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[Untitled]

Authors :
P. Feffer
S. McBride
P. Luke
G. Zimmer
C.P. Cork
G. Vedrenne
R. M. Pelling
Robert P. Lin
D. Malone
Richard H. Pehl
F. Cotin
S. Slassi-Sennou
J. H. Primbsch
Norman W. Madden
Source :
Solar Physics. 171:419-445
Publication Year :
1997
Publisher :
Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 1997.

Abstract

The HIgh-REsolution Gamma-ray and hard X-ray Spectrometer (HIREGS) consists of an actively shielded array of twelve liquid-nitrogen-cooled germanium detectors designed to provide unprecedented spectral resolution and narrow-line sensitivity for solar gamma-ray line observations. Two long-duration, circumpolar balloon flights of HIREGS in Antarctica (10–24 January, 1992 and 31 December, 1992–10 January, 1993) provided 90.9 and 20.4 hours of solar observations, respectively. During the observations, eleven soft X-ray bursts at C levels and above (largest M1.7) occurred, and three small solar hard X-ray bursts were detected by the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. HIREGS detected a significant increase above 30 keV in one. No solar gamma-ray line emission was detected. Limits on the 2.223-MeV line and the hard X-ray emission are used to estimate the relative contribution of protons and electrons to the energy in flares, and to coronal heating. For the 2.223-MeV line, the upper limit fluence is ≲ 0.8 ph cm-2 in the flares, and the upper limit flux is 1.8 × 10-4 ph s-1 cm-2 in the absence of flares. These limits imply that ≲ 6 × 1030 (2σ) protons above 30 MeV were accelerated in the flares, assuming standard photospheric abundances and a thick target model. The total energy contained in the accelerated protons >30 MeV is ≲ 4 × 1026 ergs, but this limit can be more than 1030 ergs if the spectrum extends down to ∽1 MeV. The upper limit on the total energy in accelerated electrons during the observed flares can also exceed 1030 ergs if the spectrum goes down to ∽ 7 keV. Quiet-Sun observations indicate that ≲ 1026erg s-1 are deposited by energetic protons >1 MeV, well below the1027 –1028 erg s-1 required for coronal heating, while

Details

ISSN :
00380938
Volume :
171
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Solar Physics
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........e8141b118270521c2dc0d3fdb0275d87
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1004911511905