High-energy phenomena on the Sun: An introductory review

Large solar flares are often accompanied by both emissions of high-energy quanta and particles. The emissions such as gamma-ray and hard X-ray photons are generated due to the interaction of high-energy nuclei and electrons with gases ambient in the flare regions and the solar atmosphere. Nonthermal radio emissions of wide frequency band are produced from energetic electrons while being decelerated by the action of plasmas and magnetic fields ambient in the flare site and its neighboring region. To understand the emission mechanism of these high-energy quanta on the Sun, it is, therefore, necessary to find the acceleration mechanism for both nuclei and electrons, which begins almost simultaneously with the onset of solar flares.A part of the accelerated nuclei and electrons are later released from the solar atmosphere into the outer space and eventually lost from the space of the solar system. Their behavior in the interplanetary space is considered to study the large-scale structure of plasmas and magnetic fields in this space.The observations and studies of high-energy phenomena on the Sun are thus thought of as giving some crucial hint important to understand the nature of various high-energy phenomena being currently observed in the Universe.     

Particle Acceleration by the Sun: Electrons, Hard X-rays/Gamma-rays

Observations of hard X-ray (HXR)/γ-ray continuum and γ-ray lines produced by energetic electrons and ions, respectively, colliding with the solar atmosphere, have shown that large solar flares can accelerate ions up to many GeV and electrons up to hundreds of MeV. Solar energetic particles (SEPs) are observed by spacecraft near 1 AU and by ground-based instrumentation to extend up to similar energies, but it appears that a different acceleration process, one associated with fast Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) is responsible. Much weaker SEP events are observed that are generally rich in electrons, ³He, and heavy elements. The energetic particles in these events appear to be similar to those accelerated in flares. The Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) mission provides high-resolution spectroscopy and imaging of flare HXRs and γ-rays. The observations of the location, energy spectra, and composition of the flare accelerated energetic particles at the Sun strongly imply that the acceleration is closely related to the magnetic reconnection that releases the energy in solar flares. Here preliminary comparisons of the RHESSI observations with observations of both energetic electrons and ions near 1 AU are reviewed, and the implications for the particle acceleration and escape processes are discussed.     

Relativistic electron events in interplanetary space

This review is concerned with relativistic electron events observed in interplanetary space. The different types of event are identified and illustrated. The relationships between solar X-ray and radio emissions and relativistic electrons are examined, and the relevance of the observations to solar flare acceleration models is discussed. A statistical analysis of electron spectra, the electron/proton ratio and propagation from the flare site to the Earth is presented. A model is outlined which can account for the release of electrons from the Sun in a manner consistent with observations of energetic solar particles and electromagnetic solar radiation.The literature survey for this review was concluded in May 1973.     

Satellite observations of type III solar radio bursts at low frequencies

Type III solar radio bursts have been observed from 10 MHz to 10 kHz by satellite experiments above the terrestrial plasmasphere. Solar radio emission in this frequency range results from excitation of the interplanetary plasma by energetic particles propagating outward along open field lines over distances from 5 R to at least 1 AU from the Sun. This review summarizes the morphology, characteristics and analysis of individual as well as storms of bursts. Substantial evidence is available to show that the radio emission is observed at the second harmonic instead of the fundamental of the plasma frequency. This brings the density scale derived by radio observations into better agreement with direct solar wind density measurements at 1 AU and relaxes the requirement for type III propagation along large density-enhanced regions. This density scale with the measured direction of arrival of the radio burst allows the trajectory of the exciter path to be determined from 10 R to 1 AU. Thus, for example, the dynamics and gross structure of the interplanetary magnetic field can be investigated by this method. Burst rise times are interpreted in terms of exciter length and dispersion while decay times refer to the radiation damping process. The combination of radio observations at the lower frequencies and in-situ measurements on non-relativistic electrons at 1 AU provide data on the energy range and efficiency of the wave-particle interactions responsible for the radio emission.     

The transient highly excited solar flare plasma

Recent observations of the energetic particles produced in solar flares indicate that the production of electrons, with energies up to about 100 keV, is a fairly common feature of small flares. In those flares the acceleration of protons and other nuclei does not extend beyond about 1 MeV.The X-ray emission often exhibits two distinct components of which the first one is produced by non-thermal, the second by thermal electrons through bremsstrahlung collisions with the ambient ions. Along with these X rays, radio emission, in the microwave region, is observed. This radio emission is usually interpreted as due to gyrosynchrotron radiation from the same electrons.In this review a discussion is presented of the processes occurring in solar flares with special reference to the acceleration and radiation processes.     

Energetic Particle Observations

The characteristics of solar energetic particles (SEP) as observed in interplanetary space provide fundamental information about the origin of these particles, and the acceleration and propagation processes at the Sun and in interplanetary space. Furthermore, energetic particles provide information on the development and structure of coronal mass ejections as they propagate from the solar corona into the interplanetary medium. In this paper we review the measurements of energetic particles in interplanetary space and discuss their implication for our understanding of the sources, and of acceleration and propagation processes.     

Solar Energetic Particle Charge States: An Overview

The ionic charge distributions of solar energetic particles (SEP) as observed in interplanetary space provide fundamental information about the origin of these particles, and the acceleration and propagation processes at the Sun and in interplanetary space. In this paper we review the measurements of ionic charge states of energetic particles in interplanetary space and discuss their implication for our understanding of SEP sources, and acceleration and propagation processes.     

The Observational Motivation for Computational Advances in Solar Flare Physics

A solar flare is a violent and transient release of energy in the corona of the Sun, associated with the reconfiguration of the coronal magnetic field. The major mystery of solar flare physics is the precise nature of the conversion of stored magnetic energy into the copious accelerated particles that are observed indirectly by the radiation that they produce, and also directly with in situ detectors. This presents a major challenge for theory and modeling. Recent years have brought significant observational advances in the study of solar flares, addressing the storage and release of magnetic energy, and the acceleration and propagation of fast electrons and ions. This paper concentrates on two topics relevant to the early phase of a flare, magnetic reconnection and charged particle acceleration and transport. Some recent pertinent observations are reviewed and pointers given for the directions that, this reviewer suggests, computational models should now seek to take.     

The Electric Antennas for the STEREO/WAVES Experiment

The STEREO/WAVES experiment is designed to measure the electric component of radio emission from interplanetary radio bursts and in situ plasma waves and fluctuations in the solar wind. Interplanetary radio bursts are generated from electron beams at interplanetary shocks and solar flares and are observed from near the Sun to 1 AU, corresponding to frequencies of approximately 16 MHz to 10 kHz. In situ plasma waves occur in a range of wavelengths larger than the Debye length in the solar wind plasma λ _D ≈10 m and appear Doppler-shifted into the frequency regime down to a fraction of a Hertz. These phenomena are measured by STEREO/WAVES with a set of three orthogonal electric monopole antennas. This paper describes the electrical and mechanical design of the antenna system and discusses efforts to model the antenna pattern and response and methods for in-flight calibration.     

Observational Aspects of Particle Acceleration in Large Solar Flares

Solar flares efficiently accelerate electrons to several tens of MeV and ions to 10 GeV. The acceleration is usually thought to be associated with magnetic reconnection occurring high in the corona, though a shock produced by the Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) associated with a flare can also accelerate particles. Diagnostic information comes from emission at the acceleration site, direct observations of Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs), and emission at radio wavelengths by escaping particles, but mostly from emission from the chromosphere produced when the energetic particles bombard the footpoints magnetically connected to the acceleration region. This paper provides a review of observations that bear upon the acceleration mechanism.     

Ground-based solar radio observations of the August 1972 events

Ground-based observations of the variable solar radio emission ranging from few millimetres to decametres have been used here as a diagnostic tool to gain coherent phenomenological understanding of the great 2, 4 and 7 August, 1972 solar events in terms of dominant physical processes like generation and propagation of shock waves in the solar atmosphere, particle acceleration and trapping.The basic data used in this review have been collected by many workers throughout the world utilizing a variety of instruments such as fixed frequency radiometers, multi-element interferometers, dynamic spectrum analysers and polarimeters. Four major flares are selected for detailed analysis on the basis of their ability to produce energetic protons, shock waves, polar cap absorptions (PCA) and sudden commencement (SC) geomagnetic storms. A comparative study of their radio characteristics is made. Evidence is seen for the pulsations during microwave bursts by the mechanism similar to that proposed by McLean et al. (1971), to explain the pulsations in the metre wavelength continuum radiation. It is suggested that the multiple peaks observed in some microwave bursts may be attributable to individual flares occurring sequentially due to a single initiating flare. Attempts have been made to establish identification of Type II bursts with the interplanetary shock waves and SC geomagnetic storms. Furthermore, it is suggested that it is the mass behind the shock front which is the deciding factor for the detection of shock waves in the interplanetary space. It appears to us that more work is necessary in order to identify which of the three moving Type IV bursts (Wild and Smerd, 1972), namely, advancing shock front, expanding magnetic arch and ejected plasma blob serves as the piston-driver behind the interplanetary shocks. The existing criteria for proton flare prediction have been summarized and two new criteria have been proposed. Observational limitations of the current ground-based experimental techniques have been pointed out and a suggestion has been made to evolve appropriate observational facilities for solar work before the next Solar Maximum Year (SMY).     

The August 1972 solar-terrestrial events: Interplanetary magnetic field observations

A review is presented of the interplanetary magnetic field observations acquired in early August 1972 when four solar flares erupted in McMath Plage region 11976. Measurements of the interplanetary field were obtained by Earth satellites, HEOS-2 and Explorer 41, and by Pioneers 9 and 10 which, by good fortune, were radially aligned and only 45° east of the Earth-Sun direction. In response to the four flares, four interplanetary shocks were seen at Earth and at Pioneer 9, which was then at a heliocentric distance of 0.78 AU. However, at Pioneer 10, which was 2.2 AU from the Sun, only two forward shocks and one reverse shock were seen. The available magnetic field data acquired in the vicinity of the shocks are presented. Efforts to identify corresponding shocks at the several locations and to deduce their velocities of propagation between 0.8 and 2.2 AU are reviewed. The early studies were based on average velocities between the Sun and Pioneer 9, the Sun and Earth and the Sun and Pioneer 10. A large deceleration of the shocks between the Sun and 0.8 AU as well as between 0.8 and 2.2 AU was inferred. More recently the local velocities of the shocks at Pioneers 9 and 10 have become available. A comparison of these velocities shows little, if any, deceleration between 0.8 and 2.2 AU and implies that most or all of the deceleration actually occurred nearer the Sun. Evidence is also presented that shows a significant departure of the flare-generated shock fronts from spherical symmetry.     

Fields and plasmas in the outer solar system

The most significant information about fields and plasmas in the outer solar system, based on observations by Pioneer 10 and 11 investigations, is reviewed. The characteristic evolution of solar wind streams beyond 1 AU has been observed. The region within which the velocity increases continuously near 1 AU is replaced at larger distances by a thick interaction region with abrupt jumps in the solar wind speed at the leading and trailing edges. These abrupt increases, accompanied by corresponding jumps in the field magnitude and in the solar wind density and temperature, consist typically of a forward and a reverse shock. The existence of two distinct corotating regions, separated by sharp boundaries, is a characteristic feature of the interplanetary medium in the outer solar system. Within the interaction regions, compression effects are dominant and the field strength, plasma density, plasma temperature and the level of fluctuations are enhanced. Within the intervening quiet regions, rarefaction effects dominate and the field magnitude, solar wind density and fluctuation level are very low. These changes in the structure of interplanetary space have significant consequences for the many energetic particles propagating through the medium. The interaction regions control the access to the inner solar system of relativistic electrons from Jupiter's magnetosphere. The interaction regions and shocks appear to be associated with an acceleration of solar protons to MeV energies. Flare-generated shocks are observed to be propagating through the outer solar system with constant speed, implying that the previously recognized deceleration of flare shocks takes place principally near the Sun. Radial gradients in the solar wind and interplanetary field parameters have been determined. The solar wind speed is nearly constant between 1 and 5 AU with only a slight deceleration of 30 km s⁺¹ on the average. The proton flux follows an r ⁺² dependence reasonably well, however, the proton density shows a larger departure from this dependence. The proton temperature decreases steadily from 1 to 5 AU and the solar wind protons are slightly hotter than anticipated for an adiabatic expansion. The radial component of the interplanetary field falls off like r ⁺² and, on the average, the magnitude and spiral angle also agree reasonably well with theory. However, there is evidence, principally within quiet regions, of a significant departure of the azimuthal field component and the field magnitude from simple theoretical models. Pioneer 11 has obtained information up to heliographic latitudes of 16°. Observations of the interplanetary sector structure show that the polarity of the field becomes gradually more positive, corresponding to outward-directed fields at the Sun, and at the highest latitudes the sector structure disappears. These results confirm a prior suspicion that magnetic sectors are associated with an interplanetary current sheet surrounding the Sun which is inclined slightly to the solar equator.Proceedings of the Symposium on Solar Terrestrial Physics held in Innsbruck, May–June 1978.     

Origins of Anisotropic 40–300 keV Electron Events Observed at Low and High Latitudes

Using a survey of anisotropic electron events in the energy range of ～40–300 keV observed by HI-SCALE on Ulysses, we have selected several time intervals during 1999 when Ulysses traveled from about 20° S at 5.2 AU (January 1999) to 42° S at 4.2 AU (January 2000). We compare these events with observations at ～1 AU using the nearly identical instrument, EPAM on ACE. In order to study the solar origins of these electrons using the imaging Nançay Radioheliograph, we further restricted the list of events to those in which interplanetary magnetic field lines with origins on the visible solar disk, intersected Ulysses. We find that not all the anisotropic electron events are observed by both spacecraft and there exists a strong dependence on the spacecraft's magnetic connection back to the Sun. We have identified the solar origin for five electron events using radio observations, and correlate these with interplanetary type-III radio emissions using the WIND/WAVES experiment.     

The Suprathermal Ion Telescope (SIT) For the IMPACT/SEP Investigation

The Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) mission addresses critical problems of the physics of explosive disturbances in the solar corona, and their propagation and interactions in the interplanetary medium between the Sun and Earth. The In-Situ-Measurements of Particles and CME Transients (IMPACT) investigation observes the consequences of these disturbances and other transients at 1 AU. The generation of energetic particles is a fundamentally important feature of shock-associated Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and other transients in the interplanetary medium. Multiple sensors within the IMPACT suite measure the particle population from energies just above the solar wind up to hundreds of MeV/nucleon. This paper describes a portion of the IMPACT Solar Energetic Particles (SEP) package, the Suprathermal Ion Telescope (SIT) which identifies the heavy ion composition from the suprathermal through the energetic particle range (～few 10 s of keV/nucleon to several MeV/nucleon). SIT will trace and identify processes that energize low energy ions, and characterize their transport in the interplanetary medium. SIT is a time-of-flight mass spectrometer with high sensitivity designed to derive detailed multi-species particle spectra with a cadence of 60 s, thereby enabling detailed studies of shock-accelerated and other energetic particle populations observed at 1 AU.     

Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP): A New NASA Mission

The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) is a revolutionary mission that simultaneously investigates two of the most important overarching issues in Heliophysics today: the acceleration of energetic particles and interaction of the solar wind with the local interstellar medium. While seemingly disparate, these are intimately coupled because particles accelerated in the inner heliosphere play critical roles in the outer heliospheric interaction. Selected by NASA in 2018, IMAP is planned to launch in 2024. The IMAP spacecraft is a simple sun-pointed spinner in orbit about the Sun-Earth L1 point. IMAP’s ten instruments provide a complete and synergistic set of observations to simultaneously dissect the particle injection and acceleration processes at 1 AU while remotely probing the global heliospheric interaction and its response to particle populations generated by these processes. In situ at 1 AU, IMAP provides detailed observations of solar wind electrons and ions; suprathermal, pickup, and energetic ions; and the interplanetary magnetic field. For the outer heliosphere interaction, IMAP provides advanced global observations of the remote plasma and energetic ions over a broad energy range via energetic neutral atom imaging, and precise observations of interstellar neutral atoms penetrating the heliosphere. Complementary observations of interstellar dust and the ultraviolet glow of interstellar neutrals further deepen the physical understanding from IMAP. IMAP also continuously broadcasts vital real-time space weather observations. Finally, IMAP engages the broader Heliophysics community through a variety of innovative opportunities. This paper summarizes the IMAP mission at the start of Phase A development.     

Solar cosmic ray phenomena

This review attempts to present an integrated view of the several types of solar cosmic ray phenomena. The relevant large and small scale properties of the interplanetary medium are first surveyed, and their use in the development of a quantitative understanding of the cosmic ray propagation processes summarised. Solar cosmic ray events, in general, are classified into two phenomenological categories: (a) prompt events, and (b) delayed events. The properties of both classes of events are summarised. The properties considered are the frequency of occurrence, dependence on parent flare position, the time profile, energy spectra, anisotropies, particle species, velocity dispersions, etc. A single model is presented to explain the various species of delayed event. Thus the halo and core events, energetic storm particle events, EDP events and proton recurrent regions are suggested to be essentially of common origin. The association of flare particle events with electromagnetic phenomena, including optical, X-ray and microwave emissions is summarised. The conditions in a sunspot group, and solar flare that are considered to be conducive to cosmic ray acceleration processes are discussed. Considerable discussion is devoted to physical processes occurring near the Sun. Near Sun particle storage, and diffusion, and secondary injection processes that are triggered by a far distant solar flare are reviewed. In order to explain the considerable differences between aspects of the prompt and delayed events, we propose selective diffusion processes that only occur at early times in a solar flare. The type IV radio emissions at metric wave-lengths are suggested to yield direct evidence for the storage processes that are necessary to explain the properties of the delayed events, and also as yielding direct evidence of secondary injection processes. We conclude by briefly summarising the ionospheric effects of the solar cosmic radiation.     

Ulysses/Galileo observations of type III radio bursts and associated in-situ electrons and Langmuir waves

Both the Ulysses and Galileo spacecraft detected energetic electrons and Langmuir waves that were associated with a type III radio burst on 10 December 1990. At the time of these observations, these spacecraft were in the ecliptic plane and separated by 0.4 AU, with Galileo near the Earth at 1 AU and Ulysses at 1.36 AU. From the measured electron arrival times, the propagation path lengths of the electrons to both Ulysses and Galileo were estimated to be significantly longer than the length of the Parker spiral. These long path lengths are interpreted as due to draping of the interplanetary magnetic field lines around a CME. The onset times of the Langmuir waves at Ulysses and Galileo coincided with the estimated arrival time of the 9 keV and 14 keV electrons, respectively.     

The STEREO Mission: An Introduction

The twin STEREO spacecraft were launched on October 26, 2006, at 00:52 UT from Kennedy Space Center aboard a Delta 7925 launch vehicle. After a series of highly eccentric Earth orbits with apogees beyond the moon, each spacecraft used close flybys of the moon to escape into orbits about the Sun near 1 AU. Once in heliospheric orbit, one spacecraft trails Earth while the other leads. As viewed from the Sun, the two spacecraft separate at approximately 44 to 45 degrees per year. The purposes of the STEREO Mission are to understand the causes and mechanisms of coronal mass ejection (CME) initiation and to follow the propagation of CMEs through the inner heliosphere to Earth. Researchers will use STEREO measurements to study the mechanisms and sites of energetic particle acceleration and to develop three-dimensional (3-D) time-dependent models of the magnetic topology, temperature, density and velocity of the solar wind between the Sun and Earth. To accomplish these goals, each STEREO spacecraft is equipped with an almost identical set of optical, radio and in situ particles and fields instruments provided by U.S. and European investigators. The SECCHI suite of instruments includes two white light coronagraphs, an extreme ultraviolet imager and two heliospheric white light imagers which track CMEs out to 1 AU. The IMPACT suite of instruments measures in situ solar wind electrons, energetic electrons, protons and heavier ions. IMPACT also includes a magnetometer to measure the in situ magnetic field strength and direction. The PLASTIC instrument measures the composition of heavy ions in the ambient plasma as well as protons and alpha particles. The S/WAVES instrument uses radio waves to track the location of CME-driven shocks and the 3-D topology of open field lines along which flow particles produced by solar flares. Each of the four instrument packages produce a small real-time stream of selected data for purposes of predicting space weather events at Earth. NOAA forecasters at the Space Environment Center and others will use these data in their space weather forecasting and their resultant products will be widely used throughout the world. In addition to the four instrument teams, there is substantial participation by modeling and theory oriented teams. All STEREO data are freely available through individual Web sites at the four Principal Investigator institutions as well as at the STEREO Science Center located at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.