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NASA NTRS1994

On the sources of interplanetary shocks at 0.72 AU

In order to understand the solar cycle variation of interplanetary shocks and their driving source at 0.72 AU, a survey of Pioneer Venus Orbiter (PVO) magnetometer and plasma data from 1979-1988 has been conducted. Known shock drivers at 1.0 AU include coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and fast/slow stream interactions. In our analysis, CMEs were identified by a decrease in plasma temperature to background or below accompanied by an increase in plasma density and dynamic pressure. It was also required that the magnetic field exhibit a coherent rotation over about a day and an increase and decline in magnitude on a timescale of hours to days. Stream interactions were identified by a characteristic increase in ion temperature and velocity coincident with a decrease in density and a coincident increase in the total magnetic field magnitude. These signatures were usually preceded within 24 hours by a change in flow angle. In all, 45 shocks were identified: 36 driven by CMEs, 6 resulting from fast/slow stream interactions, and 3 with sources that could not be defined. The shocks driven by CMEs show a solar cycle variation that roughly follows the sunspot number. These shocks all have normals consistent with radial propagation of the shock fronts from the sun. In contrast, the few stream interaction related shocks show a tendency to occur later in the solar cycle and have a broader distribution of shock normals.

Lindsay, G. M.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Origin of High-Energy Protons Responsible for Late-Phase Pion-Decay Gamma-Ray Continuum from the Sun

Gamma-ray emission from solar eruptions can last far beyond the impulsive phase of the associated flares, and hence termed as sustained gamma-ray emission (SGRE). These gamma-rays result from the decay of neutral pions produced when >300 MeV protons collide with hydrogen and heavier elements in the solar photosphere. The source of protons producing SGRE has two possible origins: (i) particles accelerated in the associated flare are somehow trapped in magnetic structures and diffuse slowly to the chromosphere, and (ii) particles accelerated at the shock front that diffuse back to the Sun. In this presentation, we compile currently available observations and inferences that support these two possibilities. We use the gamma-ray data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope (Fermi/LAT) in conjunction with coronal mass ejection (CME) data from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and type II radio burst information from the Wind spacecraft. We also use the GOES soft X-ray flare information.

Nat Gopalswamy↗
NASA NTRS2010

Interplanetary Shocks Lacking Type 2 Radio Bursts

We report on the radio-emission characteristics of 222 interplanetary (IP) shocks detected by spacecraft at Sun-Earth L1 during solar cycle 23 (1996 to 2006, inclusive). A surprisingly large fraction of the IP shocks (approximately 34%) was radio quiet (RQ; i.e., the shocks lacked type II radio bursts). We examined the properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and soft X-ray flares associated with such RQ shocks and compared them with those of the radio-loud (RL) shocks. The CMEs associated with the RQ shocks were generally slow (average speed approximately 535 km/s) and only approximately 40% of the CMEs were halos. The corresponding numbers for CMEs associated with RL shocks were 1237 km/s and 72%, respectively. Thus, the CME kinetic energy seems to be the deciding factor in the radio-emission properties of shocks. The lower kinetic energy of CMEs associated with RQ shocks is also suggested by the lower peak soft X-ray flux of the associated flares (C3.4 versus M4.7 for RL shocks). CMEs associated with RQ CMEs were generally accelerating within the coronagraph field of view (average acceleration approximately +6.8 m/s (exp 2)), while those associated with RL shocks were decelerating (average acceleration approximately 3.5 m/s (exp 2)). This suggests that many of the RQ shocks formed at large distances from the Sun, typically beyond 10 Rs, consistent with the absence of metric and decameter-hectometric (DH) type II radio bursts. A small fraction of RL shocks had type II radio emission solely in the kilometric (km) wavelength domain. Interestingly, the kinematics of the CMEs associated with the km type II bursts is similar to those of RQ shocks, except that the former are slightly more energetic. Comparison of the shock Mach numbers at 1 AU shows that the RQ shocks are mostly subcritical, suggesting that they were not efficient in accelerating electrons. The Mach number values also indicate that most of these are quasi-perpendicular shocks. The radio-quietness is predominant in the rise phase and decreases through the maximum and declining phases of solar cycle 23. About 18% of the IP shocks do not have discernible ejecta behind them. These shocks are due to CMEs moving at large angles from the Sun-Earth line and hence are not blast waves. The solar sources of the shock-driving CMEs follow the sunspot butterfly diagram, consistent with the higher-energy requirement for driving shocks.

Gopalswamy, N.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Forward-reverse shock pairs associated with transient disturbances in the solar wind at 1 AU

Using color-coded plots of the ISEE-3 solar wind electron data and magnetic field data from ISEE-3 for the period from August 1978 through February 1980, evidence was obtained on two transient disturbances which contained reverse shocks in addition to forward shocks. These disturbances are considered to be associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs). In the stronger of the two disturbances, the reverse shock was found within the CME and was separated from the forward shock by about 0.2 AU; the pressure between the two shocks was nearly constant. In the weaker disturbance, the reverse shock propagated entirely through the CME, trailing the forward shock by about 0.3-0.4 AU; the pressure between the shocks declined substantially and monotonically. Each disturbance profile can be compared favorably with one of the simple one-dimensional fluid simulations used by Hundhausen (1985) to illustrate the general principles underlying transient disturbance propagation in the solar wind.

Gosling, J. T.↗
NASA NTRS2023

The 17 April 2021 Widespread Solar Energetic Particle Event

A complex and long-lasting solar eruption on 17 April 2021 produced a widespread solar energetic particle (SEP) event that was observed by five longitudinally well-separated observers in the inner heliosphere that covered distances to the Sun from 0.42 to 1 au: BepiColombo, Parker Solar Probe, Solar Orbiter, STEREO A, and near-Earth spacecraft. The event was the second widespread SEP event detected in solar cycle 25, and it produced relativistic electrons and protons. It was associated with a long-lasting solar hard X-ray flare that showed multiple hard X-ray peaks over a duration of one hour. The event was further accompanied by a medium-fast coronal mass ejection (CME) with a speed of 880 km s -1 that drove a shock, an extreme ultraviolet wave, and long-lasting and complex radio burst activity that showed four distinct type III burst groups over a period of 40 min. We aim to understand the reason for the wide spread of elevated SEP intensities in the inner heliosphere as well as identify the underlying source regions of the observed energetic electrons and protons. We applied a comprehensive multi-spacecraft analysis of remote-sensing observations and in situ measurements of the energetic particles and interplanetary context to attribute the SEP observations at the different locations to the various potential source regions at the Sun. We used an ENLIL simulation to characterize the complex interplanetary state and its role in the energetic particle transport. The magnetic connection between each spacecraft and the Sun was determined using ballistic backmapping in combination with potential field source surface extrapolations in the lower corona. Using also a reconstruction of the coronal shock front, we then determined the times when the shock establishes magnetic connections with the different observers. Radio observations were used to characterize the directivity of the four main injection episodes, which were then employed in a 2D SEP transport simulation to test the importance of these different injection episodes. A comprehensive timing analysis of the inferred solar injection times of the SEPs observed at each spacecraft suggests different source processes being important for the electron and proton events. Comparison among the characteristics and timing of the potential particle sources, such as the CME-driven shock or the flare, suggests a stronger shock contribution for the proton event and a more likely flare-related source for the electron event. In contrast to earlier studies on widespread SEP events, we find that in this event an important ingredient for the wide SEP spread was the wide longitudinal range of about 110 o covered by distinct SEP injections, which is also supported by our SEP transport modeling.

sun↗
NASA NTRS1995

A CME-Driven Solar Wind Disturbance Observed at both Low and High Heliographic Latitudes

A solar wind disturbance produced by a fast coronal mass ejection, CME, that departed from the Sun on February 20, 1994 was observed in the ecliptic plane at 1 AU by IMP 8 and at high heliographic latitudes at 3.53 AU by Ulysses. In the ecliptic the disturbance included a strong forward shock but no reverse shock, while at high latitudes the disturbance was bounded by a relatively weak forward-reverse shock pair. It is clear that the disturbance in the ecliptic plane was driven primarily by the relative speed between the CME and a slower ambient solar wind ahead, whereas at higher latitudes the disturbance was driven by expansion of the CME. The combined IMP 8 and Ulysses observations thus provide a graphic illustration of how a single fast CME can produce very different types of solar wind disturbances at low and high heliographic latitudes. Simple numerical simulations help explain observed differences at the two spacecraft.

Gosling, J. T.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Cosmic ray decreases and solar wind disturbances during late October 1989

We describe the interplanetary phenomena (energetic particles, solar wind plasma, and magnetic field) seen at Interplanetary Monitoring Platform 8 (IMP 8) and at International Cometary Explorer (ICE), located 65 deg west of IMP 8, during the period October 19-31, 1989, when neutron monitors observed three ground level events originating in one active region when it was in the longitude range E09 deg to W57 deg. At least four shocks, associated with energetic particle enhancements, which can be attributed to a sequence of coronal mass ejections from the same active region, were seen at both spacecraft. An additional shock was observed only at ICE late in this period when the active region was behind the west limb. Considering all the data (which unfortunately suffer from large gaps), it appears that the ejecta associated with the shocks were detected only when the spacecraft and solar source longitude were separated by less than 50 deg. The shocks extended over a greater range of longitudes. The cosmic ray record at Earth is consistent with this picture such that only the first two shock-associated cosmic ray decreases had the signature expected for intercepting ejecta material. This same time period was also examined by Bavassano et al. (1994). However, we do not agree with their conclusion that 'magnetic clouds' extending at least 75 deg from the source longitude were present.

Cane, H. V.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Analyses of ∼0.05-2 Mev Ions Associated With the 2022 February 16 Esp Event Observed by Parker Solar Probe

We present analyses of 0.05–2 MeV ions from the 2022 February 16 energetic storm particle event observed by Parker Solar Probe's (PSP) IS⊙IS/EPI-Lo instrument at 0.35 au from the Sun. This event was characterized by an enhancement in ion fluxes from a quiet background, increasing gradually with time with a nearly flat spectrum, rising sharply near the arrival of the coronal mass ejection (CME) driven shock, becoming nearly a power-law spectrum, then decaying exponentially afterwards, with a rate that was independent of energy. From the observed fluxes, we determine diffusion coefficients, finding that far upstream of the shock the diffusion coefficients are nearly independent of energy with a value of 10 20 cm 2 /s. Near the shock, the diffusion coefficients are more than one order of magnitude smaller and increase nearly linearly with energy. We also determine the source of energetic particles, by comparing ratios of the intensities at the shock to estimates of the quiet time intensity to predictions from diffusive shock acceleration theory. We conclude that the source of energetic ions is mostly the solar wind for this event. We also present potential interpretations of the near-exponential decay of the intensity behind the shock. One is that we suggest the shock was over-expanding when it crossed PSP and the energetic particle intensity decreased behind the shock to fill the expanding volume. Over-expanding CMEs could well be more common closer to the Sun, and this is an example of such a case.

Joe Giacalone↗
NASA NTRS1992

Energetic particle composition variations during the March 1991 events measured with the Ulysses EPAC instrument

Energetic particle measurements are reported which were obtained with the EPAC instrument on board the Ulysses spacecraft during March 1991 when a series of important flares occurred at the sun. The time interval March 22 through March 29 is studied in three periods with different ion compositions. At a quasi-perpendicular shock on March 23, shock-drift acceleration of protons, helium and electrons was observed. Thirteen hours after this shock the energetic ion composition changed dramatically by almost two orders of magnitude, signaling the arrival of a coronal mass ejection or driver gas. This driver gas was still present at the spacecraft when a second quasi-perpendicular shock passed the spacecraft. The ratio Fe/O increased from 0.6 to 1.0 indicative of a connection to solar particles for about six hours after the second shock. The second shock did not accelerate ions as well and electrons not at all. Six hours after this shock the same oxygen and ion composition was observed as before, indicating that the second shock did not alter the energetic ion composition. A third ion composition was observed before the driver gas disappeared which was significantly different from those observed before the first and between the two shocks.

Krupp, N.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Coronas Mass Ejections, Shocks, and Type II Radio Bursts

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the most energetic phenomena in the interplanetary medium. Type II radio bursts are the earliest indicators of particle acceleration by CME-driven shocks. There is one-to-one correspondence between large solar energetic particle (SEP) events and long wavelength type II bursts because the same CME-driven shock is supposed to accelerate electrons and ions. However, there are some significant deviations: some CMEs lacking type II bursts (radio-quiet or RQ CMEs) are associated with small SEP events while some radioloud (RL) CMEs are not associated with SEP events, suggesting subtle differences in the acceleration of electrons and protons. Not all CME-driven shocks are radio loud: more than one third of the interplanetary shocks during solar cycle 23 were radio quiet. Some RQ shocks were associated with energetic storm particle (ESP) events, which are detected when the shocks arrive at the observing spacecraft. This paper attempts to explain these contradictory results in terms of the properties of CMEs, shocks, and the ambient medium.

Gopalswamy, Natchimuthuk↗
NASA NTRS2012

Understanding Shock Dynamics in the Inner Heliosphere with Modeling and Type II Radio Data: the 2010-04-03 Event

The 2010 April 03 solar event was studied using observations from STEREO SECCHI, SOHO LASCO, and Wind kilometric Type II data (kmTII) combined with WSA-Cone-ENLIL model simulations performed at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC). In particular, we identified the origin of the coronal mass ejection (CME) using STEREO EUVI and SOHO EIT images. A flux-rope model was fit to the SECCHI A and B, and LASCO images to determine the CMEs direction, size, and actual speed. J-maps from STEREO COR2HI-1HI-2 and simulations fromCCMC were used to study the formation and evolution of the shock in the inner heliosphere. In addition, we also studied the time-distance profile of the shock propagation from kmTII radio burst observations. The J-maps together with in-situ datafrom the Wind spacecraft provided an opportunity to validate the simulation results andthe kmTII prediction. Here we report on a comparison of two methods of predictinginterplanetary shock arrival time: the ENLIL model and the kmTII method; andinvestigate whether or not using the ENLIL model density improves the kmTIIprediction. We found that the ENLIL model predicted the kinematics of shock evolutionwell. The shock arrival times (SAT) and linear-fit shock velocities in the ENLILmodel agreed well with those measurements in the J-maps along both the CME leading edge and the Sun-Earth line. The ENLIL model also reproduced most of the largescale structures of the shock propagation and gave the SAT prediction at Earth with an error of 17 hours. The kmTII method predicted the SAT at Earth with an error of 15 hours when using n0 4.16 cm3, the ENLIL model plasma density near Earth; but itimproved to 2 hours when using n0 6.64 cm3, the model density near the CMEleading edge at 1 AU.

Space weather forecast↗
NASA NTRS1994

Near-Sun solar wind consequences of solar structure and dynamic phenomena observed by radio scintillation measurements

Since radio propagation measurements using either natural or spacecraft radio signals are used for probing the solar wind in the vicinity of the sun, they represent a key tool for studying the interplanetary consequences of solar structure and dynamic phenomena. New information on the near sun consequences was obtained from radio scintillation observations of coherent spacecraft signals. The results covering density fluctuations, fractional density fluctuations, coronal streamers, heliospheric current sheets, coronal mass ejections and interplanetary shocks are reviewed. A joint ICE S-band (13 cm wavelength) Doppler scintillation measurement with the SOHO white-light coronograph (LASCO) is described.

Woo, Richard↗
NASA NTRS1999

Ionospheric response to the CME Passage of September 24,1998

On September 24, 1998, a solar coronal mass ejection struck the Earth's magnetosphere. The magnetosphere/ionosphere system exhibited a response in several ways one of which was an increase in ion outflow from the ionosphere, ionospheric mass ejections in response to the pressure pulse from the shock passage at the front of the magnetosphere. However, the timing of the incidence of the pressure pulse and the ionospheric response has not been examined in detail. Images from the Ultraviolet Imager show a brightening in the dayside aurora at the same time the shock is seen at Polar at about 23:45 UT on the 24th. . We examine the temporal and spatial relationship (using simple models ) of these two events to determine the correlation of the particles seen at Polar and the regions of increased energy input seen in the aurora and discuss the physical implications of the results.

Craven, Paul D↗
NASA NTRS2024

On the Mesoscale Structure of Coronal Mass Ejections at Mercury’s Orbit: BepiColombo and Parker Solar Probe Observations

On 2022 February 15, an impressive filament eruption was observed off the solar eastern limb from three remote-sensing viewpoints, namely, Earth, STEREO-A, and Solar Orbiter. In addition to representing the most-distant observed filament at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths—captured by Solar Orbiter's field of view extending to above 6 R ⊙ —this event was also associated with the release of a fast (∼2200 km s −1 ) coronal mass ejection (CME) that was directed toward BepiColombo and Parker Solar Probe. These two probes were separated by 2° in latitude, 4° in longitude, and 0.03 au in radial distance around the time of the CME-driven shock arrival in situ. The relative proximity of the two probes to each other and the Sun (∼0.35 au) allows us to study the mesoscale structure of CMEs at Mercury's orbit for the first time. We analyze similarities and differences in the main CME-related structures measured at the two locations, namely, the interplanetary shock, the sheath region, and the magnetic ejecta. We find that, despite the separation between the two spacecraft being well within the typical uncertainties associated with determination of CME geometric parameters from remote-sensing observations, the two sets of in situ measurements display some profound differences that make understanding the overall 3D CME structure particularly challenging. Finally, we discuss our findings within the context of space weather at Mercury's distance and in terms of the need to investigate solar transients via spacecraft constellations with small separations, which has been gaining significant attention during recent years.

Erika Palmerio↗
NASA NTRS2012

Solar Sources of Earth-affecting Energetic Particles

Particle radiation from the Sun is one of the most important sources of hazardous space weather in the vicinity of Earth. Detailed studies of the origin of the so-called large solar energetic particle (SEP) events became possible only during the solar cycle 23, thanks to the availability of nearly continuous observation of the solar sources ofthese events. In particular, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are found to be a key requirement for the occurrence of an SEP event, have been recorded continuously only starting in the 1990s. The physical connection between CMEs and SEPs is that the CMEs drive a fast-mode MHD shock, which accelerates SEPs in the corona and interplanetary medium. The earliest indication of a shock is the occurrence of a type II radio burst at frequencies anywhere from more than a hundred MHz to a few MHz. Recent investigations using STEREO observations have revealed that the shock forms very close to the Sun - a mere 100,000 km above the surface. The shock formation depends not only on the CME properties, but also on the physical conditions in the ambient medium that supports shock propagation. This paper considers extreme cases of SEP events and the associated CMEs and type II radio bursts to illustrate the variability observed in SEP event properties. Comparison will be made between the events of solar cycles 23 and 24.

Gopalswamy, Nat↗
NASA NTRS2011

Consequences of the Breakout Model for Particle Acceleration in CMEs and Flares

The largest and most efficient particle accelerators in the solar system are the giant events consisting of a fast coronal mass ejection (CME) and an intense X-class solar flare. Both flares and CMEs can produce l0(exp 32) ergs or more in nonthermal particles. Two general processes are believed to be responsible: particle acceleration at the strong shock ahead of the CME, and reconnection-driven acceleration in the flare current sheet. Although shock acceleration is relatively well understood, the mechanism by which flare reconnection produces nonthermal particles is still an issue of great debate. We address the question of CME/flare particle acceleration in the context of the breakout model using 2.5D MHD simulations with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR). The AMR capability allows us to achieve ultra-high numerical resolution and, thereby, determine the detailed structure and dynamics of the flare reconnection region. Furthermore, we employ newly developed numerical analysis tools for identifying and characterizing magnetic nulls, so that we can quantify accurately the number and location of magnetic islands during reconnection. Our calculations show that flare reconnection is dominated by the formation of magnetic islands. In agreement with many other studies, we find that the number of islands scales with the effective Lundquist number. This result supports the recent work by Drake and co-workers that postulates particle acceleration by magnetic islands. On the other hand, our calculations also show that the flare reconnection region is populated by numerous shocks and other indicators of strong turbulence, which can also accelerate particles. We discuss the implications of our calculations for the flare particle acceleration mechanism and for observational tests of the models.

Antiochos, S. K.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Size Distributions of Solar Flares and Solar Energetic Particle Events

We suggest that the flatter size distribution of solar energetic proton (SEP) events relative to that of flare soft X-ray (SXR) events is primarily due to the fact that SEP flares are an energetic subset of all flares. Flares associated with gradual SEP events are characteristically accompanied by fast (much > 1000 km/s) coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that drive coronal/interplanetary shock waves. For the 1996-2005 interval, the slopes (alpha values) of power-law size distributions of the peak 1-8 Angs fluxes of SXR flares associated with (a) >10 MeV SEP events (with peak fluxes much > 1 pr/sq cm/s/sr) and (b) fast CMEs were approx 1.3-1.4 compared to approx 1.2 for the peak proton fluxes of >10 MeV SEP events and approx 2 for the peak 1-8 Angs fluxes of all SXR flares. The difference of approx 0.15 between the slopes of the distributions of SEP events and SEP SXR flares is consistent with the observed variation of SEP event peak flux with SXR peak flux.

Solar Flares↗
NASA NTRS2014

Major Solar Eruptions and High-Energy Particle Events During Solar Cycle 24

We report on a study of all major solar eruptions that occurred on the frontside of the Sun during the rise to peak phase of cycle 24 (first 62 months) in order to understand the key factors affecting the occurrence of large solar energetic particle events (SEPs) and ground level enhancement (GLE) events. The eruptions involve major flares with soft X-ray peak flux greater than or equal to 5.0 x10(exp−5) Wm(exp−2) (i.e., flare size greater than or equal to M5.0) and accompanying coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The selection criterion was based on the fact that the only front-side GLE in cycle 24 (GLE 71) had a flare size of M5.1. Only approximately 37% of the major eruptions from the western hemisphere resulted in large SEP events. Almost the same number of large SEP events was produced in weaker eruptions (flare size less than M5.0), suggesting that the soft X-ray flare is not a good indicator of SEP or GLE events. On the other hand, the CME speed is a good indicator of SEP and GLE events because it is consistently high supporting the shock acceleration mechanism. We found the CME speed, magnetic connectivity to Earth (in longitude and latitude), and ambient conditions as the main factors that contribute to the lack of high-energy particle events during cycle 24. Several eruptions poorly connected to Earth (eastern-hemisphere or behind-the-west-limb events) resulted in very large SEP events detected by the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft. Some very fast CMEs, likely to have accelerated particles to GeV energies, did not result in a GLE event because of poor latitudinal connectivity. The stringent latitudinal requirement suggests that the highest-energy particles are likely accelerated in the nose part of shocks, while the lower energy particles are accelerated at all parts. There were also well-connected fast CMEs, which did not seem to have accelerated high-energy particles due to possible unfavorable ambient conditions (high Alfven speed, overall reduction in acceleration efficiency in cycle 24).

Flares↗