Statistical study of solar electron spike events observed with the STEREO spacecraft

Andreas Klassen, University of Kiel

We present a statistical study of 87 short-lived impulsive solar electron events, so-called spikes, observed with the two STEREO spacecraft in the energy range above 55 keV. All spike events were detected around the solar maximum activity from February 2010 until August 2014. Onset time delays relative to interplanetary type III radio bursts, spike durations, and effective propagation path lengths are examined for all events. Using measurements of solar wind parameters we investigate the dependencies between spike onset time delays, durations and some other properties in relation to solar wind speed, density, magnetic field strength and their standard deviations. We put special attention to possible differences between spike properties observed at the STEREO-A and STEREO-B spacecraft.