Solar Energetic Particle-Associated Coronal Mass Ejections Observed by the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory Mk3 and Mk4 Coronameters

Abstract

We report on the first comprehensive study of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) associated with $\sim$25 MeV solar energetic proton (SEP) events in 1980-2013 observed in the low/inner corona by the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO) Mk3 and Mk4 coronameters. Where possible, these observations are combined with spacebased observations from the Solar Maximum Mission C/P, P78-1 SOLWIND or SOHO/LASCO coronagraphs. The aim of the study is to understand directly-measured (rather than inferred from proxies) CME motions in the low to middle corona and their association with SEP acceleration, and hence attempt to identify early signatures that are characteristic of SEP acceleration in ground-based CME observations that may be used to warn of impending SEP events. Although we find that SEP events are associated with CMEs that are on average faster and wider than typical CMEs observed by MLSO, a major challenge turns out to be determining reliable estimates of the CME dynamics in the low corona from the 3-minute cadence Mk3/4 observations since different analysis techniques can produce inconsistent results. This complicates the assessment of what early information on a possible SEP event is available from these low coronal observations

arXiv commentTo be published in Solar Physics

References in corpus (16)

• Properties of Ground Level Enhancement Events and the Associated Solar Eruptions during Solar Cycle 23
• Comprehensive Analysis of Coronal Mass Ejection Mass and Energy Properties Over a Full Solar Cycle
• Heliophysics Event Knowledgebase for the Solar Dynamics Observatory and Beyond
• Impulsive acceleration of coronal mass ejections: I. Statistics and CME source region characteristics
• The First Ground Level Enhancement Event of Solar Cycle 24: Direct Observation of Shock Formation and Particle Release Heights
• Solar energetic particle events observed by the PAMELA mission
• Spatial Relationship between Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections
• The 2012 July 23 Backside Eruption: An Extreme Energetic Particle Event?
• Type II and Type III Radio Bursts and their Correlation with Solar Energetic Proton Events
• The Properties of Solar Energetic Particle Event-Associated Coronal Mass Ejections Reported in Different CME Catalogs
• Stray light and polarimetry considerations for the COSMO K-Coronagraph
• The Wind/EPACT proton event catalog (1996-2016)
• Connecting 3D evolution of Coronal Mass Ejections to their Source Regions
• Empirical Model of 10-130 MeV Solar Energetic Particle Spectra at 1 AU Based on Coronal Mass Ejection Speed and Direction
• 25 MeV Solar Proton Events in Cycle 24 and Previous Cycles
• North/South Hemispheric Periodicities in the >25 MeV Solar Proton Event Rate During the Rising and Peak Phases of Solar Cycle 24

Cited by in corpus (1)

• The 2024 July 16 Solar Event: A Challenge To The Coronal Mass Ejection Origin Of Long-Duration Gamma-Ray Flares