Particle Acceleration in High-Energy Solar Flares Detected by the Fermi Large Area Telescope
Abstract
The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) is the most sensitive instrument ever deployed in space for observing gamma-ray emission above 100 MeV. LAT observations of the active Sun have increased the number of detected solar flares by almost a factor of 10 with respect to previous space observations. We will present an overview of these observations, which include detections of impulsive and sustained emission, extending up to 20 hours in the case of the X-class flare occurred on 2012 March 7. Of particular interest is the first detection of >100 MeV gamma-ray emission from three solar flares whose positions behind the limb were confirmed by the STEREO spacecrafts. These observations sample flares from active regions originating from behind both the eastern and western limbs and present a unique opportunity to diagnose the mechanisms of high-energy emission and particle acceleration in solar flares. We will present the Fermi-LAT, RHESSI and STEREO observations of these flares and discuss how these observations provide constrains on different emission mechanisms.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AGUFMSH41D..02O
- Keywords:
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- 2114 Energetic particles;
- INTERPLANETARY PHYSICSDE: 7513 Coronal mass ejections;
- SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMYDE: 7519 Flares;
- SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMYDE: 7845 Particle acceleration;
- SPACE PLASMA PHYSICS