<ul><li>Scientists at the Southwest Research Institute have discovered how the Sun influences helium pickup ions, a special type of space particle from outside our solar system.</li><li>Solar activity, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, significantly impacts the speed and behavior of these helium pickup ions, which can travel up to twice as fast as the solar wind.</li><li>By analyzing data from NASA's Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory, researchers studied how these ions gain energy during solar events, especially their interactions with interplanetary shocks.</li><li>Understanding the acceleration process of these pickup ions is crucial for predicting solar energetic particle events that can pose risks to astronauts, spacecraft, and technology on Earth.</li></ul>

Scientists uncover how the Sun speeds up mysterious space particles

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