DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18412691
title: Ions' responses to interplanetary shocks in 2024 as detected with Solar Orbiter

description: This dataset collection includes physical parameters and time series plots of low and high-energy ions in selected energy ranges, and a specification of 69 interplanetary shock wave events (IP shocks) detected with Solar Orbiter’s instruments in 2024.

The specification of ions’ responses consists of a qualitative evaluation of responses in three energy ranges: 0.27-0.30 MeV, 0.95-1.03 MeV, and 3.2-3.5 MeV in the time vicinity of each IP shock. This specification also includes ratios of particle fluxes in two narrow energy bands, 274-298 keV and 950-1034 keV, in the IP shock’s upstream and downstream zones. For that, the ion fluxes were averaged over three temporal samples: 5, 15, and 30 minutes, both in the upstream and downstream zones. The ions’ data set allows visualisation of time series plots with a one-minute time resample in eight differential energy ranges: 6.1-9.1, 24.5-27.4, 91.3-97.4, 274.4-298 keV; 0.95-1.03, 1.74-1.89, 3.17-3.46, 5.83-6.13 MeV in a two-hour time window for each IP shock. This dataset and time series plots are based on measurements of the Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) suite onboard the Solar Orbiter mission for the Sun direction of the different sensors.

The dataset of kinetic and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) parameters of IP shocks, presented firstly in https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18145945, allows obtaining a graphical visualisation of each IP shock in the form of time series plots of the solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field parameters over a one-hour time window relative to the identified shock time. The methodology for the identification of the interplanetary shock waves and characterisation of MHD parameters is described in detail by Yakovlev et al. (https://doi.org/10.1051/swsc/2025027). This dataset, along with solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field time series plots, is based on measurements of the Solar Wind Analyser’s Proton and Alpha Sensor (SWA-PAS) and the Magnetometer (MAG) instruments onboard the Solar Orbiter mission. Additionally, values of the electric field in situ were calculated for the model of magnetic field frozen into plasma (Steinvall et al, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202140855).

These datasets are an extension of the previous dataset of the interplanetary shock waves detected in 2023 with Solar Orbiter (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15535576), and a supplementation to the dataset “Electrons' responses to interplanetary shocks in 2024 as detected with Solar Orbiter” (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18145945).

The table and plots of high-energy ions’ responses and list of IP shocks in 2024 with their kinetic and MHD parameters has been built in the framework of the research project SolO-UA “The study of solar flares and their manifestation during 25th cycle of solar activity by using the Solar Orbiter and ground radio Scientific database” executed as a part of the “Long-term program of support of the Ukrainian research teams at the Polish Academy of Sciences carried out in collaboration with the U.S. National Academy of Sciences with the financial support of external partners”

 Files:

·        SolO-2024_IPshocks&ions.pdf – preview file providing a tabular overview of the dataset parameters for convenient online inspection;

·        Solo_Ion&IPShocks-2024.zip – full dataset archived file “SolO-2024_IPshocks&ions.xlsx”, and two folders with a) the timeseries plots of ion fluxes in selected differential energy ranges “EPD-SolO_ions”, and b) the timeseries plots of solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field “SHOCK”

Dataset Fields description:

·         Date - indicates the date of registering the shock waves [dd/mm/yyyy];

·         SolO IP shock ID - indicates the identification number of the IP shock event with the link to the timeseries plots of solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field in the archived file SolO-2024_IPshocks&ions.xlsx;

·         IP shock time, UTC - indicates the UTC of registering the shock waves [hh:mm:ss];

·         IP shock type - indicates the shock wave type: FF (fast forward), FR (fast reverse), SF (slow forward), SR (slow reverse);

·         SolO radial distance, a.u. is the distance between the Solar Orbiter and the Sun [a.u.];

·         SolO EPD ions ID - indicates the identification number of the ion response event with the link to the timeseries plots of particle fluxes in selected differential energy ranges in the archived file SolO-2024_IPshocks&ions.xlsx;

·         Response of ions in energies - indicates availability of ions’ responses in 0.27-0.30; 0.95-1.03 and 3.2-3.5 MeV energy channels for the Sun direction of the EPD sensors;

·         n/a – means absence of visible response of ion fluxes to IP shock event in the selected three energy ranges;

·         wk – means weak response of ion fluxes to IP shock event in the selected three energy ranges, with the link to the timeseries plots of particle fluxes in selected differential energy ranges in the archived file SolO-2024_IPshocks&ion.xlsx;

·         stg – means strong response of ion fluxes to IP shock event in the selected three energy ranges, with the link to the timeseries plots of particle fluxes in selected differential energy ranges in the archived file SolO-2024_IPshocks&ion.xlsx;

·         aSh – means preferred responses of ion fluxes in the aftershock zones;

·         fSh – means preferred responses of ion fluxes in the foreshock zones;

·         (-) – means visible reductions of ion fluxes as responses to IP shocks;

·         riu (274/950) is the ratio of ion fluxes in the differential energy ranges 274-298 keV and 950-1034 keV in the upstream zone for the 5-minute, 15-minute, and 30-minute averaging spans preceding IP shocks;

·         rid (274/950) is the ratio of ion fluxes in the differential energy ranges 274-298 keV and 950-1034 keV in the downstream zone for the 5-minute, 15-minute, and 30-minute averaging spans following IP shocks;

·         rB is the magnetic-compression factor;

·         rN is the gas-compression factor;

·         βus - indicates the upstream-zone plasma-beta parameter;

·         θBn is the angle between the normal line to the shock-wave front and the interplanetary magnetic field vector [degree];

·         Ma is the Alfvenic Mach number for the upstream zone;

·         Mfms is the fast magnetosonic Mach number for the upstream zone;

·         Va is the Alfvenic velocity for the upstream zone [km/s];

·         Vsh is the velocity of the shock-wave front in the rest coordinate system [km/s]*;

*Negative values of Vsh refer to reverse types of IP shocks;

·         ups – means upstream zone;

·         downs – means downstream zone;

·         E, mV/m – is the electric field value related to the interplanetary magnetic field B via the formula 

E = -Vsw ∙ Bn ∙ 10-3, where Vsw is the bulk solar wind velocity, and Bn is the normal component of the interplanetary magnetic field value.