Parallel sessions

The Sun is the most prolific accelerator of particles in our solar system. Non-thermal energetic particles are crucial for fast energy transport in the active solar corona. Furthermore, energetic particles are responsible for fast energy transfer in the interplanetary space, making them an essential component of space weather. The last two decades have seen substantial progress in understanding the physics of solar energetic particles, particularly due to remote observations in the hard X-ray and radio domains. In the next few years, Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter space missions will perform unprecedented observations of energetic particles, including in situ observations very close to the Sun (at 10 solar radii). This new data will provide a unique insight into the physics of non-thermal plasma at the Sun and interplanetary space, particularly the upper corona and inner heliosphere.

With the first data from Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe available, it would be very timely to discuss outstanding questions in solar energetic particle research, with the focus on these two new missions.