Solar source of energetic particles in interplanetary space during the 2006 December 13 event

Abstract

An X3.4 solar flare and a fast halo coronal mass ejection (CME) occurred on 2006 December 13, accompanied by a high flux of energetic particles recorded both in near-Earth space and at ground level. Our purpose is to provide evidence of flare acceleration in a major solar energetic particle (SEP) event. We first present observations from ACE/EPAM, GOES, and the Apatity neutron monitor. It is found that the initial particle release time coincides with the flare emission and that the spectrum becomes softer and the anisotropy becomes weaker during particle injection, indicating that the acceleration source changes from a confined coronal site to a widespread interplanetary CME-driven shock. We then describe a comprehensive study of the associated flare active region. By use of imaging data from HINODE/SOT and SOHO/MDI magnetogram, we infer the flare magnetic reconnection rate in the form of the magnetic flux change rate. This correlates in time with the microwave emission, indicating a physical link between the flare magnetic reconnection and the acceleration of nonthermal particles. Combining radio spectrograph data from Huairou/NOAC, Culgoora/IPS, Learmonth/RSTN, and WAVES/WIND leads to a continuous and longlasting radio burst extending from a few GHz down to several kHz. Based on the photospheric vector magnetogram from Huairou/NOAC and the nonlinear force free field (NFFF) reconstruction method, we derive the 3D magnetic field configuration shortly after the eruption. Furthermore, we also compute coronal field lines extending to a few solar radii using a potential-field source-surface (PFSS) model. Both the so-called type III-l burst and the magnetic field configuration suggest that open-field lines extend from the flare active region into interplanetary space, allowing the accelerated and charged particles escape.

References in corpus (4)

• The Solar Optical Telescope for the Hinode Mission: An Overview
• Non-linear force-free field modeling of a solar active region around the time of a major flare and coronal mass ejection
• A Comprehensive View of the 2006 December 13 CME: From the Sun to Interplanetary Space
• The acceleration characteristics of solar energetic particles in the 2000 July 14 event

Cited by in corpus (7)

• Electron and proton acceleration during the first ground level enhancement of solar cycle 24
• Magnetic Structures at the Boundary of the Closed Corona: Interpretation of S-web Arcs
• An Updated View of Solar Eruptive Flares and Development of Shocks and CMEs: History of the 2006 December 13 GLE-Productive Extreme Event
• Investigation of the possible source for solar energetic particle event of 2017 September 10
• Transition-region explosive events produced by plasmoid instability
• What determine Solar Flares Producing Interplanetary Type III Radio Bursts?
• Major electron events and coronal magnetic configurations of the related solar active regions