A Machine Learning Approach to Predicting SEP Proton Intensity and Events Using Time Series of Relativistic Electron Measurements

Abstract Solar energetic particles (SEP) can cause severe damage to astronauts and sensitive equipment in space, and can disrupt communications on Earth. A lack of thorough understanding the eruption processes of solar activities and the subsequent acceleration and transport processes of energetic p...

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Main Authors: Jesse Torres, Philip K. Chan, Lulu Zhao, Ming Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-02-01
Series:Space Weather
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024SW003921
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author Jesse Torres
Philip K. Chan
Lulu Zhao
Ming Zhang
author_facet Jesse Torres
Philip K. Chan
Lulu Zhao
Ming Zhang
author_sort Jesse Torres
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Solar energetic particles (SEP) can cause severe damage to astronauts and sensitive equipment in space, and can disrupt communications on Earth. A lack of thorough understanding the eruption processes of solar activities and the subsequent acceleration and transport processes of energetic particles makes it difficult for physics‐based models to forecast the occurrence of an SEP event and its intensity. Therefore, in order to provide an advance warning for astronauts to seek shelter in a timely manner, we apply neural networks to forecast the intensity of SEP events. The neural network uses a time series of past and current electron and proton flux in 5‐min intervals to predict future proton flux 30 min or 1 hr ahead. In addition to multilayer perceptron neural networks, we also use recurrent neural networks (RNN), which are designed to handle time series data. For each model, we consider two approaches: a single model trained on all data, and the ensemble of models where the particular model is selected dynamically for each input using the predicted behavior of the input data. Overall, our results indicate that a single RNN model forecasts proton flux of each event with less error. Furthermore, the RNN incurs less error in predicting proton flux, but a larger time lag, than the forecasting matrix method proposed by Posner. When advance and extended warnings are incorporated, the RNN can improve SEP event prediction scores.
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spelling doaj-art-c20130a9e5aa45928e0be8e7cc67c57a2025-08-20T02:03:43ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902025-02-01232n/an/a10.1029/2024SW003921A Machine Learning Approach to Predicting SEP Proton Intensity and Events Using Time Series of Relativistic Electron MeasurementsJesse Torres0Philip K. Chan1Lulu Zhao2Ming Zhang3Department of Computer Engineering and Sciences Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne FL USADepartment of Computer Engineering and Sciences Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne FL USADepartment of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USADepartment of Aerospace Physics and Space Sciences Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne FL USAAbstract Solar energetic particles (SEP) can cause severe damage to astronauts and sensitive equipment in space, and can disrupt communications on Earth. A lack of thorough understanding the eruption processes of solar activities and the subsequent acceleration and transport processes of energetic particles makes it difficult for physics‐based models to forecast the occurrence of an SEP event and its intensity. Therefore, in order to provide an advance warning for astronauts to seek shelter in a timely manner, we apply neural networks to forecast the intensity of SEP events. The neural network uses a time series of past and current electron and proton flux in 5‐min intervals to predict future proton flux 30 min or 1 hr ahead. In addition to multilayer perceptron neural networks, we also use recurrent neural networks (RNN), which are designed to handle time series data. For each model, we consider two approaches: a single model trained on all data, and the ensemble of models where the particular model is selected dynamically for each input using the predicted behavior of the input data. Overall, our results indicate that a single RNN model forecasts proton flux of each event with less error. Furthermore, the RNN incurs less error in predicting proton flux, but a larger time lag, than the forecasting matrix method proposed by Posner. When advance and extended warnings are incorporated, the RNN can improve SEP event prediction scores.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024SW003921
spellingShingle Jesse Torres
Philip K. Chan
Lulu Zhao
Ming Zhang
A Machine Learning Approach to Predicting SEP Proton Intensity and Events Using Time Series of Relativistic Electron Measurements
Space Weather
title A Machine Learning Approach to Predicting SEP Proton Intensity and Events Using Time Series of Relativistic Electron Measurements
title_full A Machine Learning Approach to Predicting SEP Proton Intensity and Events Using Time Series of Relativistic Electron Measurements
title_fullStr A Machine Learning Approach to Predicting SEP Proton Intensity and Events Using Time Series of Relativistic Electron Measurements
title_full_unstemmed A Machine Learning Approach to Predicting SEP Proton Intensity and Events Using Time Series of Relativistic Electron Measurements
title_short A Machine Learning Approach to Predicting SEP Proton Intensity and Events Using Time Series of Relativistic Electron Measurements
title_sort machine learning approach to predicting sep proton intensity and events using time series of relativistic electron measurements
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024SW003921
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