Observation of GeV solar energetic particles from the 1997 November 6 event using Milagrito

A. Falcone; R. Atkins; W. Benbow; D. Berley; M. L. Chen; D. G. Coyne; B. L. Dingus; D. E. Dorfan; R. W. Ellsworth; L. Fleysher; R. Fleysher; G. Gisler; J. A. Goodman; T. J. Haines; C. M. Huffman; S. Hugenberger; L. A. Kelley; I. Leonor; J. F. McCullough; J. E. McEnery; R. S. Miller; A. I. Mincer; M. F. Morales; P. Nemethy; J. M. Ryan; B. Shen; A. Shoup; G. Sinnis; A. J. Smith; G. W. Sullivan; T. Tumer; K. Wang; M. O. Wascko; S. Westerhoff; D. A. Williams; T. Yang; G. B. Yodh

doi:10.1086/373950

Observation of GeV solar energetic particles from the 1997 November 6 event using Milagrito

A. Falcone, R. Atkins, W. Benbow, D. Berley, M. L. Chen, D. G. Coyne, B. L. Dingus, D. E. Dorfan, R. W. Ellsworth, L. Fleysher, R. Fleysher, G. Gisler, J. A. Goodman, T. J. Haines, C. M. Huffman, S. Hugenberger, L. A. Kelley, I. Leonor, J. F. McCullough, J. E. McEneryR. S. Miller, A. I. Mincer, M. F. Morales, P. Nemethy, J. M. Ryan, B. Shen, A. Shoup, G. Sinnis, A. J. Smith, G. W. Sullivan, T. Tumer, K. Wang, M. O. Wascko, S. Westerhoff, D. A. Williams, T. Yang, G. B. Yodh

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Abstract

Milagrito was an extensive air-shower observatory that served as a prototype for the larger Milagro instrument. Milagrito operated from 1997 February to 1998 May. Although it was designed as a very high energy (few hundred GeV threshold) water-Cerenkov gamma-ray observatory, it could also be used to study solar energetic particles (SEPs). By recording sealer data, which correspond to photomultiplier tube singles rates, it was sensitive to muons and small showers from hadronic primary particles with rigidities above ∼4 GV. Milagrito simultaneously recorded air-shower trigger data of primary particles with energies greater than ∼100 GeV that provide the data to help reconstruct event directions. The Milagrito sealers registered a ground-level enhancement associated with the 1997 November 6 SEP event and X9 solar flare. At its peak, the enhancement was 22 times the background rms fluctuations. Based on comparisons to neutron monitor and satellite data, we find evidence that the rigidity power-law spectrum for the differential flux of energetic protons steepened above ∼4 GV and that the acceleration site was high in the corona (at ∼3 R_⊙ above the photosphere), assuming that a CME-driven shock was responsible for the ground-level enhancement.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	557-565
Number of pages	9
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	588
Issue number	1 I
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/373950
State	Published - May 1 2003

Keywords

Acceleration of particles
Interplanetary medium
Sun: flares
Sun: particle emission

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/373950

Cite this

Falcone, A., Atkins, R., Benbow, W., Berley, D., Chen, M. L., Coyne, D. G., Dingus, B. L., Dorfan, D. E., Ellsworth, R. W., Fleysher, L., Fleysher, R., Gisler, G., Goodman, J. A., Haines, T. J., Huffman, C. M., Hugenberger, S., Kelley, L. A., Leonor, I., McCullough, J. F., ... Yodh, G. B. (2003). Observation of GeV solar energetic particles from the 1997 November 6 event using Milagrito. Astrophysical Journal, 588(1 I), 557-565. https://doi.org/10.1086/373950

Falcone, A, Atkins, R, Benbow, W, Berley, D, Chen, ML, Coyne, DG, Dingus, BL, Dorfan, DE, Ellsworth, RW, Fleysher, L, Fleysher, R, Gisler, G, Goodman, JA, Haines, TJ, Huffman, CM, Hugenberger, S, Kelley, LA, Leonor, I, McCullough, JF, McEnery, JE, Miller, RS, Mincer, AI, Morales, MF, Nemethy, P, Ryan, JM, Shen, B, Shoup, A, Sinnis, G, Smith, AJ, Sullivan, GW, Tumer, T, Wang, K, Wascko, MO, Westerhoff, S, Williams, DA, Yang, T & Yodh, GB 2003, 'Observation of GeV solar energetic particles from the 1997 November 6 event using Milagrito', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 588, no. 1 I, pp. 557-565. https://doi.org/10.1086/373950

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title = "Observation of GeV solar energetic particles from the 1997 November 6 event using Milagrito",

abstract = "Milagrito was an extensive air-shower observatory that served as a prototype for the larger Milagro instrument. Milagrito operated from 1997 February to 1998 May. Although it was designed as a very high energy (few hundred GeV threshold) water-Cerenkov gamma-ray observatory, it could also be used to study solar energetic particles (SEPs). By recording sealer data, which correspond to photomultiplier tube singles rates, it was sensitive to muons and small showers from hadronic primary particles with rigidities above ∼4 GV. Milagrito simultaneously recorded air-shower trigger data of primary particles with energies greater than ∼100 GeV that provide the data to help reconstruct event directions. The Milagrito sealers registered a ground-level enhancement associated with the 1997 November 6 SEP event and X9 solar flare. At its peak, the enhancement was 22 times the background rms fluctuations. Based on comparisons to neutron monitor and satellite data, we find evidence that the rigidity power-law spectrum for the differential flux of energetic protons steepened above ∼4 GV and that the acceleration site was high in the corona (at ∼3 R⊙ above the photosphere), assuming that a CME-driven shock was responsible for the ground-level enhancement.",

keywords = "Acceleration of particles, Interplanetary medium, Sun: flares, Sun: particle emission",

author = "A. Falcone and R. Atkins and W. Benbow and D. Berley and Chen, {M. L.} and Coyne, {D. G.} and Dingus, {B. L.} and Dorfan, {D. E.} and Ellsworth, {R. W.} and L. Fleysher and R. Fleysher and G. Gisler and Goodman, {J. A.} and Haines, {T. J.} and Huffman, {C. M.} and S. Hugenberger and Kelley, {L. A.} and I. Leonor and McCullough, {J. F.} and McEnery, {J. E.} and Miller, {R. S.} and Mincer, {A. I.} and Morales, {M. F.} and P. Nemethy and Ryan, {J. M.} and B. Shen and A. Shoup and G. Sinnis and Smith, {A. J.} and Sullivan, {G. W.} and T. Tumer and K. Wang and Wascko, {M. O.} and S. Westerhoff and Williams, {D. A.} and T. Yang and Yodh, {G. B.}",

year = "2003",

month = may,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1086/373950",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "588",

pages = "557--565",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Observation of GeV solar energetic particles from the 1997 November 6 event using Milagrito

AU - Falcone, A.

AU - Atkins, R.

AU - Benbow, W.

AU - Berley, D.

AU - Chen, M. L.

AU - Coyne, D. G.

AU - Dingus, B. L.

AU - Dorfan, D. E.

AU - Ellsworth, R. W.

AU - Fleysher, L.

AU - Fleysher, R.

AU - Gisler, G.

AU - Goodman, J. A.

AU - Haines, T. J.

AU - Huffman, C. M.

AU - Hugenberger, S.

AU - Kelley, L. A.

AU - Leonor, I.

AU - McCullough, J. F.

AU - McEnery, J. E.

AU - Miller, R. S.

AU - Mincer, A. I.

AU - Morales, M. F.

AU - Nemethy, P.

AU - Ryan, J. M.

AU - Shen, B.

AU - Shoup, A.

AU - Sinnis, G.

AU - Smith, A. J.

AU - Sullivan, G. W.

AU - Tumer, T.

AU - Wang, K.

AU - Wascko, M. O.

AU - Westerhoff, S.

AU - Williams, D. A.

AU - Yang, T.

AU - Yodh, G. B.

PY - 2003/5/1

Y1 - 2003/5/1

N2 - Milagrito was an extensive air-shower observatory that served as a prototype for the larger Milagro instrument. Milagrito operated from 1997 February to 1998 May. Although it was designed as a very high energy (few hundred GeV threshold) water-Cerenkov gamma-ray observatory, it could also be used to study solar energetic particles (SEPs). By recording sealer data, which correspond to photomultiplier tube singles rates, it was sensitive to muons and small showers from hadronic primary particles with rigidities above ∼4 GV. Milagrito simultaneously recorded air-shower trigger data of primary particles with energies greater than ∼100 GeV that provide the data to help reconstruct event directions. The Milagrito sealers registered a ground-level enhancement associated with the 1997 November 6 SEP event and X9 solar flare. At its peak, the enhancement was 22 times the background rms fluctuations. Based on comparisons to neutron monitor and satellite data, we find evidence that the rigidity power-law spectrum for the differential flux of energetic protons steepened above ∼4 GV and that the acceleration site was high in the corona (at ∼3 R⊙ above the photosphere), assuming that a CME-driven shock was responsible for the ground-level enhancement.

AB - Milagrito was an extensive air-shower observatory that served as a prototype for the larger Milagro instrument. Milagrito operated from 1997 February to 1998 May. Although it was designed as a very high energy (few hundred GeV threshold) water-Cerenkov gamma-ray observatory, it could also be used to study solar energetic particles (SEPs). By recording sealer data, which correspond to photomultiplier tube singles rates, it was sensitive to muons and small showers from hadronic primary particles with rigidities above ∼4 GV. Milagrito simultaneously recorded air-shower trigger data of primary particles with energies greater than ∼100 GeV that provide the data to help reconstruct event directions. The Milagrito sealers registered a ground-level enhancement associated with the 1997 November 6 SEP event and X9 solar flare. At its peak, the enhancement was 22 times the background rms fluctuations. Based on comparisons to neutron monitor and satellite data, we find evidence that the rigidity power-law spectrum for the differential flux of energetic protons steepened above ∼4 GV and that the acceleration site was high in the corona (at ∼3 R⊙ above the photosphere), assuming that a CME-driven shock was responsible for the ground-level enhancement.

KW - Acceleration of particles

KW - Interplanetary medium

KW - Sun: flares

KW - Sun: particle emission

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SN - 0004-637X

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EP - 565

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 I

ER -

Observation of GeV solar energetic particles from the 1997 November 6 event using Milagrito

Abstract

Keywords

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