Evidence for a Two-Component Injection of Cosmic Rays from the Solar Flare of 1969, March 30

Palmer, I. D. and S. F. Smerd, Evidence for a Two-Component Injection of Cosmic Rays from the Solar Flare of 1969, March 30, Sol. Phys., 26, 460-467 (1972) (ADS)

The cartoon

(click on the image for a larger version)

This cartoon describes the heliospheric consequences of one of the Sun's most memorable flares, namely the prototype coronal [1] hard X-ray source in the event SOL1969-03-30. The flare and its consequences (including the inference of a CME) were well-observed by many modern-sounding facilities even in spite of its occurrence in a dimly remembered bygone era - almost half a century ago! These facilities included hard X-rays from the OSO-5 satellite, the Culgoora long-wavelength radioheliograph, a microwave interferometer in Japan, and as many as six independent platforms for cosmic-ray observation scattered loosely about the heliosphere. Note that this excellent array of instruments led to a cartoon featuring an interesting ducted fast-mode wave, rather than a global blast wave or a CME bow wave. This is a topical matter even today, and these authors probably saw things more clearly than many latter-day pundits. The paper made the case for a two-stage acceleration process in events of this type, or related.

      Note the peculiar lack of refraction in the wave front, which blithely ignores the Huyghens Principle.


[1] Badillo et al. 1969

Date: 2007 March 15

Update: 2019 November 27