A COMPARISON OF COSMIC-RAY INTENSITIES NEAR THE EARTH AT THE SUNSPOT MINIMA IN 1976 AND 1987 AND DURING 1995 AND 1996

The cosmic ray proton and helium intensities measured on the IMP space craft near the Earth from similar to 45 MeV to several hundred MeV in April 1996 indicate that the intensities have recovered to almost the same maximum values they had at the last sunspot minimum. The 1996 int ensities near the Earth are an even closer match to those observed two 11-year cycles earlier in 1976, This confirming evidence of a 22-year periodicity in the low-energy cosmic ray intensities and spectral sha pes is attributed to the effects of the difference in the entry of cos mic rays into the heliosphere as well as their different drift motion inside the heliosphere as a consequence of the 22-year periodicity in the solar magnetic field. This observation thus suggests that drifts p lay a significant role in the cosmic ray modulation process.