Solar Energetic Particle Fluxes Research Articles

Solar Energetic Particle Events Observed by the PAMELA Mission

Abstract Despite the significant progress achieved in recent years, the physical mechanisms underlying the origin of solar energetic particles (SEPs) are still a matter of debate. The complex nature of both particle acceleration and transport poses challenges to developing a universal picture of SEP events that encompasses both the low-energy (from tens of keV to a few hundreds of MeV) observations made by space-based instruments and the GeV particles detected by the worldwide network of neutron monitors in ground-level enhancements (GLEs). The high-precision data collected by the Payload for Antimatter Matter Exploration and Light-nuclei Astrophysics (PAMELA) satellite experiment offer a unique opportunity to study the SEP fluxes between ∼80 MeV and a few GeV, significantly improving the characterization of the most energetic events. In particular, PAMELA can measure for the first time with good accuracy the spectral features at moderate and high energies, providing important constraints for current SEP models. In addition, the PAMELA observations allow the relationship between low- and high-energy particles to be investigated, enabling a clearer view of the SEP origin. No qualitative distinction between the spectral shapes of GLE, sub-GLE and non-GLE events is observed, suggesting that GLEs are not a separate class, but are the subset of a continuous distribution of SEP events that are more intense at high energies. While the spectral forms found are to be consistent with diffusive shock acceleration theory, which predicts spectral rollovers at high energies that are attributed to particles escaping the shock region during acceleration, further work is required to explore the relative influences of acceleration and transport processes on SEP spectra.

Using Extreme Value Theory for Determining the Probability of Carrington‐Like Solar Flares

AbstractBy their very nature, extreme space weather events occur rarely, and therefore, statistical methods are required to determine the probability of their occurrence. Space weather events can be characterized by a number of natural phenomena such as X‐ray (solar) flares, solar energetic particle fluxes, coronal mass ejections, and various geophysical indices (such as Dst, Kp, and F10.7). In this paper extreme value theory (EVT) is used to investigate the probability of extreme solar flares. Previous work has assumed that the distribution of solar flares follows a power law. However, such an approach can lead to a poor estimation of the return times of flares due to uncertainties in the tails of the probability distribution function. Using EVT and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites X‐ray flux data, it is shown that the expected 150 year return level is approximately an X60 flare while a Carrington‐like flare is a one in a 100 year event. In the worst case the 150 year return level is an X90 flare while a Carrington flare is a one in 30 year event. It is also shown that the EVT results are consistent with flare data from the Kepler space telescope mission.

The Solar Accumulated and Peak Proton and Heavy Ion Radiation Environment (SAPPHIRE) Model

A new probabilistic model aiming to cover all aspects of the solar energetic particle (SEP) environment required for mission specifications is presented; the solar accumulated and peak proton and heavy ion radiation environment model. This model includes an updated reference data set upon which the analysis is based, a thorough evaluation of fitting procedures for SEP fluxes, a probabilistic helium model not based on proton fluxes, an extension to heavier ions based on new analysis of the Advanced Composition Explorer/solar isotope spectrometer data set, and a careful extrapolation of all output spectra to cover energies from 0.1 MeV/nuc to 1 GeV/nuc. Also included in this paper are derivations of spectra for rare solar particle events, which would occur at a given mean frequency and a new description for implementing the model to make it accessible to the public through systems, such as SPace ENVironment Information System or OMERE.

A study on the variations in long-range dependence of solar energetic particles during different solar cycles

AbstractSolar Energetic Particles (SEPs) are high-energy particles ejected by the Sun which consist of protons, electrons and heavy ions having energies in the range of a few tens of keVs to several GeVs. The statistical features of the solar energetic particles (SEPs) during different periods of solar cycles are highly variable. In the present study we try to quantify the long-range dependence (or long-memory) of the solar energetic particles during different periods of solar cycle (SC) 23 and 24. For stochastic processes, long-range dependence or self-similarity is usually quantified by the Hurst exponent. We compare the Hurst exponent of SEP proton fluxes having energies (>1MeV to >100 MeV) for different periods, which include both solar maximum and minimum years, in order to find whether SC-dependent self-similarity exist for SEP flux.

Retrospective analysis of GLEs and estimates of radiation risks

28 February 2017 marked 75 years since the first confident registration of solar cosmic rays (SCRs), i.e., accelerated solar particles with energies from about 106to ~1010÷ 1011eV. Modern state of the problems related to the studies of Ground Level Enhancements (GLEs) of relativistic SCRs is critically analyzed based on available direct and proxy data. We are also taking into account extremely large fluxes of non-relativistic solar energetic particles (SEPs). Both kinds of SCR events are of great astrophysical and geo-scientific (geophysical) interests. A number of the GLE properties (total statistics, occurrence rate, longitude distribution, ranking of GLEs, a number of specific GLEs – so-called “rogue” SEP events etc.) are discussed in some detail. We note also the problems of GLE identification (definition) by ground-based observations, the difficulties in the studies of weak (“hidden”, or sub-) GLEs etc. One of serious challenges to the problem of radiation hazard in space is a lack of a clear, unambiguous relation between the fluxes (fluences) of relativistic SCR and non-relativistic SEPs. Special attention is paid to the recent debate on the validity, origin and properties of the “ancient” events AD775, AD994, AD1859 (Carrington event) and BC3372. We demonstrate that, in spite of existing uncertainties in proton fluences above 30 MeV, all of them are fitted well by a unique distribution function, at least, with the present level of solar activity. Extremely large SEP events are shown to obey a probabilistic distribution on their fluences with a sharp break in the range of large fluences (or low probabilities). The studies of this kind may be extended for periods with different levels of solar activity in the past and/or in the future. Dose rates at aircraft altitudes are also demonstrated during some GLEs. Several examples of using the SCR data and GLE properties in radiation prediction schemes are considered.

Relationship between Intensity of White-light Flares and Proton Flux of Solar Energetic Particles

Solar energetic particles (SEPs), including protons and heavy ions, are believed to be accelerated either by CME shock or by magnetic reconnection. The latter also produces solar flares, in which the white light flares (WLFs) are among the most energetic ones. Magnetic reconnections occur in the corona and the accelerated particles propagate both downward and upward along the magnetic loops. The former is the source of flare emission and the latter is thought to be SEPs. Therefore, a comparison between flare emission and SEP events provides valuable constraint in determining the acceleration site of SEPs. We collect 43 SEP events, observed from 2010 to 2017, and investigate their correlation with WL emission and SXR flus, observed by SDO/HMI and GOES, respectively. Our preliminary results show: 1) Among 47 SEP events, 39 of which do not have detectable flare emissions in white light and SXR. 2) Most strong WLFs are not associated with SEPs. 3) No clear correlation is found between the proton flux and the equivalent area, a quantity that measures the magnitude of WLF emission. A straightforward speculation is that the acceleration process could be different for SEPs and the energetic electrons powering WLFs in the events analyzed.

What can the annual 10Be solar activity reconstructions tell us about historic space weather?

Context: Cosmogenic isotopes provide useful estimates of past solar magnetic activity, constraining past space climate with reasonable uncertainty. Much less is known about past space weather conditions. Recent advances in the analysis of 10Be by McCracken & Beer (2015, Sol Phys 290: 305–3069) (MB15) suggest that annually resolved 10Be can be significantly affected by solar energetic particle (SEP) fluxes. This poses a problem, and presents an opportunity, as the accurate quantification of past solar magnetic activity requires the SEP effects to be determined and isolated, whilst doing so might provide a valuable record of past SEP fluxes. Aims: We compare the MB15 reconstruction of the heliospheric magnetic field (HMF), with two independent estimates of the HMF derived from sunspot records and geomagnetic variability. We aim to quantify the differences between the HMF reconstructions, and speculate on the origin of these differences. We test whether the differences between the reconstructions appear to depend on known significant space weather events. Methods: We analyse the distributions of the differences between the HMF reconstructions. We consider how the differences vary as a function of solar cycle phase, and, using a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, we compare the distributions under the two conditions of whether or not large space weather events were known to have occurred. Results: We find that the MB15 reconstructions are generally marginally smaller in magnitude than the sunspot and geomagnetic HMF reconstructions. This bias varies as a function of solar cycle phase, and is largest in the declining phase of the solar cycle. We find that MB15's excision of the years with very large ground level enhancement (GLE) improves the agreement of the 10Be HMF estimate with the sunspot and geomagnetic reconstructions. We find no statistical evidence that GLEs, in general, affect the MB15 reconstruction, but this analysis is limited by having too few samples. We do find evidence that the MB15 reconstructions appear statistically different in years with great geomagnetic storms.

Space Weather Service for Chinese Space Science Satellites

Strategic Priority Research Program on Space Science has gained remarkable achievements. Space Environment Prediction Center (SEPC) affiliated with the National Space Science Center (NSSC) has been providing space weather services and helps secure space missions. Presently, SEPC is capable to offer a variety of space weather services covering many phases of space science missions including planning, design, launch, and orbital operation. The service packages consist of space weather forecasts, warnings, and effect analysis that can be utilized to avoid potential space weather hazard or reduce the damage caused by space storms, space radiation exposure for example. Extensive solar storms that occurred over Chinese Ghost Festival (CGF) in September 2017 led to a large enhancement of the solar energetic particle flux at 1 AU, which affected the near Earth radiation environment and brought great threat to orbiting satellites. Based on the space weather service by SEPC, satellite ground support groups collaborating with the space Tracking, Telemetering and Command system (TT&C) team were able to take immediate measures to react to the CGF solar storm event.

The effect of turbulence strength on meandering field lines and Solar Energetic Particle event extents

Insights into the processes of Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) propagation are essential for understanding how solar eruptions affect the radiation environment of near-Earth space. SEP propagation is influenced by turbulent magnetic fields in the solar wind, resulting in stochastic transport of the particles from their acceleration site to Earth. While the conventional approach for SEP modelling focuses mainly on the transport of particles along the mean Parker spiral magnetic field, multi-spacecraft observations suggest that the cross-field propagation shapes the SEP fluxes at Earth strongly. However, adding cross-field transport of SEPs as spatial diffusion has been shown to be insufficient in modelling the SEP events without use of unrealistically large cross-field diffusion coefficients. Recently, Laitinen et al. [ApJL 773 (2013b); A&A 591 (2016)] demonstrated that the early-time propagation of energetic particles across the mean field direction in turbulent fields is not diffusive, with the particles propagating along meandering field lines. This early-time transport mode results in fast access of the particles across the mean field direction, in agreement with the SEP observations. In this work, we study the propagation of SEPs within the new transport paradigm, and demonstrate the significance of turbulence strength on the evolution of the SEP radiation environment near Earth. We calculate the transport parameters consistently using a turbulence transport model, parametrised by the SEP parallel scattering mean free path at 1 AU, λ∥*, and show that the parallel and cross-field transport are connected, with conditions resulting in slow parallel transport corresponding to wider events. We find a scaling σφ,max∝(1/λ∥*)1/4 for the Gaussian fitting of the longitudinal distribution of maximum intensities. The longitudes with highest intensities are shifted towards the west for strong scattering conditions. Our results emphasise the importance of understanding both the SEP transport and the interplanetary turbulence conditions for modelling and predicting the SEP radiation environment at Earth.

A Large-scale Plume in an X-class Solar Flare

Abstract Ever-increasing multi-frequency imaging of solar observations suggests that solar flares often involve more than one magnetic fluxtube. Some of the fluxtubes are closed, while others can contain open fields. The relative proportion of nonthermal electrons among those distinct loops is highly important for understanding energy release, particle acceleration, and transport. The access of nonthermal electrons to the open field is also important because the open field facilitates the solar energetic particle (SEP) escape from the flaring site, and thus controls the SEP fluxes in the solar system, both directly and as seed particles for further acceleration. The large-scale fluxtubes are often filled with a tenuous plasma, which is difficult to detect in either EUV or X-ray wavelengths; however, they can dominate at low radio frequencies, where a modest component of nonthermal electrons can render the source optically thick and, thus, bright enough to be observed. Here we report the detection of a large-scale “plume” at the impulsive phase of an X-class solar flare, SOL2001-08-25T16:23, using multi-frequency radio data from Owens Valley Solar Array. To quantify the flare’s spatial structure, we employ 3D modeling utilizing force-free-field extrapolations from the line of sight SOHO/MDI magnetograms with our modeling tool GX_Simulator. We found that a significant fraction of the nonthermal electrons that accelerated at the flare site low in the corona escapes to the plume, which contains both closed and open fields. We propose that the proportion between the closed and open fields at the plume is what determines the SEP population escaping into interplanetary space.

The 26 December 2001 Solar Eruptive Event Responsible for GLE63: III. CME, Shock Waves, and Energetic Particles

The SOL2001-12-26 moderate solar eruptive event (GOES importance M7.1, microwaves up to 4000 sfu at 9.4 GHz, CME speed 1446 km/s) produced strong fluxes of solar energetic particles and ground-level enhancement of cosmic-ray intensity (GLE63). To find a possible reason for the atypically high proton outcome of this event, we study multi-wavelength images and dynamic radio spectra and quantitatively reconcile the findings with each other. An additional eruption probably occurred in the same active region about half an hour before the main eruption. The latter produced two blast-wave-like shocks during the impulsive phase. The two shock waves eventually merged around the radial direction into a single shock traced up to $25R_\odot$ as a halo ahead of the expanding CME body, in agreement with an interplanetary Type II event recorded by the Radio and Plasma Wave Investigation (WAVES) experiment on the Wind spacecraft. The shape and kinematics of the halo indicate an intermediate regime of the shock between the blast wave and bow shock at these distances. The results show that i) the shock wave appeared during the flare rise and could accelerate particles earlier than usually assumed; ii) the particle event could be amplified by the preceding eruption, which stretched closed structures above the developing CME, facilitated its lift-off and escape of flare-accelerated particles, enabled a higher CME speed and stronger shock ahead; iii) escape of flare-accelerated particles could be additionally facilitated by reconnection of the flux rope, where they were trapped, with a large coronal hole; iv) the first eruption supplied a rich seed population accelerated by a trailing shock wave.

Dependence of the Peak Fluxes of Solar Energetic Particles on CME 3D Parameters from STEREO and SOHO

Abstract We investigate the relationships between the peak fluxes of 18 solar energetic particle (SEP) events and associated coronal mass ejection (CME) 3D parameters (speed, angular width, and separation angle) obtained from SOHO, and STEREO-A/B for the period from 2010 August to 2013 June. We apply the STEREO CME Analysis Tool (StereoCAT) to the SEP-associated CMEs to obtain 3D speeds and 3D angular widths. The separation angles are determined as the longitudinal angles between flaring regions and magnetic footpoints of the spacecraft, which are calculated by the assumption of a Parker spiral field. The main results are as follows. (1) We find that the dependence of the SEP peak fluxes on CME 3D speed from multiple spacecraft is similar to that on CME 2D speed. (2) There is a positive correlation between SEP peak flux and 3D angular width from multiple spacecraft, which is much more evident than the relationship between SEP peak flux and 2D angular width. (3) There is a noticeable anti-correlation (r = −0.62) between SEP peak flux and separation angle. (4) The multiple-regression method between SEP peak fluxes and CME 3D parameters shows that the longitudinal separation angle is the most important parameter, and the CME 3D speed is secondary on SEP peak flux.

SWERTO: a Regional Space Weather Service

AbstractThe Space WEeatherR TOr vergata university (SWERTO) service is an operational Space Weather service based on multi-instrument data from space-based (PAMELA, ALTEA) and ground-based (IBIS, MOTHII) instruments. The service (spaceweather.roma2.infn.it) is located at the Physics Department of the University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy (UTOV) and will allow registered users to access scientific data from instrumentation available to UTOV researchers through national and international collaborations. It will provide intuitive software for the selection and visualization of such data and results from prototype forecasting codes for flare probability and Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) fluxes. The service is designed to promote access to technical and scientific information by the regional industries which employ technologies vulnerable to Space Weather effects. Basically, SWERTO aims to: i) design and construct a data-base with particle fluxes recorded by space missions and spectro-polarimetric measurements of the solar photosphere; ii) allow an Open Access to the data-base and to prototype forecasts to regional industries involved and exposed to Space Weather effects; iii) implement a tutorial and a FAQ section to help decision makers to became aware of and evaluate the risks from Space Weather events; iv) outreach and customer products. SWERTO has been financed by the Regione Lazio FILAS-RU-2014-1028 grant.

Calculation of the SEP Flux at 1 au and Comparison with Multi-Satellite Observations

The SEP (Solar Energetic Particles) flux at 1au is an important index of space weather. Based on the parameterized Green function of the two-step SEP transport equation, we have simulated the SEP event on 2012 September 28, and calculated for the first time the SEP flux profiles observed by the GOES and STEREO double satellites for the same event. At the positions of GOES and STEREO-A, the calculated SEP peak value Imax and the time to reach the peak value tmax are well consistent with the observations. However, at the position of STEREO-B, there is a certain difference between our calculation and the observation, due to a large angular distance between the observed position and the SEP source, as well as the effect of unknown solar activities on the backside of the Sun.

The HEPD particle detector and the EFD electric field detector for the CSES satellite

The CSES satellite, developed by Chinese (CNSA) and Italian (ASI) space Agencies, will investigate iono-magnetospheric disturbances (induced by seismicity and electromagnetic emissions of tropospheric and anthropogenic origin); will monitor the temporal stability of the inner Van Allen radiation belts and will study the solar-terrestrial coupling by measuring fluxes of cosmic rays and solar energetic particles. In particular the mission aims at confirming the existences (claimed from several analyses) of a temporal correlations between the occurrence of earthquakes and the observation in space of electromagnetic disturbances, plasma fluctiations and anomalous fluxes of high-energy particles precipitating from the inner Van Allen belt. CSES will be launched in the summer of 2017 with a multi-instruments payload able to measure: e.m. fields, charged particles, plasma, TEC, etc. The Italian LIMADOU collaboration will provide the High-Energy Particle Detector (HEPD), designed for detecting electrons (3–200MeV) and proton (30–300MeV)), and participates to develop the Electric Field Detector (EFD) conceived for measuring electric field from ∼DC up to 5MHz.

Extreme geomagnetically induced currents

We propose an emergency alert framework for geomagnetically induced currents (GICs), based on the empirically extreme values and theoretical upper limits of the solar wind parameters and of dB/dt, the time derivative of magnetic field variations at ground. We expect this framework to be useful for preparing against extreme events. Our analysis is based on a review of various papers, including those presented during Extreme Space Weather Workshops held in Japan in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. Large-amplitude dB/dt values are the major cause of hazards associated with three different types of GICs: (1) slow dB/dt with ring current evolution (RC-type), (2) fast dB/dt associated with auroral electrojet activity (AE-type), and (3) transient dB/dt of sudden commencements (SC-type). We set “caution,” “warning,” and “emergency” alert levels during the main phase of superstorms with the peak Dst index of less than −300 nT (once per 10 years), −600 nT (once per 60 years), or −900 nT (once per 100 years), respectively. The extreme dB/dt values of the AE-type GICs are 2000, 4000, and 6000 nT/min at caution, warning, and emergency levels, respectively. For the SC-type GICs, a “transient alert” is also proposed for dB/dt values of 40 nT/s at low latitudes and 110 nT/s at high latitudes, especially when the solar energetic particle flux is unusually high.

Ices on Mercury: Chemistry of volatiles in permanently cold areas of Mercury's north polar region

Observations by the MESSENGER spacecraft during its flyby and orbital observations of Mercury in 2008–2015 indicated the presence of cold icy materials hiding in permanently-shadowed craters in Mercury's north polar region. These icy condensed volatiles are thought to be composed of water ice and frozen organics that can persist over long geologic timescales and evolve under the influence of the Mercury space environment. Polar ices never see solar photons because at such high latitudes, sunlight cannot reach over the crater rims. The craters maintain a permanently cold environment for the ices to persist. However, the magnetosphere will supply a beam of ions and electrons that can reach the frozen volatiles and induce ice chemistry. Mercury's magnetic field contains magnetic cusps, areas of focused field lines containing trapped magnetospheric charged particles that will be funneled onto the Mercury surface at very high latitudes. This magnetic highway will act to direct energetic protons, ions and electrons directly onto the polar ices. The radiation processing of the ices could convert them into higher-order organics and dark refractory materials whose spectral characteristics are consistent with low-albedo materials observed by MESSENGER Laser Altimeter (MLA) and RADAR instruments. Galactic cosmic rays (GCR), scattered UV light and solar energetic particles (SEP) also supply energy for ice processing. Cometary impacts will deposit H2O, CH4, CO2 and NH3 raw materials onto Mercury's surface which will migrate to the poles and be converted to more complex CHNOS-containing molecules such as aldehydes, amines, alcohols, cyanates, ketones, hydroxides, carbon oxides and suboxides, organic acids and others. Based on lab experiments in the literature, possible specific compounds produced may be: H2CO, HCOOH, CH3OH, HCO, H2CO3, CH3C(O)CH3, C2O, CxO, C3O2, CxOy, CH3CHO, CH3OCH2CH2OCH3, C2H6, CxHy, NO2, HNO2, HNO3, NH2OH, HNO, N2H2, N3, HCN, Na2O, NaOH, CH3NH2, SO, SO2, SO3, OCS, H2S, CH3SH, even BxHy. Three types of radiation processing mechanisms may be at work in the ices: (1) Impact/dissociation, (2) Ion implantation and (3) Nuclear recoil (hot atom chemistry). Magnetospheric energy sources dominate the radiation effects. Total energy fluxes of photons, SEPs and GCRs are all around two or more orders of magnitude less than the fluxes from magnetospheric energy sources (in the focused cusp particles). However, SEPs and GCRs cause chemical processing at greater depths than other particles leading to thicker organic layers. Processing of polar volatiles on Mercury would be somewhat different from that on the Moon because Mercury has a magnetic field while the Moon does not. The channeled flux of charged particles through these magnetospheric cusps is a chemical processing mechanism unique to Mercury as compared to other airless bodies.

Shadowing and anisotropy of solar energetic ions at Mars measured by MAVEN during the March 2015 solar storm

AbstractThe Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) Instrument on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) spacecraft is meant to characterize the variability of SEP fluxes at Mars. SEP ion precipitation is an important source of heating, ionization, and chemical changes in the upper atmosphere of Mars and may have played a substantial role in driving atmospheric escape over the history of the solar system. Here we examine SEP fluxes during a series of solar disturbances in late February through early March 2015. We present the first SEP ion pitch angle distributions measured at Mars and show how SEP anisotropy changes over the course of the event period. We present examples and explanations of several different kinds of variability in the SEP flux measured in the four fields of view of the instrument. Finally, we present a statistical study of energy‐ and angle‐dependent shadowing of SEP under three different sets of heliospheric conditions, showing that the direct shadowing of SEP by the solid planet may be better explained in terms of simple geometry under quieter heliospheric conditions. In‐depth understanding of the effects on SEP fluxes and precipitation patterns by the complex interplay between solar wind disturbances and Mars' magnetospheric configuration awaits detailed modeling studies.

Global magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the 15 March 2013 coronal mass ejection event—Interpretation of the 30–80 MeV proton flux

AbstractThe coronal mass ejection (CME) event on 15 March 2013 is one of the few solar events in Cycle 24 that produced a large solar energetic particle (SEP) event and severe geomagnetic activity. Observations of SEP from the ACE spacecraft show a complex time‐intensity SEP profile that is not easily understood with current empirical SEP models. In this study, we employ a global three‐dimensional (3‐D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation to help interpret the observations. The simulation is based on the H3DMHD code and incorporates extrapolations of photospheric magnetic field as the inner boundary condition at a solar radial distance (r) of 2.5 solar radii. A Gaussian‐shaped velocity pulse is imposed at the inner boundary as a proxy for the complex physical conditions that initiated the CME. It is found that the time‐intensity profile of the high‐energy (>10 MeV) SEPs can be explained by the evolution of the CME‐driven shock and its interaction with the heliospheric current sheet and the nonuniform solar wind. We also demonstrate in more detail that the simulated fast‐mode shock Mach number at the magnetically connected shock location is well correlated (rcc ≥ 0.7) with the concurrent 30–80 MeV proton flux. A better correlation occurs when the 30–80 MeV proton flux is scaled by r−1.4(rcc = 0.87). When scaled by r−2.8, the correlation for 10–30 MeV proton flux improves significantly from rcc = 0.12 to rcc = 0.73, with 1 h delay. The present study suggests that (1) sector boundary can act as an obstacle to the propagation of SEPs; (2) the background solar wind is an important factor in the variation of IP shock strength and thus plays an important role in manipulation of SEP flux; (3) at least 50% of the variance in SEP flux can be explained by the fast‐mode shock Mach number. This study demonstrates that global MHD simulation, despite the limitation implied by its physics‐based ideal fluid continuum assumption, can be a viable tool for SEP data analysis.

PLASMA-F experiment: Three years of on-orbit operation

Composition and tasks of the PLAZMA-F experiment onboard the SPEKTR-R satellite are described in this paper. A record high time resolution is a feature of solar wind plasma flux and energetic particle flux measurements. It allowed detecting a number of new and significant properties and parameters.