The 42-month SERPENTINE project started in the beginning of the year 2021. It will investigate the origin and properties of large and widespread solar energetic particle (SEP) events related to solar flares and coronal mass ejections, using observations from the newly launched heliospheric observatories, ESA’s Solar Orbiter and NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. Data from ESA’s BepiColombo mission during its cruise to Mercury and several missions at 1 AU distance from the Sun will also be used. We will also develop tools for visualisation and analysis of SEP event observations and deliver higher-level datasets for the extended heliophysics research community.
The project kick-off meeting was held on 21 January 2021. The six teams participating in the effort had a day of fruitful discussions and planning of the way ahead for the first year of the project.
Solar activity is still at a low level, but Sun fortunately provided us with the first large and widespread SEP event in the Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe era on 29 November 2020. The teams are involved in a comprehensive analysis of the event together with the Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe communities. This effort will ensure that the project will hit the ground running.