Enrichment of heavy nuclei in 3He-rich flares.
Abstract
IMP-7 observations of five solar-flare particle events characterized by He-3 enrichment are reported which show that such events are also enriched in nuclei with charges (Z) of at least 6. The ratio of these nuclei to H-1 at approximately 3 MeV/nucleon was found to be enriched by about 10 to 100 times, while the ratio with respect to He-4 was enriched by about 3 to 30 times. It is suggested that the simultaneous enhancement of He-3 and the heavier nuclei as well as the absence of H-2 and H-3 during the observed events may be partly due to a preferential acceleration process which depends on the ratio of the square of the charge to the atomic weight of the nuclei.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- October 1975
- DOI:
- 10.1086/181950
- Bibcode:
- 1975ApJ...201L..95H
- Keywords:
-
- Abundance;
- Helium Isotopes;
- Solar Cosmic Rays;
- Solar Flares;
- Atomic Weights;
- Augmentation;
- Explorer 41 Satellite;
- Heavy Nuclei;
- Hydrogen Isotopes;
- Particle Acceleration;
- Particle Emission;
- Solar Physics