缓变型太阳高能粒子事件特征时间及其经向分布

利用SOHO,STEREO高能粒子观测数据,对2011-2014年30个通量短时间内显著增强的缓变型太阳高能粒子（SEP）事件的两个特征时间（局地爆发时间,起始释放时间）及其经向分布进行统计分析.研究结果显示,多颗卫星同时观测到的SEP事件伴随的日冕物质抛射（CME）角宽明显较一般事件大,且基本都为Halo CME;不同卫星观测到的粒子通量局地增强时间差与卫星位置经度差明显线性正相关且东西不对称;局地爆发时间和起始释放时间相对于耀斑时间的延迟与卫星相对经度正相关;卫星所有能量通道的两个特征时间极差与卫星相对经度呈现较好的正相关,这表明不同能量SEP释放的时间跨度具有明显经度差异;高低能释放时间差与CME速度正相关.这些结论表明,SEP事件的两个特征时间具有明显的经向依赖性,并都与CME速度相关.      

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.      

X级质子耀斑的特征研究

为了更加准确地判断X级耀斑是否引发质子事件,对X级质子耀斑和非质子耀斑的耀斑积分通量、源区、CME速度、CME角宽度、背景太阳风速度及背景X射线通量的分布进行了统计研究.发现非质子耀斑和质子耀斑的积分通量、经度、CME速度和CME角宽度具有明显不同的分布.非质子耀斑大多集中在东部,耀斑积分通量小于0.3J·m-2,CME速度小于1300km·s-1的区域内;质子耀斑大多集中在中部或西部,耀斑积分通量大于0.3J·m-2,CME速度大于1300km·s-1的区域内.质子耀斑伴随的CME角宽度主要集中在360°,非质子耀斑的CME角宽度分布则相对分散.两类耀斑的背景太阳风速度和背景X射线通量分布差别不大.利用两类耀斑各个参量分布上的差异,有望提高X级耀斑预报的准确率.      

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.      

基于机器学习方法对23太阳活动周质子事件的研究

在耀斑伴随日冕物质抛射（CME）事件编目数据的基础上，进行太阳质子事件（SPE）匹配，构建研究数据集.利用Apriori算法挖掘SPE与耀斑级别、耀斑发生日面位置以及CME角宽度和速度的关联关系.结果表明:X级耀斑、全晕CME、高速（>1000km·-1） CME和日面西半球耀斑是最可能伴随质子事件的4种特征，其诱发质子事件概率依次为0.366，0.355，0.30，0.155.角宽度低于120°或速度低于400km·-1的CME产生质子事件的概率为0.高速CME产生质子事件的概率是低速（400～1000km·-1） CME的8.6倍，X级耀斑产生质子事件的概率是M级耀斑的6.2倍，日面西部耀斑产生质子事件的概率是日面东部耀斑概率的3.9倍，全晕CME产生太阳质子事件的概率是非全晕（120°～360°） CME的3.8倍.对太阳质子事件样本进行过采样处理，利用随机森林等5种典型有监督学习算法，构建了基于第23太阳活动周耀斑和CME特征的质子事件预测模型.结果表明，该预报模型的质子事件预测准确率、精确率和召回率均控制在91%以上.      

全晕CME与太阳质子事件的关系

日冕物质抛射（CME）是太阳质子事件的重要源头.CME的速度和源区位置是太阳质子事件产生的重要因素.通过统计最近5年全晕CME与太阳质子事件的关系发现,速度大且源区位置距离日面上连接地球磁力线足点近的全晕CME更易引发太阳质子事件,其中速度大于1200km…-1、角距离60°以内的样本引发太阳质子事件的概率最高.对3个未引发太阳质子事件的高速全晕CME进行了详细分析,发现CME的主体爆发方向和行星际磁场环境的变化也影响太阳质子事件的产生.因此,在太阳质子事件的实际预报中,综合CME爆发速度、源区位置、主体抛射方向和行星际环境等多个因素才能给出更准确的事件预报结果.      

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.      

由太阳爆发事件特征预报地磁暴方法研究

CME是非重现性地磁暴的诱因,通过对太阳耀斑爆发活动的特征与可能引起地磁活动的CME进行统计分析,发现太阳耀斑的强度、位置、持续时间以及耀斑所伴随的太阳质子事件和行星际高能质子通量的增长与CME的特征及可能产生的地磁扰动有着密切的关系.在对数据分析的基础上,建立了基于人工神经网络的预报模式,对太阳耀斑爆发活动所引起的地磁扰动的发生及Ap指数进行了预报,取得了较好的结果.      

A study on radio-loud interacting/non-interacting CMEs-associated SEPs and solar flares

We have established a data set of 58 major hybrid SEP events associated with meter-to-decahectometer wavelength (m-to-DH) type II bursts, solar flares, and radio-load CMEs during the period of 1997–2014. The main focus of our study is to address the following two questions: Does the interaction of CMEs play a role in the enhancement of SEP intensity? Is there any difference in the seed population, and parent eruptions in the SEP events with and without CME interactions? Hence, the sample of 58 events is classified into two sets: (i) 35 non-interacting-CME-associated SEP events; (ii) 23 interacting-CME-associated SEP events. All the characteristics of SEPs, their associated CMEs/flares and the relationships between them are statistically analyzed and compared. Some of the basic attributes and relative elemental abundances (Fe/O ratios) of the both the sets are also compared. The results indicate that the seed particles in non-interacting-CME-associated SEP events are mostly from solar wind/coronal materials. But in the case of interacting-CME-associated SEP events, it may be associated with both flare material from preceding flares and coronal materials from solar wind/preceding CMEs. The correlation studies reveal that there are clear correlations between logarithmic peak intensity of SEP events and properties of CMEs (space speed: cc?=?0.56) and solar flares (peak intensity: cc?=?0.40; integrated flux: cc?=?0.52) for non-interacting-CME-associated SEP events. But these correlations are absent for the interacting-CME-associated events. In addition, the results suggest that interaction of primary CMEs with their preceding CMEs plays an important role in the enhancement of peak intensity of SEPs at least for a set of m-to-DH type II bursts associated SEP events.     

On some large solar energetic particle events: Direct impulsive component and broad associated coronal mass ejections

Using the proton intensity and X-ray flux data from the GOES, combined with the observations of the associated solar eruptions by the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment (LASCO) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), 14 large SEP events occurring in the period 2000 January–2002 April have been studied. It is found that: (1) events with the SEPs increasing shortly after the maximum of their parent flares (<1 h; hereafter prompt events) have rapid and great (up to four orders of magnitude) SEP increments in high-energy channels (> ∼100 MeV); however, for events whose onset of the SEP injection lags the flare maximum for a long time (>3 h; hereafter delayed events), the high-energy SEPs show no obvious enhancements (within one order of magnitude); (2) peak intensity of the prompt events is distinctly larger than that of the delayed events; (3) CMEs associated with the poorly magnetically connected events (source region <W30°) in our survey are all halo CMEs. From these observational differences, we propose a special scenario of the production of the largest SEP events: both CMEs and flares are induced in the same coronal process; high-energy particles accelerated in the reconnection region can escape easily from the open field lines and/or be transported by fast CMEs into interplanetary space, indicating a direct impulsive component in large gradual SEP events. Meanwhile, the broad width of the associated CMEs implies that the CME width is more important in SEP events production than previously considered.     

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.     

Solar energetic particle events during the rise phases of solar cycles 23 and 24

We present a comparative study of the properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and flares associated with the solar energetic particle (SEP) events in the rising phases of solar cycles (SC) 23 (1996–1998) (22 events) and 24 (2009–2011) (20 events), which are associated with type II radio bursts. Based on the SEP intensity, we divided the events into three categories, i.e. weak (intensity < 1 pfu), minor (1 pfu < intensity < 10 pfu) and major (intensity ? 10 pfu) events. We used the GOES data for the minor and major SEP events and SOHO/ERNE data for the weak SEP event. We examine the correlation of SEP intensity with flare size and CME properties. We find that most of the major SEP events are associated with halo or partial halo CMEs originating close to the sun center and western-hemisphere. The fraction of halo CMEs in SC 24 is larger than the SC 23. For the minor SEP events one event in SC23 and one event in SC24 have widths < 120° and all other events are associated with halo or partial halo CMEs as in the case of major SEP events. In case of weak SEP events, majority (more than 60%) of events are associated with CME width < 120°. For both the SC the average CMEs speeds are similar. For major SEP events, average CME speeds are higher in comparison to minor and weak events. The SEP event intensity and GOES X-ray flare size are poorly correlated. During the rise phase of solar cycle 23 and 24, we find north–south asymmetry in the SEP event source locations: in cycle 23 most sources are located in the south, whereas during cycle 24 most sources are located in the north. This result is consistent with the asymmetry found with sunspot area and intense flares.     

Investigating the Coronal Mass Ejections associated with DH type-II radio bursts and solar flares during the ascending phase of the solar cycle 24

We studied a set of 74 CMEs, with shedding the light on the halo-CMEs (HCMEs), that are associated with decametric – hectometric (DH) type-II radio bursts (1–16?MHz) and solar flares during the period 2008–2014. The events were classified into 3 groups (disk, intermediate, and limb events) based on their longitudinal distribution.We found that the events are mostly distributed around 15.32° and 15.97° at the northern and southern solar hemispheres, respectively. We found that there is a clear dependence between the longitude and the CME’s width, speed, acceleration, mass, and kinetic energy. For the CMEs’ widths, most of the events were HCMEs (～62%), while the partial HCMEs comprised ～35% and the rest of events were CMEs with widths less than 120°. For the CMEs’ speeds, masses, and kinetic energies, the mean values showed a direct proportionality with the longitude, in which the limb events had the highest speeds, the largest masses, and the highest kinetic energies. The mean peak flux of the solar flares for different longitudes was comparable, but the disk flares were more energetic. The intermediate flares were considered as gradual flares since they tended to last longer, while the limb flares were considered as impulsive flares since they tended to last shorter.A weak correlation (R?=?0.32) between the kinetic energy of the CMEs and the duration of the associated flares has been noticed, while there was a good correlation (R?=?0.76) between the kinetic energy of the CMEs and the peak flux of the associated flares. We found a fair correlation (R?=?0.58) between the kinetic energy of the CMEs and the duration of the associated DH type-II radio bursts.     

Properties and relationship between solar eruptive flares and Coronal Mass Ejections during rising phase of Solar Cycles 23 and 24

Statistical relationship between major flares and the associated CMEs during rising phases of Solar Cycles 23 and 24 are studied. Totally more than 6000 and 10,000 CMEs were observed by SOHO/LASCO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph) during 23rd [May 1996–June 2002] and 24th [December 2008–December 2014] solar cycles, respectively. In particular, we studied the relationship between properties of flares and CMEs using the limb events (longitude 70–85°) to avoid projection effects of CMEs and partial occultation of flares that occurred near 90°. After selecting a sample of limb flares, we used certain spatial and temporal constraints to find the flare-CME pairs. Using these constraints, we compiled 129 events in Solar Cycle 23 and 92 events in Solar Cycle 24. We compared the flare-CME relationship in the two solar cycles and no significant differences are found between the two cycles. We only found out that the CME mean width was slightly larger and the CME mean acceleration was slightly higher in cycle 24, and that there was somewhat a better relation between flare flux and CME deceleration in cycle 24 than in cycle 23.     

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.