Analysis of the fluence of large solar energetic particle events in the period 2010-2013

D. Pacheco1 N. Agueda1 A. Aran1 B. Sanahuja1 P. Jiggens2

1 Dep. d’Astronomia i Meteorologia, Institut de Ciències del Cosmos, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
2European Space Research and Technology Centre, ESA, The Netherlands

Abstract

In order to specify the radiation environment due to solar energetic particle (SEP) events, for interplanetary missions, it is necessary to use simulations of the particle
intensity-time profiles measured by virtual observers located at different positions in the heliosphere. At present, the physics-based models applied for such a purpose including
a moving source of particles are not able to model the portion of the SEP intensity enhancement occurring after the coronal/interplanetary shock crossing by the observer (i.e.
the downstream region). This is the case, for example, of the shock-and-particle model used to build the SOLPENCO2 code. SOLPENCO2 provides with synthetic SEP event
simulations the statistical modelling tool developed in the ESA/SEPEM project for interplanetary missions (http://dev.sepem.oma.be/). This caveat from models may be
addressed using SEP data.
From observational studies, we know that the contribution of the downstream region of an SEP event to its total fluence can largely vary with the energy of the particles and from
event to event. In this work, we present an analysis of several SEP events observed at 1 AU from 2010 to 2013. We identify the solar eruptive phenomena associated with these
SEP events as well as the in-situ passage of interplanetary shocks. For each event, we quantify the amount of fluence accounted in the downstream region, i. e. after the
passage of the shock. We discuss our results in terms of the heliolongitude of the observer with respect to the solar source site.

Introduction - Event selection

Event selection Discarded event: September 28, 2012
I This study is part of the ESA’s project SOL2UP (Updating SOLPENCO2 and New I As an instance of a discarded event, we show the event on 28 Septem-
Analysis on Downstream Fluence Project) which aims at updating the SOLPENCO2 ber 2012. This SEP event started on the 28th at 00:00 UT as it is
tool of the ESA’s SEPEM Project by (1) extending the SEPEM radial dependent clearly seen in the SEPEM data. It was also observed by STEREO-A,
event list up to 2013; (2) performing an analysis of the downstream fluence of but it was preceded by another event (starting on 27/09/2012 09:55 UT,
SEP events and by (3) extending the number of reference cases modelled with from SECCHI-EUVI catalogue) that distorted the particle intensity-time
SOLPENCO2 (see talk by A. Aran for more details). We focus here on the first two profiles prior to the shock arrival at the spacecraft (i.e. in the upstream
points. region). This latter event was better connected to STEREO-A (W21)
I We have analysed the proton events in the SEPEM Reference Event List (REL) than to the Earth (W146). The overlapping of the intensities from both
that occurred between 2010 and 2013. From the 25 initial events of the SEPEM events at STEREO-A prevented from satisfactorily separate their con-
catalogue we have identified several multiple SEP enhancements, reaching a total tributions to the event fluence (see also Richardson et al. 2014).
of 35 SEP events observed at the near-Earth environment.
I In order to compare the downstream fluence of a given event when measured from
different angular positions in space, we have studied the SEP data observed by the
two STEREO spacecraft for the same SEPEM REL events time.
I We have determined the main solar sources generating these SEP events (flares
and CMEs) by using several observational catalogues and images available on-line,
both for near-Earth and STEREO observations. We have also identified interplane-
tary shock crossings by the spacecraft. For this, we have directly checked plasma
Table 1. Time, solar origin and interplanetary shock associations for the eight selected SEP events.
data and the shock lists provided by the ACE, WIND, SOHO and STEREO teams.
We have also compared our associations with available literature on multi-spacecraft
I We have found 6 events simultaneously seen in SEPEM and STEREO
observations (e. g. Lario et al. 2013, Richardson et al. 2014).
A data and 2 in SEPEM and STEREO B. This bias in favour of
I For our study we have selected the events in REL that accomplish the following
STEREO-A is due to the fact that our event selection is based on the
criteria: (i) the SEP event is simultaneously seen by (at least) one of the STEREO
SEPEM reference event list and for the time of these events, the rela-
spacecraft; (ii) the SEP events are clearly associated with one main solar source;
tive position of the STEREO B spacecraft was too eastward to detect
(iii) an interplanetary shock is detected at near-Earth and at the STEREO location
most of them.
and (iv) the 5 – 300 MeV proton intensity-time profiles permit to clearly identify the
upstream and downstream portions of the SEP events.
SEP event on 2012 September 28: we did not select this event because two events contributed to
I The 8 multi-spacecraft SEP events fulfilling this criteria are listed in the Table 1. the SEP enhancement detected at STEREO-A.
None of them was observed by the near-Earth spacecraft and the two STEREOs.

SEP event Analysis and Relative position between spacecraft

Event 2011/66 Event 2011/216

I The times of the associated flares are

Top: Relative positions of the
2011 March 7 SEP event at near-Earth (SEPEM and
spacecraft on 2011/216.
ACE data).
Bottom: Fitted STEREO fluence
spectra for SEPEM energies.
marked with red vertical dashed lines in
the SEP event plots.
I The first detection times of the associ-
ated CMEs are marked with blue vertical
dashed lines.
I The times of the shock passage by each
spacecraft are marked by black vertical
solid lines.
I At the top of each plot, the flare loca-
tion and the flare soft X-ray peak inten-
sity level are indicated (red) as well as the
projected CME speed (blue).
I For the near-Earth observations, we also
plot particle data from ACE/EPAM to
show lower proton energies than available
in the SEPEM reference data as well as
the 175 – 315 keV electron intensity-time Top: Relative positions of the
011 August 4 SEP event at near-Earth (SEPEM and
2011 March 7 SEP event at STEREO A. profile. spacecraft on 2011/201. 2011 August 4 SEP event at STEREO A.
ACE data).
Bottom: Fitted STEREO fluence
spectra for SEPEM energies.

Event 2012/027
Top: Relative positions of the
2012 January 27 SEP event at near-Earth (SEPEM
spacecraft on 2012/027.
and ACE data).
Bottom: Fitted STEREO fluence
spectra for SEPEM energies.
I In the configuration plots, the relative sep- Event 2012/067
aration between the origin of the flare
and each spacecraft are shown. Fur-
ther, we plot the direction of CME, cen-
tred at the flare heliolongitude. Nominal
IMF lines connecting the spacecraft to the
Sun are computed for the observed solar
wind speed.
I We derive the observed fluence for each
energy channel of STEREO (A or B) to in-
terpolate the fluence values correspond-
ing to the SEPEM energies. The dashed
line marks the fluence of the background
intensity level to help discarding extrapo-
lated low values of the fluences.
I In most cases, the 60 – 100 MeV proton
channel of STEREO/IMPACT/HET did not
show an SEP enhancement.
I In order to avoid as many sources of error
as possible, we fit the total fluence and
Top: Relative positions of the
the larger of its two contributions (gen- spacecraft on 2012/067.
2012 March 7 SEP event at near-Earth (SEPEM and
2012 January 27 SEP event at STEREO A. erally the upstream region), and subtract Bottom: Fitted STEREO fluence 2012 March 7 SEP event at STEREO B.
ACE data).
them to obtain the other one (generally spectra for SEPEM energies.
the downstream region).

Fluence analysis and comparison per SEPEM energy channel

Total Fluence vs Heliolongitude (8.7 MeV) Downstream/Total Fluence vs Heliolongitude (8.70 MeV) Downstream/Total Fluence vs Heliolongitude (55 MeV)

Downstream-to-Total fluence ratio of each event per Heliolongitude, for SEPEM (diamonds) and STEREO
Total Fluence as a function of the heliolongitude of each event for SEPEM (diamonds) and STEREO
(triangles) and for 8.70 MeV protons. Each pair is indicated with the same colour. The mean fluence-ratio
(triangles), for 8.70 MeV protons. Each pair is indicated with the same colour.
values of each group of events are marked by open circles. Vertical error bars mark the standard deviation of
the fluence ratios. Horizontal bars indicate the angular separation of the grouped events.
Downstream-to-Total fluence ratio of each event per Heliolongitude, for SEPEM (diamonds) and STEREO
(triangles) and for 54.99 MeV protons. Each pair is indicated with the same colour. The mean fluence-ratio
values of each group are marked by open circles. Vertical error bars mark the standard deviation of the
fluence ratios. Horizontal bars indicate the angular separation of the grouped events.

Total Fluence vs Heliolongitude (55 MeV) Fluence Ratio Means and tendencies
Downstream analysis
I We present an analysis of the downstream fluence contribution to
the total fluence for each of the eigth SEP event pairs. We study the
downstream-to-total fluence ratio as a function of the longitudinal
separation of the spacecraft with respect to the solar source site
(a.k.a the heliolongitude of the event as seen from each spacecraft
-near Earth (SEPEM data) and STEREO (A or B)).
I We have divided the pairs of events in two groups, 3 for which the
western case is around W80 and 3 pair of events for which the
western case is around W45, and compare the downstream-to-
total fluence ratios obtained with their eastern counterparts.
I The mean value and standard deviation of the fluence ratios for
each group are computed by using the logarithm of the total fluence
of the events as a weighting factor.
I Owing to the few number of valid events found for our study, we
faced a rather large dispersion in the fluence ratios.

Total fluence as a function of the heliolongitude of each event for SEPEM (diamonds) and STEREO Mean downstream-to-total fluence ratios derived for each group of events and for all energies (colour
(triangles), for 54.99 MeV protons. Each pair of events has the same colour. coded). Error bars indicate the same as in previous figures.

Summary and Conclusions

I We have presented an analysis of 8 SEP events simultaneously detected at near Earth spacecraft (using SEPEM reference data) and one of the STEREO spacecraft at 1
AU. We have analysed the heliolongitudinal dependence of the downstream contributions to the total fluence of the SEP events.
I For the two sets of events, the downstream-to-total fluence ratio dependence with the heliolongitude varies from event to event and also vary with the energy of the protons.
As expected, we find that the western observations of each event have a minor downstream contribution than their eastern counterpart and that the downstream-to-total
fluence ratio of the events decreases as a function of the energy.
I Between the two eastern groups we find no significant difference in the mean values of the fluence ratios. The same is true for the western groups.
I A future work should increase the number of pairs of events, looking specially for central meridian events (at Earth or STEREOs) to fill that part of the heliolongitudinal axis.
It will be also interesting to find events observed from 3 different spacecraft or even only by the two STEREOs in order to measure the possible source of error of the fitting
and the different calibration of the probes.

Contact: dpacheco@am.ub.es Acknowledgements: This work is performed under the ESA contract 4000114116/15/NL/HK and under the Spanish Project AYA2013-42614-P