Modelling of nuclear processes in solar flares using Monte Carlo simulation packages

• Grant number: 17/13282-5
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2018
• End date: January 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Solar System Astronomy
• Principal Investigator: Sérgio Szpigel
• Grantee: Sérgio Szpigel
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia (EE). Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Alexander Lachlan Mackinnon ; Carlos Guillermo Giménez de Castro ; Jean Pierre Raulin ; Paulo José de Aguiar Simões ; Sourav Palit

Abstract

The emissions in gamma-rays and in the sub-THz range of frequencies offer a unique opportunity in Astrophysics to study the nuclear processes that occur in solar flares. The analysis of the emission spectra observed in these ranges of frequencies require complex simulations which, however, are not yet able to describe the extreme conditions of the solar flare environments. The proposal of the present project is to develop a detailed modelling to describe the transport of primary ions accelerated to high energies (~MeV to ~GeV) in solar flares, the production and transport of secondary particles resulting from nuclear processes and the consequent emission of gamma-rays and gyrosynchrotron/synchrotron radiation in the micro-wave and sub-THz range of frequencies, considering realistic models for the ambient solar atmosphere and including the effects of the magnetic field. To this end, we will carry out Monte-Carlo simulations of the nuclear processes that occur in solar flares using the packages FLUKA and GEANT4. Based on the developed models, we will elaborate a framework of theoretical diagnostic to interpret the data of solar flare observations carried out in the gamma-rays by RHESSI, Fermi and earlier experiments, and in the sub-THZ range of frequencies by SST and KOSMA/BEMRAK, as well as data which are expected to be obtained from observations with leading-edge instruments such as ALMA and LLAMA. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

TUSNSKI, DANEELE S.; SZPIGEL, SERGIO; GIMENEZ DE CASTRO, CARLOS GUILLERMO; MACKINNON, ALEXANDER L.; SIMOES, PAULO JOSE A.. Self-consistent Modeling of Gamma-ray Spectra from Solar Flares with the Monte Carlo Simulation Package FLUKA. SOLAR PHYSICS, v. 294, n. 8, AUG 12 2019. (09/18386-7, 17/13282-5)

MACKINNON, ALEXANDER; SZPIGEL, SERGIO; GIMENEZ DE CASTRO, GUILLERMO; TUNEU, JORDI. FLUKA Simulations of Pion Decay Gamma-Radiation from Energetic Flare Ions. SOLAR PHYSICS, v. 295, n. 12, DEC 8 2020. (17/13282-5, 09/18386-7, 13/24155-3, 16/23428-4)

BATISTA, E. F.; SZPIGEL, S.; TIMOTEO, V. S.. Pions and Contacts at N4LO: Some details on the chiral nuclear force. ANNALS OF PHYSICS, v. 425, FEB 2021. (17/13282-5, 19/10889-1)

PALIT, SOURAV; RAULIN, JEAN-PIERRE; SZPIGEL, SERGIO. Response of Earth's Upper Atmosphere and VLF Propagation to Celestial X-Ray Ionization: Investigation With Monte Carlo Simulation and Long Wave Propagation Capability code. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-SPACE PHYSICS, v. 123, n. 12, p. 10224-10238, DEC 2018. (17/13282-5)

RUIZ ARRIOLA, E.; SZPIGEL, S.; TIMOTEO, V. S.. On-shell transition of SRG and nuclear systems. ANNALS OF PHYSICS, v. 428, p. 12-pg., 2021-04-05. (17/13282-5, 19/10889-1)