Solar Energetic Particle Track-production Rates at 1 au: Comparing In Situ Particle Fluxes with Lunar Sample-derived Track Densities

Heavy ( Z > 26) solar energetic particles (SEPs) with energies ∼1 MeV nucleon ^−1 are known to leave visible damage tracks in meteoritic materials. The density of such “solar flare tracks” in lunar and asteroidal samples has been used as a measure of a sample’s exposure time to space, yielding cr...

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Main Authors: A. R. Poppe, P. S. Szabo, E. R. Imata, L. P. Keller, R. Christoffersen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2023-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad0cf6
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author A. R. Poppe
P. S. Szabo
E. R. Imata
L. P. Keller
R. Christoffersen
author_facet A. R. Poppe
P. S. Szabo
E. R. Imata
L. P. Keller
R. Christoffersen
author_sort A. R. Poppe
collection DOAJ
description Heavy ( Z > 26) solar energetic particles (SEPs) with energies ∼1 MeV nucleon ^−1 are known to leave visible damage tracks in meteoritic materials. The density of such “solar flare tracks” in lunar and asteroidal samples has been used as a measure of a sample’s exposure time to space, yielding critical information on planetary space weathering rates, the dynamics and lifetimes of interplanetary dust grains, and the long-term history of solar particle fluxes. Knowledge of the SEP track accumulation rate in planetary materials at 1 au is critical for properly interpreting observed track densities. Here, we use in situ particle observations of the 0.50−3.0 MeV nuc ^−1 Fe-group SEP flux taken by NASA’s Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) to calculate a flux of track-inducing particles at 1 au of 6.0 × 10 ^5 cm ^−2 yr ^−1 str ^−1 . Using the observed energy spectrum of Fe-group SEPs, we find that the depth distribution of SEP-induced damage tracks inferred from ACE measurements matches closely to that recently measured in lunar sample 64455; however, the magnitude of the ACE-inferred rate is approximately 25× higher than that observed in the lunar sample. We discuss several hypotheses for the nature of this discrepancy, including inefficiencies in track formation, thermal annealing of lunar samples, erosion via space weathering processing, and variations in the SEP flux at the Moon, yet find no satisfactory explanation. We encourage further research on both the nature of SEP track formation in meteoritic materials and the flux of Fe-group SEPs at the lunar surface in recent and geologic times to resolve this discrepancy.
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spelling doaj.art-07da95051066488e9305af6ca4f78e4b2023-11-29T22:39:10ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052023-01-019582L3510.3847/2041-8213/ad0cf6Solar Energetic Particle Track-production Rates at 1 au: Comparing In Situ Particle Fluxes with Lunar Sample-derived Track DensitiesA. R. Poppe0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8137-8176P. S. Szabo1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7478-7999E. R. Imata2L. P. Keller3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1560-2939R. Christoffersen4Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, CA 94720, USA ; poppe@berkeley.eduSpace Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, CA 94720, USA ; poppe@berkeley.eduDepartment of Astronomy, University of California at Berkeley , Berkeley, CA 94720, USANASA Johnson Space Center , Mail Code XI3, Houston, TX 77058, USAJacobs, NASA Johnson Space Center , Mail Code X13, Houston, TX 77058, USAHeavy ( Z > 26) solar energetic particles (SEPs) with energies ∼1 MeV nucleon ^−1 are known to leave visible damage tracks in meteoritic materials. The density of such “solar flare tracks” in lunar and asteroidal samples has been used as a measure of a sample’s exposure time to space, yielding critical information on planetary space weathering rates, the dynamics and lifetimes of interplanetary dust grains, and the long-term history of solar particle fluxes. Knowledge of the SEP track accumulation rate in planetary materials at 1 au is critical for properly interpreting observed track densities. Here, we use in situ particle observations of the 0.50−3.0 MeV nuc ^−1 Fe-group SEP flux taken by NASA’s Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) to calculate a flux of track-inducing particles at 1 au of 6.0 × 10 ^5 cm ^−2 yr ^−1 str ^−1 . Using the observed energy spectrum of Fe-group SEPs, we find that the depth distribution of SEP-induced damage tracks inferred from ACE measurements matches closely to that recently measured in lunar sample 64455; however, the magnitude of the ACE-inferred rate is approximately 25× higher than that observed in the lunar sample. We discuss several hypotheses for the nature of this discrepancy, including inefficiencies in track formation, thermal annealing of lunar samples, erosion via space weathering processing, and variations in the SEP flux at the Moon, yet find no satisfactory explanation. We encourage further research on both the nature of SEP track formation in meteoritic materials and the flux of Fe-group SEPs at the lunar surface in recent and geologic times to resolve this discrepancy.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad0cf6Interplanetary dustSolar energetic particles
spellingShingle A. R. Poppe
P. S. Szabo
E. R. Imata
L. P. Keller
R. Christoffersen
Solar Energetic Particle Track-production Rates at 1 au: Comparing In Situ Particle Fluxes with Lunar Sample-derived Track Densities
The Astrophysical Journal Letters
Interplanetary dust
Solar energetic particles
title Solar Energetic Particle Track-production Rates at 1 au: Comparing In Situ Particle Fluxes with Lunar Sample-derived Track Densities
title_full Solar Energetic Particle Track-production Rates at 1 au: Comparing In Situ Particle Fluxes with Lunar Sample-derived Track Densities
title_fullStr Solar Energetic Particle Track-production Rates at 1 au: Comparing In Situ Particle Fluxes with Lunar Sample-derived Track Densities
title_full_unstemmed Solar Energetic Particle Track-production Rates at 1 au: Comparing In Situ Particle Fluxes with Lunar Sample-derived Track Densities
title_short Solar Energetic Particle Track-production Rates at 1 au: Comparing In Situ Particle Fluxes with Lunar Sample-derived Track Densities
title_sort solar energetic particle track production rates at 1 au comparing in situ particle fluxes with lunar sample derived track densities
topic Interplanetary dust
Solar energetic particles
url https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ad0cf6
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