- Feb. 6, 2023, 2:00 pm US/Central
- Curia II
- Mehr Un Nisa, Michigan State University
- Host: Elena Pinetti, epinetti@fnal.gov
Abstract: The propagation of cosmic rays (CRs) in the solar system is subject to the influence of Sun’s magnetic fields. The local CR flux is not only modulated by the Sun, but also undergoes complex interactions in the photosphere. Studying the flux of secondary photons and neutrinos produced in CR interactions with the Sun offers an excellent opportunity to study the mysterious solar environment, and to measure the backgrounds for indirect searches for dark matter therein. The Sun has been found to be a surprisingly bright source of very-high-energy gamma rays that are hard to explain with current models, and challenge our understanding of our nearest star. I will discuss the recent developments in the highest energy observations of the Sun — particularly the first detection of TeV gamma rays with the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory.