| 1. |
- Mergè, M., et al.
(author)
-
PAMELA measurements of solar energetic particle spectra
- 2017
-
In: Proceedings of Science. - : Sissa Medialab Srl.
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The charged particle acceleration and transport during solar events have been widely studied in the past decades. The satellite-borne PAMELA experiment has been continuously collecting data since 2006. The apparatus is designed to study charged particles in the cosmic radiation. The combination of permanent magnet, silicon micro-strip spectrometer and silicon-tungsten imaging calorimeter, with the redundancy of instrumentation allows very precise studies on the physics of cosmic rays in a wide energy range and with high statistics. This makes PAMELA a well suited instrument for Solar Energetic Particles (SEP) observations. Not only it spans the energy range between the ground-based neutron monitor data and the observations of SEPs from space, but also PAMELA carries out the first direct measurements of SEP energy spectra, composition and angular distribution. PAMELA has observed many SEP events in solar cycle 24, offering unique opportunity to address several questions on high-energy SEP origin. A preliminary analysis on proton spectra during several events of the 24th solar cycle is presented.
|
|
| 2. |
- Munini, R., et al.
(author)
-
Evidence of Energy and Charge Sign Dependence of the Recovery Time for the 2006 December Forbush Event Measured by the PAMELA Experiment
- 2018
-
In: Astrophysical Journal. - : Institute of Physics Publishing (IOPP). - 0004-637X .- 1538-4357. ; 853:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- New results on the short-term galactic cosmic-ray (GCR) intensity variation (Forbish decrease) in 2006 December measured by the PAMELA instrument are presented. Forbush decreases are sudden suppressions of the GCR intensities, which are associated with the passage of interplanetary transients such as shocks and interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). Most of the past measurements of this phenomenon were carried out with groundbased detectors such as neutron monitors or muon telescopes. These techniques allow only the indirect detection of the overall GCR intensity over an integrated energy range. For the first time, thanks to the unique features of the PAMELA magnetic spectrometer, the Forbush decrease, commencing on 2006 December 14 and following a CME at the Sun on 2006 December 13, was studied in a wide rigidity range (0.4-20 GV) and for different species of GCRs detected directly in space. The daily averaged GCR proton intensity was used to investigate the rigidity dependence of the amplitude and the recovery time of the Forbush decrease. Additionally, for the first time, the temporal variations in the helium and electron intensities during a Forbush decrease were studied. Interestingly, the temporal evolutions of the helium and proton intensities during the Forbush decrease were found to be in good agreement, while the low rigidity electrons (<2 GV) displayed a faster recovery. This difference in the electron recovery is interpreted as a charge sign dependence introduced by drift motions experienced by the GCRs during their propagation through the heliosphere.
|
|
| 3. |
- Munini, R., et al.
(author)
-
Short-term variation in the galactic cosmic ray intensity measured with the PAMELA experiment
- 2017
-
In: Proceedings of Science. - : Sissa Medialab Srl.
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- New results on the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) short-term intensity variation associated with Forbush decrease and co-rotating interaction regions (CIRs) measured by the PAMELA instrument between November 2006 and March 2007 are presented. Most of the past measurements on Forbush decrease events were carried out with neutron monitor detector. This tecnique allows only indirect detection of the overall GCR intensity over an integrated energy range. For the first time, thanks to the unique features of the PAMELA magnetic spectrometer, the Forbush decrease associated with the December 13th coronal mass ejection (CME) was studied in a wide rigidity range (0.4 - 20 GV) and for different species of GCRs detected directly in space. Using GCR protons, the amplitude and the recovery time of the Forbush decrease were studied for ten rigidity interval with a temporal resolution of one day. For comparison the helium and the electron intensity over time were also studied. The temporal evolution of the helium and proton intensity was found in good agreement while the electrons show, on average, a faster recovery time. This was interpreted as a charge-sign dependence introduced by drift motion experienced by the low rigidity (< 5 GV) GCRs during their propagation through the heliosphere. Moreover a clear 13.5 days cyclical variation was observed in the GCR proton intensity after the Forbush decrease. This phenomena could be interpreted as an effect of prominent structures of compressed plasma in the solar wind, i.e. CIRs, or to the latitudinal gradient due to the crossing of the heliospheric current sheet (HCS).
|
|
