PLPrinsloo_AGU2017_poster.pdf (6.2 MB)
SH41B-2777: The acceleration of particles at propagating interplanetary shocks
poster
posted on 2018-01-10, 10:19 authored by Phillip PrinslooPhillip Prinsloo, Du Toit StraussDu Toit StraussEnhancements of charged energetic particles are often observed at Earth following the eruption of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on the Sun. These enhancements are thought to arise from the acceleration of those particles at interplanetary shocks forming ahead of CMEs, propagating into the heliosphere. In this study, we model the acceleration of these energetic particles by solving a set of stochastic differential equations formulated to describe their transport and including the effects of diffusive shock acceleration. The study focuses on how acceleration at halo-CME-driven shocks alter the energy spectra of non-thermal particles, while illustrating how this acceleration process depends on various shock and transport parameters. We finally attempt to establish the relative contributions of different seed populations of energetic particles in the inner heliosphere to observed intensities during selected acceleration events.