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arXiv · 1208.2179

Heliospheric Transport of Neutron-Decay Protons

E. E. Chollet·R. A. Mewaldt
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Abstract

We report on new simulations of the transport of energetic protons originating from the decay of energetic neutrons produced in solar flares. Because the neutrons are fast-moving but insensitive to the solar wind magnetic field, the decay protons are produced over a wide region of space, and they should be detectable by current instruments over a broad range of longitudes for many hours after a sufficiently large gamma-ray flare. Spacecraft closer to the Sun are expected to see orders-of magnitude higher intensities than those at the Earth-Sun distance. The current solar cycle should present an excellent opportunity to observe neutron-decay protons with multiple spacecraft over different heliographic longitudes and distances from the Sun.

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E. E. Chollet, R. A. Mewaldt. 2012-08-10. Heliospheric Transport of Neutron-Decay Protons. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-012-0082-x

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