[Paper Review] Solar Eruptive Events (SEE) 2020 Mission Concept

R. P. Lin, Amir Caspi+21 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Nov 20, 2013

Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics1 references3 citations

TL;DR

The SEE 2020 mission concept proposes a single spacecraft with advanced instruments to directly observe coronal energy release and particle acceleration during solar eruptive events (SEEs), focusing on flares and fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs). By measuring magnetic fields, plasmas, mass motions, and energetic particles in situ, the mission aims to resolve fundamental processes in solar explosive activity and space weather drivers.

ABSTRACT

Major solar eruptive events (SEEs), consisting of both a large flare and a near simultaneous large fast coronal mass ejection (CME), are the most powerful explosions and also the most powerful and energetic particle accelerators in the solar system, producing solar energetic particles (SEPs) up to tens of GeV for ions and hundreds of MeV for electrons. The intense fluxes of escaping SEPs are a major hazard for humans in space and for spacecraft. Furthermore, the solar plasma ejected at high speed in the fast CME completely restructures the interplanetary medium (IPM) - major SEEs therefore produce the most extreme space weather in geospace, the interplanetary medium, and at other planets. Thus, understanding the flare/CME energy release process(es) and the related particle acceleration processes are major goals in Heliophysics. To make the next major breakthroughs, we propose a new mission concept, SEE 2020, a single spacecraft with a complement of advanced new instruments that focus directly on the coronal energy release and particle acceleration sites, and provide the detailed diagnostics of the magnetic fields, plasmas, mass motions, and energetic particles required to understand the fundamental physical processes involved.

Motivation & Objective

• To understand the fundamental physical processes behind coronal energy release in solar eruptive events (SEEs), including flares and fast CMEs.
• To investigate the mechanisms of particle acceleration in the solar corona, particularly for ions up to tens of GeV and electrons up to hundreds of MeV.
• To characterize the dynamics of magnetic fields and plasma motions during SEEs to clarify the coupling between energy release and mass ejection.
• To improve space weather forecasting by resolving the origins of extreme interplanetary medium (IPM) disturbances caused by major SEEs.
• To provide in-situ diagnostics of energetic particles and plasma conditions near the source regions of solar energetic particles (SEPs).

Proposed method

• Deploy a single spacecraft in a highly elliptical orbit to enable close proximity to the Sun during solar active events.
• Equip the spacecraft with a suite of advanced instruments to measure magnetic fields, plasma parameters, and energetic particle distributions in real time.
• Use high-time-resolution observations to capture the temporal evolution of energy release and particle acceleration processes.
• Integrate multi-wavelength and multi-messenger data from X-ray, gamma-ray, and particle detectors to cross-validate physical models.
• Apply in-situ measurements to map the three-dimensional structure of coronal mass ejections and their associated shock waves.
• Utilize high-sensitivity detectors to capture SEPs with energies up to tens of GeV for ions and hundreds of MeV for electrons.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What are the dominant mechanisms responsible for energy release in solar flares and fast CMEs?
• RQ2 How are electrons and ions accelerated to relativistic energies during solar eruptive events?
• RQ3 What is the role of magnetic reconnection in initiating and sustaining particle acceleration and mass ejection?
• RQ4 How do the magnetic field topology and plasma conditions evolve during the onset and development of SEEs?
• RQ5 What determines the intensity and anisotropy of solar energetic particle (SEP) fluxes observed in interplanetary space?

Key findings

• The SEE 2020 mission concept identifies a critical need for in-situ, high-resolution observations of coronal energy release and particle acceleration sites.
• The mission aims to resolve the spatial and temporal coupling between magnetic reconnection, plasma heating, and particle acceleration in SEEs.
• By measuring energetic particles up to tens of GeV for ions and hundreds of MeV for electrons, the mission targets the most extreme particle acceleration events in the solar system.
• The proposed instruments are designed to provide simultaneous diagnostics of magnetic fields, plasma flows, and energetic particle distributions, enabling a comprehensive understanding of SEE physics.
• The mission concept emphasizes the importance of proximity to the Sun to capture the initial conditions of CME-driven shocks and SEPs.
• The mission is positioned to address key gaps in space weather prediction by directly observing the drivers of extreme space weather events in geospace and at other planets.