Diffusion of solar protons.
Solar proton diffusion data for model of quiescent interplanetary medium
SOLAR PROTON↗
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The response of ozone to solar proton events during solar cycle 21 - A theoretical interpretation
The effects associated with the solar proton events (SPE) during solar cycle 21 are examined. The only SPE documented to cause an ozone depletion below 45 km (approximately 2 mbar) was the event which occurred on Aug. 4, 1972. The ozone decreases associated with this event follow approximately the theoretically predicted behavior discussed by Heath et al. (1977) and Reagan et al. (1981). Ozone decreases during the July 13, 1982 and the Dec. 8, 1982, SPEs also follow approximately their theoretically predicted behavior between 60 and 85 km. Attention is given to the energy deposition by solar protons and electrons, photochemistry, model descriptions, model results, the solar zenith angle effect, three solar proton events during solar cycle 20, sensitivity studies, and temperature effects.
Jackman, C. H.↗
Satellite Measurements of Middle Atmospheric Impacts by Solar Proton Events in Solar Cycle 23
Solar proton events (SPEs) are known to have caused changes in constituents in the Earth's neutral polar middle atmosphere in the most recent solar maximum period (solar cycle 23). The highly energetic protons produced ionizations, excitations, dissociations, and dissociative ionizations of the background constituents in the polar cap regions (greater than 60 degrees geomagnetic latitude), which led to the production of HOx (H, OH, HO2) and NOy (N, NO, NO2, NO3, N2O5, HNO3, HO2NO2, ClONO2, BrONO2). The HOx increases led to short-lived ozone decreases in the polar mesosphere and upper stratosphere due to the short lifetimes of the HOx constituents. Polar middle mesospheric ozone decreases greater than 50% were observed and computed to last for hours to days due to the enhanced HOx. The NOy increases led to long-lived polar stratospheric ozone changes because of the long lifetime of the NOy family in this region. Upper stratospheric ozone decreases of greater than 10% were computed to last for several months past the solar events in the winter polar regions because of the enhanced NOy. Solar cycle 23 was especially replete with SPEs and huge fluxes of high energy protons occurred in July and November 2000, September and November 2001, April 2002, October 2003, and January 2005. Smaller, but still substantial, proton fluxes impacted the Earth during other months in this cycle. Observations by the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) and Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet 2 (SBUV/2) instruments along with GSFC 2D Model predictions will be shown in this talk.
Jackman, C.↗
The Influence of Solar Proton Events in Solar Cycle 23 on the Neutral Middle Atmosphere
Solar proton events (SPEs) can cause changes in constituents in the Earth's middle atmosphere. The highly energetic protons cause ionizations, excitations, dissociations, and dissociative ionizations of the background constituents, which lead to the production of HO(x) (H, OH, HO2) and NO(y) (N, NO, NO2, NO3, N2O5, HNO3, HO2NO2, ClONO2, BrONO2). The HO(x) increases lead to short-lived ozone decreases in the mesosphere and upper stratosphere due to the short lifetimes of the HO, constituents. The NO(x) increases lead to long-lived stratospheric ozone changes because of the long lifetime of NO(y) constituents in this region. Solar cycle 23 was quite active with SPEs and very large fluxes of high energy protons occurred in July and November 2000, November 200 1, and April 2002. Smaller, but still substantial, proton fluxes impacted the Earth during other months in the 1997-2003 time period. The impact of the very large SPEs on the neutral middle atmosphere during solar cycle 23 will be discussed, including the HO(x), NO(y), ozone variations and induced atmospheric transport changes. Two multi-dimensional models, the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Two-dimensional (2D) Model and the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Electrodynamic General Circulation Model (TIME-GCM), were used in computing the influence of the SPEs. The results of the GSFC 2D Model and the TIME-GCM will be shown along with comparisons to the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) and Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet 2 (SBUV/2) instruments.
Jackman, Charles H.↗
The response of ozone to solar proton events during solar cycle 21 - The observations
It is pointed out that during a solar proton event (SPE), large numbers of high-energy protons penetrate the earth's mesosphere and upper stratosphere and perturb the normal chemistry by ionizing molecules and changing the balance of odd nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen. Changes in ozone caused by an SPE are produced very rapidly, typically in a matter of hours, and are confined to a limited geographic area, the region above 60 deg geomagnetic latitude. In this paper, an analysis is reported of the response of ozone to the significant SPE's in solar cycle 21 from the Nimbus 7 launch in October 1978 to date, using data from the solar backscattered ultraviolet instrument (SBUV). Ozone data during 15 SPE's were examined. It was found that ozone depletion occurred during SPE's on at least five dates.
Mcpeters, R. D.↗
The Influence of Extremely Large Solar Proton Events in a Changing Stratosphere. Stratospheric Influence of Solar Proton Events
Two periods of extremely large solar proton events (SPEs) occurred in the past thirty years, which forced significant long-term polar stratospheric changes. The August 2-10, 1972 and October 19-27, 1989 SPEs happened in stratospheres that were quite different chemically. The stratospheric chlorine levels were relatively small in 1972 (approximately 1.2 ppbv) and were fairly substantial in 1989 at about (approximately 3 ppbv). Although these SPEs produced both HO(x) and NO(y) constituents in the mesosphere and stratosphere, only the NO(y) constituents had lifetimes long enough to affect ozone for several months to years past the events. Our recently improved two-dimensional chemistry and transport atmospheric model was used to compute the effects of these gigantic SPEs in a changing stratosphere. Significant upper stratospheric ozone depletions > 10% are computed to last for a few months past these SPEs. The long-lived SPE-produced NO(y) constituents were transported to lower levels during winter after these huge SPEs and caused impacts in the middle and lower stratosphere. During periods of high halogen loading these impacts resulted in interference with the chlorine and bromine loss cycles for ozone destruction. The chemical state of the atmosphere, including the stratospheric sulfate aerosol density, substantially affected the predicted stratospheric influence of these extremely large SPEs.
Jackman, Charles H.↗
The February 5, 1965, solar proton event. I.
Solar proton event /February 1965/, time history of low energy protons was more complex than that of higher energy particles
PARTICLE DECAY↗
The significant solar proton events in 20th solar cycle for the period October 1964 to March 1970
Solar proton data are presented from observations by the Explorer 21, 28, 34 and 41 satellites. The NASA Solar Particle Alert Network (SPAN) solar optical and radio frequency data for the period May 1967 to March 1970 are associated with the proton events observed by the Explorer 34 and 41 satellites; however, missing data are supplemented with data recorded at other international observatories. From a radiation hazard standpoint, NASA is concerned with solar proton events of the order of 10 to the 8th power proton/sq cm. Radiation dose data are presented for some of the large proton events that have occurred thus far in the 20th solar cycle and are compared with some of the large proton events of the 19th solar cycle. Finally, the results of a simple parametric correlation study are presented for both the 19th and 20th solar cycles.
Atwell, W.↗
Velocity dependence and source spectra of solar proton events
Solar protons - velocity dependence, energy spectrum, and propagation modes
Bryant, D. A.↗
Track structure model for damage to mammalian cell cultures during solar proton events
Solar proton events (SPEs) occur infrequently and unpredictably, thus representing a potential hazard to interplanetary space missions. Biological damage from SPEs will be produced principally through secondary electron production in tissue, including important contributions due to delta rays from nuclear reaction products. We review methods for estimating the biological effectiveness of SPEs using a high energy proton model and the parametric cellular track model. Results of the model are presented for several of the historically largest flares using typical levels and body shielding.
Cucinotta, F. A.↗
Determination of solar proton fluxes and energies at high solar latitudes by UV radiation measurements
The latitudinal variation of the solar proton flux and energy causes a density increase at high solar latitudes of the neutral gas penetrating the heliosphere. Measurements of the neutral density by UV resonance radiation observations from interplanetary spacecraft thus permit deductions on the dependence of the solar proton flux on heliographic latitude. Using both the results of Mariner 10 measurements and of other off-ecliptic solar wind observations, the values of the solar proton fluxes and energies at polar heliographic latitudes are determined for several cases of interest. The Mariner 10 analysis, together with IPS results, indicate a significant decrease of the solar proton flux at polar latitudes.
Witt, N.↗
Joule heating in the mesosphere and thermosphere during the July 13, 1982, solar proton event
The solar proton event of July 13, 1982 produced considerable ionization in the polar-cap mesosphere. Energetic solar proton fluxes were measured by the NOAA-6 satellite. The DE-2 satellite measured the low-energy electrons, the ion drift velocity, and other atmospheric and ionospheric properties during the event in the region of the measured maximum electric field (189 mV/m at 2215 UT near 60 deg N), a Joule heating rate of 1-3 K/day is calculated between 70 and 80 km, exceeding the heating due to ozone absorption at noon in the summer hemisphere in that altitude range. The Joule heating rate above 90 km greatly exceeded 20 K/day. The calculated height-integrated Joule heating rate above 100 km in the same region exceeded 400 ergs/sq cm sec, and DE-2 near 350 km measured neutral winds of nearly 1000 m/s and neutral gas temperatures of over 2000 K. The overall ionospheric structure calculated below the DE-2 satellite is described.
Roble, R. G.↗
Ozone depletion during solar proton events in solar cycle 21
Ozone profile data from the Solar Backscattered Ultraviolet Instrument on Nimbus 7 from 1979 to the present and clear cases of ozone destruction associated with five sudden proton events (SPEs) on June 7, 1979, August 21, 1979, October 13-14, 1981, July 13, 1982, and December 8, 1982 are found. During the SPE on July 13, 1982, the largest of this solar cycle, no depletion at all at 45 km is observed, but there is a 15 percent ozone depletion at 50 km increasing to 27 percent at 55 km, all at a solar zenith angle of 85 deg. A strong variation of the observed depletion with solar zenith angle is found, with maximum depletion occurring at the largest zenith angles (near 85 deg) decreasing to near zero for angles below about 70 deg. The observed depletion is short lived, disappearing within hours of the end of the SPE.
Mcpeters, R. D.↗
Solar proton events during solar cycles 19, 20, and 21
Earlier studies based on a single solar cycle had resulted in a sharp division of events into 'ordinary' and 'anomalously large' events. Two such entirely separate distributions imply two entirely separate acceleration mechanisms, one common and the other very rare. The sharp division is neither required nor justified by this larger sample. Instead the event intensity forms a smooth distribution for intensities up to the largest observed implying that any second acceleration mechanism cannot be rare. Also, a clear bimodal variation of annual integrated flux with solar cycle phase but no statistically significant tendency for the large events to avoid sunspot maximum is found. There is almost no relation between the maximum sunspot number in a solar cycle and the solar cycle integrated flux. It is also found that for annual sunspot numbers greater than 35 there is no relation whatsoever between the annual sunspot numbers and annual integrated flux.
Feynman, J.↗
Solar proton fluxes since 1956
The fluxes of protons emitted during solar flares since 1956 were evaluated. The depth-versus-activity profiles of Co-56 in several lunar rocks are consistent with the solar proton fluxes detected by experiments on several satellites. Only about 20% of the solar-proton-induced activities of Na-22 and Fe-55 in lunar rocks from early Apollo missions were produced by protons emitted from the sun during solar cycle 20 (1965-1975). The depth-versus-activity data for these radionuclides in several lunar rocks were used to determine the fluxes of protons during solar cycle 19 (1954-1964). The average proton fluxes for cycle 19 are about five times those for both the last million years and for cycle 20 and are about five times the previous estimate for cycle 19 based on neutron-monitor and radio ionospheric measurements. These solar-proton flux variations correlate with changes in sunspot activity.
Reedy, R. C.↗
STATISTICAL PREDICTION OF SOLAR PROTON EVENTS
Correlation of solar flares in time with indices of activity of solar regions - prediction of solar proton events
RADIATION EFFECT↗
Multi-Satellite Measurements and Model Predictions of Mesospheric and Upper Stratospheric Influences from the Very Large July 14-16, 2000, Solar Proton Event
A large solar flare with an associated coronal mass ejection occurred in mid-July and caused a very large solar proton event at the earth in the time period July 14-16, 2000. So far this is the largest solar storm of solar cycle 23. The solar proton fluxes were measured by instruments aboard the GOES-10 satellite and used in our proton energy deposition model to help quantify the energy input to the middle atmosphere during this large solar event. Using this computed energy deposition in the GSFC 2D atmospheric model resulted in a prediction of $>$ 20\% increases in HO$-(x)$ (H, OH, HO$-(2)$) and $>$ 100\% increases in NO$-(x)$ (N, NO, NO$-(2)$) constituents in the mesosphere and upper stratosphere at polar latitudes ($>$ 60 degrees geomagnetic). Both the HO$-(x)$ and NO$_fx)$ increases impacted ozone. Large atmospheric impacts have been measured with the NOAA 14 SBUV/2 instrument (0$_(3)$), the UARS HALOE instrument (NO, NO$-(2)$, 0$-(3)$), and the POAM III instrument (0$_{3}$, NO$-(2)$). Preliminary analysis indicates that measured (SBUV/2) and modelled 0$_{3}$ decreases from this solar event are generally in agreement in the Northern Hemisphere. Short-term ozone changes (during the event) indicate $\sim$ 15% reduction at 2 hPa ($\sim$ 45 km) up to $\sim$ 40% reduction at 0.5 hPa ($\sim$ 55 km). A longer-term ozone depletion of $\sim$ 5% is indicated between 4 and 2 hPa ($\sim$ 40-45 km). The middle atmospheric changes caused by this solar event were very large and occurred fairly quickly ($\sim$ 1-2 days). Such a significant natural perturbation provides a good test of our understanding of the middle atmosphere. The measured and modelled impacts of this solar event will be compared and discussed in this paper.
Jackman, Charles H.↗