22/03/2012 : Proton monitor anomaly?

Just found this interesting graph:



As you notice, between 16:00 and 18:00 (approximate hours) we had a sudden record of proton flux, making this graph look rather strange. My explanations so far: maybe an instrument anomaly , maybe an explosion capable of giving such signature? never the less quite interesting.

reply to post by Romanian


Can you please say where this was taken the equipment what its target is?
Need more information to form an opinion.

not sure where the reader is, but the sat. name is Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) :

link

The satellite appears to orbit about above 70,000 km geocentric distance.

reply to post by Romanian


Depends on what you are measuring, I am sure. Could be from a solar flare??

Not sure, the xray monitor is dead for about 24 hours now:

www.swpc.noaa.gov...

reply to post by PhysicsAdept


Interesting. Typed in "sudden proton increase" in google. A video came up called "Proton Levels Now Showing Sudden Increase". Tried to view it, and it was removed by whoever uploaded it... Conspiracy??

Eh maybe, maybe not. Interesting though... That video I am sure has answers. The title cuts off but starts out as "08:10 UTC- CME ...", whatever it is


ETA: I did notice that your picture, below the graph says "UTC" as well...

This is a very interesting one, an explosion should show a gradual increase, a maximum "peak" then a decrease. The graph we have here, is showing a sudden increase, a sustained level of protons then sudden decrease (more like a square wave). I guess the chance of being natural is quite low, but maybe people with more understanding on the subject can explain a bit more ?

I'll be honest, I have no idea what any of this means.

Could someone explain this to me, in a way I'll understand?

reply to post by Romanian


Well first off we need to make sure everyone knows what protons are... not like anyone here does not know...

A proton is a Hydrogen atom stripped of its electron. Also, every other element has protons in them...

Protons have almost zero mass... Protons are found a lot in dissociations and when water is involved they can turn salts into acids or bases into water...

Protons are what are used commonly in tests in a particle accelerator like CERN...

That is about all I know, except they are very useful in science in ways that I am not versed well on

reply to post by PhysicsAdept


Electrons have zero mass revolving around protons and neutrons (except in the case of hydrogen-1, which is the only stable nuclide with no neutrons), that makes up the mass of an atom nucleus. The atomic weight of atoms is independent of the electrons in orbit and entirely dependent on the nucleus mass.

So H1 and H3 and H8 isotopes of hydrogen all have the same atomic weight/mass.


OK sorry, electrons do have miniscule mass compared to protons and neutrons, I got carried away for a moment.