Acceleration, storage, and release of solar flare protons

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (10) References (20) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Acceleration, Storage, and Release of Solar Flare Protons Smith, D. F. ; Brecht, S. H. Abstract A plausible scenario for proton acceleration in gamma ray/proton flares is developed by combining the processes of storage, acceleration, and precipitation or release. The problem of stably storing protons is considered in two areas, intrinsic losses in the loop configuration and additional losses due to the development of wave instabilities and the accompanying wave-particle interactions. Two mechanisms for acceleration are considered: direct electric fields in a reconnecting current sheet or tearing models, and long-wavelength magnetosonic waves acting in concert. The results suggest a scenario in which continuous acceleration due to a small number of tearing regions and minor precipitation builds up a reservoir of about 1 MeV protons in a large loop on time scales of about one hour. At the impulsive phase the number of tearing regions increases dramatically, acceleration becomes more efficient, and precipitation occurs over a large fraction of the end of the loop, leading to the observed gamma rays. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: July 1986 DOI: 10.1086/164344 Bibcode: 1986ApJ...306..317S Keywords: Particle Acceleration; Proton Precipitation; Solar Flares; Solar Protons; Coronal Loops; Gamma Rays; Ion Cyclotron Radiation; Magnetohydrodynamic Stability; Stellar Models; Solar Physics; HYDROMAGNETICS; PARTICLE ACCELERATION; SUN: FLARES full text sources ADS | Related Materials (1) Erratum: 1986ApJ...309..892S