Solar particle event analysis using the standard radiation environment monitors: Applying the neutron monitor's experience

Abstract

The Standard Radiation Environment Monitor (SREM) is a particle detector developed by the European Space Agency for satellite applications with the main purpose to provide radiation hazard alarms to the host spacecraft. SREM units have been constructed within a radiation hardening concept and therefore are able to register extreme solar particle events (SPEs). Large SPEs are registered at Earth, by ground based detectors as neutron monitors, in the form of Ground Level Enhancements of solar cosmic rays. In this work, a feasibility study of a possible radiation alert, deduced by SREM measurements was implemented for the event of 20 January 2005. Taking advantage of the neutron monitor's experience, the steps of the GLE alert algorithm were put into practice on SREM measurements. The outcome was that SREM units did register the outgoing SPE on-time and that these could serve as indicators of radiation hazards, leading to successful alerts. © Author(s) 2011.