What fraction of the kinetic energy of coronal mass ejections goes into accelerating solar energetic particles?

R. A. Mewaldt; C. M.S. Cohen; G. M. Mason; D. K. Haggerty; M. D. Looper; A. Vourlidas; M. I. Desai; J. Giacalone; A. W. Labrador; R. A. Leske; J. E. Mazur

What fraction of the kinetic energy of coronal mass ejections goes into accelerating solar energetic particles?

R. A. Mewaldt, C. M.S. Cohen, G. M. Mason, D. K. Haggerty, M. D. Looper, A. Vourlidas, M. I. Desai, J. Giacalone, A. W. Labrador, R. A. Leske, J. E. Mazur

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

The largest solar energetic particle (SEP) events are thought to be accelerated by shocks driven by fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs). We compare measurements of the energy content of large SEP events from 1998 to 2003 to the kinetic energy of the associated CMEs to study the efficiency of this process. Using CME data from SOHO and SEP data from ACE, SAMPEX, and GOES for a total of 17 events, we find that the ratio of the SEP to CME kinetic energies ranges from ~0.1% to ~20%, with the largest SEP events giving an average SEP/CME kinetic-energy ratio of ~10%. Evidently shock acceleration is a relatively efficient process in these events. It is interesting that a similar efficiency is derived for cosmic-ray acceleration by supernova shocks.

Original language	English (US)
Pages	129-132
Number of pages	4
State	Published - 2005
Event	29th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2005 - Pune, India Duration: Aug 3 2005 → Aug 10 2005

Other

Other	29th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2005
Country/Territory	India
City	Pune
Period	8/3/05 → 8/10/05

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Cite this

Mewaldt, R. A., Cohen, C. M. S., Mason, G. M., Haggerty, D. K., Looper, M. D., Vourlidas, A., Desai, M. I., Giacalone, J., Labrador, A. W., Leske, R. A., & Mazur, J. E. (2005). What fraction of the kinetic energy of coronal mass ejections goes into accelerating solar energetic particles?. 129-132. Paper presented at 29th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2005, Pune, India.

Mewaldt, RA, Cohen, CMS, Mason, GM, Haggerty, DK, Looper, MD, Vourlidas, A, Desai, MI, Giacalone, J, Labrador, AW, Leske, RA & Mazur, JE 2005, 'What fraction of the kinetic energy of coronal mass ejections goes into accelerating solar energetic particles?', Paper presented at 29th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2005, Pune, India, 8/3/05 - 8/10/05 pp. 129-132.

@conference{133834d6d45445a9a5deeaf241117dfc,

title = "What fraction of the kinetic energy of coronal mass ejections goes into accelerating solar energetic particles?",

abstract = "The largest solar energetic particle (SEP) events are thought to be accelerated by shocks driven by fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs). We compare measurements of the energy content of large SEP events from 1998 to 2003 to the kinetic energy of the associated CMEs to study the efficiency of this process. Using CME data from SOHO and SEP data from ACE, SAMPEX, and GOES for a total of 17 events, we find that the ratio of the SEP to CME kinetic energies ranges from ~0.1% to ~20%, with the largest SEP events giving an average SEP/CME kinetic-energy ratio of ~10%. Evidently shock acceleration is a relatively efficient process in these events. It is interesting that a similar efficiency is derived for cosmic-ray acceleration by supernova shocks.",

author = "Mewaldt, {R. A.} and Cohen, {C. M.S.} and Mason, {G. M.} and Haggerty, {D. K.} and Looper, {M. D.} and A. Vourlidas and Desai, {M. I.} and J. Giacalone and Labrador, {A. W.} and Leske, {R. A.} and Mazur, {J. E.}",

year = "2005",

language = "English (US)",

pages = "129--132",

note = "29th International Cosmic Ray Conference, ICRC 2005 ; Conference date: 03-08-2005 Through 10-08-2005",