Critical Next Steps in Understanding Solar Energetic Particle Events (Invited)

Details Critical Next Steps in Understanding Solar Energetic Particle Events (Invited) Critical Next Steps in Understanding Solar Energetic Particle Events (Invited)

Dec 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufmsh41c..01m&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #SH41C-01

Physics

Plasma Physics

[7514] Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy / Energetic Particles, [7519] Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy / Flares, [7845] Space Plasma Physics / Particle Acceleration, [7859] Space Plasma Physics / Transport Processes

Scientific paper

Solar energetic particle (SEP) events are the most powerful explosions in the solar system, capable of accelerating charged particles to relativistic energies. In the space age they are being intensely studied not only due to their impact on space systems and advanced technologies, but also because modern observations have revealed that particle acceleration is a nearly universal phenomenon at sites through the solar system and galaxy. At the Sun, where multiple remote and in-situ features of SEPs can be obtained, we have the opportunity to develop an understanding the physics of these events which in other astrophysical site can be observed only remotely. Although large SEP events are clearly associated with flare events and associated Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), magnetic fields in the corona and interplanetary space confine and scatter the particles so that by the time they reach Earth orbit, many features have become thoroughly mixed. Basic questions about SEP acceleration thus remain open, such as: what are the roles of flares and CMEs in SEP acceleration? How do SEPs reach the interplanetary medium? What is the actual material (seed population) that is accelerated? During the past solar cycle, progress in understanding SEPs has resulted from greatly improved particle observations combined with remote sensing of flares, CMEs, and coronal and interplanetary shocks. This has led to new insights into both large, shock associated SEP events, and smaller 3He-rich events which may occur in the low corona. In the next few years, progress in SEP studies can be expected from multipoint measurements using STEREO and advanced imaging from SDO. Critical new insights will then emerge from the ESA Solar Orbiter and NASA Solar Probe Plus missions that will travel to the inner heliosphere where the signatures of SEPs will be nearly free of the interplanetary mixing, allowing accurate and decisive comparisons of observations with remote observations and theoretical models. Additional measurements that would greatly enhance SEP studies beyond the decisive gains that can be expected from Solar Orbiter and Solar Probe Plus will be briefly discussed.

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