We present results over an 11-year Solar cycle of cosmic antiprotons based on 1.1×10^{6} events in the rigidity range from 1.00 to 41.9 GV. The p[over ¯] fluxes exhibit distinct properties. The magnitude of the p[over ¯] flux temporal variation is significantly smaller than those of p, e^{-}, and e^{+}. A hysteresis between the p[over ¯] fluxes and the p fluxes is observed, whereas the p[over ¯] and e^{-} fluxes show a linear correlation. With a model-independent analysis, we found a universal relation between the shape of the rigidity spectrum and the magnitude of flux temporal variation over an 11-year Solar cycle for both positively and negatively charged particles. The simultaneous results on p[over ¯] and p, e^{-}, and e^{+} provide unique information for understanding particle transport in the Solar System as a function of mass, charge, and spectral shape.
We report the properties of precision time structures of cosmic nuclei He, Li, Be, B, C, N, and O fluxes over an 11-year solar cycle from May 2011 to November 2022 in the rigidity range from 1.92 to 60.3 GV. The nuclei fluxes show similar but not identical time variations with amplitudes decreasing with increasing rigidity. In particular, below 3.64 GV the Li, Be, and B fluxes, and below 2.15 GV the C, N, and O fluxes, are significantly less affected by solar modulation than the He flux. We observe that these differences in solar modulation are linearly correlated with the differences in the spectral indices of the cosmic nuclei fluxes. This shows, in a model-independent way, that solar modulation of galactic cosmic nuclei depends on their spectral shape. In addition, solar modulation differences due to nuclei velocity dependence on the mass-to-charge ratio (A/Z) are not observed.
We analyzed 58 high-energy proton events that occurred during the years 1996 – 2022. In 32 out of the 58 (55 ∼ 68 MeV but did not reach 100 MeV. In the remaining 26 events, the proton energies exceeded 100 MeV. We studied the differences in the characteristics of these proton events and their associations with solar and interplanetary phenomena to improve understanding proton sources and acceleration processes. The coronal mass ejections (CMEs) associated with >100 MeV proton events appeared to be, on average, more energetic than those associated with < 100 MeV proton events. The peak and integrated fluxes (fluence) of the soft X-ray (SXR) flares were higher in > 100 MeV proton events, but there was almost no difference in the rise times of the flares. In a major part of the > 100 MeV proton events, protons were released over the rise phase of the SXR flares, whereas in most of the <100 MeV events the proton releases occurred after the peak of the SXR flares. We established limits for the CME speed VCME and SXR peak flux Fpk or total fluence Fi, which helped us to distinguish the events in the two groups. Solar eruptions with VCME > 1000 km s−1 and F _pk > 5 · 10^-5 W m−2 had a high probability to produce proton events of > 100 MeV. On the other hand, eruptions with V _CME > 900 km s−1 and F _i <5 · 10^-4 J m−2 and eruptions with V _CME < 900 km s−1 irrespective of the SXR total fluence were very likely to produce proton events of < 100 MeV. All proton events were associated with decametric Type III radio bursts, and most of them had Type II bursts associations either in metric or decametric–hectometric (DH) wavelengths or both. Both metric- and DH-Type II emissions were observed in 50 <100 MeV proton events while they were observed in 88 >100 MeV events. Our analysis showed that protons in most of the >100 MeV events were released low in the corona ( ≤ 3.0 R⊙) before the onsets of the DH-Type II radio bursts. Conversely, protons in most of the <100 MeV events were released higher in the corona ( >3 R⊙) and after the DH-Type II onsets. We conclude that protons in most of the > 100 MeV events are accelerated either by the flare reconnection processes or by shocks low in the corona and could undergo reacceleration higher in the corona in CME shocks manifested in DH-Type II radio emission. In the <100 MeV events, protons are mainly accelerated in CME shocks at coronal heights >3 R⊙.
We have investigated the dependence of the peak intensities of energetic storm particles (ESPs) on various parameters characterising the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and associated phenomena. The aim of this study is to suggest empirical models for forecasting the peak intensities of ESP events at 1 AU based on solar and interplanetary (IP) space observations.For this study we searched for the associations of front-side full and partial halo CMEs with linear speeds >400 km s(-1)during the years 1996-2015 with IP shocks at 1 AU and ESP events observed near the time when the shock passes the observer. We found 88 CME-driven IP shocks associated with ESP events at proton energy range 5.0-7.2 MeV (nominal energy 6.0 MeV) and 59 shocks at the energy range 15.1-21.9 MeV (nominal energy 18.2 MeV). At these two energies 71 % and 68 % of the ESP events were associated with solar energetic particle (SEP) events, 85 % and 84 % were associated with decametric-hectometric (DH) type II radio bursts while 67 % and 66 % were associated with both.For each CME - shock pair we calculated the predicted shock transit speed (VTR) by using the method of Belov et al. (2022) and used this as the primary parameter in the investigation. We performed correlation analyses between the logarithm of the peak intensities of the ESP events (log(10) [IESPpeak]) and the solar parameters related to the CMEs, solar flares, IP shocks, SEP events, and type II radio bursts. When using a single explanatory variable, we found best correlation coefficients for VTR(0.68 +/- 0.05 and 0.71 +/- 0.06), the CME space speed (VCMEspace) (0.59 +/- 0.05 and 0.68 +/- 0.07), and the logarithm of SEP peak intensity (log(10) [ISEPpeak]) (0.55 +/- 0.08 and 0.70 +/- 0.08) at 6.0 and 18.2 MeV, respectively. Weak to moderate correlations were found for the logarithm of the soft X-ray flux (log(10) [SXRF]) and the logarithm of the duration of DH type II radio burst (log(10) [DTII]).Using linear combinations of two or more variables improved the correlations. The best two-variable combination explaining log(10) [IESPpeak] was VTRcombined with log(10) [ISEPpeak] and the best three- and four-variable combinations also included these two parameters. We found two methods for forecasting ESP peak intensities, one of which can be used for long lead time and the other for medium lead time forecasting. For long lead time forecasting VTR, VCMEspaceand log(10) [SXRF] are used. The correlation coefficients between the calculated and observed log(10) [IESPpeak] were 0.71 +/- 0.05 at 6.0 MeV and 0.74 +/- 0.06 at 18.2 MeV. This method only depends on the coronagraph and X-ray observations at the Sun. For medium lead time forecasting the four parameters used are VTR, log(10) [ISEPpeak], VCMEspace(or log(10) [SXRF]), and log(10) [DTII]. The correlation coefficients were 0.80 +/- 0.04 at 6.0 MeV and 0.84 +/- 0.05 at 18.2 MeV. Coronagraph observations at the Sun and solar energetic particle and DH type II burst measurements in IP space are required for this method. The medium lead time forecasting provides an average warning time of 30 +/- 16 h.
We present the precision measurements of 11 years of daily cosmic electron fluxes in the rigidity interval from 1.00 to 41.9 GV based on 2.0×10^{8} electrons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The electron fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. Recurrent electron flux variations with periods of 27 days, 13.5 days, and 9 days are observed. We find that the electron fluxes show distinctly different time variations from the proton fluxes. Remarkably, a hysteresis between the electron flux and the proton flux is observed with a significance of greater than 6σ at rigidities below 8.5 GV. Furthermore, significant structures in the electron-proton hysteresis are observed corresponding to sharp structures in both fluxes. This continuous daily electron data provide unique input to the understanding of the charge sign dependence of cosmic rays over an 11-year solar cycle.
We have analysed energetic storm particle (ESP) events in 116 interplanetary (IP) shocks driven by front-side full and partial halo coronal mass ejections (CMEs) with speeds >400 kms-1during the years 1996-2015. We investigated the occurrence and relationships of ESP events with several parameters describing the IP shocks, and the associated CMEs, type II radio bursts, and solar energetic par-ticle (SEP) events. Most of the shocks (57%) were associated with an ESP event at proton energies >1 MeV. The shock transit speeds from the Sun to 1 AU of the shocks associated with an ESP event were significantly greater than those of the shocks without an ESP event, and best distinguished these two groups of shocks from each other. The occurrence and maximum intensity of the ESP events also had the strongest dependence on the shock transit speed compared to the other parameters investigated. The cor-relation coefficient between ESP peak intensities and shock transit speeds was highest (0.73 +/- 0.04) at 6.2 MeV. Weaker dependences were found on the shock speed at 1 AU, Alfve acute accent nic and magnetosonic Mach numbers, shock compression ratio, and CME speed. On aver-age all these parameters were significantly different for shocks capable to accelerate ESPs compared to shocks not associated with ESPs, while the differences in the shock normal angle and in the width and longitude of the CMEs were insignificant. The CME-driven shocks producing energetic decametric-hectometric (DH) type II radio bursts and high-intensity SEP events proved to produce also more frequently ESP events with larger particle flux enhancements than other shocks. Together with the shock transit speed, the characteristics of solar DH type II radio bursts and SEP events play an important role in the occurrence and maximum inten-sity of ESP events at 1 AU.(c) 2022 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
We present the precision measurement of 2824 daily helium fluxes in cosmic rays from May 20, 2011 to October 29, 2019 in the rigidity interval from 1.71 to 100 GV based on 7.6×10^{8} helium nuclei collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) aboard the International Space Station. The helium flux and the helium to proton flux ratio exhibit variations on multiple timescales. In nearly all the time intervals from 2014 to 2018, we observed recurrent helium flux variations with a period of 27 days. Shorter periods of 9 days and 13.5 days are observed in 2016. The strength of all three periodicities changes with time and rigidity. In the entire time period, we found that below ∼7 GV the helium flux exhibits larger time variations than the proton flux, and above ∼7 GV the helium to proton flux ratio is time independent. Remarkably, below 2.4 GV a hysteresis between the helium to proton flux ratio and the helium flux was observed at greater than the 7σ level. This shows that at low rigidity the modulation of the helium to proton flux ratio is different before and after the solar maximum in 2014.
We present the precision measurement of the daily proton fluxes in cosmic rays from May 20, 2011 to October 29, 2019 (a total of 2824 days or 114 Bartels rotations) in the rigidity interval from 1 to 100 GV based on 5.5×10^{9} protons collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer aboard the International Space Station. The proton fluxes exhibit variations on multiple timescales. From 2014 to 2018, we observed recurrent flux variations with a period of 27 days. Shorter periods of 9 days and 13.5 days are observed in 2016. The strength of all three periodicities changes with time and rigidity. The rigidity dependence of the 27-day periodicity is different from the rigidity dependences of 9-day and 13.5-day periods. Unexpectedly, the strength of 9-day and 13.5-day periodicities increases with increasing rigidities up to ∼10 GV and ∼20 GV, respectively. Then the strength of the periodicities decreases with increasing rigidity up to 100 GV.
We report the observation of new properties of primary iron (Fe) cosmic rays in the rigidity range 2.65 GV to 3.0 TV with 0.62×10^{6} iron nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. Above 80.5 GV the rigidity dependence of the cosmic ray Fe flux is identical to the rigidity dependence of the primary cosmic ray He, C, and O fluxes, with the Fe/O flux ratio being constant at 0.155±0.006. This shows that unexpectedly Fe and He, C, and O belong to the same class of primary cosmic rays which is different from the primary cosmic rays Ne, Mg, and Si class.
This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.021101.
The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is a precision particle physics detector on the International Space Station (ISS) conducting a unique, long-duration mission of fundamental physics research in space. The physics objectives include the precise studies of the origin of dark matter, antimatter, and cosmic rays as well as the exploration of new phenomena. Following a 16-year period of construction and testing, and a precursor flight on the Space Shuttle, AMS was installed on the ISS on May 19, 2011. In this report we present results based on 120 billion charged cosmic ray events up to multi-TeV energies. This includes the fluxes of positrons, electrons, antiprotons, protons, and nuclei. These results provide unexpected information, which cannot be explained by the current theoretical models. The accuracy and characteristics of the data, simultaneously from many different types of cosmic rays, provide unique input to the understanding of origins, acceleration, and propagation of cosmic rays.
We report the observation of new properties of primary cosmic rays, neon (Ne), magnesium (Mg), and silicon (Si), measured in the rigidity range 2.15 GV to 3.0 TV with 1.8×10^{6} Ne, 2.2×10^{6} Mg, and 1.6×10^{6} Si nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment on the International Space Station. The Ne and Mg spectra have identical rigidity dependence above 3.65 GV. The three spectra have identical rigidity dependence above 86.5 GV, deviate from a single power law above 200 GV, and harden in an identical way. Unexpectedly, above 86.5 GV the rigidity dependence of primary cosmic rays Ne, Mg, and Si spectra is different from the rigidity dependence of primary cosmic rays He, C, and O. This shows that the Ne, Mg, and Si and He, C, and O are two different classes of primary cosmic rays.
RADMON is a small radiation monitor designed and assembled by students of University of Turku and University of Helsinki. It is flown on-board Aalto-1, a 3-unit CubeSat in low Earth orbit at about 500 km altitude. The detector unit of the instrument consists of two detectors, a Si solid-state detector and a CsI(Tl) scintillator, and utilizes the Delta E-E technique to determine the total energy and species of each particle hitting the detector. We present the results of the on-ground and in-flight calibration campaigns of the instrument, as well as the characterization of its response through extensive simulations within the Geant4 framework. The overall energy calibration margin achieved is about 5%. The full instrument response to protons and electrons is presented and the issue of proton contamination of the electron channels is quantified and discussed. (C) 2019 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Solar Intensity X-ray and particle Spectrometer (SIXS) on the BepiColombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter (“Bepi”) measures the direct solar X-rays, energetic protons, and electrons that bombard, and interact with, the Hermean surface. The interactions result in X-ray fluorescence and scattering, and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE), i.e. “glow” of the surface in X-rays. Simultaneous monitoring of the incident and emitted radiation enables derivation of the abundances of some chemical elements and scattering properties of the outermost surface layer of the planet, and it may reveal other sources of X-ray emission, due to, for example, weak aurora-like phenomena in Mercury’s exosphere. Mapping of the Hermean X-ray emission is the main task of the MIXS instrument onboard BepiColombo. SIXS data will also be used for investigations of the solar X-ray corona and solar energetic particles (SEP), both in the cruise phase and the passes of the Earth, Venus and Mercury before the arrival at Mercury’s orbit, and the final science phase at Mercury’s orbit. These observations provide the first-ever opportunity for in-situ measurements of the propagation of SEPs, their interactions with the interplanetary magnetic field, and space weather phenomena in multiple locations throughout the inner solar system far away from the Earth, and more extensively at Mercury’s orbit. In this paper we describe the scientific objectives, design and calibrations, operational principles, and scientific performance of the final SIXS instrument launched to the mission to planet Mercury onboard BepiColombo. We also provide the first analysis results of science observations with SIXS, that were made during the Near-Earth Commissioning Phase and early cruise phase operations in 2018–19, including the background X-ray sky observations and “first light” observations of the Sun with the SIXS X-ray detection system (SIXS-X), and in-situ energetic electron and proton observations with the SIXS Particle detection system (SIXS-P).
Precision measurements by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) on the International Space Station of ^{3}He and ^{4}He fluxes are presented. The measurements are based on 100 million ^{4}He nuclei in the rigidity range from 2.1 to 21 GV and 18 million ^{3}He from 1.9 to 15 GV collected from May 2011 to November 2017. We observed that the ^{3}He and ^{4}He fluxes exhibit nearly identical variations with time. The relative magnitude of the variations decreases with increasing rigidity. The rigidity dependence of the ^{3}He/^{4}He flux ratio is measured for the first time. Below 4 GV, the ^{3}He/^{4}He flux ratio was found to have a significant long-term time dependence. Above 4 GV, the ^{3}He/^{4}He flux ratio was found to be time independent, and its rigidity dependence is well described by a single power law ∝R^{Δ} with Δ=-0.294±0.004. Unexpectedly, this value is in agreement with the B/O and B/C spectral indices at high energies.
We have analysed 58 high-energy proton events and 36 temporally related near-relativistic electron events from the years 1997 – 2015 for which the velocity dispersion analysis of the first-arriving particles gave the apparent path lengths between 1 and 3 AU. We investigated the dependence of the characteristics of the proton events on the associations of type II, III, and IV radio bursts. We also examined the properties of the soft X-ray flares and coronal mass ejections associated with these events. All proton events were associated with decametric type III radio bursts, while type IV emission was observed only in the meter wavelengths in some of the events (32/58). Almost all proton events (56/58) were associated with radio type II bursts: 11 with metric (m) type II only, 11 with decametric–hectometric (DH) only, and 34 with type II radio bursts at both wavelength ranges. By examining several characteristics of the proton events, we discovered that the proton events can be divided into two categories. The characteristics of events belonging to the same category were similar, while they significantly differed between events in different categories. The distinctive factors between the categories were the wavelength range of the associated type II radio emission and the temporal relation of the proton release with respect to the type II onset. In Category 1 are the events which were associated with only metric type II emission or both m and DH type II and the release time of protons was before the DH type II onset (18/56 events). Category 2 consists of the events which were associated with only DH type II emission or both m and DH type II and the protons were released at or after the DH type II onset (31/56 events). For seven of the 56 events we were not able to determine a definite category due to timing uncertainties. The events in Category 1 had significantly higher intensity rise rates, shorter rise times, lower release heights, and harder energy spectra than Category 2 events. Category 1 events also originated from magnetically well-connected regions and had only small time differences between the proton release times and the type III onsets. The soft X-ray flares for these events had significantly shorter rise times and durations than for Category 2 events. We found 36 electron events temporally related to the proton events, which fulfilled the same path length criterion as the proton events. We compared the release times of protons and electrons at the Sun, and discovered that in 19 of the 36 events protons were released almost simultaneously (within ${\pm}\,7$ minutes) with the electrons, in 16 events protons were released later than the electrons, and in one event electrons were released after the protons. The simultaneous proton and electron events and the delayed proton events did not unambiguously fall in the two categories of proton events, although most of the events in which the protons were released after the electrons belonged to Category 2. We conclude that acceleration of protons in Category 1 events occurred low in the corona, either by CME-driven shocks or below the CMEs in solar flares or in CME initiation related processes. It seems plausible that protons in Category 2 events were accelerated by CME-driven shocks high in the solar corona. Large delays of protons with respect to type III onsets in the events where protons were released after the electrons suggest late acceleration or release of protons close to the Sun, but the exact mechanism causing the delay remained unclear.
Today, the near-Earth space is facing a paradigm change as the number of new spacecraft is literally sky-rocketing. Increasing numbers of small satellites threaten the sustainable use of space, as without removal, space debris will eventually make certain critical orbits unusable. A central factor affecting small spacecraft health and leading to debris is the radiation environment, which is unpredictable due to an incomplete understanding of the near-Earth radiation environment itself and its variability driven by the solar wind and outer magnetosphere. This paper presents the FORESAIL-1 nanosatellite mission, having two scientific and one technological objectives. The first scientific objective is to measure the energy and flux of energetic particle loss to the atmosphere with a representative energy and pitch angle resolution over a wide range of magnetic local times. To pave the way to novel model - in situ data comparisons, we also show preliminary results on precipitating electron fluxes obtained with the new global hybrid-Vlasov simulation Vlasiator. The second scientific objective of the FORESAIL-1 mission is to measure energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) of solar origin. The solar ENA flux has the potential to contribute importantly to the knowledge of solar eruption energy budget estimations. The technological objective is to demonstrate a satellite de-orbiting technology, and for the first time, make an orbit manoeuvre with a propellantless nanosatellite. FORESAIL-1 will demonstrate the potential for nanosatellites to make important scientific contributions as well as promote the sustainable utilisation of space by using a cost-efficient de-orbiting technology.
We have searched for solar proton events consisting of both solar energetic particles (SEPs) accelerated near the Sun and energetic storm particles (ESPs) accelerated by interplanetary shocks driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and observed near the time when the shock passes the observer. The purpose of this study is to investigate the possibilities and advantages of using energetic particle observations for mid-term (warning time several hours) forecasting of geomagnetic storms or as a support for longer-term forecasting methods based on solar observations. The study period extends from May 1996 to December 2017 covering the entire solar cycle 23 and the major part of solar cycle 24. Using two particle energies, 2 and 20 MeV, we found 95 SEP-ESP events of which 65 were associated with geomagnetic storms with Dst <= -50 nT caused by CMEs. We performed correlation analysis between log(10 vertical bar)Dst (nT)vertical bar and various parameters characterising the particle events or the associated CMEs. We found the best correlations for the single independent variables Delta t(Esp-sEp) (r = -0.47 +/- 0.08), which is the difference between the ESP peak time and SEP onset time, the CME direction parameter DP (r = 0.47 +/- 0.10), and the logarithm of the maximum ESP energy log(10)[E-ESP(max) (MeV)] (r = 0.44 +/- 0.11). Using a linear combination of these three variables improves the correlation (r = 0.68 +/- 0.07). We suggest that an empirical equation based on these three parameters and requiring only coronagraph observations of CMEs and energetic particle measurements in interplanetary space can be used for mid-term forecasting of geomagnetic storm strengths. We found that 74% of the strongest storms (Dst <= -200 nT) during the study period were associated with energetic particle events. The average warning time and its standard deviation for all geomagnetic storms associated with SEP-ESP events was (15 +/- 10) hours. (C) 2019 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
We present the precision measurement from May 2011 to May 2017 (79 Bartels rotations) of the proton fluxes at rigidities from 1 to 60 GV and the helium fluxes from 1.9 to 60 GV based on a total of 1×10^{9} events collected with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer aboard the International Space Station. This measurement is in solar cycle 24, which has the solar maximum in April 2014. We observed that, below 40 GV, the proton flux and the helium flux show nearly identical fine structures in both time and relative amplitude. The amplitudes of the flux structures decrease with increasing rigidity and vanish above 40 GV. The amplitudes of the structures are reduced during the time period, which started one year after solar maximum, when the proton and helium fluxes steadily increase. Above ∼3 GV the p/He flux ratio is time independent. We observed that below ∼3 GV the ratio has a long-term decrease coinciding with the period during which the fluxes start to rise.
We report on the observation of new properties of secondary cosmic rays Li, Be, and B measured in the rigidity (momentum per unit charge) range 1.9 GV to 3.3 TV with a total of 5.4×10^{6} nuclei collected by AMS during the first five years of operation aboard the International Space Station. The Li and B fluxes have an identical rigidity dependence above 7 GV and all three fluxes have an identical rigidity dependence above 30 GV with the Li/Be flux ratio of 2.0±0.1. The three fluxes deviate from a single power law above 200 GV in an identical way. This behavior of secondary cosmic rays has also been observed in the AMS measurement of primary cosmic rays He, C, and O but the rigidity dependences of primary cosmic rays and of secondary cosmic rays are distinctly different. In particular, above 200 GV, the secondary cosmic rays harden more than the primary cosmic rays.