The Soft X-ray Telescope for the SOLAR-A mission

The Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) of the SOLAR-A mission is designed to produce X-ray movies of flares with excellent angular and time resolution as well as full-disk X-ray images for general studies. A selection of thin metal filters provide a measure of temperature discrimination and aid in obtaining the wide dynamic range required for solar observing. The co-aligned SXT aspect telescope will yield optical images for aspect reference, white-light flare and sunspot studies, and, possibly, helioseismology. This paper describes the capabilities and characteristics of the SXT for scientific observing.After the launch the name of SOLAR-A has been changed to YOHKOH.     

The Bragg Crystal Spectrometer for SOLAR-A

The Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) is one of the instruments which makes up the scientific payload of the SOLAR-A mission. The spectrometer employs four bent germanium crystals, views the whole Sun and observes the resonance line complexes of H-like Fexxvi and He-like Fexxv, Caxix, and Sxv in four narrow wavelength ranges with a resolving power (/) of between 3000 and 6000. The spectrometer has approaching ten times better sensitivity than that of previous instruments thus permitting a time resolution of better than 1 s to be achieved. The principal aim is the measurement of the properties of the 10 to 50 million K plasma created in solar flares with special emphasis on the heating and dynamics of the plasma during the impulsive phase. This paper summarizes the scientific objectives of the BCS and describes the design, characteristics, and performance of the spectrometers.After the launch the name of SOLAR-A has been changed to YOHKOH.Tragically Professor K. Tanaka died on January 2, 1990.     

Design and verification of the HXI collimator on the ASO-S mission

A space-borne hard X-ray collimator, comprising 91 pairs of grids, has been developed for the Hard X-ray Imager(HXI). The HXI is one of the three scientific instruments onboard the first Chinese solar mission: the Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory(ASO-S). The HXI collimator(HXI-C) is a spatial modulation X-ray telescope designed to observe hard X-rays emitted by energetic electrons in solar flares.This paper presents the detailed design of the HXI-C for the qualification model that will be inherited by the flight model. Series tests on the HXI-C qualification model are reported to verify the ability of the HXI-C to survive the launch and to operate normally in on-orbit environments. Furthermore, results of the X-ray beam test for the HXI-C are presented to indirectly identify the working performance of the HXI-C.     

Instruments of RT-2 experiment onboard CORONAS-PHOTON and their test and evaluation I: ground calibration of RT-2/S and RT-2/G

Phoswich detectors (RT-2/S & RT-2/G) are major scientific payloads of the RT-2 Experiment onboard the CORONAS-PHOTON mission, which was launched into a polar Low Earth Orbit of around 550 km on 2009 January 30. These RT-2 instruments are designed and developed to observe solar flares in hard X-rays and to understand the energy transport processes associated with these flares. Apart from this, these instruments are capable of observing Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) and Cosmic diffuse X-ray background (CDXRB). Both detectors consist of identical NaI(Tl) and CsI(Na) scintillation crystals in a Phoswich combination, having the same diameter (116 mm) but different thicknesses. The normal working energy range is from 15 keV to 150 keV, but may be extendable up to ~1 MeV. In this paper, we present the RT-2/S and RT-2/G instruments and discuss their testing and calibration results. We used different radio-active sources to calibrate both detectors. The radio-active source ⁵⁷Co (122 keV) is used for onboard calibration of both instruments. During its lifetime (??3?C5 years), RT-2 is expected to cover the peak of the 24th solar cycle.     

The Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT) for the SOLAR-A mission

The Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT) is a Fourier-synthesis imager; a set of spatially-modulated photon count data are taken from 64 independent subcollimators and are Fourier-transformed into an image by using procedures such as the maximum entropy method (MEM) or CLEAN. The HXT takes images of solar flares simultaneously in four energy bands, nominally 15 (or 19)–24, 24–35, 35–57, and 57–100 keV, with an ultimate angular resolution as fine as 5 arc sec and a time resolution 0.5 s. Each subcollimator has a field of view wider than the solar disk. The total effective area of the collimator/detector system reaches 70 cm², about one order of magnitude larger than that of the HINOTORI hard X-ray imager. Thanks to these improvements, HXT will for the first time enable us to take images of flares at photon energies above 30 keV. These higher-energy images will be compared with lower-energy ones, giving clues to the understanding of nonthermal processes in solar flares, i.e., the acceleration and confinement of energetic electrons. It is of particular importance to specify the acceleration site with regard to the magnetic field figuration in a flaring region, which will be achieved by collaborative observations between HXT and the Soft X-ray Telescope on board the same mission.After the launch the name of SOLAR-A has been changed to YOHKOH.     

Simulations and software development for the Hard X-ray Imager onboard ASO-S

China's first solar mission, the Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory(ASO-S), is now changing from Phase B to Phase C. Its main scientific objectives are summarized as '1M2B', namely magnetic field and two types of bursts(solar flares and coronal mass ejections). Among the three scientific payloads,Hard X-ray Imager(HXI) observes images and spectra of X-ray bursts in solar flares. In this paper, we briefly report on the progresses made by the HXI science team(data and software team) during the design phase(till May 2019). These include simulations of HXI imaging, optimization of HXI grids, development of imaging algorithms, estimation of orbital background, as well as in-orbit calibration plan. These efforts provided guidance for the engineering, improved HXI's imaging capability and reduced the cost of the instrument.     

High-energy solar capabilities of approved space missions

Several instruments on approved space missions will provide coverage of energetic solar flare activity during the next solar maximum. However, only Japan's SOLAR-A is dedicated to observations of solar activity. These planned experiments will provide significant improvements in detection sensitivity for gamma rays and neutrons, generally using similar detection techniques to those employed previously. Improvements in the temporal resolution of energetic flare phenomena will also be realized, but with generally sporadic solar coverage. Important capabilities critically required for advancing our understanding of the solar flare phenomenon, such as dedicated high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy, imaging hard X-ray and low-energy gamma-ray detectors, polarimeters, and dedicated high-efficiency neutron detectors, are not included on any of the approved missions.     

Hard X-ray Imager (HXI) onboard the ASO-S mission

Hard X-ray Imager(HXI) is one of the three scientific instruments onboard the Advanced Spacebased Solar Observatory(ASO-S) mission, which is proposed for the 25th solar maximum by the Chinese solar community. HXI is designed to investigate the non-thermal high-energy electrons accelerated in solar flares by providing images of solar flaring regions in the energy range from 30 keV to 200 keV. The imaging principle of HXI is based on spatially modulated Fourier synthesis and utilizes about 91 sets of bi-grid sub-collimators and corresponding LaBr_3 detectors to obtain Fourier components with a spatial resolution of about 3 arcsec and a time resolution better than 0.5 s. An engineering prototype has been developed and tested to verify the feasibility of design. In this paper, we present background, instrument design and the development and test status of the prototype.     

Very High-Resolution Solar X-Ray Imaging Using Diffractive Optics

This paper describes the development of X-ray diffractive optics for imaging solar flares with better than 0.1 arcsec angular resolution. X-ray images with this resolution of the ???10?MK plasma in solar active regions and solar flares would allow the cross-sectional area of magnetic loops to be resolved and the coronal flare energy release region itself to be probed. The objective of this work is to obtain X-ray images in the iron-line complex at 6.7?keV observed during solar flares with an angular resolution as fine as 0.1 arcsec ?C over an order of magnitude finer than is now possible. This line emission is from highly ionized iron atoms, primarily Fe xxv, in the hottest flare plasma at temperatures in excess of ???10 MK. It provides information on the flare morphology, the iron abundance, and the distribution of the hot plasma. Studying how this plasma is heated to such high temperatures in such short times during solar flares is of critical importance in understanding these powerful transient events, one of the major objectives of solar physics. We describe the design, fabrication, and testing of phase zone plate X-ray lenses with focal lengths of ???100 m at these energies that would be capable of achieving these objectives. We show how such lenses could be included on a two-spacecraft formation-flying mission with the lenses on the spacecraft closest to the Sun and an X-ray imaging array on the second spacecraft in the focal plane ???100 m away. High-resolution X-ray images could be obtained when the two spacecraft are aligned with the region of interest on the Sun. Requirements and constraints for the control of the two spacecraft are discussed together with the overall feasibility of such a formation-flying mission.     

ChemiX: a Bragg crystal spectrometer for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Interhelioprobe</Emphasis> interplanetary mission

Interhelioprobe (IHP), an analogue to the ESA Solar Orbiter, is the prospective Russian space solar observatory intended for in-situ and remote sensing investigations of the Sun and the inner heliosphere from a heliocentric orbit with the perihelion of about 60 solar radii. One of several instruments on board will be the Bragg crystal spectrometer ChemiX which will measure X-ray spectra from solar corona structures. Analysis of the spectra will allow the determination of the elemental composition of plasma in hot coronal sources like flares and active regions. ChemiX is under development at the Wroc?aw Solar Physics Division of the Polish Academy of Sciences Space Research Centre in collaboration with an international team (see the co-author list). This paper gives an overview of the ChemiX scientific goals and design preparatory to phase B of the instrument development.     

XUV Photometer System (XPS): Solar Variations during the SORCE Mission

The solar soft X-ray (XUV) radiation is important for upper atmosphere studies as it is one of the primary energy inputs and is highly variable. The XUV Photometer System (XPS) aboard the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) has been measuring the solar XUV irradiance since March 2003 with a time cadence of 10 s and with about 70% duty cycle. The XPS measurements are between 0.1 and 34 nm and additionally the bright hydrogen emission at 121.6 nm. The XUV radiation varies by a factor of ∼2 with a period of ∼27 days that is due to the modulation of the active regions on the rotating Sun. The SORCE mission has observed over 20 solar rotations during the declining phase of solar cycle 23. The solar XUV irradiance also varies by more than a factor of 10 during the large X-class flares observed during the May–June 2003, October–November 2003, and July 2004 solar storm periods. There were 7 large X-class flares during the May–June 2003 storm period, 11 X-class flares during the October–November 2003 storm period, and 6 X-class flares during the July 2004 storm period. The X28 flare on 4 November 2003 is the largest flare since GOES began its solar X-ray measurements in 1976. The XUV variations during the X-class flares are as large as the expected solar cycle variations.     

X-ray emission characteristics of flares associated with CMEs

We present the study of 20 solar flares observed by “Solar X-ray Spectrometer (SOXS)” mission during November 2003 to December 2006 and found associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) seen by LASCO/SOHO mission. In this investigation, X-ray emission characteristics of solar flares and their relationship with the dynamics of CMEs have been presented. We found that the fast moving CMEs, i.e., positive acceleration are better associated with short rise time (< 150 s) flares. However, the velocity of CMEs increases as a function of duration of the flares in both 4.1–10 and 10–20 keV bands. This indicates that the possibility of association of CMEs with larger speeds exists with long duration flare events. We observed that CMEs decelerate with increasing rise time, decay time and duration of the associated X-ray flares. A total 10 out of 20 CMEs under current investigation showed positive acceleration, and 5 of them whose speed did not exceed 589 km/s were associated with short rise time (< 150 s) and short duration (< 1300 s) flares. The other 5 CMEs were associated with long duration or large rise time flare events. The unusual feature of all these positive accelerating CMEs was their low linear speed ranging between 176 and 775 km/s. We do not find any significant correlation between X-ray peak intensity of the flares with linear speed as well as acceleration of the associated CMEs. Based on the onset time of flares and associated CMEs within the observing cadence of CMEs by LASCO, we found that in 16 cases CME preceded the flare by 23 to 1786 s, while in 4 cases flare occurred before the CME by 47 to 685 s. We argue that both events are closely associated with each other and are integral parts of one energy release system.     

AstroSat: From Inception to Realization and Launch

The origin of the idea of AstroSat multi wavelength satellite mission and how it evolved over the next 15 years from a concept to the successful development of instruments for giving concrete shape to this mission, is recounted in this article. AstroSat is the outcome of intense deliberations in the Indian astronomy community leading to a consensus for a multi wavelength Observatory having broad spectral coverage over five decades in energy covering near-UV, far-UV, soft X-ray and hard X-ray bands. The multi wavelength observation capability of AstroSat with a suite of 4 co-aligned instruments and an X-ray sky monitor on a single satellite platform, imparts a unique character to this mission. AstroSat owes its realization to the collaborative efforts of the various ISRO centres, several Indian institutions, and a few institutions abroad which developed the 5 instruments and various sub systems of the satellite. AstroSat was launched on September 28, 2015 from India in a near equatorial 650 km circular orbit. The instruments are by and large working as planned and in the past 14 months more than 200 X-ray and UV sources have been studied with it. The important characteristics of AstroSat satellite and scientific instruments will be highlighted.     

Ultraviolet, hard X-ray, and gamma-ray emission of solar flares recorded by VUSS-L and SONG instruments in 2001–2003

The results of simultaneous measurements of variations of UV radiation (in a band near the hydrogen L_α line, 121.6 nm) and hard X-ray and gamma-ray radiation (50 keV-200 MeV) performed by the VUSS-L and SONG instruments, respectively, onboard the CORONAS-F spacecraft are presented for periods of solar flares. Variations in the L_α ultraviolet radiation during the impulsive phase of a flare are shown to be synchronous with those of hard X-ray radiation. Temporal variations of UV and X-ray fluxes correspond to the progressive heating of higher and higher regions of the solar atmosphere and the energy transfer from the lower layers of the solar atmosphere to the coronal areas of flare regions. The energy of electrons in beams arising during the impulsive phase of flares can be as high as 500 keV. The velocity of the energy propagation from the regions of its release to the upper layers of the solar atmosphere can reach several tens of kilometers per second.     

SphinX: A fast solar Photometer in X-rays

The scientific goals and construction details of a new design, Polish X-ray spectrophotometer are given. It will be incorporated within the Russian TESIS X and EUV complex aboard the forthcoming CORO-NAS solar mission. SphinX (Solar Photometer in X-rays) will use PIN silicon detectors for high time resolution (0.01 s) measurements of the solar spectra of quiet and active corona in the range 0.5–15 keV. A new filter-fluorescence target concept will be employed to allow for a fast photometry of the solar X-ray flux variations in selected, well defined narrow spectral bands including the Fe XXVI and Fe XXV iron line groups.     

X-ray emission from solar flares

Solar X-ray Spectrometer (SOXS), the first space-borne solar astronomy experiment of India was designed to improve our current understanding of X-ray emission from the Sun in general and solar flares in particular. SOXS mission is composed of two solid state detectors, viz., Si and CZT semiconductors capable of observing the full disk Sun in X-ray energy range of 4–56 keV. The X-ray spectra of solar flares obtained by the Si detector in the 4–25 keV range show evidence of Fe and Fe/Ni line emission and multi-thermal plasma. The evolution of the break energy point that separates the thermal and non-thermal processes reveals increase with increasing flare plasma temperature. Small scale flare activities observed by both the detectors are found to be suitable to heat the active region corona; however their location appears to be in the transition region.     

Radio and X-ray imaging observations of solar flares and coronal transients

We present a review of selected studies based upon simultaneous radio and X-ray observations of solar flares and coronal transients. We use primarily the observations made with large radio imaging instruments (VLA, BIMA, Nobeyama, and Nançay) along with Yohkoh/SXT and HXT and CGRO experiments. We review the recent work on millimeter imaging of solar flares, microwave and hard X-ray observations of footpoint emission from flaring loops, metric type IV continuum bursts, and coronal X-ray structures. We discuss the recent studies on thermal and nonthermal processes in coronal transients such as XBP flares, coronal X-ray jets, and active region transient brightenings.Dedicated to Cornelis de Jager     

Lunar X-ray fluorescence observations by the Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer (C1XS): Results from the nearside southern highlands

The Chandrayaan-1 X-ray Spectrometer (C1XS) flown on-board the first Indian lunar mission Chandrayaan-1, measured X-ray fluorescence spectra during several episodes of solar flares during its operational period of ∼9 months. The accompanying X-ray Solar Monitor (XSM) provided simultaneous spectra of solar X-rays incident on the Moon which are essential to derive elemental chemistry. In this paper, we present the surface abundances of Mg, Al, Si, Ca and Fe, derived from C1XS data for a highland region on the southern nearside of the Moon. Analysis techniques are described in detail including absolute X-ray line flux derivation and conversion into elemental abundance. The results are consistent with a composition rich in plagioclase with a slight mafic mineral enhancement and a Ca/Al ratio that is significantly lower than measured in lunar returned samples. We suggest various possible scenarios to explain the deviations.