Solar flares in the extreme ultraviolet

Measurements of flare-related impulsive enhancements in solar emission lines in the extreme ultraviolet, observed from the satellite OSO-III, are reported. The enhancement of a line, expressed in percent of the total disk intensity in the line, is of the same order of magnitude as the flare area, expressed in heliocentric square degrees. Rise-times and decay-times of impulsive enhancements average about 2 min and 5 min, respectively. The maximum enhancements of radiation from ions in the chromosphere-corona transition region precede the H maximum by an average of 2 min, and occur in the same period of time as the hard component of solar X-rays and the impulsive microwave bursts. Coronal lines in the extreme ultraviolet are less impulsive than the transition region lines in flare-related enhancements and their maxima follow the H maximum.     

Solar flares in the extreme ultraviolet

Solar-flare observations in the extreme ultraviolet (300–1350 Å) are reported. Some 269 flares observed by the Harvard College Observatory (HCO) experiment on OSO 4 and 211 flares observed by the HCO experiment on OSO 6 have been analyzed. The flares were observed in spectral lines and continua emitted by many ionic species over a temperature range from 10⁴ to 3.5 × 10⁶ K. The EUV data have been correlated with X-ray, H, and radio observations, and a significant number of EUV bursts not associated with reported H, X-ray, or radio bursts have been iden tified and investigated. The results indicate that these latter EUV events are less energetic by about a factor of 2 than EUV bursts associated with — F subflares.     

The extreme ultraviolet emissions of solar flares: A comparison between OSO-6 spectroheliograph observations and SFDs

The time structure and intensity of OSO-6 observations of EUV bursts were studied in relation to the corresponding 10–1030 Å enhancements deduced from SFD data. Impulsive EUV emissions from lines normally emitted from either the chromosphere or from the chromosphere-corona transition region rise simultaneously with the 10–1030 Å flash, to within the time resolution of the OSO-6 observations. Mg × 625 Å also showed concurrent impulsive emissions and a close intensity relation to the 10–1030 Å enhancement. The observational results are consistent with the hypothesis that most of the EUV radiation is being produced thermally in a region of chromospheric density, which is being heated by collisional losses of nonthermal electrons.     

Direct measurements of the gradual extreme ultraviolet emission from large solar flares

Broadband sensors aboard the Naval Research Laboratory's SOLRAD 11 satellites measured solar emission in the 0.5 to 3 Å, 1 to 8 Å, 8 to 20 Å, 100 to 500 Å, 500 to 800 Å, and 700 to 1030 Å bands. Data from sixteen large flares show that the EUV emission is dominated by gradual emission which parallels the soft X-ray emission in duration and magnitude. The data are consistent with the separation of EUV and X-ray flare emission into two distinct components. A persistent component is made up of gradual EUV and gradual soft X-ray emissions. A brief component consists of hard X-rays, impulsive soft X-rays, and impulsive EUV emission.     

The relationship between solar flares and solar sector boundaries

A superposed epoch analysis of 1964–1970 solar flares shows a marked increase in flare occurrence within a day (13° of longitude) of (- +) solar sector boundaries as well as a local minimum in flare occurrence near (+ -)sector boundaries. This preference for (- +) boundaries is more noticeable for northern hemisphere flares, where these polarities match the Hale polarity law, but is not reversed in the south. Plage regions do not show such a preference.     

Statistical relationship between sunspots and major flares

In this study, the statistical relationship between sunspots and major flares observed in the descending branch of the 20th and in the ascending branch of the 21st solar cycle is evaluated. It is found that the sunspots which produced these major flares are of the type Dki or Eki with magnetic class D and the largest magnetic field strength between 1600 and 2500 G.     

Solar extreme ultraviolet emissions in the range 260–1300 Å observed from OSO-III

Solar electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths ranging from 260–1300 Å was measured by a grazing-incidence grating spectrometer on OSO-III, which operated as a monochromator with a wavelength bandwidth of about 2 Å and an acceptance angle covering the whole disk without any instrumental discrimination of source locations. The monochromator was commanded either to scan the whole spectrum or to operate at variously chosen fixed wavelengths. The latter mode of operation afforded a high-time resolution in the observation of temporal variations such as those associated with solar flares, and also allowed accurate determinations of the absorption characteristic of the earth's upper atmosphere (near sunset and sunrise).     

Extreme ultraviolet and X-ray emission of solar flares as observed from the CORONAS-F spacecraft in 2001–2003

The results of measuring UV radiation onboard the CORONAS-F spacecraft during solar flares in 2001–2003 are considered. Some conclusions from the analysis of variations of solar-flare emission in several spectral intervals, namely, in soft X-rays, in the 10-to 130-nm range, and in the band near 120 nm, are discussed. The data were obtained by the VUSS-L and SUFR instruments. Time and energy characteristics of flares recorded onboard the CORONAS-F spacecraft are compared to the GOES measurements in the interval 0.1–0.8 nm and to the SOHO measurements of UV radiation in the 26-to 34-nm band. In particular, it is demonstrated that UV radiation is generated several (1–10) minutes before X-ray emission for most flares considered in the study. It is shown that the energy of flare emission in the extreme ultraviolet is usually not greater than ～10% of its preflare level and that energy fluxes in different wavelength ranges are related by a power law. Such an analysis makes it possible to better understand the mechanism of flare development.     

Extreme ultraviolet flashes of solar flares observed via sudden frequency deviations: Experimental results

Properties of solar-flare EUV flashes measured via a type of ionospheric event, called a sudden frequency deviation (SFD), are presented. SFD's are sensitive to bursts of radiation in the 1–1030 Å wavelength range. He ii 303.8 Å, O v 629.7 Å, HL 972.5 Å and C iii 977.0 Å have essentially the same impulsive time dependence as the 1–1030 Å flash responsible for SFD's. Soft X-rays (2–20 Å) and certain EUV lines have a much slower time dependence than the 1–1030 Å flash. Most SFD's have some fine structure, but marked quasi-periodicity in EUV flashes is quite rare. EUV flashes are closely associated with hard X-ray bursts, white-light emission, microwave radio bursts and small bright impulsive kernels in the H flare. The intensity of EUV flashes depends on the central meridian distance of the H flare location; the intensity decreases at the limb. The total energy radiated in the 10–1030 Å flash for the largest events observed is about 10³¹ ergs.     

An annular eclipse on May 31, 2003, observed in extreme ultraviolet

The CORONAS-F spacecraft crossed the zone of the ring solar eclipse three times on May 31, 2003. A considerable decrease in solar radiation was detected by the spacecraft instruments for these moments. The passages through the eclipse zone were registered by the VUSS instrument, which measured the shortwave solar radiation flux near the hydrogen Lyman alpha line, and by the DIFOS instrument, which was sensitive to infrared, visible, and near-ultraviolet radiation. The eclipse is also clearly seen in solar images obtained by the X-ray SPIRIT telescope. Some details of measurement results are discussed.     

A study of surges and flares within an active region

Active region 2684 was observed by the Solar Maximum Mission and ground-based observatories simultaneously for over 12 hours on September 23, 1980. During these observations, recurrent surges were detected above an area with complex parasitic magnetic polarity located at the periphery of the active region. The time evolution of the H surges, Civ brightenings and X-ray spikes leads to the conclusion that the energy source is in the corona, from magnetic reconnection. The energy is transported by energetic charged particles along the loops, thereby heating the chromosphere as the particles lose their energy. The divergent motion of the spots corresponding to small dipoles at the base of the surge indicates that there is important magnetic reorganisation. According to the magnetic field-line configuration (large loop or open structures), X-rays can (or cannot) be associated with surges.     

High-temperature flares observed in broadband soft X-rays

Broadband soft solar X-rays monitored by the GOES satellites have been used to detect high-temperature flares (> 25 MK). The data suggest that there are two general categories of high-temperature flares: those that are intrinsically hot and recur repeatedly in particular active regions and those that show enhanced temperatures because of their proximity to the solar limb. Intrinsically hot flares associate with gamma-ray flares and impulsive hard X-ray flares. Hot flares show a small incidence with gradual hard X-ray flares, but those cases are either extremely intense flares or limb flares. The apparently hot flares occur near the visible limb, which suggests the strong thermal stratification of flare plasmas as demonstrated by over-the-limb events; even on the visible disk near the limb, the lower, cooler plasmas are somehow partially occulted.     

Solar photography in the extreme ultraviolet

Pinhole camera instrumentation has been carried on stabilized Skylark rockets to record images of the sun at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths. This paper describes the equipment used and the results obtained during five rocket flights between August 1964 and February 1966. The spectral sensitivity of the various cameras and the effects of atmospheric absorption are estimated in order to determine the effective wavebands which form the solar images. The extreme ultraviolet images are compared with observations of the sun made at visible wavelengths.     

Solar flares in the EUV observed from OSO-5

Solar flares in three broad EUV spectral bands have been observed from OSO-5 with a grating spectrophotometer. Results are given for three large flares of March 12, March 21 and April 21, 1969. In general the time dependence of flare intensity in each band is characterized by a slowly varying component with impulsive bursts superimposed. Bands 2 (465–630 Å) and 3 (760–1030 Å) are quite similar in their time variations, but band 1 (280–370 Å) shows less impulsive structure, and declines more slowly. Absolute EUV intensities for the flares are estimated, and a comparison made with the 2800 mc s^–1 radio emission. A flare model is proposed to account for the EUV time variations during a large flare.     

The relationship between the duration of solar X-ray flares and the mass of associated coronal ejections

The statistical relationship between the parameters of X-ray flares and coronal mass ejections on the Sun that are associated with these flares, is considered. It is shown that short X-ray flares are characterized on average by a lower mass ejection in the outer layers of the corona and interplanetary space as compared to high-energy long-duration events.     

The relation between the surges and solar radio emission

The 120 limb surges which have been observed by means of Wrocaw Observatory coronagraph from September 1966 to November 1977 are investigated. The evolution of surges was compared with the radio data during the surges. A correlation between radio bursts and the surges was found, particularly with chains of type I radio bursts, which is the first reliable correlation found of these bursts with non-radio events. The type I correlation only applied for surges without accompanying flare, of which 43% are correlated with this type of radio emission. In 23 of 30 associated events the start of a surge coincided within 5 minutes with the start or an enhancement of the type I storm. If flares were present, the association was not significant.We also compared the maximum height reached by a surge with the frequencies of the radio bursts emitted at the same time and the maximum velocity of the rising surge with the frequency drift of type I chains. No such a correlation was however found.We discuss the possibility that surges are the result of a sudden energy input into the chromosphere related to the type I source in the corona.     

Rocket observations of the extreme ultraviolet dayglow

The ultraviolet dayglow in the wavelength region 750–1050 Å was investigated over the altitude range 100–800 km using a thin film filter photometer. From the airglow spectrum obtained by Carruthers and Page, one of the dominant features in this wavelength range is OII 834 Å. It is pointed out that the major excitation mechanism for this transition is photoionization excitation of atomic oxygen. Solution of the radiative transfer problem for this excitation process shows good agreement with the observed dayglow in the 300–800 km region. At lower altitudes additional components are present and are interpreted as the N₂, OI and possibly HI emissions observed by Carruthers and Page.     

Interpretation of the observed motions of hard X-ray sources in solar flares

In connection with the RHESSI satellite observations of solar flares, which have revealed new properties of hard X-ray sources during flares, we offer an interpretation of these properties. The observed motions of coronal and chromospheric sources are shown to be the consequences of three-dimensional magnetic reconnection at the separator in the corona. During the first (initial) flare phase, the reconnection process releases an excess of magnetic energy related predominantly to themagnetic tensions produced before the flare by shear plasma flows in the photosphere. The relaxation of a magnetic shear in the corona also explains the downward motion of the coronal source and the decrease in the separation between chromospheric sources. During the second (main) flare phase, ordinary reconnection dominates; it describes the energy release in the terms of the “standard model” of large eruptive flares accompanied by the rise of the coronal source and an increase in the separation between chromospheric sources.