Geant4 simulations of nuclear processes in a magneto-active plasma during solar flares

• Grant number: 18/08180-1
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Solar System Astronomy
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Guillermo Giménez de Castro
• Grantee: Jordi Tuneu Serra
• Supervisor abroad: Alexander Lachlan Mackinnon
• Home Institution: Escola de Engenharia (EE). Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (UPM). Instituto Presbiteriano Mackenzie. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Local de pesquisa : University of Glasgow, Scotland
• Associated to the scholarship: 16/23428-4 - Monte Carlo simulations of nuclear processes during solar flares in magneto-active plasmas, BP.DR

Abstract

The emissions in gamma-rays and in the sub-THz range of frequencies offer a unique opportunity 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 this Research Internships Abroad (RIA) project is to carry out a detailed modelling to describe the transport of primary ions accelerated to high energies ~MeV to ~GeV during solar flares and the production and transport of secondary particles, resulting from nuclear interactions between the accelerated ions and the nuclei of the ambient solar atmosphere in the presence of a magnetic field, as well as the consequent emission of gamma-rays and synchrotron radiation in the micro-wave and sub-THz range of frequencies. To this end, we will develop a framework to implement Monte Carlo simulations of nuclear processes in a magneto-active plasma during solar flares using the Geant4 toolkit. The main challenges of the project will be the specification of the physical processes relevant to the simulations, the selection of the proper GEANT4 physics models and the development of a new module for GEANT4 which allows to include the effects of realistic magnetic fields within a guiding center approximation. (AU)