No abstract

High-energy particles were recorded by the near-Earth spacecraft and groundbased neutron monitors (NMs) on 2012 May 17. This event was the first Ground Level Enhancement (GLE) of the solar cycle 24. In present study, we try to identify the acceleration source(s) of solar energetic particles (SEPs) by combining in-situ particle measurements from W IND/3DP, GOES 13, and solar cosmic rays (SCRs) registered by several NMs, as well as the remote-sensing solar observations from SDO/AIA, SOHO/LASCO, and RHESSI. We derive the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) path length (1.25 ± 0.05 AU) and solar particle release (SPR) time (01:29 ± 00:01 UT) of the first arriving electrons by using their velocity dispersion and taking into account the contamination effects. It is found that the electron impulsive injection phase, indicated by the dramatic change of spectral index, is consistent with the flare non-thermal emission and type III radio bursts. Based on the potential field source surface (PFSS) concept, a modeling of the open-field lines rooted in the active region (AR) has been performed to provide escaping channels for flare-accelerated electrons. Meanwhile, relativistic protons are found to be released ∼10 min later than the electrons, assuming their scatter-free travel along the same IMF path length. Combining multi-wavelength imaging data on the prominence eruption and coronal mass ejection (CME), we obtain some evidence of that GLE protons, with estimated kinetic energy of ∼1.12 GeV, are probably accelerated by the CME-driven shock when it travels to ∼3.07 solar radii. The time-of-maximum (TOM) spectrum of protons is typical for the shock wave acceleration.

Sulfur-ion tracks from an Apollo test heImet. Replicas (x 800) of the tracks of sulfur-32 ions were used to calibrate the heImets for cosmic ray detection. Statistical effects of slowing down appear in the form of the varying length of different tracks.

This review paper comprises main concepts, available observational data and recent theoretical results related to astrophysical aspects of particle acceleration at/near the Sun and extreme capacities of the solar accelerator(s). We summarize underground and ground-based observations of solar cosmic rays (SCR) accumulated since 1942, direct spacecraft measurements of solar energetic particles (SEP) near the Earth's orbit, indirect information on the SCR variations in the past, and other relevant astrophysical, solar and geophysical data. The list of the problems under discussion includes: upper limit spectrum (ULS) for solar cosmic rays; maximum energy (rigidity), Em(Rm), of particles accelerated at/near the Sun; production of the flare neutrinos; energetics of SCR and solar flares; production of flare neutrons and gamma rays; charge states and elemental abundances of accelerated solar ions; coronal mass ejections (CME's) and extended coronal structures in acceleration models; magnetic reconnection in acceleration scenarios; size (frequency) distributions of solar proton events (SPE) and stellar flares; occurrence probability of giant flares; archaeology of solar cosmic rays. The discussion allows us to outline a series of interesting conceptual and physical associations of SCR generation with the high-energy processes at other stars. The most reliable estimates of various parameters are given in each of research fields mentioned above; a set of promising lines of future studies is highlighted. A great importance of SCR data for resolving some general astrophysical problems is emphasized.

[1] A flare on 2003 October 28 produced a relativistic particle event at Earth, although the active region AR 10486 was located to the east of the central meridian of the Sun. The paper considers features related to the acceleration at the Sun and the propagation to the Earth of energetic particles in this event, which occurred on a disturbed interplanetary background caused by preceding activity on the Sun and a corotating high-speed solar wind stream. From a study of the onset times of the event at different neutron monitors, we conclude that the earliest arriving solar particles were neutrons. The first relativistic protons arrived a few minutes later. Among relativistic solar protons (RSP), two populations could clearly be distinguished: prompt and delayed ones. The prompt solar protons caused an impulse-like increase at a few neutron monitor stations. The delayed solar protons arrived at Earth 0.5 hours later. Both prompt and delayed relativistic protons arrived at Earth from the antisunward direction. On the other hand, subrelativistic electrons that were traced by their radio emission from meter waves (Nançay Radioheliograph and Decametric Array) to kilometer waves (Wind/WAVES) are accompanied by metric radio emission in the western solar hemisphere, far from the flaring active region. We propose a scenario that reconciles the unusual features of energetic particles at the Earth with the observed structure of the interplanetary magnetic field, which suggests the Earth is at the interface between an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) and a corotating stream during the event. In this scenario the high-energy protons and electrons are accelerated in the flaring active region, injected into the eastern leg of an ICME loop rooted in the active region, and reach the Earth from the antisunward direction after passing through the summit of the loop. We attribute the promptly escaping subrelativistic electrons to acceleration in the western solar hemisphere and propagation along the nominal Parker spiral.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract