Jinhye Park

The source regions of solar energetic particles detected by widely separated spacecraft

We studied the source regions of 12 solar energetic particle (SEP) events seen between 2010 August and 2012 January at STEREO-A, B, and/or Earth (Advanced Composition Explorer/Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/GOES), when the two STEREO spacecraft were separated by about 180°. All events were associated with flares (C1 to X6) and fast coronal mass ejections and, except for one, accompanied by type II radio bursts. We have determined the arrival times of the SEPs at the three positions. Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) waves, observed in the 195 A and 193 A channels of STEREO and the Solar Dynamics Observatory, are tracked across the Sun to determine their arrival time at the photospheric source of open field lines connecting to the spacecraft. There is a good correlation between the EUV wave arrival times at the connecting footpoints and the SEP onset times. The delay time between electron onset and the EUV wave reaching the connecting footpoint is independent of distance from the flare site. The proton delay time increases with distance from the flare site. In three of the events, secondary flare sites may have also contributed to the wide longitudinal spread of SEPs.

STUDY OF SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLE ASSOCIATIONS WITH CORONAL EXTREME-ULTRAVIOLET WAVES

We study the relationship between large gradual solar energetic particle (SEP) events and associated extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) wave properties in 16 events that occurred between 2010 August and 2013 May and were observed by SDO, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), and/or STEREO. We determine onset times, peak times, and peak fluxes of the SEP events in the SOHO/ERNE and STEREO/LET proton channels (6–10 MeV). The EUV wave arrival times and their speeds from the source sites to the spacecraft footpoints in the photosphere, which are magnetically connected to the spacecraft by Parker spiral and potential fields, are determined by spacetime plots from the full-Sun heliographic images created by combining STEREO-A and STEREO-B 195 A and SDO 193 A images. The SEP peak fluxes increase with the EUV wave speeds, and the SEP spectral indices become harder with the speeds. This shows that higher energetic particle fluxes are associated with faster EUV waves, which are considered as the lateral expansions of coronal-mass-ejection-driven shocks in the low corona.

Forecast of solar proton flux profiles for well‐connected events

We have developed a forecast model of solar proton flux profiles (> 10 MeV channel) for well-connected events. Among 136 solar proton events (SPEs) from 1986 to 2006, we select 49 well-connected ones that are all associated with single X-ray flares stronger than M1 class and start to increase within 4 h after their X-ray peak times. These events show rapid increments in proton flux. By comparing several empirical functions, we select a modified Weibull curve function to approximate a SPE flux profile. The parameters (peak flux, rise time, and decay time) of this function are determined by the relationship between X-ray flare parameters (peak flux, impulsive time, and emission measure) and SPE parameters. For 49 well-connected SPEs, the linear correlation coefficient between the predicted and the observed proton peak fluxes is 0.65 with the RMS error of 0.55 log10(pfu). In addition, we determine another forecast model based on flare and coronal mass ejection (CME) parameters using 22 SPEs. The used CME parameters are linear speed and angular width. As a result, we find that the linear correlation coefficient between the predicted and the observed proton peak fluxes is 0.83 with the RMS error of 0.35 log10(pfu). From the relationship between error of model and CME acceleration, we find that CME acceleration is an important factor for predicting proton flux profiles.

What flare and CME parameters control the occurrence of solar proton events

In this study we examine the occurrence probabilities of solar proton events (SPEs) and their peak fluxes depending on both flare and coronal mass ejection (CME) parameters: flare peak flux, longitude, impulsive time, CME linear speed, and angular width. For this we use the NOAA SPEs, their associated X-ray flares, and CME from 1997 to 2011. We divide the data into 16 subgroups according to the flare and CME parameters and estimate the SPE probabilities for the subgroups. The three highest probabilities are found for the following subgroups: (1) fast full halo (55.3%) and fast partial halo (42.9%) CMEs associated with strong flares from the western region and (2) slow full halo CMEs associated with strong flares from the western region (31.6%). It is noted that the events whose SPE probabilities are nearly 0% belong to the following subgroups: (1) slow and fast partial halo CMEs from the eastern region, (2) slow partial halo CMEs from the western region, and (3) slow full halo CMEs from the eastern region. These results show that important parameters to control SPE occurrences are CME linear speed, angular width, and source longitude, which can be understood by the piston-driven shock formation of fast CMEs and magnetic field connectivity from the source site to the Earth. It is also shown that when the subgroups are separately considered by flare impulsive time and source longitude, the correlation coefficients between the observed and the predicted SPE peak fluxes are greatly improved.