Detection of high energy solar protons during ground level enhancements

Registration of high energy solar protons by middle and low latitude particle monitors during ground level enhancements (GLE) is investigated. We have developed a comprehensive method, for revealing weak GLE signals. The main result of the method is estimation of probability of error for given value of observed signal amplitude. We derived, that for middle energy protons, the 99% confidence limit of GLE signal detection is determined by ∼4.3σ of observed signal, whereas for highest energy protons it is determined by ∼3.7σ. Applying this method to GLE-65 at 28 October 2003, GLE-69 at 20 January 2005 and GLE-70 at 13 December 2006, we make conclusions about the maximal energy of protons during these events. We claim on the presence of >20…30 GeV protons in GLE-65 with the probability of error ∼7% and in the GLE-69 with the probability of error ∼0.4%. However, during GLE-70 maximal energy of protons was ∼10 GeV.