Highly significant detection of solar neutrons on 2005 September 7
Tanaka, Y. T.; Yoshikawa, I.; Mukai, T.; Saito, Y.; Watanabe, K.; Matsubara, Y.; Muraki, Y.; Sako, T.; Sakai, T.; Shibata, S.; Valdés-Galicia, J. F.; González, L. X.; Hurtado, A.; Musalem, O.; Miranda, P.; Martinic, N.; Ticona, R.; Velarde, A.; Kakimoto, F.; Ogio, S.; Tsunesada, Y.; Tokuno, H.; Terasawa, T.; Gros, M.
United States, Japan, Mexico, Bolivia, France
Abstract
We have successfully detected solar neutrons at ground level in association with the X17.0 solar flare that occurred on 2005 September 7. Observations were made with the solar neutron telescopes and neutron monitors located in Bolivia and Mexico. In this flare, large fluxes of hard X-rays and γ-rays were observed by the GEOTAIL and the INTEGRAL satellites. The INTEGRAL observations include the 4.4 MeV line γ-rays of 12C. The data suggest that solar neutrons were produced at the same time as these hard electromagnetic radiations. We have however found an apparent discrepancy between the observed and the expected time profiles. This fact suggests a possible extended neutron emission.