Using INTEGRAL/SPI to study the Sun

TL;DR

This paper explores how INTEGRAL/SPI observations of solar flares can enhance understanding of solar energetic particle events, which are crucial for space weather prediction and space exploration safety.

Contribution

It specifies the solar observing conditions of INTEGRAL/SPI using Monte-Carlo simulations, facilitating SEP studies through improved data accessibility.

Findings

Simulated BGO-detector response for solar flares

Enhanced data integration for SEP event analysis

Improved understanding of SEP-related X-ray/mma-ray emissions

Abstract

Solar energetic particle (SEP) events are a prime opportunity to probe astrophysical particle acceleration by combining in-situ measurements of particles in space with remote sensing of the hard X-ray (HXR) and \gamma-ray emitting particles in the solar atmosphere. For the space environment SEPs are among the biggest hazards, particularly for spacecraft and human exploration of the solar system. Unfortunately our current understanding of the acceleration and transport of SEPs is weak. With the increasing onset of the space age it is vitally important that we increase our knowledge of the physical mechanisms related to SEPs. In this direction, the SEPServer project aims at building an on-line server that will provide the space research community with SEP data and related observations of solar electromagnetic emission. INTEGRAL/SPI acquires observations from many X-ray/\gamma-ray flares associated with SEP events. To make this data accessible for SEP studies we have undertaken a major effort to specify the solar observing conditionS of INTEGRAL through Monte-Carlo simulations of its BGO-detector response for several flares associated with selected SEP events.