Speaker
M. Dierckxsens
(BIRA-IASB)
Description
Solar energetic particle (SEP) events consist mainly of protons, electrons and He ions and are observed as sudden flux increases of several orders of magnitude above background levels. These events result from the acceleration of particles by solar flares and shocks generated by coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Specifically, earthward-directed SEP events that are magnetically well connected can arrive near Earth after traveling through interplanetary space. After a short introduction to SEP events, their influence on assets and human health in space and on the ground will be reviewed. Special emphasis will be placed on the effects that are potentially hazardous for aviation. A tool for forecasting SEP events was developed within the scope of the EU FP7 project COMESEP (COronal Mass Ejections and Solar Energetic Particles: forecasting the space weather impact). An overview of the SEP Forecast Tool as integrated within the COMESEP Alert System will be presented and its performance will be demonstrated using the period around the launch (16-13 Dec 2013) and manoeuvring (3-14 Jan 2014) of the ESA GAIA mission.
Primary author
M. Dierckxsens
(BIRA-IASB)
