Toward quantitative model for simulation and forecast of solar energetic particle production during gradual events -- II: kinetic description of SEP

TL;DR

This paper develops a kinetic model coupled with MHD simulations to better understand and predict solar energetic particle production and transport during gradual solar events, emphasizing turbulence's role.

Contribution

It introduces a self-consistent kinetic model integrated with global MHD simulations, incorporating turbulence effects for improved SEP prediction during solar events.

Findings

Turbulence level correlates with SEP transport efficiency.

The coupled model reproduces observed SEP distributions at 1 AU.

Validation against solar wind and SEP observations confirms model realism.

Abstract

Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) possess a high destructive potential as they pose multiple radiation hazards on Earth and onboard spacecrafts. The present work continues a series started with the paper by Borovikov et al.(2018) describing a computational tool to simulate and, potentially, predict the SEP threat based on the observations of the Sun. Here we present the kinetic model coupled with the globalMHD model for the Solar Corona (SC) and Inner Heliosphere (IH), which was described in the first paper in the series. At the heart of the coupled model is a self-consistent treatment of the Alfven wave turbulence. The turbulence not only heats corona, powers and accelerates the solar wind, but also serves as the main agent to scatter the SEPs and thus controls their acceleration and transport. The universal character of the turbulence in the coupled model provides a realistic description of the SEP transport by using the level of turbulence as validated with the solar wind and coronal plasma observations. At the same time, the SEP observations at 1 AU can be used to validate the model for turbulence in the IH, since the observed SEPs have witnessed this turbulence on their way through the IH.