On the heliospheric 3He observations and their astrophysical implications

Analysis of heliospheric observations indicating enhanced abundances of rare isotopes, modified abundance ratios of elements and isotopes, or elements with unusual charge states present challenges with astrophysical connotations. Besides processes involving nuclear reactions one must envision physical mechanisms which involve atomic processes at the outer solar layers as well as plasma processes in the presence of solar or interplanetary magnetic field. The most spectacular heliospheric enhancement with an unusual abundances involves the 3He isotope and heavy elements (mainly Mg, Ne, Si, and Fe) in impulsive solar flares. Primordial nucleosynthesis and galactic evolution confines the coronal ratio of the He isotopes. 3He/4He, to several times 10-4; this ratio is enhanced during impulsive flares by several orders of magnitude due to resonant wave-particle interaction with electromagnetic ion cyclotron (emic) waves. Recent observations on the ACE satellite may help in explaining two unrelated astrophysical phenomena: (1) Observations of enhanced abundances of 3He in planetary nebulae, (2) Formation of radioactive 26Al isotope, which decays into the observed fossil element 26Mg, due to the energetic flare-related 3He in the early solar system