A Possible Detection of Solar Gamma-Rays by the Ground Level Detector

TL;DR

This paper reports a potential first ground-level detection of solar gamma-rays in the GeV range, observed during a solar event, possibly produced by solar-accelerated protons impacting the Sun.

Contribution

It proposes a novel hypothesis that ground-level gamma-ray enhancements can be caused by solar protons producing GeV gamma-rays, suggesting a new method for solar gamma-ray observation.

Findings

Observed an 8.8 sigma enhancement at Mt. Sierra Negra.

Hypothesized that solar protons produce GeV gamma-rays detected at ground level.

First potential detection of solar GeV gamma-rays by a ground detector.

Abstract

On March 7, 2011 from 19:48:00 to 20:03:00 UT, the solar neutron telescope located at Mt. Sierra Negra, Mexico (4,600m) observed a 8.8sigma enhancement. In this paper, we would like to try to explain this enhancement by a hypothesis that a few GeV gamma-rays arrived at the top of the mountain produced by the Sun. We postulate that protons were accelerated at the shock front. They precipitate at the solar surface and produced those gamma-rays. If hypothesis is confirmed, this enhancement is the first sample of GeV gamma-rays observed by a ground level detector.