The integrated science investigation of the sun (isis): Energetic particle measurements for the solar probe plus mission

M. I. Desai, D. J. McComas, E. R. Christian, M. E. Wiedenbeck, R. E. McNutt, R. A. Mewaldt, E. C. Stone, M. E. Hill, D. G. Mitchell, S. M. Krimigis, E. C. Roelof, S. A. Livi, J. Giacalone, W. H. Mattheus, N. A. Schwadron, A. C. Cummings, T. T. von Rosenvinge

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

One of the major goals of NASA’s Solar Probe Plus (SPP) mission is to determine the mechanisms that accelerate and transport high-energy particles from the solar atmosphere out into the heliosphere. Processes such as coronal mass ejections and solar flares, which peak roughly every 11 years around solar maximum, release huge quantities of energized matter, magnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation into space. The high-energy particles, known as solar energetic particles or SEPs, present a serious radiation threat to human explorers living and working outside low-Earth orbit and to technological assets such as communications and scientific satellites in space. This talk describes the Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISIS) - Energetic Particle Instrument suite. ISIS measures key properties such as intensities, energy spectra, composition, and angular distributions of the low-energy suprathermal source populations, as well as the more hazardous, higher energy particles ejected from the Sun. By making the first-ever direct measurements in the near-Sun environments where the acceleration takes place, ISIS will provide the critical measurements that, when integrated with those from other SPP instruments and with solar and interplanetary observations, will lead to a revolutionary new understanding of the Sun and major drivers of solar system space weather.

Original languageAmerican English
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 33rd International Cosmic Rays Conference, ICRC 2013
PublisherSociedade Brasileira de Fisica
ISBN (Electronic)9788589064293
StatePublished - 2013
Externally publishedYes
Event33rd International Cosmic Rays Conference, ICRC 2013 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Duration: Jul 2 2013Jul 9 2013

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 33rd International Cosmic Rays Conference, ICRC 2013
Volume2013-October

Conference

Conference33rd International Cosmic Rays Conference, ICRC 2013
Country/TerritoryBrazil
CityRio de Janeiro
Period7/2/137/9/13

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Keywords

  • Instrumentation
  • Solar energetic particles
  • Suprathermal particles

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