Gamma-ray emission and particle acceleration mechanisms of solar flares

• Project/Area Number: 24840031
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Particle/Nuclear/Cosmic ray/Astro physics
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA Yasuyuki 広島大学, 宇宙科学センター, 特任助教 (90633941)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-08-31 – 2014-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2013)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥690,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: 太陽フレア / ガンマ線 / 粒子加速

Research Abstract

Since the launch in 2008, Fermi-LAT has detected a lot of solar flare gamma-rays over several tens of events. The MeV/GeV gamma-ray spectra showed clear and significant turnover at several hundreds of MeV, indicating that the gamma-rays are produced via pion-decay process. The large photon statistics allowed us to pin-down the location of the emission region and we found that the gamma-ray emission site is around the Active Region on the solar surface. This implies that high-energy protons are produced at the Active region and that turbulent acceleration would be the most plausible option.
Fermi data analysis for Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) were also performed. In particular, 2 very-high-energy gamma-ray photons were detected from the close vicinity of the z=1.1 blazar PKS 0426-380.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Upper Bound on the First Star Formation History (2014)
  • Author(s): Y Inoue, Y T Tanaka, G Madejski, and A Dominguez
  • Journal Title: Astrophysical Journal Letters Volume: 781
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Two active states of the narrow-line gamma-ray-loud AGN GB 1310+487 (2014)
  • Author(s): Sokolovsky, et al.
  • Journal Title: Astronomy &Astrophysics Volume: Volume 565 Pages: 26-43
  • DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201220703
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] High-Energy Gamma-Ray Emission From Solar Flares: Summary of Fermi LAT Detections and Analysis of Two M-Class Flares (2014)
  • Author(s): M. Ackermann, M. Ajello, A. Albert, A. Allafort, L. Baldini, G. Barbiellini, D. Bastieri, K. Bechtol, R. Bellazzini, E. Bissaldi, E. Bonamente, E. Bottacini, and 150 co-authors (including Y. Tanaka) (Corresponding authors: Y.Tanaka, A. Allafort, N. Giglietto, N. Omodei, V. Petrosian)
  • Journal Title: Astrophysical Journal Volume: in press
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Dense Optical and Near-infrared Monitoring of CTA 102 during High State in 2012 with OISTER : Detection of Intra-night "Orphan Polarized Flux Flare" (2014)
  • Author(s): Itoh, R., Tanaka, Yasuyuki T. ; F ukazawa, Yasushi ; Kawabata, Koji S. ; Kawaguchi, Kenji ; Moritani, Yuki ; Takaki, Katsutoshi ; Ue no, Issei ; Uemura, Makoto ; Akit aya, Hiroshi ; Yoshida, Michitoshi ; Ohsugi, Takashi ; Hanayama, Hidekazu ; Miyaji, Takeshi ; Kaw ai, Nobuyuki
  • Journal Title: The Astrophysical Journal Letters Volume: 768(Web) Issue: 2 Pages: 1-5
  • DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/768/2/l24
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Upper Bound on the First Star Formation History (2014)
  • Author(s): Y. Inoue, Y. T. Tanaka, G. Madejski, A. Dominguez
  • Journal Title: Astrophysical Journal Letters Volume: 781 Issue: 2 Pages: L35-L35
  • DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/781/2/l35
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Short-term Variability of X-Rays from Accreting Neutron Star Vela X-1. II. Monte Carlo Modeling (2013)
  • Author(s): Hirokazu Odaka, Dmitry Khangulyan, Yasuyuki T. Tanaka, Shin Watanabe, Tadayuki Takahashi, and Kazuo Makishima
  • Journal Title: The Astrophysical Journal Volume: 780 Issue: 1 Pages: 38-49
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637x/780/1/38
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Fermi-LAT and Suzaku observations of the radio galaxy Centaurus B (2013)
  • Author(s): Katsuta J, Tanaka Y T, Stawarz L, O'Sullivan S P, Cheung C C, Kataoka J, Funk S, Yuasa T, Odaka H, Takahashi T, and Svoboda J
  • Journal Title: Astronomy & Astrophysics Volume: 550 Pages: 66-76
  • DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201220270
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] A Study of the Long-Term Spectral Variations of 3C 66A Observed with the Fermi and Kanata Telescopes (2013)
  • Author(s): Itoh, et al.
  • Journal Title: Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan Volume: Vol.65 Issue: 1 Pages: 18-18
  • DOI: 10.1093/pasj/65.1.18
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Giant Lobes of Centaurus A Radio Galaxy Observed with the Suzaku X-Ray Satellite (2013)
  • Author(s): Lukasz Stawarz
  • Journal Title: The Astrophysical Journal Volume: 766 Issue: 1 Pages: 48-66
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637x/766/1/48
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] VERY RAPID HIGH-AMPLITUDE GAMMA-RAY VARIABILITY IN LUMINOUS BLAZAR PKS 1510-089 STUDIED WITH FERMI-LAT (2013)
  • Author(s): S. Saito, L. Stawarz, Y. T. Tanaka, T. Takahashi, G. Madej ski, F. D' Ammando
  • Journal Title: The Astrophysical Journal Letters Volume: 766 Issue: 1 Pages: L11-L11
  • DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/766/1/l11
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Fermi Large Area Telescope Detection of Two Very-high-energy (E > 100 GeV) γ-Ray Photons from the z = 1.1 Blazar PKS 0426-380 (2013)
  • Author(s): Yasuyuki Tanaka
  • Journal Title: The Astrophysical Journal Letter Volume: 777 Issue: 1 Pages: 18-24
  • DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/777/1/l18
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Minute-scale Rapid Variability of the Optical Polarization in the Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Galaxy PMN J0948+0022 (2013)
  • Author(s): Itoh, Ryosuke ; Fukazawa, Yasushi ; Tanaka, Yasuyuki T. ; Abe, Yuhei ; Akitaya, Hiroshi ; Arai, Akira ; Hayashi, Masahiko ; Hori, Takafumi ; Isogai, Mizuki ; Izumiura , Hideyuki ; Kawabata, Koji S. ; Kawai, Nobuyuki ; Kuroda, Daisuke ; Miyanoshita, Ryo ; Moritani, Yuki ; Morokuma, Tomoki ; Nagayama, Takahiro ; Nakamoto, Jumpei ; Nakata, Chikako, et al.
  • Journal Title: The Astrophysical Journal Letters Volume: 775(Web) Issue: 1 Pages: 26-26
  • DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/775/1/l26
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Dense Optical and Near-infrared Monitoring of CTA 102 during High State in 2012 with OISTER : Detection of Intra-night (2013)
  • Author(s): R Itoh, Y Fukazawa, Y T Tanaka, Y Abe, H Akitaya, A Arai, M Hayashi, T Hori, M Isogai, H Izumiura, K S Kawabata, N Kawai, D Kuroda, R Miyanoshita, Y Moritani, T Morokuma, T Nagayama, J Nakamoto, C Nakata, Y Oasa, and 18 co- authors
  • Journal Title: Orphan Polarized Flux Flare Volume: 768
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Short-term variability of x-rays from accreting neutron star vela X-1. I. Suzaku observations (2013)
  • Author(s): Odaka, H., Khangulyan, D., Tanaka, Y.T., Watanabe, S., Takahashi, T., Makishima, K.
  • Journal Title: Astrophysical Journal Volume: 780 Issue: 1 Pages: 70-86
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637x/767/1/70
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] The effect of a gamma ray flare on Schumann resonances (2012)
  • Author(s): Nickolaenko A P, Kudintseva I G, Pechony O, Hayakawa M, Hobara Y, and Tanaka Y T
  • Journal Title: Annales Geophysicae Volume: 30 Issue: 9 Pages: 1321-1329
  • DOI: 10.5194/angeo-30-1321-2012
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Suzaku X-Ray Imaging of the Extended Lobe in the Giant Radio Galaxy NGC 6251 Associated with the Fermi-LAT Source 2FGL J1629.4+8236 (2012)
  • Author(s): Y.Takeuchi, et al
  • Journal Title: Astrophysical Journal Volume: 749 Issue: 1 Pages: 66-73
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637x/749/1/66
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Subaru Constraint on Circular Polarization in I-Band Emission from the Magnetar 4U 0142+61 (2012)
  • Author(s): Wang Zhongxiang, Tanaka Yasuyuki T, and Zhong Jing
  • Journal Title: Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan Volume: 64 Issue: 2 Pages: 1-4
  • DOI: 10.1093/pasj/64.2.l1
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] X-Ray Investigation of the Diffuse Emission around Plausibleγ-Ray Emitting Pulsar Wind Nebulae in Kookaburra Region (2012)
  • Author(s): Kishishita Tetsuichi, Bamba Aya, Uchiyama Yasunobu, Tanaka Yasuyuki, and Takahashi Tadayuki
  • Journal Title: Astrophysical Journal Volume: 750 Issue: 2 Pages: 162-169
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637x/750/2/162
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] High-Energy Gamma-Ray Emission From Solar Flares : Summary of Fermi LAT Detections and Analysis of Two M-Class Flares
  • Author(s): M Ackermann, M Ajello, A Albert, A Allafort, L Baldini, G Barbiellini, D Bastieri, K Bechtol, R Bellazzini, E Bissaldi, E Bonamente, E Bottacini, and 150co-authors (including Y Tanaka) (Correspondingauthors : Y Tanaka, A Allafort, N Giglietto, N Omodei, and V Petrosian)
  • Journal Title: Astrophysical Journal Volume: (in press)
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] フェルミ衛星によるz = 1.1ブレーザーPKS 0426-380からの超高エネルギーガンマ線 (E > 100 GeV) の検出 (2014)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会
  • Place of Presentation: 国際基督教大学
• [Presentation] フェルミ衛星によるz = 1.1 ブレーザーPKS 0426－380 からの超高エネルギーガンマ線(E > 100 GeV) の検出 (2014)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会
  • Place of Presentation: 国際基督教大学
• [Presentation] マグネターの可視近赤外線観測 (2013)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: 宇宙線研小研究会「パルサー磁気圏における粒子加速と電磁放射」
  • Place of Presentation: 東京大学宇宙線研究所
  • Year and Date: 2013-03-12
• [Presentation] Fermi Large Area Telescope Detection of Two Very- High- Energy (E>100 GeV) Gamma- ray Photons from the z=1.1 blazar PKS 0426- 380 (2013)
  • Author(s): Yasuyuki T. Tanaka
  • Organizer: 27th Texas Symposium 2013
  • Place of Presentation: Texas, USA.
• [Presentation] フェルミ衛星によるTeV FSRQ候補PMN J2345-1555, PKS 0507+17の観測 (2013)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会
  • Place of Presentation: 東北大学
• [Presentation] すざく衛星によるCentaurus A電波ローブのX線観測 (2013)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: 日本物理学会春季年会
  • Place of Presentation: 広島大学
• [Presentation] すざく、フェルミによるExtreme Blazar候補HESS J1943+213のX線ガンマ線観測 (2013)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会春季年会
  • Place of Presentation: 埼玉大学
• [Presentation] ELF and VLF observations of ionospheric disturbances caused by extra- terrestrial origin (2013)
  • Author(s): Yasuyuki T. Tanaka
  • Organizer: American Geophysical Union meeting of the Americas
  • Place of Presentation: Cancun, Mexico
  • Invited
• [Presentation] フェルミ衛星によるMeV/GeV領域の太陽フレア観測と多波長連携で切り拓くサイエンス (2013)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: 活動極大期の太陽研究、そして新たな太陽研究への布石
  • Place of Presentation: 立教大学
  • Invited
• [Presentation] すざく衛星によるCentaurus A電波ローブのx線観測 : リコネクションによる粒子加速の可能性 (2013)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: 磁気リコネクション研究の現状と展望2
  • Place of Presentation: 愛媛大学
• [Presentation] ELF and VLF observations of ionospheric disturbances caused by extra-terrestrial origin (2013)
  • Author(s): Yasuyuki T. Tanaka
  • Organizer: American Geophysical Union meeting of the Americas
  • Place of Presentation: Cancun, Mexico
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Fermi Large Area Telescope Detection of Two Very-High-Energy (E>100 GeV) Gamma-ray Photons from the z=1.1 blazar PKS 0426-380 (2013)
  • Author(s): Yasuyuki T. Tanaka
  • Organizer: 27th Texas Symposium 2013
  • Place of Presentation: Texas, USA
• [Presentation] フェルミ衛星によるTeV FSRQ候補PMN J2345－1555, PKS 0507+17の観測 (2013)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会
  • Place of Presentation: 東北大学
• [Presentation] すざく衛星によるCentaurus A 電波ローブのx線観測：リコネクションによる粒子加速の可能性 (2013)
  • Author(s): 田中康之他
  • Organizer: 磁気リコネクション研究の現状と展望２
  • Place of Presentation: 愛媛大学
• [Presentation] すざく、フェルミによるExtreme Blazar 候補 HESS J1943+213のX線ガンマ線観測 (2013)
  • Author(s): 田中康之他
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会春季年会
  • Place of Presentation: 埼玉大学
• [Presentation] Fermi-LAT observation of long-lasting gamma-ray emissions associated with solar flares (2012)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: ALMA太陽観測ワークショップ
  • Place of Presentation: 京都大学
  • Year and Date: 2012-10-03
• [Presentation] Fermi and Suzaku observations of candidate extreme blazar HESS J1943+213 (2012)
  • Author(s): Y T. Tanaka, et al.
  • Organizer: Fermi Symposium 2012
  • Place of Presentation: Montreley, USA.
• [Presentation] on behalf of Fermi-LAT collaboration, Fermi-LAT detection of longlasting MeV/GeV emissions associated with M-class/X-class solar flares (2012)
  • Author(s): Yasuyuki Tanaka
  • Organizer: 2012 JSI Workshop Nature's Particle Acceleration
  • Place of Presentation: Annapolis, USA.
• [Presentation] フェルミ衛星によるMeV/GeV領域におけるトランジェント現象の観測 (2012)
  • Author(s): 田中康之
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会秋季年会
  • Place of Presentation: 大分大学
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Fermi-LAT observation of long-lasting gamma-ray emissions associated with solar flares (2012)
  • Author(s): 田中康之他
  • Organizer: ALMA 太陽観測ワークショップ
  • Place of Presentation: 京都大学
• [Presentation] Fermi and Suzaku observations of candidate extreme blazar HESS J1943+213 (2012)
  • Author(s): Y. T. Tanaka et al.
  • Organizer: Fermi Symposium 2012
  • Place of Presentation: Montreley, USA
• [Presentation] Fermi-LAT detection of longlasting MeV/GeV emissions associated with M-class/X-class solar flares (2012)
  • Author(s): Yasuyuki Tanaka on behalf of Fermi-LAT collaboration
  • Organizer: 2012 JSI Workshop Nature’s Particle Acceleration
  • Place of Presentation: Annapolis, USA
• [Presentation] フェルミ衛星によるMeV/GeV 領域におけるトランジェント現象の観測 (2012)
  • Author(s): 田中康之他
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会秋季年会
  • Place of Presentation: 大分大学
  • Invited
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://www-heaf.hepl.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/glast/120613press/120613press.html
• [Remarks]
  • URL: http://www-heaf.hepl.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/glast/131015press/131015press.html
• [Remarks] これまでで最も遠い８０億年前の活動銀河から超高エネルギーガンマ線を検出
  • URL: http://www-heaf.hepl.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/glast/131015press/131015press.html
• [Remarks] 太陽フレアに伴う１億電子ボルトもの高エネルギーガンマ線の長時間放射を検出
  • URL: http://www-heaf.hepl.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/glast/120613press/120613press.html