The Streaming Limit of Solar Energetic-Particle Intensities

Abstract

As solar energetic particles (SEPs) stream outward along the interplanetary magnetic field after acceleration by shock waves near the Sun, their intensities are limited by scattering against self-generated Alfv\'en waves, trapping the particles near their source. This streaming limit varies with the magnetic rigidity of the particle and with distance from the source. Pitch-angle coupling can cause higher-energy protons to suppress the intensities of lower-energy ions causing flattened low-energy spectra on the early SEP intensity plateau. At sufficiently high energies, particle flow and wave trapping of particles weakens and the SEP spectra steepen, forming spectral "knees".