Solar proton events with high-energy protons usually happen around the peak of solar activity. Data from past solar cycles show that these events occur at different times during the cycle, with some happening before the peak, some after, and some spread out. The 22nd solar cycle is unusual because it had more events after the peak than before. As of July 1994, there were fewer solar proton events during the end of this cycle compared to previous cycles. Major events that usually occur years after the peak have not been seen yet in this cycle. The researchers compared solar proton events from the declining phases of past cycles with the current 22nd cycle.