The »Bastille Day« event -
storm on the sun, in the interplanetary space and on Earth


Abstract: The Earth is constantly bombarded by ionized energetic particles originating from solar eruptions and from the galaxy. Because ionized particles can interfere with modern technology, the solar storms directly affect human civilisation. On »Bastille Day«, July 14, 2000, one of the most intense solar eruptions, or flares, of this solar cycle was observed. The shock wave generated by the coronal mass ejection of solar material collided with the Earth's magnetosphere and triggered a severe geomagnetic storm. We analysed measurements of this phenomenon, commonly known as the »Bastille Day« event, recorded by two particle detectors on the SOHO and ULYSSES spacecrafts. The results show the large area affected by the ionized particle storm and the acceleration processes at the shock.

Keywords
: coronal mass ejection, interplanetary space, ionized energetic particles, shock wave

Karin Bamert und Mirjam Y. Hofer

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© by oekom verlag: GAIA (www.gaia-online.net/)

Erschienen in Gaia 12 (2003) No. 4
(Storms in the Universe and in the Laboratory)