Solar gamma rays and other nuclear secondaries

Abstract

Observations of solar gamma rays and nuclear secondaries associated with flares provide a direct probe into the behavior of energetic solar particles and the conditions under which they are accelerated, stored, and released on the sun. During the August 1972 series of solar events, gamma ray lines at 0.51, 2.23, 4.4, and 6.1 MeV and isotopes of H and He were detected. These experimental results and the present status of their interpretation are reviewed. The constraints that these observations have on general solar flare particle acceleration models are also discussed.