Charge state distribution of anomalous oxygen ions in low Earth orbit during solar quiescence.

A new method of evaluating the charge state distribution of cosmic ray heavy ions, using a measured ratio of particle fluxes observed in two different satellite orbits passing through the Earth's magnetosphere, is described. The measurements of heavy ions were performed simultaneously on the Cosmos 1882 (orbital inclination 82 degrees) and Cosmos 1887 (inclination 62.3 degrees) satellites during September-October 1987. Solid state nuclear track detector stacks were used for the registration of C, N, O and heavier ions. After comparing the data of the two experiments with theoretical calculations, the charge state of galactic and anomalous heavy ions was derived.