The Sun is an efficient particle accelerator. However, the relation between different energetic particle populations is not well-established. Observational studies during the RHESSI era demonstrated the still poorly understood existence of a connection between solar flare signatures of accelerated electrons at the Sun and the corresponding solar energetic particles (SEPs) detected at 1 AU. A fundamental question then arises: can these distinctly observed electron populations come from the same flare-acceleration region or be drawn from the same population of electrons. Observational and theoretical studies alone cannot satisfactorily address this question. Therefore, we aim to combine state-of-the-art multi-instrument observations with kinetic modelling that simultaneously studies the acceleration and transport of flare-accelerated electrons toward and away from the Sun in the varying plasma conditions of the extended solar atmosphere. The model will output and compare with X-ray, radio, and in-situ measurements, allowing us to test whether both electron populations can indeed form within a single, but possibly extended, acceleration region with varying plasma properties. Simultaneous modelling of the escaping and precipitating electron populations will help to constrain the plasma properties of such a region (e.g., its size, temperature, density, turbulence); properties not currently constrained by remote flare observation alone. We will probe various electron transport mechanisms (collisional and non-collisional) in different parts of the solar atmosphere, and combine them with detailed interplanetary transport modelling and multi-spacecraft observations. This will lead to a greater understanding of the important physical processes that modulate the populations during their transport, helping us to study flare particle acceleration from multiple perspectives.<\/p>\n
Our full team proposal (minus CVs and contact details) can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Sun is an efficient particle accelerator. However, the relation between different energetic particle populations is not well-established. Observational studies during the RHESSI era demonstrated the still poorly understood existence of a connection between solar flare signatures of accelerated electrons … Continue reading