Propagation of 1-10 MeV Solar Flare Protons in Interplanetary Space

Author: Murray, Stephen S.

Year: 1971

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Stone, Edward C.

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: Physics

DOI: 10.7907/0752-B996

Abstract

NOTE: Text or symbols not renderable in plain ASCII are indicated by [...]. Abstract is included in .pdf document.

Observations of 1-10 MeV solar flare protons associated with the 7 June 1969 solar event are used in an investigation of the physical processes affecting particle propagation in interplanetary space. The observations were made with the Caltech Solar and Galactic Cosmic Ray Experiment on board OGO-VI, a low altitude polar orbiting satellite. We find during the decay of the event that the physical processes of diffusion, convection and energy change must all be considered to obtain satisfactory agreement between the observations and theoretical predictions. In particular we find that for this event, there is clear evidence for energy change processes occurring in interplanetary space. We find in fact that the observed energy change is not simply due to adiabatic deceleration in a uniformly expanding solar wind. We also find that during the decay of this event the effects of diffusion are consistent with an energy independent diffusion coefficient [...] for 1-10 MeV with a value of approximately 5 x [...].

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