太阳高能粒子观测特征经向分布统计

基于多卫星联合观测数据，筛选了2006年12月至2017年10月期间122个太阳高能粒子（SEP）事件及其伴随的日冕物质抛射（CME），分析了SEP事件属性随相对经度的变化、与CME属性之间相关性的经向分布以及与Fe/O比值的关联.研究结果显示:低Fe/O类事件的峰值通量I_p通常更高，伴随CME更大，但通量上升速度较慢，且其D_u（持续时间）和I_p与CME速度呈现更强的相关性；SEP特征时间T_O（CME爆发至SEP事件爆发）与T_R（SEP事件爆发至半峰值）随相对经度增加而增大，D_u与I_p随相对经度增加而减小，通量上升斜率K在±90°范围内自东向西递减；SEP事件属性与伴随CME属性的相关性随相对经度的改变有明显变化，在磁连接好的位置，T_O与CME速度等属性呈现负相关，T_R与CME速度等属性呈现正相关，D_u，I_p与CME速度之间的相关性更强.研究结果进一步表明，SEP事件观测属性既与CME参数相关，同时又具有很强的经度依赖性，在磁连接越好的位置卫星观测到的SEP事件强度越高，SEP观测参数受CME的影响越大，这对大型SEP事件的预报很有意义.此外，高Fe/O类SEP事件与CME相关性的减弱暗示了耀斑加速、种子粒子源等因素的影响.      

太阳高能粒子事件上升时间统计研究

选取1997-2006年共66个较大的缓变型太阳高能粒子(SEP)事件, 分析了不同条件下太阳高能粒子通量廓线上升时间与源区日面经向分布之间的相关关系, 研究了日冕物质抛射(CME)和耀斑在SEP上升阶段的作用特点.统计结果表明,大SEP事件的源区主要分布在太阳西半球, 特别是磁足点东西两侧45°范围内; 在高速太阳风条件下, 低能通道的通量上升时间与日面相对经度有较好的相关性,即离磁足点越远, 上升时间越长,而高能通道相关性则不明显; 全晕状CME产生的SEP事件对应的上升时间与源区位置没有明显的相关性, 而部分晕状CME伴随的SEP事件则与二次拟合曲线符合很好.分析表明,在缓变型SEP事件的通量上升阶段, 耀斑加速过程起着重要作用,这在部分晕状CME伴随的SEP事件中尤为显著.      

1 AU轨道SEP粒子通量的计算及与多卫星观测结果的比较

1 AU轨道上太阳高能粒子(Solar Energetic Particles,SEP)通量是空间天气的重要指标.将SEP两步传播方程的格林函数解进行数值化,模拟了2012年9月28日的SEP事件,首次计算了同一事件中GOES卫星与STEREO双星观测到的SEP通量变化过程.对GOES和STEREO-B观测点,计算所得SEP峰值I_max和峰值到达时间t_max与观测值符合较好;对STEREO-A,由于观测点与太阳活动源区间隔较大及太阳背面未知事件的影响,计算结果与观测存在一定差异.      

太阳高能粒子事件强度与相关双CME事件关系的两个事例

太阳高能粒子事件常伴随太阳耀斑和日冕物质抛射事件(Coronal Mass Ejections,CME)出现,由于太阳高能粒子事件的关键因素是双CME的相互作用,利用SOHO卫星观测的高能粒子强度、耀斑强度以及CME的相对高度与时间,通过高度与时间拟合得到的速度,分析了2001年4月15日和2005年1月20日的太阳高能粒子事件强度与相关双CME事件的关系,发现这两个太阳高能粒子事件中E ≥ 10MeV质子的强度与双CME事件无关.因此在这两次太阳高能粒子事件早期,E ≥ 10MeV质子的强度只与相关太阳耀斑和CME有关.      

多方向μ介子通量一致性特征研究

通过地面μ介子望远镜可以探测不同方向到达的宇宙线通量,得到从外空间入射的宇宙线受到不均匀结构的调制情况,判断CME的特征.通过分析,发现大地磁暴前Nagoya台站东向和南向的探测数据存在固定的2h时间差,认为这是由两个入射方向的宇宙线粒子先后穿越CME结构引起的.分别计算了两个方向相同时间和南向相位后移2h后通量探测数据的相关系数,以及两种情形下通量差的变化幅度,定量描述了CME接近地球过程中两个方向通量的相关特征.通过比较发现,CME接近地球过程中,经过相位变换的两个方向的相关系数明显高于未经变换的情况,经过相位变换的两个方向的通量差幅度明显小于未经变换的情况;CME到达地球后,两种情形的相关系数和通量差幅度则趋于相同.对2003-2005年K_p=9的地磁暴事件的分析均发现了这种现象.对2006年12月14日大地磁暴前的μ介子通量特征进行了分析,也完全符合上述特征.      

太阳风速度及日球电流片对CME渡越时间的影响

基于1996-2005年88个引起重大地磁暴的CME(日冕物质抛射)事件、1996-2000年的47个CME事件以及1997-2002年的29个全晕状CME事件,结合ACE卫星在1AU处的太阳风和行星际磁场观测资料以及Wilcox Solar Observatory(WSO)天文台的太阳光球层磁图,分析了背景太阳风速度和日球电流片对CME到达1AU处渡越时间预报误差的影响.结果表明,背景太阳风速度与CME渡越时间误差并没有明显的相关性,在考虑了磁云通量管轴相对黄道面夹角的影响后相关性依然不明显.然而日球电流片对CME渡越时间却有明显的影响,对于初速度较小的异侧CME事件,其渡越时间大于同侧事件;而对于具有较大初速度的CME事件,异侧事件的渡越时间明显小于同侧事件.研究结果表明,CME与太阳风以及日球电流片的相互作用并不是简单的对流相互作用,造成高速CME异侧事件快于同侧事件到达地球的因素非常复杂,有待深入研究.      

米波Ⅲ型爆发与日冕物质抛射

对澳大利亚Culgoora天文台射电频谱仪在太阳活动第23周峰年期间记录到的米波Ⅲ型爆发(20～420 MHz),与日冕物质抛射(CME)、Hα耀斑及相关事件进行了统计分析,发现米波Ⅲ型爆发与CME的关系没有Ⅱ、Ⅳ型爆发与CME的关系密切;米波Ⅲ型爆发发生的时间在CME之前25～30 min最多;72%的CME事件伴随长寿命的Hα耀斑.从这些观测特征出发,对米波Ⅲ型爆发、CME和Hα耀斑进行了定性的解释.      

两个临近脉冲型太阳能量电子事件的观测与拟合

WIND飞船在2010年11月15日观测到两个临近的脉冲型太阳能量电子事件, 这两个事件在1AU处呈现出不同类型的通量-时间曲线. 事件一的通量表现出快速上升及快速下降的特性; 事件二则表现为缓慢上升, 更缓慢下降, 事件二的持续时间是事件一的5～17倍. 以往的解释认为事 件二中的电子在行星际受到了更强的散射. 本文引入等腰三角形的释放函数并 求解电报方程, 利用得到的解对1AU处的观测进行拟合. 根据最佳拟合结果 反推两事件在太阳上的释放函数和在行星际传播的平均自由程, 发现造成两事 件在1AU处能谱和通量-时间曲线形状不同的原因是太阳上电子 加速过程的不同而非行星际散射. 结合SOHO卫星的白光观测, 发现两事件可能 与一个CME (日冕物质抛射)相关, 并进一步推测了这两个太阳电子事件可能 的加速图像.      

2 AU以内的“渐进型”太阳高能粒子事件模拟

太阳高能粒子（Solar Energetic Particle,SEP）事件是影响地球空间以及深空辐射环境的主要因素之一。“渐进型”太阳高能粒子事件中的高能粒子主要来自于日冕物质抛射（Coronal Mass Ejection,CME）所驱动的激波扩散加速（Diffusive Shock Acceleration,DSA）过程。CME驱动的激波在行星际的传播过程中,其结构不断演化,进而影响到高能粒子的加速过程。本文利用二维太阳高能粒子加速和传播模型,对发生于2014年4月18日的太阳高能粒子事件实例进行了数值模拟。模型考察了黄道面上2 AU的距离以内包含地球所在位置的4个不同点,分别计算了每个点上高能粒子的通量。数值模拟的结果表明：黄道面内不同位置的观察点,与激波波前的磁力线连接不同,从而导致观察点处高能粒子的通量有着显著的差异。该模型的计算结果可以为深空探测计划开展辐射环境研究提供必要的输入。     

太阳风对流效应对CME渡越时间的影响

基于Gopalswamy预报日冕物质抛射（CME）渡越时间的经验模型,选取1996-2007年间52个与地磁效应Dst<-50nT相关的CME事件以及10个引起特大磁暴（Dst<-200nT）的CME事件,结合ACE卫星在1AU处的太阳风观测资料,分析背景太阳风对流效应对CME到达1AU处渡越时间预报的影响.对于52个CME事件,考虑太阳风对流效应的影响后,预报的标准偏差由16.5h降为11.4h,修正后的误差分布趋向于高斯分布,并且68%事件的预报误差小于15h.对于10个引起特大磁暴的CME事件,考虑太阳风对流效应的影响后,预报的标准偏差由10.6h降低到6.5h,其中6个事件的预报误差小于5h.研究结果表明,对于CME事件,考虑背景太阳风对流效应的影响可以降低预报CME渡越时间的标准偏差,说明太阳风对流效应对预报CME事件渡越时间具有重要作用.      

SEP events and multi-spacecraft observations: Constraints on theory

Fifteen solar energetic particle (SEP) events have been analyzed using proton flux data recorded by the Helios 1, Helios 2, and IMP 8 spacecraft in the energy range ∼4–40 MeV during 1974–1982. For each of the events at least two of the spacecraft have their nominal magnetic footpoint within 20° in heliocentric longitude from each other. The SEP events are sub-grouped as a function of their heliocentric longitudinal separation and heliocentric radial distance from the SEP associated solar flare and several case studies are presented in this paper. Main results concerning their usage in estimating the SEP radial dependence are given. Moreover, we investigate the behavior of the third not connected spacecraft in order to study the dependence of the proton flux as a function of flare location. It is found that the contribution of the longitudinal gradient in determining variations in the SEP proton flux is particularly relevant for spacecraft having their magnetic connection footpoint separated from the flare between 30° and 50°.     

On the early phase of relativistic solar particle events: Are there signatures of acceleration mechanism?

Many physical processes precede and accompany the solar energetic particles (SEP) occurrence on the Earth’s orbit. Explosive energy release on the Sun gives rise to a flare and a coronal mass ejection (CME). X-ray and gamma emissions are believed to be connected with flares. Radio emission is signature of disturbances traveling through the corona and interplanetary space. Particles can gain energy both in the flare and the accompanying wave processes. The beginning of the SEP events has the advantage of being the phase most close to the time of acceleration. Influence of interplanetary transport is minimal in the case of first arriving relativistic solar protons recorded by ground based neutron monitors in so called ground-level enhancements (GLE). The early phase of the SEP events attracts attention of many scientists searching for the understanding of particle acceleration. However, they come to the opposite conclusions. While some authors find arguments for coronal mass ejections as a sole accelerator of SEPs, others prove a flare to be the SEP origin. Here, the circumstances of SEP generation for several GLEs of the 23rd solar cycle are considered. Timing of X-ray, CME, and radio emissions shows a great variety from event to event. However, the time of particle ejection from the Sun is closer to maximum of X-ray emission than to any other phenomena considered. No correlation is found between the particle fluxes and the CME characteristics.     

Energetic particle acceleration by coronal mass ejections

The current paradigm for the source of large, gradual solar energetic particle (SEP) events is that theyare accelerated in coronal/interplanetary shocks driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Early studies established that there is a rough correlation between the logs of the CME speed and the logs of the SEP intensities. Here I review two topics challenging the basic paradigm, the recent discovery that CMEs are also associated with impulsive, high-Z rich SEP events and the search for gradual SEP sources other than CME-driven shocks. I then discuss three topics of recent interest dealing with the relationship between the shock or CME properties and the resulting SEP events. These are the roles that CME accelerations, interactions between fast and preceding slow CMEs, and widths of fast CMEs may play in SEP production.     

Coronal mass ejection interaction and particle acceleration during the 2001 April 14–15 events

Two successive solar energetic particle (SEP) events associated with fast and wide coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on 2001 April 14 and 15 are compared. The weak SEP event of April 14 associated with an 830 km/s CME and an M1.0 flare was the largest impulsive event of cycle 23. The April 15 event, the largest ground level event of cycle 23, was three orders of magnitude more intense than the April 14^th event and was associated with a faster CME (1200 km/s) and an X14.4 flare. We compiled and compared all the activities (flares, CMEs, interplanetary conditions and radio bursts) associated with the two SEP events to understand the intensity difference between them. Different coronal and interplanetary environments of the two events (presence of preceding CME and seed particles ahead of the April 15 event) may explain the intensity difference.     

Solar proton events recorded in the stratosphere during cosmic ray balloon observations in 1957–2008

Long-term balloon observations have been performed by the Lebedev Physical Institute since 1957 up to the present time. The observations are taken several times a week at the polar and mid latitudes and allow us to study dynamics of galactic and solar cosmic ray as well as secondary particle fluxes in the atmosphere and in the near-Earth space. Solar energetic particles (120) – mostly protons – (SEP) events with >100 MeV proton intensity above 1 cm⁻² s⁻¹ s⁻¹ were recorded during 1958–2006. Before the advent of the SEP monitoring on spacecraft these results constituted the only homogeneous series of >100 MeV SEP events. The SEP intensities and energy spectra inferred from the Lebedev Physical Institute observations are consistent with the results taken in the adjacent energy intervals by the spacecraft and neutron monitors. Joint consideration of the SEP events series recorded by balloons and by neutron monitors during solar cycles 20–23 makes it possible to restore the probable number of events in solar cycle 19, which was not properly covered by observations. Some correlation was found between duration of SEP event production in a solar cycle and sunspot cycle characteristics.     

Statistical properties of SEP event flux declines

The interplanetary space is not a passive medium, which merely constitutes a scene for the propagation of previously accelerated energetic particles, but influences the distribution of particles by changing their energies as well due to interactions with magnetic field inhomogeneities. Such processes manifest themselves in the energy spectra of solar energetic particle (SEP) events. In this paper the fluxes of protons with energies of 4–60 MeV are investigated on the basis of two data sets. Both sets are homogeneous, obtained by the CPME instrument aboard the IMP 8 satellite between 1974 and 2001. The first includes all SEP events where the integral fluxes of >4 MeV protons exceeded 2 particle/cm² s sr. The other set consists of fluxes recorded in differential energy windows between 0.5 and 48 MeV. Important characteristics of SEP events include the rates of decrease of particle flux, which, as well as peak flux time, is an integral feature of the interplanetary medium within a considerable region, surrounding the observation point. The time intervals selected cover the decay phases of SEP events following flares, CMEs and interplanetary shocks of different origin. Only those parts of declines were selected, that could reasonably be described by exponential dependence, irrespective of the gradual/impulsive character of the events. It is shown that the average values of characteristic decay time, τ, and energy spectral index, γ, are all changing with the solar activity phase. Distributions of τ and γ values are obtained in SEPs with and without shocks and during different phases of events: just after peak flux and late after maximum.     

Onset study of impulsive solar energetic particleevents

Impulsive solar energetic particle (SEP) events are associated with impulsive X-ray flares, energetic electrons,and enhanced heavy ion abundances. Using instruments on ACE, we have examined the composition and origin of twelve impulsive SEP events from November 1997 to June 2000. All selected impulsive SEP events have enhanced ³He/⁴He ratios compared with the solar wind values. The range of ³He/⁴He ratios varies from 0.01 to 7.8. By assuming scatter-free propagation at zero degree pitch-angle, we fitted the minimum particle path lengths (from 1.2 to 1.4 AU, as expected), and estimated the ion event release time back at the Sun to within better than 30 minutes in most cases. We found only four events in which the release times agree for both 38–50 keV electrons and <1 MeV/nucleon ions. Five of our events have significant differences (>40 minutes) between the electron and ion onset times, all with ions injected later. Three impulsive ion events have no association with any impulsive electron event. Seven events have associated solar electromagnetic signatures (Type III radio bursts and/or X-ray flares).