A search for solar neutrons during solar flares

Abstract

The upperlirnit on the solar neutron flux from 1-20 MeV has been measured, by a neutron detector on the OGO-6 satel!ite, to be less than 5 :-< 10 -z n cm -2 s -1 at the 95% confidence level for several flares including two flares of importance 3B and a solar proton event of importance 3B. The measurements are consistent with the models proposed by Lingenfelter (1969) and by Lingenfelter and Ramaty (1967) for solar neutron production during solar flares. The implied upper limit on the flux of 2.2 MeV solar gamma rays is about the same as the 2.2 MeV flux observed by Chupp et al. (1973).