Solar relativistic electrons and protons on October 28, 2021 (GLE73)

Abstract

The proton event of October 28, 2021, which was accompanied by the first in the current 25th cycle and the 73rd in the history of observations, a ground-based enhancement in the intensity of cosmic rays (GLE73), is considered. The development of the parent flare lasted more than 10 min against the background of the highest energy release simultaneously creating the conditions both for acceleration of the coronal mass ejection (CME) and acceleration of charged particles to relativistic energies. The similarity of time intensity profiles of relativistic electrons and protons in the Earth’s orbit indicates a stochastic mechanism of their acceleration. The X1.0 eruptive flare on October 28, 2021, is similar in hard X-ray emission to the M5.1 flare on May 17, 2012 (GLE71). The relatively late start of the increase in the fluxes of relativistic electrons and protons in the Earth’s orbit compared to the GLE71 event is explained by the location of the flare on October 28, 2021 (S26W05) and the southward launch of the CME.