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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Energetic Particles in Geospace: Origin, Dynamics, and Modeling

This presentation explores the origins and dynamics of energetic particles—specifically solar energetic particles (SEPs) and galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) - within the heliosphere and Earth's magnetosphere. We will discuss the fundamental physical processes governing their transport and acceleration in the heliosphere, including interactions with the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field. The penetration of these particles into Earth's magnetosphere is examined, emphasizing how the geomagnetic field influences their propagation across the magnetosphere. Key phenomena such as the temporal trapping of SEPs in geospace, reductions in rigidity cutoff during geomagnetic storms, and the enhancement of atmospheric NOx and HOx concentrations - which affect the ozone balance through catalytic reactions—are discussed. The presentation also outlines contemporary numerical modeling techniques used to simulate SEPs and GCRs, providing insights into their complex behaviors under varying geomagnetic conditions.

solar energetic particles↗
NASA NTRS1982

The acceleration and propagation of solar flare energetic particles

Observations and theories of particle acceleration in solar flares are reviewed. The most direct signatures of particle acceleration in flares are gamma rays, X-rays and radio emissions produced by the energetic particles in the solar atmosphere and energetic particles detected in interplanetary space and in the Earth's atmosphere. The implication of these observations are discussed. Stochastic and shock acceleration as well as acceleration in direct electric fields are considered. Interplanetary particle propagation is discussed and an overview of the highlights of both current and promising future research is presented.

Forman, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Energetic particles from impulsive solar flares

Observations of solar energetic particles from impulsive flares are reviewed. Consideration is given to observations of electron events, He-3 rich events, and heavy-nuclei-rich events. It is found that these observations can be unified into a description of the particles from impulsive flares. The observations are compared with observations of gamma-ray line in impulsive flares and particles in flares and compared with particles in space. A model for accelerating the unique particle abundances of energetic particles is proposed.

Reames, Donald V.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Studies of the ionization states of solar and galactic cosmic ray heavy nuclei

Enhancement of abundances of heavy nuclei (e.g., Mg, Si, and Fe) at low energies relative to solar photospheric abundances and anomalously high abundances of iron relative to oxygen nuclei at low energies were recently discovered in solar energetic particles studied at low energy. These phenomena are not understood at present. The proposed experiment is designed to study the recently discovered anomalous component of low energy galactic cosmic ray ions of C, N, O, Ne, and Ca to Fe of energy 5- to 10-million electron volts per atomic mass unit in regard to their ionization states, composition, and intensity, and to study the ionization states of heavy elements from oxygen to iron in energetic solar particles emitted during flare events. The same detector system will serve for both studies, with the second objective being given priority if there are any solar particle events during the mission.

Biswas, S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Some aspects of the scientific significance of high energy gamma ray astrophysics

The attraction of high energy gamma-ray astronomy lies in this radiation relating directly to those processes in astrophysical situations which deviate most from thermo-dynamic equilibrium. Some examples of these phenomena which are known to or expected to emit gamma rays are cosmic rays as they interact in intergalactic space, the high energy particles in the magnetic fields of neutron stars, the death of a black hole, the explosion and residual of a supernova, lumps of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, energetic solar particles interacting near the sun, and very high energy particles in the extreme conditions associated with active galaxies. Although the intensities are known to be low as seen near the earth, a partially compensating characteristic is that the very penetrating nature of high energy gamma rays increases the probability that they can escape from their origin and reach the solar system.

Fichtel, Carl E.↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISIS): Energetic Particle Measurements for the Solar Probe Plus Mission

One of the major goals of NASA's Solar Probe Plus (SPP) mission is to determine the mechanisms that accelerate and transport high-energy particles from the solar atmosphere out into the heliosphere. Processes such as coronal mass ejections and solar flares, which peak roughly every 11 years around solar maximum, release huge quantities of energized matter, magnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation into space. The high-energy particles, known as solar energetic particles or SEPs, present a serious radiation threat to human explorers living and working outside low-Earth orbit and to technological assets such as communications and scientific satellites in space. This talk describes the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISIS) - Energetic Particle Instrument suite. ISIS measures key properties such as intensities, energy spectra, composition, and angular distributions of the low-energy suprathermal source populations, as well as the more hazardous, higher energy particles ejected from the Sun. By making the first-ever direct measurements of the near-Sun regions where the acceleration takes place, ISIS will provide the critical measurements that, when integrated with other SPP instruments and with solar and interplanetary observations, will lead to a revolutionary new understanding of the Sun and major drivers of solar system space weather.

McComas, D. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

The acceleration and propagation of solar flare energetic particles

A review of the most pertinent data on solar energetic particles is presented, and the implications of the data are discussed, taking into account radio emissions, hard X-rays, gamma rays, energy spectra and electron-proton correlations, chemical compositions, and isotopic and ionic compositions. The mechanisms of solar flare particle acceleration are considered along with solar flare particle spectra in interplanetary space. Attention is given to stochastic acceleration, shock acceleration, acceleration in direct electric fields, the mean free paths of solar electrons and protons in interplanetary space, and an illustration of the probable effect of adiabatic deceleration on the spectra of solar flare ions at the time of maximum.

Forman, M. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Energetic particles in solar flares

The principal properties of energetic particles accelerated in solar flares are reviewed. Particular emphasis is placed on the high-energy flare component whose acceleration is often referred to as second-phase acceleration. Stochastic Fermi acceleration is treated analytically, and the results of the computation are compared with particle and gamma-ray data to deduce information on the timing of the acceleration, the spectrum of the particles, and the energy content of the nucleonic component. A discussion of He-3 and heavy element abundances is also presented.

Ramaty, R.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Synthesis of 3-D Coronal-Solar Wind Energetic Particle Acceleration Modules

Acute space radiation hazards pose one of the most serious risks to future human and robotic exploration. Large solar energetic particle (SEP) events are dangerous to astronauts and equipment. The ability to predict when and where large SEPs will occur is necessary in order to mitigate their hazards. The Coronal-Solar Wind Energetic Particle Acceleration (C-SWEPA) modeling effort in the NASANSF Space Weather Modeling Collaborative [Schunk, 2014] combines two successful Living With a Star (LWS) (http:lws.gsfc.nasa.gov) strategic capabilities: the Earth-Moon-Mars Radiation Environment Modules (EMMREM)[Schwadron et al., 2010] that describe energetic particles and their effects, with the Next Generation Model forthe Corona and Solar Wind developed by the Predictive Science, Inc. (PSI) group. The goal of the C-WEPA effort is to develop a coupled model that describes the conditions of the corona, solar wind, coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and associated shocks, particle acceleration, and propagation via physics-based modules. Assessing the threat of SEPs is a difficult problem. The largest SEPs typically arise in conjunction with X classflares and very fast (1000 kms) CMEs. These events are usually associated with complex sunspot groups(also known as active regions) that harbor strong, stressed magnetic fields. Highly energetic protonsgenerated in these events travel near the speed of light and can arrive at Earth minutes after the eruptiveevent. The generation of these particles is, in turn, believed to be primarily associated with the shock waveformed very low in the corona by the passage of the CME (injection of particles fromthe flare sitemay also playa role). Whether these particles actually reach Earth (or any other point) depends on their transport in theinterplanetary magnetic field and their magnetic connection to the shock.

exploration↗
NASA NTRS1977

Solar wind, energetic particles, and coronal magnetic structure - The first year of solar cycle 20

Coronal magnetic field structure is investigated by using solar and interplanetary magnetic polarity measurements and by using observations of solar wind plasma and energetic particles during the first 8 months of 1965. When it is compared by using all data available during this period, interplanetary polarity (mapped back to the high corona by using observed solar wind velocities) correlates best with mid-latitude solar polarity. However, when it is compared at only those times when energetic particles were present in the interplanetary medium and again at times of fast solar wind, the best correlation is with equatorial solar polarity. From these results we infer that energetic particles and fast solar wind escape preferentially from equatorial coronal magnetic structures which are open, while the more usual equatorial structures at this time are closed.

Nolte, J. T.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Deep space observations of the east-west asymmetry of solar energetic storm particle events - Voyagers 1 and 2

It has been well established that solar flare shock waves, propagating through the interplanetary medium, accelerate ambient energetic particles, giving rise to the formation of energetic storm particle (ESP) intensity enhancements. However, the acceleration mechanism which is responsible for the generation of ESP events is still under investigation. In the present investigation, energetic proton observations during solar flare ESP events made with the aid of the Voyagers 1 and 2 deep space probes are employed as a basis to examine further the acceleration processes responsible for the generation of ESP events under different 'interplanetary magnetic field-shock front' configurations. It is found that large ESP proton intensity enhancements are superimposed on the ambient solar energetic particle population for solar flare sites to the east of the sun-spacecraft medidian.

Sarris, E. T.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Solar Energetic-Particle-Associated Coronal Mass Ejections Observed by the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory Mk3 and Mk4 Coronameters

We report on the first comprehensive study of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) associated with ~25 MeV solar energetic-proton (SEP) events in 1980 – 2013 observed in the low/inner corona by the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO) Mk3 and Mk4 coronameters. Where possible, these observations are combined with space-based observations from the Solar Maximum Mission C/P, P78-1 SOLWIND, or SOHO/LASCO coronagraphs. The aim of the study is to understand directly measured (rather than inferred from proxies) CME motions in the low to midcorona and their association with SEP acceleration, and hence attempt to identify early signatures that are characteristic of SEP acceleration in ground-based CME observations that may be used to warn of impending SEP events. Although we find that SEP events are associated with CMEs that are on average faster and wider than typical CMEs observed by MLSO, a major challenge turns out to be determining reliable estimates of the CME dynamics in the low corona from the 3-min cadence Mk3/4 observations since different analysis techniques can produce inconsistent results. This complicates the assessment of what early information on a possible SEP event is available from these low-coronal observations.

I. G. Richardson↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Space Radiation Environments Overview for MSFC Programs

Provide overview of Space Radiation Sources, Environments, Interactions with Electronic Devices - Radiation Sources - Solar Energetic Particles (SEP) and Solar Particle Events (SPE) - Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) - Radiation Environments - Van Allen belts - Beyond the belts - Reference SLS-SPEC-159 Rev G: Design Specification for Natural Environment (DSNE) - Interactions with Electronic Devices - Ionizing - Nonionizing - Internal Charging

Radiation Sources↗
NASA NTRS1984

Type II solar radio bursts, interplanetary shocks, and energetic particle events

Using the ISEE-3 radio astronomy experiment data 37 interplanetary (IP) type II bursts have been identified in the period September 1978 to December 1981. These events and the associated phenomena are listed. The events are preceded by intense, soft X ray events with long decay times (LDEs) and type II and/or type IV bursts at meter wavelengths. The meter wavelength type II bursts are usually intense and exhibit herringbone structure. The extension of the herringbone structure into the kilometer wavelength range results in the occurrence of a shock accelerated (SA) event. The majority of the interplanetary type II bursts are associated with energetic particle events. These results support other studies awhich indicate that energetic solar particles detected at 1 A.U. are generated by shock acceleration. From a preliminary analysis of the available data there appears to be a high correlation with white light coronal transients.

Cane, H. V.↗