Source of Energetic Protons in the 2014 September 1 Sustained Gamma-ray Emission Event

We report on the source of ${>}\,300~\mbox{MeV}$ protons during the SOL2014-09-01 sustained gamma-ray emission (SGRE) event based on multi-wavelength data from a wide array of space- and ground-based instruments. Based on the eruption geometry we provide concrete explanation for the spatially and temporally extended $\gamma $-ray emission from the eruption. We show that the associated flux rope is of low inclination (roughly oriented in the east–west direction), which enables the associated shock to extend to the frontside. We compare the centroid of the SGRE source with the location of the flux rope’s leg to infer that the high-energy protons must be precipitating between the flux rope leg and the shock front. The durations of the SOL2014-09-01 SGRE event and the type II radio burst agree with the linear relationship between these parameters obtained for other SGRE events with duration $\geq 3~\mbox{hrs}$. The fluence spectrum of the SEP event is very hard, indicating the presence of high-energy (GeV) particles in this event. This is further confirmed by the presence of an energetic coronal mass ejection with a speed ${>}\,2000~\mbox{km}\,\mbox{s}^{-1}$, similar to those in ground level enhancement (GLE) events. The type II radio burst had emission components from metric to kilometric wavelengths as in events associated with GLE events. All these factors indicate that the high-energy particles from the shock were in sufficient numbers needed for the production of $\gamma $-rays via neutral pion decay.