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20.11.2013
High-energy cosmic rays from solar flares in the last month according to the spectrometer Pamela and Arina on board Resurs-DK1.
Resurs-DK1 or Resource-DK1 spacecraft
From June 2006 to the present time on the satellite Resource-DK1, which is part of the constellation of spacecraft (SC), remote sensing (RS), conducted experiments cosmophysical Pamela and Arina.
The objectives of the experiment, Pamela, held at the magnetic spectrometer are precision measurements of fluxes of galactic cosmic rays, including protons and antiprotons with energies above 100 MeV, electrons and positrons with energies above 40 MeV, the light nuclei and their isotopes. The results are of interest for model generation and propagation of cosmic rays, study the nature of hypothetical massive particles, dark matter, solving the problem of the baryon asymmetry of the universe and other fundamental problems in modern astrophysics.
In the experiment, Arina, held on the scintillation spectrometer detected protons with energies of ~ (45 ÷ 100) MeV electrons with energies of ~ (5-30 ) MeV, which allows you to explore the physical space weather factors, such as spikes and variations of charged particles in near-Earth space, their relationship with the cosmic and geophysical phenomena, such as earthquakes, storms, etc.
Resurs-DK1 or Resource-DK1 Pamela instrument description
In addition to these tasks, spectrometers Pamela and Arina also recorded the high-energy charged component of solar cosmic rays (SCR), which are accelerated in the active explosive processes on the Sun (solar flares). Currently, the only joint precision flow measurement SCR in a wide energy range (for example, for protons from ~ 45 MeV to tens of GeV).
After a relatively quiet period, which lasted all summer, in late September - early November at the Sun, a series of outbreaks of different capacities in which the energy of the accelerated protons exceed 45 MeV. The time profiles of the flux of galactic and solar protons with energies of 45 ÷ 55 MeV, 100 ÷ 145 ÷ 400 MeV and 540 MeV, in an experiment Arina and Pamela from September 1 to November 10, shown in Fig. 1.
Figure 1: The intensity of galactic and solar cosmic rays in the period from October 8 to November 5 this spectrometers Pamela and Arina. The dotted lines show the average values of the flux in a quiet period of solar activity.
Moments of solar flares are marked by arrows, next to which specified event class that is assigned depending on the intensity of the peak surge recorded in the X-ray radiation with a wavelength of 0.5 ÷ 8 Å ( Class C: Power 10−6÷10−5 W/м2, Class M: power of 10−5 ÷ 10−4 W/м2 , Class X: more power 10−4 W/м2).
As can be seen from the figure, a few hours after the acceleration on the Sun, the particles reach the Earth's orbit and recorded instruments in Earth orbit. Information about the flow of solar energetic particles is useful for prediction of perturbations of the Earth's magnetosphere, measuring radiation levels for low-orbiting satellites, as well as for the fundamental study of active explosive processes on the Sun.
Animated Sun-Flares seen by NASA SOHO
For this reason, the flux of solar protons measured monitor space such GOES11, 13, 15 and others. However, these spectrometers, Pamela and Arina significantly complement and extend the measurement displays, as have better energy resolution, obtained in a wide energy range, and also allow us to study nuclear and isotopic composition of high-energy solar cosmic rays. It helps to get closer to understanding the processes of occurrence of geomagnetic disturbances and their influence on our lives.
Press Release ROSCOSMOS: http://www.federalspace.ru/20001/
Images, Text, Credits: Press Service of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos PAO) / NASA SOHO / Translation: Orbiter.ch Aerospace.
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