MEASUREMENTS OF THE IONIC CHARGE STATES OF SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLES USING THE GEOMAGNETIC-FIELD

The mean charge states of C, N, O, Ne, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ar, Ca, Fe, and Ni ions with similar to 15-70 MeV nucleon(-1) in the two large sol ar energetic particle (SEP) events of 1992 October 30 and November 2 h ave been determined using measurements of the invariant latitude of th e cosmic-ray cutoffs of these elements from the Mass Spectrometer Tele scope on the polar-orbiting SAMPEX satellite. The deduced charge state values are in good agreement with the mean values measured directly i n previous SEP events at much lower energies of similar to 1 MeV nucle on(-1). The inferred equilibrium source temperatures are confirmed to be typically 2 x 10(6) K, which provides additional evidence that SEPs in gradual-type events are accelerated coronal material.