ISSN:
1573-093X
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
Abstract It is widely accepted now that a significant fraction of the solar energetic particles (SEPs) observed at 1 AU after major solar flares are actually accelerated at a CME-driven shock. In addition, in the emerging new paradigm for SEP acceleration in different sources at or near the Sun, the existence of two types of flares – impulsive and gradual – is recognized. Within this concept, it is tempting also to separate SEPs into two groups – interacting and escaping – and to derive their 'source spectra' from observational data on various flare emissions (protons, gamma rays, neutrons, etc.). By different techniques, those spectra have been reconstructed for 80 solar proton events (SPE) in 1949–1991. In this paper, all available data on the source spectra of solar protons are summarized and revised. We discuss in detail existing uncertainties in the derived spectral indexes, consider other methodological problems involved in this study, and suggest several possible lines for the future investigations of solar flares and SCRs using the source spectrum data. It is noted that some peculiarities of the spectra, for instance, spectral steepening for high energies, may be characteristic of large events of the 23 February 1956 type.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1005190525187
