Probing the Sources of Energetic Particles Close to the Sun with the Solar Sentinels, Solar Orbiter, and Solar Probe Missions
Abstract
Studies of solar energetic particles (SEPs) at 1 AU over the last few years have made very significant progress, but they also reveal that many key questions will remain unanswered until it is possible to fly fully instrumented spacecraft closer to the Sun where the bulk of SEP acceleration takes place. For example, the composition of seed particle populations, the nature of wave-particle interactions and SEP acceleration/transport processes in the interplanetary medium, and the timing relation between SEP acceleration and solar eruptive events can all be investigated from a distance, but are best studied close to the Sun, with a complete complement of in situ and imaging observations. Fortunately, three exciting new missions, the ESA Solar Orbiter mission and the NASA Solar Sentinels and Solar Probe Missions, have been proposed to explore the inner heliosphere during the next decade at radial distances between 0.02 to 0.7 AU. All three missions have recently gone through scientific and technical studies, and are ready to take the next steps. This talk will review the capabilities of these three exploratory missions to address key questions relating to SEP acceleration and transport.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006AGUFMSH53C..01M
- Keywords:
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- 2101 Coronal mass ejections (7513);
- 2114 Energetic particles (7514);
- 2194 Instruments and techniques;
- 7514 Energetic particles (2114);
- 7984 Space radiation environment