Catalog of hard X-ray solar flares detected with Mars Odyssey/HEND from the Mars orbit in 2001–2016

• Published in: Astronomy reports 2017-09, Vol.61 (9), p.791-804
• Main Authors: Livshits, M. A., Zimovets, I. V., Golovin, D. V., Nizamov, B. A., Vybornov, V. I., Mitrofanov, I. G., Kozyrev, A. S., Litvak, M. L., Sanin, A. B., Tretyakov, V. I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astronomy; Astrophysics; Earth orbits; Flares; Gamma rays; Magnetic fields; Mars; Mars Odyssey Mission (NASA); Observations and Techniques; Onboard; Photons; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Radiation; Russian spacecraft; Solar flares; Solar generators; Solar magnetic field; Space research; Space telescopes; Spacecraft; Sun; Telescopes
• ISSN: 1063-7729; 1562-6881
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063772917090037

The study of nonstationary processes in the Sun is of great interest, and multi-wavelength observations and the registration of magnetic fields have been carried out using both ground-based telescopes and several specialized spacecraft in near-Earth orbits in recent years. However, the acquisition of new, reliable information on their hard X-ray radiation remains necessary, in particular, if the corresponding spacecraft provide additional information, e.g., in regard to flare observations from directions other than the Sun–Earth direction. This paper presents a catalog of powerful solar flares registered by the High Energy Neutron Detector (HEND) designed at the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. HEND is mounted onboard the 2001Mars Odyssey spacecraft. It operated successfully during the flight to Mars and is currently operating in near-Mars orbit. Apart from neutrons, HEND is sensitive to hard X-ray (up to 300 keV) and gamma-ray radiation (above 300 keV). This radiation is registered by two scintillators: an outer one that is sensitive to photons above 40 keV and an inner one sensitive to photons above 200 keV. The catalog was created using a new procedure for calibration of the data. For the most powerful 60 solar flares in the visible and far sides of the Sun (for a terrestrial observer), time profiles of the flare radiation summed over all channels of the X-ray, and in some cases the gamma-ray, bands are provided, as well as spectra and characteristics of power-law fits. The results of previous studies of the Sun using HEND and the potential for further use of these data are discussed.