Magnetic Flux Rope model.