Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Mar 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008apj...675..846k&link_type=abstract
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 675, Issue 1, pp. 846-852.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
5
Gamma Rays: Theory, Sun: Solar Wind, Sun: Flares, Sun: Particle Emission
Scientific paper
The properties of solar energetic particles (SEPs) in solar flares are studied through remote imaging in the radio, hard X-ray, and γ-ray energy ranges. However, the heliospheric SEP populations are observed only in situ by satellite measurements, which drastically limits our understanding of their spatial and temporal variations. Can those SEP populations be remotely imaged, as are the solar SEPs? We consider two possibilities for detecting faint γ-ray emission from SEP interactions with solar wind (SW) ions. First, the 6.13 and 4.44 MeV γ-ray lines of 16O and 12C, respectively, produced by the interactions of the SEPs from a large low-energy (E<30 MeV) gradual event are calculated and found to be far below a detectable level. Then the expected π0-decay γ-ray emission is calculated for the intense ground-level event (GLE) of 2005 January 20 and compared with (1) the observed Galactic and extragalactic background and (2) the expected near-solar emission from inverse-Compton scattering of solar photons by cosmic-ray electrons and from Galactic cosmic-ray collisions with the solar atmosphere. It appears feasible to detect the π0-decay emission from that event with a detector of the size of the Large Area Telescope on GLAST. Earlier 1982 and 1991 flare observations of long-duration (hours) π0-decays were attributed to E>300 MeV protons captured in strong coronal loops, but we suggest that the observed emission was due to SEP-SW collisions following shock acceleration on open field lines.
Kahler Stephen W.
Ragot Brigitte R.
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