Explorer 12 observations of solar cosmic rays and energetic storm particles after the solar flare of September 28, 1961

Abstract

A full description of the cosmic ray experiment on Explorer 12 is given and cosmic ray measurements made during the solar event of September 28, 1961, are reported and discussed. Galactic cosmic ray measurements are also reported. A few hours before the class 3 flare of September 28, two short counting rate increases were observed and are interpreted as electron bursts. The anisotropy of the medium- and low-energy solar protons early in the event and their intensity throughout the event are described. It is found that the history of the intensity of the solar protons is consistent, once isotropy is established, with their having diffused through interplanetary space with an effective mean free path of 0.04 AU. This result is discussed and is shown to be not obviously in disagreement with the generally accepted views regarding the configuration of the interplanetary magnetic field. An estimate of the distance from the sun at which diffusion becomes unimportant and particles escape gives 2 to 3 AU. It is pointed out that simple diffusion (where the particles are scattered from discrete scattering centers and the influence of a general magnetic field is negligible) does not account for the behavior of the anisotropy before isotropy is reached. Two days after the flare, and beginning just before the sudden commencement of a magnetic storm, there was a large increase in the intensity of protons between 2 and 15 Mev, the lower energy limit being determined by the sensitivity of the detectors. As most of these particles, which we have called ‘energetic storm particles,’ arrived after the sudden commencement occurred, we suggest that they were solar protons trapped within the plasma cloud which caused the magnetic storm. The outline of a possible trapping mechanism is given. Explorer 12 measurements of the Forbush decrease of September 30, 1961, are compared with neutron monitor measurements at Deep River. The decrease is larger at Explorer 12 by a factor of 1.7±0.3.