Soft X-ray observations of large-scale coronal active region brightenings

One-hundred fifty-six large-scale enhancements of X-ray emission from solar active regions were studied on full-disk filterheliograms to determine characteristic morphology and expansion rates for heated coronal plasma. The X-ray photographs were compared with H observations of flares, sudden filament disappearances, sprays and loop prominence systems (LPS). Eighty-one percent of the X-ray events were correlated with H filament activity, but only forty-four percent were correlated with reported H flares. The X-ray enhancements took the form of loops or arcades of loops ranging in length from 60 000 km to 520 000 km and averaging 15 000 km in width. Lifetimes ranged from 3 hr to >24 hr. Event frequency was 1.4 per day. X-ray loop arcades evolved from sharp-edged clouds in cavities vacated by rising H filaments. Expansion velocities of the loops were 50 km s^-1 immediately after excitation and 1–10 km s^-1 several hours later. These long-lived loop arcades are identified with LPS, and it is suggested that the loops outlined magnetic fields which were reconnecting after filament eruptions. Another class of X-ray enhanced loops stretched outside active regions and accompanied sprays or lateral filament ejections. H brightenings occurred where these loops intersected the chromosphere. Inferred excitation velocities along the loops ranged between 300 and 1200 km s^-1. It is suggested that these loops outlined closed magnetic fields guiding slow mode shocks from flares and filament eruptions.     

Large-scale active coronal phenomena in Yohkoh SXT images

We have found several occurrences of slowly rising giant arches inYohkoh images. These are similar to the giant post-flare arches previously discovered by SMM instruments in the 80s. However, we see them now with 3–5 times better spatial resolution and can recognize well their loop-like structure. As a rule, these arches followeruptive flares with gradual soft X-ray bursts, and rise with speeds of 1.1–2.4 km s^–1 which keep constant for >5 to 24 hours, reaching altitudes up to 250 000 km above the solar limb. These arches differ from post-flare loop systems by their (much higher) altitudes, (much longer) lifetimes, and (constant) speed of growth. One event appears to be a rise of a transequatorial interconnecting loop.In the event of 21–22 February 1992 one can see both the loop system, rising with a gradually decreasing speed to an altitude of 120 000 km, and the arch, emerging from behind the loops and continuing to rise with a constant speed for many more hours up to 240 000 km above the solar limb. In the event of 2–3 November 1991 three subsequent rising large-scale coronal systems can be recognized: first a fast one with speed increasing with altitude and ceasing to be visible at about 300 000 km. This most probably shows the X-ray signature of a coronal mass ejection (CME). A second one, with gradually decreasing speed, might represent very high rising flare loops. A third one continues to rise slowly with a constant speed up to 230 000 km (and up to 285 000 km after the speed begins to decay), and this is the giant arch. This event, including an arch revival on November 4–5, is very similar to rising giant arches observed by the SMM on 6–7 November 1980. Other events of this kind were observed on 27–28 April 1992, 15 March 1993, and 4–6 November 1993, all seen above the solar limb, where it is much easier to identify them.The temperature in the brightest part of the arch of 2–3 November 1991 was increasing with its altitude, from 2 to 4 × 10⁶ K, which seems to be an effect of slower cooling at lower densities. Under an assumption of line-of-sight thickness of 50 000 km, the emission measure indicates densities from 1.1 × 10¹⁰ cm^–3 at an altitude of 150 000 km to 1.0 × 10⁹ cm^–3 at 245 000 km 11.5 hours later. It appears that the arch is composed of plasma of widely different temperatures, and that hot plasma rises faster than the cool component. Thus the whole arch expands upward, and its density gradient increases with time, which explains whyYohkoh images show only the lowest and coolest parts of the expanding structure. The whole arch may represent an energy in excess of 10³¹ erg, and more if conduction contributes to the arch cooling.We suggest that the rise of the arch is initiated by a CME which removes the magnetic field and plasma in the upper corona, and the coronal structures remaining below this cavity begin to expand into the vacuum left behind the CME. However, we are unable to explain why the speed of rise stays constant for so many hours.     

Periodic Modulation of X-Ray Intensity from Coronal Loops – Heating by Resonant Absorption?

We have applied time-series analysis to sequences of coronal loop images obtained with the Yohkoh soft X-ray telescope (SXT). Using images obtained in fast-cadence mode ( t = 4 s), we have generated X-ray light curves and power spectra for multiple subregions of a number of coronal loops. Our analysis indicates that out of 544 spectra of loops which range in length L from 40 Mm to 150 Mm, there are 16 cases where the X-ray brightness is modulated periodically with 99.5% confidence. The periods range from 9.6 s to 61.6 s, and the amplitudes range from 0.4% to 1.8%. Our result is statistically significant at the 8 level.The observed periods can hardly be due to fluctuations in gas pressure: temperatures estimated from image ratios indicate sound speeds of 200–280 km s^-1, with loop crossing times of hundreds of seconds. On the other hand, the ratio 2 L/ yields velocities of 2–14 Mm s^-1: these overlap with published estimates of Alfvén speeds v _A in coronal loops, 3.5–37 Mm s^-1 (Schmelz et al., 1994). Now, in the context of coronal loop heating by resonant absorption of MHD waves, the period _g 2L/v _A plays a key role: loops which are oscillating in their global mode (with period _g) are maximally efficient at absorbing energy (Steinolfson and Davila, 1993). We suggest that the loops which we have found to be modulated periodically are oscillating in their global mode. With this interpretation, we find that the plasma beta in the loops lies in the range _p = 0.001–0.045. According to the oscillating loop model of Zaitsev and Stepanov (1989), loops with such _p values should be modulated with amplitudes of 1.1% or less: our data are consistent with at least the upper limit of this prediction.     

The impulsive and gradual phases of a solar limb flare as observed from the solar maximum mission satellite

Simultaneous observations of a solar limb flare in the X-ray and ultraviolet regions of the spectrum are presented. Temporal and spectral X-ray observations were obtained for the 25–300 keV range while temporal, spectral, and spatial X-ray observations were obtained for the 30–0.3 keV range. The ultraviolet observations were images with a 10 spatial resolution in the lines of O v (T _e 2.5 × 10⁵ K) and Fe xxi (T _e 1.1 × 10⁷ K). The hard X-ray and O v data indicate that the impulsive phase began in the photosphere or chromosphere and continued for several minutes as material was ejected into the corona. Impulsive excitation was observed up to 30 000 km above the solar surface at specific points in the flare loop. The Fe xxi observations indicate a preheating before the impulsive phase and showed the formation of hot post-flare loops. This later formation was confirmed by soft X-ray observations. These observations provide limitations for current flare models and will provide the data needed for initial conditions in modeling the concurrent coronal transient.     

Steady models for the hard X-ray loops in the solar corona

In some gradual hard X-ray bursts with high intensity, hard X-ray source (15–40 keV) is steadily located in the corona along with softer X-ray source (5–10 keV).Two stationary models, high density and high temperature models, are proposed to solve the difficult problem of confinement of hot (or nonthermal) plasma in the direction of the magnetic field along the loops in the corona. In both models, an essential point is that the effective X-ray source is composed of fine dense filamentary loops imbeded in a larger rarefied coronal loop, and the electron number density in the filaments is so high as 10¹¹–10¹² cm^-3. If the density is so high heat conduction can be as reasonably small as of the order of 10²⁷ erg s ^-1 for the given emission measures of observed X-rays, since the required cross-sectional area is small and also classical conduction is valid. Collisional confinement of thermal tail, and nonthermal electrons if any, up to 50–60 keV in the filaments is also possible, so that the hard X-ray images can be loop like structure instead of double source (foot points).High density model is applicable to the coronal filamentary loops with temperature T _m < 5 × 10⁷ K at the loop summit. The heat flow from the summit downwards is lost almost completely by the radiation from the loop during the conduction to the foot points. A continuous energy release is assumed near the summit to maintain the stationary temperature T _m, and pressure balance is maintained along the loop. In this model, the number density at the summit is given by n _m - 10⁶ T _m ² /s_m, where s _m is the length of the loop from the summit to the foot point, and the distribution of temperature and density along the loop are given by T = T _m(s/s_m)^1/3 and n = n _m(s/s_m)^-1/3, respectively.High temperature model is applicable to the filamentary loops with higher temperature up to about 10^8.5 K and comparatively lower number density as 10¹¹ cm^-3 for the requirement of magnetic confinement of the hot plasma in radial direction. The radiation from the loop is negligibly small in this model so that the heat flux is nearly conserved down to the foot points. In this case, temperature gradient is smaller than that of the high density model, depending on the tapering of the magnetic bottle.In both models, the differential emission measure is maximum at the highest temperature T _m and the brightness distribution along the loop shows a maximum around the summit of the loop if some magnetic tapering is taken into account.     

X-ray bright point flares due to magnetic reconnection

Ground-based optical observations coordinated with Yohkoh/SXT X-ray observations of an old, disintegrating bipolar active region AR NOAA 7493 (May 1, 1993) provided a multiwavelength data base to study a flaring active region X-ray bright point (XBP) of about 16 hr lifetime, and the activity related to it in different layers of the solar atmosphere. The XBP appeared to be related to a new minor bipole of about 10²⁰ Mx. Superposed on a global evolution of soft X-ray brightness, the XBP displayed changes of brightness, lasting for 1–10 min. During the brightenings the XBP apparently had a spatial structure, which was (tiny) loop-like rather than point-like. The X-ray brightenings were correlated with chromospheric activity: (i) brightenings of underlying chromospheric faculae, and (ii) appearance of strong turbulent velocities in the arch filament system. We propose that the XBP brightenings were due to reconnection of the magnetic field lines (sketched in 3D) between the new bipole and a pre-existing plage field induced by the motion of one of the new pores (v = 0.2 km s^–1) towards the plage, and that the XBP itself was a reconnected hot loop between them.     

Relation between VLF phase deviations and solar X-ray fluxes during solar flares

Sudden phase anomalies (SPA's) observed in the phase of GBR 16 kHz VLF signals during the years 1977 to 1983 have been analysed in the light of their associated solar X-ray fluxes in the 0.5–4 Å and 1–8 Å bands. An attempt has been made to investigate the solar zenith angle () dependence of the integrated solar X-ray flux for producing SPA's. It is deduced from the observations for < 81° that the phase deviation increases linearly as a whole with increasing solar X-ray fluxes in these two bands. The threshold X-ray flux needed to produce a detectable SPA effect has been estimated to be 1.6 × 10^–4 ergcm^–2 s^–1 and 1.8 × 10^–3 ergcm^–2 s^–1 in the 0.5–4 Å and 1–8 Å bands, respectively. For both bands the average cross section for all atmospheric constituents at a height of 70 km is almost equal to the absorption cross section for the 3 Å X-ray emission.     

Hα diagnostics of (post)-flare loops based on narrow-band filtergram observations

Using narrow-band H filtergrams, we develop a quantitative non-LTE approach to determine the physical conditions prevailing at the tops of (post)-flare loops observed against the solar disc. At temperatures 10000–15000 K, the tops of flare loops turn to emission at H line center when the gas pressure P _g reaches 1 dyn cm^–2 and should be clearly visible for P _g 3 dyn cm^–2, independently of the loop diameter. This situation corresponds to the electron density of the order 10¹² cm^–3. The contrast of flare-loops (in projection on the disc) at H line center is mainly the function of P _g , while in the line wings (H ± 1 Å) the loop can be visible in absorption or emission only when rather strong microturbulence is present or for unrealistically high gas pressures. Finally, we briefly discuss our diagnostical results in frame of the latest (post)-flare loop model.     

Observations of preburst heating and magnetic field changes in a coronal loop at 20 cm wavelength

The Very Large Array (VLA) has been used at 20 cm wavelength to study the evolution of a burst loop with 4 resolution on timescales as short as 10 s. The VLA observations show that the coronal loop began to heat up and change its structure about 15 min before the eruption of two impulsive bursts. The first of these bursts occurred near the top of the loop that underwent preburst heating, while the second burst probably occurred along the legs of an adjacent loop. These observations evoke flare models in which coronal loops twist, develop magnetic instabilities and then erupt. We also combine the VLA observations with GOES X-ray data to derive a peak electron temperature of T _e = 2.5 × 10⁷ K and an average electron density of N _e 1 × 10¹⁰ cm^–3 in the coronal loop during the preburst heating phase.     

The coronal and transition region temperature structure of a solar active region

Using measurements of EUV and X-ray spectral lines we derive the differential emission measure vs electron temperature T from the transition region to the corona of an active region (10⁵ T <5 × 10⁶ K). The total emission measure and radiative losses are of order 3 × 10⁴⁸ cm^–3 and 4 × 10²⁶ ergss^–1 respectively. The emission measure at T > 10⁶ K (i.e. that mainly responsible for the X-ray emission) is about 75% of the total. We also examine the use of Mg x 625 Å as an indicator of coronal electron density. A set of theoretical energy balance models of coronal loops in which the loop divergence is a variable parameter is presented and compared with the observations. Particular attention is given to the limitations inherent in any such comparison.     

Observations of steady anomalous magnetic heating in thin current sheets

A faint steadily emitting loop-like structure has been observed by HXIS in its low energy channels (3.5–8.0 keV) on November 5/6, 1980. These HXIS observations have permitted us to follow the thermal evolution of this loop for a period of about 15 hr and from this study we conclude that only a fraction of 0.1% of the volume of the loop is steadily heated at the rather large rate of 0.6 erg cm^-3 s^-1. We interpret this heating as the dissipation of magnetic fields in thin current sheets and we find that the dissipation with classical resistivity is very unlikely, while ion-kinetic tearing, as proposed by Galeev et al. (1981), suits the observations very well. The enhancement of the resistivity over the classical resistivity then turns out to be a factor 4 × 10⁴. Dissipation in extremely thin sheets via the ion-acoustic instability (Duijveman et al., 1981) cannot be completely excluded when the cross-field heat conductivity is anomalously enhanced by a factor 400.We identify the source of the X-ray emission in this paper with the H filament in the same region. The hot X-ray emitting plasma and the cool plasma radiating in H are thermally separated by the strong magnetic field.The main conclusion of the paper is that for the first time direct evidence is found for the steady dissipation of coronal magnetic fields via enhanced resistivity in thin current sheets.     

Transequatorial loops interconnecting McMath regions 12472 and 12474

We discuss the life-story of a transequatorial loop system which interconnected the newly born active region McMath 12474 with the old region 12472. The loop system was probably born through reconnection accomplished 1.5 to 5 days after the birth of 12474 and the loops were observed in soft X-rays for at least 1.5 days. Transient sharpenings of the interconnection and a striking brightening of the whole loop system for about 6 hr appear to be caused by magnetic field variations in the region 12474. A flare might have been related to the brightening, but only in an indirect way: the same emerging flux could have triggered the flare and at the same time strengthened the magnetic field at the foot-points of the loops. Electron temperature in the loop system, equal to 2.1 × 10⁶ K in its quiet phase, increased to 3.1 × 10⁶ K during the brightening. Electron density in the loop system was 1.3 × 10⁹ cm^–3 and it could be estimated to 7 × 10⁸ cm^–3 prior to the brightening. During the brightening the loops became twisted. There was no obvious effect whatsoever of the activity in 12474 upon the in erconnected old region. The final decay of the loop system reflected the decay of magnetic field in the region 12474.     

Cosmic ray intensity variations and two types of high speed solar streams

This study deals with the short-term variations of cosmic ray intensity during the interval 1973–78. Daily means of high latitude neutron and meson monitors from the same station and those of a low latitude neutron monitor have been analysed using the Chree method of superposed epochs. The zero epoch for the Chree analyses corresponds to the day of a substantial increase (V 200 km s^–1) in the solar wind speed to values of 550 km s^–1 and which persists at such high values for an interval of at least three days. The investigation reveals the existence of two types of cosmic ray intensity variations with distinctly different spectral characteristics. During the interval 1973–76, relative changes in the neutron and meson monitor rates are nearly equal indicating an almost flat rigidity spectrum of variation. During 1977–78, however, the spectrum acquires a negative spectral character similar to that observed for Forbush decreases. We suggest that events of the interval 1973–76 are essentially due to high speed streams associated with solar coronal holes and that events of the interval 1977–78 are due to fast streams from solar active regions with flare activity.     

Hard X-ray imaging of a solar gradual hard X-ray burst on April 1, 1981

An intense solar X-ray burst occurred on April 1, 1981. X-ray images of this gradual hard X-ray burst were observed with the hard X-ray telescope aboard the Hinotori satellite for the initial ten minutes of rise and maximum phases of the burst. The hard X-ray images (13–29 keV) look like a large loop without considerable time variation of an elongated main source during the whole observation period. The main X-ray source seems to lie along a ridge of a long coronal arcade 2 × 10⁴ km above a neutral line, while a tangue-like sub-source may be another large coronal loop although the whole structure of the X-ray source looks like a large semi-circular loop. Both nonthermal and hot thermal (3–4 × 10⁷ K) electrons are contributing to the source image. The ratio of these components changed in a wide range from 2.3 to 0.4 during the observation, while the image was rather steady. It suggests that both heating and accelerations of electrons are occurring simultaneously in a common source. Energetic electrons of 15–30 keV would be collisionally trapped in the coronal magnetic loops with density of the order of 10¹¹ cm^–3.     

Damping constant and turbulence in the solar atmosphere

In the region of the formation of weak and medium-strong lines, the microturbulence increases with height (V _ver=0.7–0.9 km s^-1, V _hor= 1.1–1.5 km s^-1), the macroturbulence decreases (V _ver=1.6–1.4 km s^-1, V _hor= 2.4–1.5 km s^-1), and the total velocity field (vertical component) is depth-independent (1.7 km s^-1). The empirical damping constants for Fe, Ti, Cr, Ni lines are equal 1.3₆, 1.7₆, 1.6₆, 1.6₆, respectively. The correlation length (the Kubo-Anderson process has been used) in the solar photosphere is 520–550 km.     

A Hard X-ray Two-Ribbon Flare Observed with Yohkoh/HXT

The Yohkoh hard X-ray telescope (HXT) observed hard X-rays from the impulsive phase of a long-duration event (LDE) occurring on 14 July 2000. The Yohkoh soft X-ray telescope (SXT) and other instruments observed a large arcade, with width and length ∼30 000 km and ∼120 000 km, respectively. In hard X-rays, for the first time, a two-ribbon structure was clearly observed in the energy range above 30 keV. This result suggests that electrons are in fact accelerated in the whole system of this arcade, not merely in a particular dominant loop. We analyzed the motions of bright kernels in the two hard X-ray ribbons in detail. Assuming these bright kernels to be footpoints of newly reconnected loops, we infer from their motions that the loops reconnecting early are highly sheared, while the loops reconnecting later are less sheared. We have also analyzed the hard X-ray spectra of the two ribbons independently. At the outer edge of a ribbon, the spectrum tends to be harder than that in the inner edge. This suggests that higher-energy electrons precipitate at the footpoints of outer loops and lower ones do at those of inner loops. We discuss what kind of model can support this tendency.     

Relation between cool and hot post-flare loops of 26 June 1992 derived from optical and X-ray (SXT-Yohkoh) observations

We have analyzed the physical conditions of the plasma in post-flare loops with special emphasis on dynamics and energy transport using SXT-data (hot plasma) and optical ground-based data from Pic du Midi, Wrocaw, and Ondejov (cool plasma). By combining the H observations with the SXT images we can understand the relationship between cool and hot plasmas, the process of cooling post-flare loops and the mechanism which maintains the long duration of these loops. Using recent results of NLTE modeling of prominence-like plasmas, we derive the emission measure of cool H loops and this gives us a realistic estimate of the electron density (2.2 × 10¹⁰ cm^–3). Then, by comparing this emission measure with that of hot loops derived from SXT data, we are able to estimate the ratio between electron densities in hot and cool loops taking into account the effect of geometrical filling factors. This leads to the electron density in hot loops 7 × 10⁹ cm^–3. We also derive the temperature of hot X-ray loops ( 5.5 × 10⁶ K), which, together with the electron density, provides the initial values for solving the time-dependent energy balance equation. We obtain the cooling times which are compared to a typical growth-time of the whole loop system ( 2000 s). In the legs of cool H loops, we observe an excess of the emission measure which we attribute to the effect of Doppler brightening (due to large downflow velocities).     

On the physics of a long decay X-ray event

A long decay X-ray event (LDE) which appeared as an expanding loop system on the solar limb on 13–14 August 1973 was well observed temporally (with Skylab ATM S056 and S054 X-ray telescopes) and spectrally (with S082A XUV spectroheliograph). We summarize and supplement the extensive discussion in the literature. In addition, a one-dimensional hydrodynamic study is undertaken to investigate both increasing and decreasing phases of the event. Results indicate that the inferred temperature gradients along the loops during the heating phase are consistent with unrestricted dynamic and conductive flows along magnetic field lines. Furthermore, we conclude that it cannot be unequivocally stated that enhanced emission at the tops of loops is due to pressure gradients along the field lines. Finally, the large emission measure variations in the 10⁵–10⁶ K plasma during the event's decline may be due simply to the temperature dependence of radiative decay within a multi-loop configuration.Presently a NRC Associate at NASA/MSFC, Space Sciences Laboratory, MSFC, Ala. 35812, U.S.A.Presently at NASA/MSFC, Space Sciences Laboratory, MSFC, Ala. 35812, U.S.A.     

Astron observations of the Rapid Burster MXB 1730-335 and constraints on burster parameters from spectra of trailing bursts

We report on eight X-ray bursts detected by ASTRON from the Rapid Burster (RB) on 13 and 28 April and 16 August, 1983. Six of them (trailing bursts), with durations of 1.5–2 min, rise times of 5–10 s and intervals of 1–1.5 hours, exhibit spectral softening during the burst decay and may be related to the type I bursts. Two of the bursts (triangle bursts) observed on 28 April at interval of 28 min with much longer rise times (30–50 s) and longer durations (3 min), do not show distinct spectral softening. Persistent flux from RB on 16 August was estimated asF _p(2.0–2.4)×10^–9 erg cm^–2 s^–1. Spectral evolution of two trailing bursts was investigated by fitting their spectra in consecutive time intervals with the blackbody (BB), isothermal scattering photosphere (SP) and thermal bremsstrahlung (TB) models. Around the burst maxima the SP model fits the data best whereas in the burst tails the TB model is generally better. The BB model is worse than at least one of the two others. Interpretation of the burst spectra in terms of the BB radiation leads to improbably small neutron star mass and radius (M<0.86M ,R _NS<5 km) if the peak luminosity does not exceed the Eddington limit. Interpretation of the spectra around the burst maxima (3–15 s from the burst onset) in terms of an isothermal SP yields reasonable constraints onM,R _NS, and distanceD. For instance, for the hydrogen photosphere we obtainedM=(1.0–2.1)M R _NS=(7.1–16.4) km ifD=11 kpc. If one postulatesM=1.4M , thenD=(8.5–13) kpc for hydrogen photosphere; if, besides,D=11 kpc, thenR _NS=(8.1–13.3) km. It follows also from the SP-interpretation that the photosphere radius may increase up to 20–30 km in maxima of the trailing bursts when the luminosity becomes close to the Eddington luminosity.     

A new microwave/X-ray diagnostic for the thermal phase of solar flares

We have observed 10 solar bursts during the thermal phase using the Haystack radio telescope at 22 GHz. We show that these high frequency flux observations, when compared with soft X-ray band fluxes, give useful information about the temperature profile in the flare loops. The microwave and X-ray band fluxes provide determinations of the maximum loop temperature, the total emission measure, and the index of the differential emission measure (q(T)/T = cT^–1). The special case of an isothermal loop ( = ) has been considered previously by Thomas et al. (1985), and we confirm their diagnostic calculations for the GOES X-ray bands, but find that the flare loops we observed departed significantly from the isothermal regime. Our results ( = 1–3.5) imply that, during the late phases of flares, condensation cooling ( 3.5) competes with radiative cooling ( 1.5). Further, our results appear to be in good agreement with previous deductions from XUV rocket spectra ( 2–3).