High energy processes in the sun, interplanetary space and their effects in the earth atmosphere

Abstract

This project is aimed to study the physical mechanisms of high-energy releases taking place in solar quiet and explosive active regions, and their signatures in the Earth's atmosphere. To do so we need sensitive instruments which could provide us with a diagnostic of these processes at high radio frequencies recorded at ground and photon energies measured in space. Part of these instrumental facilities already exist and are being successfully operated at CASLEO, San Juan, Argentina. The heliogeophysical laboratory at CASLEO provide us with diagnostic of solar flares at millimeter waves (45 and 90 GHZ), submillimeter (212 and 405 GHz), IR (30 THz), as well as with diagnostic of the flare X-ray radiation imprints in the ionosphere (VLF subionospheric propagation), and of energetic charged particles in Earth's atmosphere (Cosmic Ray CARPET sensor). We propose to complement these facilities with a new detector of solar and atmospheric neutrons, a g-ray scintillation device, and ELF/VLF wave sensors. The main objectives are: (i) to better characterize the high-frequency radio and high-energy photon flare spectra, in order to provide new clues on the emission mechanism resulting in submillimeter and THz radiation which are still unexplained; (ii) to provide a continuous monitoring of solar energetic phenomena and investigate if they are more frequent than what we do observe nowadays; (iii) to investigate the causal relationship between atmospheric phenomena as lightning occurrence, high-energy photon and neutron production, Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes, and cosmic ray fluxes. (AU)