Physical relationship between ESPEs and stellar superflares

Determine whether extreme solar particle events inferred from cosmogenic isotope spikes in terrestrial archives and stellar superflares observed on Sun-like stars are physically related manifestations of the same underlying magnetic energy release processes, or whether they are independent phenomena.

Background

Two complementary lines of evidence point to rare, extremely energetic solar/stellar activity: extreme solar particle events (ESPEs) inferred from cosmogenic isotope spikes in precisely dated archives over the past ~15 millennia, and superflares detected on Sun-like stars by space-borne photometry. Both phenomena involve magnetic energy storage and release, yet they are observed with different methods and on different timescales.

Clarifying whether ESPEs and stellar superflares are physically connected is central to linking solar and stellar extremes, interpreting occurrence statistics, and understanding how magnetic flux and topology govern the partitioning of released energy between radiation, mass ejection, and particle acceleration.