18 research outputs found
The Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation (PEPSSI) on the New Horizons Mission
Inclusion of In-Situ Velocity Measurements into the UCSD Time-Dependent Tomography to Constrain and Better-Forecast Remote-Sensing Observations
Parker Solar Probe observations of helical structures as boundaries for energetic particles
Energetic particle transport in the interplanetary medium is known to be affected by magnetic structures. It has been demonstrated for solar energetic particles in near-Earth orbit studies, and also for the more energetic cosmic rays. In this paper, we show observational evidence that intensity variations of solar energetic particles can be correlated with the occurrence of helical magnetic flux tubes and their boundaries. The analysis is carried out using data from Parker Solar Probe orbit 5, in the period 2020 May 24 to June 2. We use FIELDS magnetic field data and energetic particle measurements from the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISâIS) suite on the Parker Solar Probe. We identify magnetic flux ropes by employing a real-space evaluation of magnetic helicity, and their potential boundaries using the Partial Variance of Increments method. We find that energetic particles are either confined within or localized outside of helical flux tubes, suggesting that the latter act as transport boundaries for particles, consistent with previously developed viewpoints. © 2021 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Astronomical Society.Immediate accessThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]
Recommended from our members
Analyses of âŒ0.05-2 MeV Ions Associated with the 2022 February 16 Energetic Storm Particle 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) ISâIS/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 afterward, 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 1020 cm2 sâ1. Near the shock, the diffusion coefficients are more than 1 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 possibility we suggest is that the shock was overexpanding when it crossed PSP and the energetic particle intensity decreased behind the shock to fill the expanding volume. Overexpanding CMEs could well be more common closer to the Sun, and this is an example of such a case. © 2023. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]
Recommended from our members
New Data from the ISâIS Instrument Suite on Parker Solar Probe
NASA's Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission's first seven orbits include perihelia as close as ~11 million km (~16 solar radii), much closer to the Sun than any prior human-made object. Onboard PSP, the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISâIS) instrument suite makes groundbreaking measurements of solar energetic particles (SEPs). Here we discuss the near-Sun energetic particle radiation environment over PSP's first two and a half years, which reveal where and how energetic particles are energized and transported. We find a great variety of energetic particle events accelerated both locally and remotely. These include stream and co-rotating interaction regions (SIRs and CIRs), âimpulsiveâ SEP events driven by magnetic reconnection near the Sun, and events related to Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). These ISâIS observations made close to the Sun provide critical information for investigating the near-Sun transport and energization of solar energetic particles, which has been difficult to resolve from prior observations. The Parker Solar Probe ISâIS data are made public soon after receipt at Earth (which can be many months after the observations). We will also discuss how to get access to the data. © Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]
Recommended from our members
Parker Solar Probe's Measurements of the 29 November 2020 Solar Energetic Particle Event
On November 29, 2020 active region 12790 was located just beyond the east limb of the Sun as viewed by Earth. It erupted at 12:34UT with an M4.4 flare (as measured by GOES) and launched a coronal mass ejection (CME) traveling ~1700 km/s. Not surprisingly, this fast CME drove a shock that accelerated particles up to tens of MeV/nuc. More unusual was that these solar energetic particles (SEPs) quickly filled the inner heliosphere and the event was observed by spacecraft distributed around the Sun, including Parker Solar Probe (PSP), STEREO-A, Solar Orbiter, and those near Earth such as ACE and SOHO. This was the first mid-sized SEP event detected by the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISâIS) suite on PSP and its first opportunity to make measurements of heavy ion spectra up to tens of MeV/nuc. Here we present an overview of event characteristics as determined by ISâIS, including H, He, O, and Fe spectra, composition as a function of energy, and temporal variations of the energetic particle intensities throughout the event. © Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]
The Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) on the Juno Mission to Jupiter
International audienceThe Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) on Juno provides the critical in situ measurements of electrons and ions needed to understand the plasma energy particles and processes that fill the Jovian magnetosphere and ultimately produce its strong aurora. JADE is an instrument suite that includes three essentially identical electron sensors (JADE-Es), a single ion sensor (JADE-I), and a highly capable Electronics Box (EBox) that resides in the Juno Radiation Vault and provides all necessary control, low and high voltages, and computing support for the four sensors. The three JADE-Es are arrayed 120â apart around the Juno spacecraft to measure complete electron distributions from âŒ0.1 to 100 keV and provide detailed electron pitch-angle distributions at a 1 s cadence, independent of spacecraft spin phase. JADE-I measures ions from âŒ5 eV to âŒ50 keV over an instantaneous field of view of 270âĂ90â in 4 s and makes observations over all directions in space each 30 s rotation of the Juno spacecraft. JADE-I also provides ion composition measurements from 1 to 50 amu with m/Î mâŒ2.5, which is sufficient to separate the heavy and light ions, as well as O+ vs S+, in the Jovian magnetosphere. All four sensors were extensively tested and calibrated in specialized facilities, ensuring excellent on-orbit observations at Jupiter. This paper documents the JADE design, construction, calibration, and planned science operations, data processing, and data products. Finally, the Appendix describes the Southwest Research Institute [SwRI] electron calibration facility, which was developed and used for all JADE-E calibrations. Collectively, JADE provides remarkably broad and detailed measurements of the Jovian auroral region and magnetospheric plasmas, which will surely revolutionize our understanding of these important and complex regions