Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

A New Monitor for Cosmic Rays in the Solar System: Inverse-Compton Emission from Cosmic-Ray Electrons Scattering with Sunlight

Objective

How well do we understand charged particle propagation in the solar system? This is an important topic for both astrophysics and space weather. Unfortunately, we still lack a fully predictive theory to this problem; a major challenge to this is the lack of cosmic-ray (CR) measurement throughout the solar system, as most data are measured locally on Earth.

I propose to overcome this hurdle in my SolarIC project by using the solar inverse-Compton (IC) emission—produced by CR electrons scattering with Sunlight—as a remote probe for CR distribution throughout the solar system. I will achieve this through three main results. First, I will detect and analyze the solar IC emission with Fermi-LAT data to study its morphology and time dependence. Second, I will calculate the theoretical prediction of the solar IC emission for both GeV and MeV regimes, utilizing state-of-the-art CR simulations. This will be a theoretical foundation for interpreting the data. And for the first time, I will compute the polarization signatures of solar IC emission. Third, building on the previous two results, I will constrain and test contemporary models of CR propagation in the solar system through cross correlation of the Fermi-LAT data with the theory prediction. I will also perform a mock tomographic analysis of the solar IC emission, utilizing the polarization signature. This will be an important and novel prediction for the proposed future MeV space gamma-ray telescopes, such as e-ASTROGAM.

Through my SolarIC project, I will demonstrate that solar IC emission can be used to provide valuable data and constraints on CR distribution in the solar system. This will be an important step leading to a better understanding of charged-particle propagation in the solar system, which will have significant impacts on many astrophysics disciplines including solar physics, cosmic-ray physics, neutrino astrophysics, and dark matter searches.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 175 572,48
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 175 572,48
My booklet 0 0