Propagation of solar flare particles in corona was studied using the satellite data at the geostationary orbit. by selecting very fast rise time events only, the interplanetary propagation were assumed to be scatter free arrival. The results show that the propagation in corona does not depend on particle energy in 4 to 500 MeV protons, and the time delays from optical flare do not depend on the distance between the flare site and the base of the interplanetary magnetic field which connects to the Earth

Kohno, T.

Nitta, N.

Suda, T.

Wada, M.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

801
SH 3 1-2
CORONALPROPAGATIONOF SOLARFLARE PARTICLES
OBSERVEDBY SATELLITE
TsuyoshzKOHNO,NarzaklNITTA,MasamzWADA and TomoshzgeSUDA*
Instltuteof Physlcaland ChemzcalResearch
7-13, Kaga-1,Itabashl,Tokyo |73,Japan
MeteorologzcalResearchInstltute*
I, Nagamlne-|,Yatabe,Tsukuba,Ibarakl305, Japan
Abstract
Propagatlon of solar flare partlcles in
coronawas studleduslngthe satellztedataat the
geostatzonaryorblt. By selectzngveryfast rlse
tlmeeventsonly,the znterplanetarypropagatzon
were assumed to be scatter free arrlval The
resultsshow thatthe propagatzonin corona does
not depend on partlcle energy in 4 - DO0 MeV
protons,and the tlmedelaysfromoptlcalflaredo
not dependon the dlstancebetweenthe flareszte
and the base of the interplanetarymagnetlc fleld
whlchconnectsto the earth
1. Introductlon
Energetzo partzcles accelerated zn a solar flareplay an Important
role zn the £1are energeflzcs.Because of the propagatloneffects,
however, It is very dlfflcultto know the totalenergyof all particles
in a flare uslngpartlcledataobservedat Interplanetaryspace. There
are two propagatloneffects; one is coronalpropagatlonfrom the flare
slte to the polnt where they are released from the sun to the
interplanetaryspace , and the otheris interplanetarypropagationfrom
that polnt to the earth.Many studzeshave beendone for bothpropagatlon
processes (Ma Suns et. al. Ig75,Schattenand Mullah1_-/7,MullahI_3
for coronalpropagatlonand JoklpplIg71,Earl Ig76, Ma Sung and Earl
Ig-/8,Owens |_ for _nterplanetary propagatzon). Uslns _ solar flare
data,Ma Sung et. al. showedthatparticlepropagatlonis Independentof
both rigidity and energy Thlsis very hard to understandwlth normal
dlffuslonprocessessuchas proposedearllerby Reld 1_4. Schatten and
Mullan proposed a magnetic bottle model to interpret the fast non
dlffuslvepropagatlonIn the corona
2, Observatlonand data presentatzon
The solar proton data were obtazned from Japanese Geostatlonary
Meteorologlcal Satellite (GMS-I,GMS-2). The contznuous data are available
301 
CORONAL PROPAGATION OF SOLAR FLARE PARTICLES 
OBSERVED BY SATELLITE 
SH 3 1-2 
Tsuyoshl KOHNO, Narlakl NITTA, Uasaml WADA and Tomoshlge SUDA* 
InstItute of Physlcal and Chemlcal Research 
7-13, Kaga-1, Itabashl, Tokyo 173, Japan 
Ueteorologlcal Research Instltute* 
1, Nagamlne-1, Yatabe, Tsukuba, Ibarakl 305, Japan 
Abstract 
PropagatIon of solar flare partlcles ln 
corona was studled uSlng the sateillte data at the 
geostatIonary orblt. By selectlng very fast rlse 
tIme events only, the lnterplanetary propagatlon 
were assumed to be scatter free arrIval The 
results show that the propagatIon In corona does 
not depend on partIcle energy In 4 - 500 MeV 
protons, and the tIme delays from optlcal flare do 
not depend on the dIstance between the flare sIte 
and the base of the Interplanetary magnetIc fIeld 
WhlCh connects to the earth 
1. IntroductIon 
EnergetIc partIcles accelerated In a solar flare play an Important 
role In the flare energetIcs. Because of the propagatIon effects, 
however, It IS very dlfflcult to know the total energy of all partIcles 
In a flare USIng partIcle data observed at Interplanetary space. There 
are two propagatIon effects ; one IS coronal propagatIon from the flare 
sIte to the pOlnt where they are released from the sun to the 
Interplanetary space ,and the other IS lnterplanetary propagatIon from 
that pOInt to the earth. Uany studles have been done for both propagatIon 
processes (Ua Sung et. al. 1975, Schatten and Mullan 1977, Mullan 1983 
for coronal propagatIon and JOklPPl 1971, Earl 1976, Ma Sung and Earl 
1978, Owens 1983 for interplanetary propagatlon). USlng 80 solar flare 
data, Ua Sung et. al. showed that partIcle propagatlon lS Independent of 
both rlgldlty and energy ThlS lS very hard to understand wIth normal 
dIffusIon processes such as proposed earller by Reld 1964. Schatten and 
Mullan proposed a magnetlc bottle model to lnterpret the fast non 
dIffusIve propagatIon In the corona 
2. ObservatIon and data presentatlon 
The solar proton data were obtalned from Japanese GeostatIonary 
MeteorologIcal SatellIte (GMS-1,GMS-2). The contlnuous data are avaIlable 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19850026494 2020-03-20T17:01:40+00:00Z
802
SH 3.1-2
from February 1978 GMS-I was switched to GMS-2 on December 21, 1981. The
energy range of data used here Is 4 - 500 MeV and 4 - I00 MeV for GMS-I
and -2, respectlvely. The dlfferentlally dlvlded energy channels are
seven and five for each.
We assumed that the coronal propagation effect can be separated from
interplanetary one by selectlng very fast rise tlme event only, whlch can
be considered as scatter free propagation In the interplanetary space. We
have chosen 18 events in the period from September I_T-/to December I_Y32.
The crlterlon of "fast rlse" _s not so severe but we selected havlng a
rise time (from start of increase to the maxlmum) of less than a few
hours We assume the tlme proflles at the base of the garden hose llnes
of interplanetary magnetic field whlch connect to the earth can be seen
from these so-called scatter free events which means the modulatlon
during the propagatlon in space can be neglected
Table 1 Scatter free arrlval events observed by GMS-I, -2.
Date G Ha flare SID SWV IMF p
onset location imp onset imp km/sec des deg
Sep 19 77 G 0955 NO8 W57 3B 1028 8 830 W69 12
Sep _ 77 G 053_.
Apt 11 78 1334+8 N22 W56 8 1401 8 505 45 80
Sep ._3 78 G 1944+3 N35 W50 3B 0945 2+ 840 66 82
Feb 17 79 1905 N16 W28 SB I_K)5 I- 310 78 50
Aug 21 79 G 0550 N17 W40 2B 0607 I- 600 88 10
Apt 10 81G I_ NO8 W36 2B 1642 8 _ 59 27
Apt _ 81 13A_6 N20 WSO 2B 1348 2+ 780 29 82
May 10 81 0715 NO6 W73 1B 0717 1 340 66 11
Jul 20 81 1310 SL:_ W75 1B 1810 1 410 55 87
Jan.81 82 O020E $13 E08 2N 2829) 3 (380) 59 66
Mar. 7 82 0308E N17 W53 2B 0803 2 870 61 25
Jul._2 82 1648 N16 W89 1F 1645 2+ 55 85
Nov.22 82 1741 Sll W@_5 IN 1742 2 55 28
Nov 26 82 0230 Sll W86 2B 0235 2 55 33
Dec.17 82 1820 S07 W20 3B 1820 3 55 85
G: Ground level enhancement, SWV. Solar Wind Veloclty
p: angular distance between flare slte and the base of IMF
Fzg 1 glves intenslty time profzles of typical example of a flare of
August 21, 1979 Time A means the Ha flare start. The two llnes In the
each energy channel indicate the time delay band from optical flare
observation assuming the travelllng distance of 1 2 AU with the partlcle
speed correspondlng to each energy band In the bottom of Fig.l, we can
see that the intenslty time proflles and the onset tlmes of Increase of
all channels nearly colnclde after correctlon of the propagatlon tlme
For the other events, nearly the same tendency can be seen wlth two
exceptlons ( May 7, 1978 and Dec 7, I_31 ), although the average shape of
tlme profiles and the onset tlme delays from the optical flare are
dlfferent from flare to flat- These 16 flare characterlstlcs are
302 
SH 3.1-2 
from February 1978 GMS-1 was sWItched to GMS-2 on December 21, 1981. The 
energy range of data used here IS 4 - 500 MeV and 4 - 100 MeV for GMS-l 
and -2, respectIvely. The dIfferentIally dIvIded energy channels are 
seven and fIve for each. 
We assumed that the coronal propagatIon effect can be separated from 
Interplanetary one by selectIng very fast rIse tIme event only, w Ich can 
be consIdered as scatter free propagatIon In the Interplanetary space. We 
have chosen 18 events In the perIod from September 1977 to December 1982. 
The crIterIon of "fast rIse" IS not so severe but we selected havIng a 
rIse tIme (from start of Increase to the maxI um) of less than a few 
hours We assume the tIme profIles at the base of the garden hose lInes 
of Interplanetary magnetIc fIeld w Ich connect to the earth can be seen 
from these so-called scatter free events whIch means the modulatIon 
durIng the propagatIon In space can be n gl cted 
Table 1 Scatter free arrIval events obs rved by GMS-l, -2. 
Date G Hex flare SID SWV IMF 
onset locatIon Imp onset Imp km/sec deg 
Sep 19 T7 G 0955 N08 W57 38 1028 3 330 W69 
Sep 24 T7 G 05397 
Apr 11 78 1334+8 N22 W56 3 1401 3 505 45 
Sep.23 78 G 1944+3 N35 woo 38 0945 2+ 340 66 
Feb 17 79 1905 N16 W28 S8 1905 1- 310 73 
Aug 21 79 G 0550 N17 W40 2B 0607 1- 600 38 
Apr 10 81 G 1632 N08 W36 2B 1642 3 380 59 
Apr 24 81 1346 N20 woo 2B 1348 2+ 780 29 
May 10 81 0715 N06 W73 1B 0717 1 340 66 
Jul 20 81 1310 S26 W75 18 1310 1 410 55 
Jan.31 82 0020E S13 E08 2N 2329) 3 (380) 59 
Mar. 7 82 0308E N17 W53 2B 0303 2 370 61 
Jul.22 82 1648 N16 woo IF 1645 2+ 55 
Nov.22 82 1741 SII W36 IN 1742 2 55 
Nov 26 82 0230 S11 WOO 2B 0235 2 55 
Dec. 17 82 1820 S07 W20 38 1820 3 55 
G: Ground l vel enhancement, SWV. Solar WInd VelOCIty 
p 
deg 
12 
30 
32 
50 
10 
Z7 
32 
11 
37 
66 
25 
35 
23 
33 
35 
p: angular dIstance between flare SIte and the base of IMF 
FIg 1 gIves IntensIty tIme profIles of tYPIcal example of a flare of 
August 21, 1979 TIme A means the Hex flare start. The two lInes In the 
each energy channel IndIcate the tIme delay band from optIcal flare 
observatIon assumIng the travellIng dIstance of 1 2 AU wIth the partIcle 
speed correspondIng to each energy band In the bottom of F g.l, we can 
see that the IntensIty tIme profIles and the onset tImes of Increase of 
all channels nearly COInCIde after correctIon of the propagatIon tIme 
For the other events, nearly the same tendency can be seen wIth two 
exceptIons (May 7, 1978 and Dec 7, 1981 ), although the average shape of 
tIme profIles and the onset tIme delays from the optIcal flare are 
dIfferent from flare to flar~ These 16 flare characterIstICs are 
808
SH 8.1-2
summarlzedIn Table ]. We understandthe two exceptlonsare speclalcases
which can be Interpretedby some Interplanetarymodulation as already
reportedby Kohnoand Wada 1979.
Aug.21, 1979
Fig I Examples of
mlnutes averaged data
normallzed to the maxlmum
j I 1 I I/ flux.TimeA showsthe H_---'_ start,two verticallines
I_ in each channel Indlcate
2 the tlme delay from
optlcal observatlon
]_ ependlng on particles
velocityof each channel
I Iii r' 8o-2ooMeV
'rA
_-- .._::_-:--_-._-___-
In order to see the dependence of the onset tlme delays from the
optlcal flare on the dlstance between the flare slte and the base of IUF
which connects to the earth, we used the observed solar wlnd veloclty
data ( King 1977, 1979 ) If available and mean value of 4|0 km/sec if not
available These distances thus obtained are shown In the last column of
Table |. In Fig.2, the relation of thls distance vs the onset tlme delay
from optical flare Is plotted. It Is clear that there is completely no
relation between the two parameters The mean value of the onset time
delay from optical flare Is about 80 minutes
8. Discussionand conclusion
What we have shownherecan be summarizedas I ) When the travel
timesbetweenthe sun and the earth are adjusted, the intenslty tlme
profiles and the onset timesof 4 - 500 MeV protonsare almostsamein a
flare,n ) Distributionof onset tlmedelaysfrom optical flare has a
mean value of 80 minutesand thereis completelyno relationwlth the
distancebetweenthe flareslte and the baseof the IUF Thlsis another
proof of energy-rlgldlty}ndependentpropagationin coronain additionto
the resultsof Ua Sunget. al. 1975.Schattenand Uullan have proposed
the magnetic bottle model to Interpretthe rlgldlty-energyIndependent
aoa 
SH 3. -  
sum arIzed In Table 1. We understand the two exceptIons are specIal cases 
whIch can be Interpreted by some Interplanetary modulatIon as already 
reported by Kohno and da 1979. 
X 
:::l 
r-
l.L. 
o 
r-
0) 
o 
r-
3 
2 
1 
o 
g. 1, 1979 
',---
,.. 
-
8-16 MeV 
II 16-34 MeV 
f --34-80 MeV 
/ -..-.. ~ 80-200 MeV 
/ A - - '"' 200-500 MeV 
141 hr Jot 
Sa Sii.!t: 4$7 ''is Q!:Z~ 
FIg 1 Examples of 
tIme profIles of two 
Inutes averaged data 
n r alIze  to the aXImum 
flux. TIme A shows the Ha 
tart. two rtIcal lInes 
In each channel IndIcate 
the tIme delay from 
tI al servatIon 
dependIng on partIcles 
locIty f ach hannel 
In order to see the dependence of the onset tI e delays from the 
t1cal    1st ce t een   1t     f M  
hIch connects to the earth, we used the observed solar Ind velocIty 
data ( Ing 1977, 1979 ) If ava1lable and ean value of 410 k /sec If not 
aIl le hese I t es t  bt I  r  s  I  t  l t lu  f 
Table 1. In FIg.2, the relatIon of thIS dIstance vs the onset tIme delay 
fro  opt1cal flare IS plotted. It 1S clear that there IS co pletely no 
r l t10  t een t  t  ar eters  ea  l  f t  set t1  
el  o  pt1cal  IS about 3  lnutes 
3. l slon  lUSIon 
hat e ha e s own r  ca  be s arlzed as . 1 ) hen t  travel 
tImes between the sun and the earth are adJusted, the IntensIty tIme 
r flles and t e onset times of 4 -  e  r tons are al st same I  a 
flare. II ) IstrIbutIon of onset tIme delays from optIcal flare has a 
ea  val e f 3  ln tes a  t re IS pl tely  r latlon It  t  
1stance b tw en t  fl e s1t  a  t  ba  of t  IM  hl  IS a ther 
pr f f e er -rlgidity I e endent pr a atIon I  c r na I  a ItIon t  
the results of Ma Sung et. al. 1975. Schatten and Mullan have proposed 
the agnetIc bottle odel to Interpret the rIgldlty-energy Independent 
ao4
SH 3 I-2
propagation in corona The bottles produced by flares serve as temporary
traps of partlctes. They may have the dlmenslon of half angle near 60°
whlch result in fast azlmuthal propagation inside, and rather slow
leakage from the bottle The present results of analysis may match to
thls model. Our mean tlme scale of particle release from that bottle Is
30minutes whlle their model suggests about 60 minutes
@
Fig 2
Relatlon of particle
Increase onset tlme _ 40°
delays from optical _ @
flare vs the _ @ •@
dlstance between the _ • •
flare slte and the _ @
base of IMF As 20°
shown in Table 2, no
appropriate flare • • •
was found for one
sample out of |6.
0 t _ | ! | A I
0 20 40 60
mln
onset timedelay from
optical flare#
Mason et al (1984) also showed that there is no correlation
between the relative abundances and separation angle, nor is there a
slgnlflcant correlation between the slzes of the relatlve abundance
fluctuations. They proposed from thls results the possible large scale
shock acceleration model. Our results also support their assumption
We acknowledge the Meteorological Satelllte Center for providing the
data.
References
Earl, J.A , Ap.J , 206, 301, 1976.
Joklpll, J,R, Rev. GeophRs Space Phys., 9 ,27, lg71
King, J H. NSSDC/WDCA-R&S 77-04, 77-04a, 79-08, 1977, 1979
Kohno,T. and M Wada,Geoph_s.Res.Le_t.,6, 421, 1979
Mason,G.M , G. Gloecklerand D. Hovestadt,Ap. J., _J30,902, 1_34.
Ma Sung,M A.I Van Hollebekeand F.B.McDonald,14thICR_,5, 805, 1975
Ma Sung and J A.Earl,Ap.J.,_2"2,I08<),1978
Mullan,D.J.,Ap.J.,269,765, l_.
Owens, A.J , J C,eophys Res , ____,4451, Ig-/9
Schatten,K H and D j Mullan,J C-eoph_s.Res.,_, 5609, 1977
SH 3 1-  
propagatIon In corona The bottles produced by flares serve as temporary 
traps of partIc~s. They may have the dImensIon of half angle near ear , 
WhICh re lt In fa t aZI ut al pro tI  InsId , and rather slow 
leakage from the ttl  The rese t res lts of a al sIs ay atch to 
thIS el    tIm  sc e of p I  relea  from th  b e IS 
30 mInutes I  th I   su st  ab  60 I t  
• 
60° 
Ig 2 • w 
elatIon  rtI l  u ~ 
Increase s t tIm  m 40° ~ 
• elays from tIcal m rl • • flar   h  ~ • .-Ista ce bet een the •  ~ flare sIte and the ~ 
• ro base of IMF As ° how  I  l    
approprIate flare 
•   as    
pl  t  1 . 
 
    ~  
onset time delay from 
optical flare 
ason t al (1984) als  sho ed t t t ere IS no c rrelatI  
bet een the relatI e abundances and separatIon angle, nor IS there a 
sI IfI ant rrel tI n bet een t e SIzes f t e r l tI  abundance 
fluctuatIons. They proposed from thIS results the possIble large scale 
s c  celeratI n odel. ur r s lts ls  s port t Ir ass ptIon 
e ackno ledge the eteorologIcal atellIte enter for provIdIng the 
ata. 
eferences 
arl, .  , p.J , 06, 01, 6. 
OkIpII, ,R, ev. eophys pace hys.,  ,27, 1971 
Ing, J . SS C/ DCA-R&S 77-04, 7-04a, 9-08, 77, 79 
oh , . a   ad , eo ys. es. ett., Q, ,  
as , .M , . l ec ler a  . ovestadt, p. ., 280, , 98 . 
Ma Sung,  .I an ollebeke and F. . cDonald, 14th I Q, Q, 305, 1975 
a  a  J . ar , p. ., 2 2, 1 0,  
ull , .J.  p.J.   7  1983. 
wens, .J , J Geophys es  84, 4451, 1979 
chat en,  an   J ull , J Geophys. es., 82, ,  


Coronal propagation of solar flare particles observed by satellite

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