Science Questions
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Science questions as discussed in the Whither Solar Gamma-Ray and Neutron Physics meeting.
Acceleration
- What is the composition of accelerated particles?
- How does the accelerated composition vary during a flare?
- What is spectrum of the accelerated particles? The 15.11 MeV carbon de-excitation line could be useful
- How does ion acceleration vary during a flare?
- What is the highest energy of accelerated ions?
- What produces >100 MeV protons in long-duration events? Distinguish between closed magnetic fields versus shocks. Needs imaging ~70 MeV gamma rays at a few arcminutes
- What does the ion spectrum look like below an MeV? Radiative-capture lines or redshifed Lyman-alpha
- How are particles accelerated in a shock? Observe gamma rays or ENAs produced at the shock
Transport
- How do we distinguish between acceleration and transport?
- Where is the interaction region?
- Why do ions and electrons interact at different spatial locations?
- What are the angular (especially pitch-angle) distributions of the accelerated particles?
The flare model
- Is the loop model consistent with flare data?
- Is acceleration in the chromosphere consistent with the data?
- How does the ion energy content compare with other energies in the flare?
- What is the smallest flare that accelerates ions (e.g., any thresholds)?
- Are ions continuously accelerated (i.e., quiescent gamma rays)?
Solar atmosphere
- What are the temperature, density, and ionization of the interaction region?
- What is the composition of the ambient population?
- How does the ambient composition vary during a flare?
- What are solar abundances (e.g., He-3, Ne) to place the Sun in a cosmic context?
- What is the level of chromospheric mixing? Observe gamma rays from long-lived radioactive elements
Other
- Are there axions?