Solar Energetic Particle Events Associated With Coronal Mass Ejections Observed by the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory

Over 100 solar energetic particle (SEP) events including ~25 MeV protons associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed by the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO) coronagraphs have been identified in 1980-2017. These SEP events were detected by instrumentation on spacecraft such as SOHO, Wind, ACE, IMP 8, ISEE 3, Helios and Ulysses. They range from three Ground Level Enhancements, also observed at high energies by neutron monitors, to small events that are barely evident above the instrumental background, as well as Fe- or electron-rich or poor events. We summarize the properties of these SEP events and the associated solar phenomena (e.g., CMEs observed by MLSO and, if available, spacecraft coronagraphs, flares, radio emissions) and discuss several examples. We demonstrate how ground-based coronagraphs can provide an early assessment of the CME parameters prior to the arrival of particles at Earth. We also discuss whether these CME parameters are related to the properties of the associated SEP events.