Emission lines of Fe xv in spectra obtained with the Solar Extreme-Ultraviolet Research Telescope and Spectrograph

Recent R-matrix calculations of electron impact excitation rates in Mg-like Fe  xv are used to derive theoretical emission-line ratios involving transitions in the 243–418 Å  wavelength range. A comparison of these with a data set of solar active region, subflare and off-limb spectra, obtained during rocket flights by the Solar Extreme-Ultraviolet Research Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS), reveals generally very good agreement between theory and observation, indicating that most of the Fe  xv emission lines may be employed with confidence as electron density diagnostics. In particular, the 312.55-Å  line of Fe  xv is not significantly blended with a Co  xvii transition in active region spectra, as suggested previously, although the latter does make a major contribution in the subflare observations. Most of the Fe  xv transitions which are blended have had the species responsible clearly identified, although there remain a few instances where this has not been possible. We briefly address the long-standing discrepancy between theory and experiment for the intensity ratio of the  3s^2 1S–3s3p ³P₁  intercombination line at 417.25 Å  to the  3s^2 1S–3s3p ¹P  resonance transition at 284.16 Å.     

Si x emission lines in spectra obtained with the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS)

New R -matrix calculations of electron impact excitation rates for transitions among the 2s²2p, 2s2p² and 2p³ levels of Si  x are presented. These data are subsequently used, in conjunction with recent estimates for proton excitation rates, to derive theoretical electron density sensitive emission-line ratios involving transitions in the ∼253–356 Å wavelength range. A comparision of these with observations of a solar active region and subflare, obtained during the 1989 flight of the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph ( SERTS ), reveals that the electron densities determined from most of the Si  x line ratios are consistent with one another for both solar features. In addition, the derived densities are also in good agreement with the values of N _e estimated from diagnostic lines in other species formed at similar electron temperatures to Si  x , such as Fe  xii and Fe  xiii . These results provide observational support for the general accuracy of the adopted atomic data, and hence line ratio calculations, employed in the present analysis. However, we find that the Si  x 256.32-Å line is blended with the He  ii transition at the same wavelength, while the feature at 292.25 Å is not due to Si  x , but currently remains unidentified. The intensity of the 253.81-Å line in the SERTS active region spectrum is about a factor of 3 larger than expected from theory, but the reason for this is unclear, and requires additional observations to explain the discrepancy.     

Fe xiixii emission lines in solar active regions observed by the RES-C spectroheliograph on the CORONAS-I mission

Theoretical line intensity ratios involving Fe  xii transitions in the 186–201 Å wavelength range are compared with observational data for five solar active regions, obtained by the RES-C spectroheliograph on the CORONAS-I mission. Generally good agreement is found between theory and observation, hence resolving discrepancies previously found in the comparison of calculations with active region and subflare spectra from the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph ( SERTS ). However, the Fe  xii 190.06- and 201.12-Å lines are blended with Fe  x 190.04 Å and Fe  xiii 201.13 Å, respectively. In addition, a weak feature at ∼197 Å, tentatively identified as Fe  xii 196.87 Å, does not appear to be due to this ion.     

An investigation of Fe xvi emission lines in solar and stellar extreme-ultraviolet and soft X-ray spectra

New fully relativistic calculations of radiative rates and electron impact excitation cross-sections for Fe  xvi are used to determine theoretical emission-line ratios applicable to the 251–361 and 32–77 Å portions of the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) and soft X-ray spectral regions, respectively. A comparison of the EUV results with observations from the Solar Extreme-Ultraviolet Research Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS) reveals excellent agreement between theory and experiment. However, for emission lines in the 32–49 Å portion of the soft X-ray spectral region, there are large discrepancies between theory and measurement for both a solar flare spectrum obtained with the X-Ray Spectrometer/Spectrograph Telescope (XSST) and for observations of Capella from the Low-Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (LETGS) on the Chandra X-ray Observatory . These are probably due to blending in the solar flare and Capella data from both first-order lines and from shorter wavelength transitions detected in second and third order. By contrast, there is very good agreement between our theoretical results and the XSST and LETGS observations in the 50–77 Å wavelength range, contrary to previous results. In particular, there is no evidence that the Fe  xvi emission from the XSST flare arises from plasma at a much higher temperature than that expected for Fe  xvi in ionization equilibrium, as suggested by earlier work.     

Mgix emission lines in an active region spectrum obtained with the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS)

Theoretical electron-temperature-sensitive Mgix emission line ratios are presented forR _I =I(443.96 )/I(368.06 ),R ₂ =I(439.17 )/I(368.06 ),R ₃ =I(443.37 )/I(368.06 ),R ₄ =I(441.22 )/I(368.06 ), andR ₅ =I(448.28 )/I(368.06 ). A comparison of these with observational data for a solar active region, obtained during a rocket flight by the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS), reveals excellent agreement between theory and observation forR ₁ throughR ₄, with discrepancies that average only 9%. This provides experimental support for the accuracy of the atomic data adopted in the line ratio calculations, and also resolves discrepancies found previously when the theoretical results were compared with solar data from the S082A instrument on boardSkylab. However in the case ofR ₅, the theoretical and observed ratios differ by almost a factor of 2. This may be due to the measured intensity of the 448.28 line being seriously affected by instrumental effects, as it lies very close to the long wavelength edge of the SERTS spectral coverage (235.46–448.76 ).     

一个复杂太阳射电爆发及其微波源和远紫外冕环特征的初步研究

利用太阳射电宽带频谱仪(0．7-7．6GHz)于2001年10月19日观测到的复杂太阳射电大爆发，呈现出许多有趣的特征，结合NoRH(Nobeyama Radio Heliograph)的高空间分辨率射电成像观测及TRACE(Transition Region and Coronal Explorer)在远紫外(EUV)波段的高空间分辨率成像观测资料，分析了该爆发的射电频谱特征和微波射电源的演化以及它们与复杂的EUV日冕环系统的关系，该爆发是一个双带大耀斑的射电表征．前一部分以宽带(从厘米到米波)爆发为主，机制是回旋同步辐射，所对应的是环足源的辐射；后一部分以窄带(分米到米波)分米波爆发为主，机制是等离子体辐射和回旋共振辐射的联合，对应的是环顶源的辐射。     

Solar EUV line identifications from delayed beam-foil spectra

A number of electric dipole transitions from low-lying long-lived levels in Si-, P- and S-like ions of Fe and neighbouring elements have been identified by their longevity in delayed EUV spectra after foil excitation of fast ion beams. Some of these new identifications pertain to previously unidentified lines in solar flare spectra.     

Solar Magnetism and the Activity Telescope at HSOS

A new solar telescope system is described, which has been operating at Huairou Solar Observing Station (HSOS), National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), since the end of 2005. This instrument, the Solar Magnetism and Activity Telescope (SMAT), comprises two telescopes which respectively make measurements of full solar disk vector magnetic field and Hα observation. The core of the full solar disk video vector magnetograph is a birefringent filter with 0.1  bandpass, installed in the tele-centric optical system of the telescope. We present some preliminary observational results of the full solar disk vector magnetograms and Hα filtergrams obtained with this telescope system.     

Transition region and coronal plasmas: instrumentation and spectral analysis

The plasma conditions in the solar atmosphere and, in particular, in coronal holes are summarized, before space-borne instrumentation for observing these regions in vacuum-ultraviolet light is briefly introduced with the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) spectrometer on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) as example. Spectroscopic measurements of small plasma jets are then analyzed in detail. Magnetic reconnection is thought to be responsible for heating the corona of the Sun as well as accelerating the solar wind by converting magnetic energy into thermal and kinetic energies. The continuous outflow of the fast solar wind from coronal holes on ‘open’ field lines, which reach out into interplanetary space, then requires many reconnection events of very small scale sizes – most of them probably below the resolution capabilities of present-day instruments. Our observations of such an event have been obtained with the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) providing both high-resolution imaging and spectral information for structural and dynamical studies. We find whirling or rotating motions as well as jets with acceleration along their propagation paths in close spatial and temporal vicinity to the coronal jet. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The anomalous intensities of helium lines in the quiet solar transition region

Previous studies using observations made at low spatial and spectral resolution showed that the resonance lines of He  i and He  ii are anomalously strong in the quiet Sun when compared with other transition region lines formed at similar temperatures. Here, the higher spatial and spectral resolution provided by the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer ( cds ) instrument on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory ( SOHO ) is used to re-examine the behaviour of the He  i and He  ii lines and other transition region lines, in quiet regions near Sun centre. Supergranulation cell boundaries and cell interiors are examined separately. Near-simultaneous observations with the sumer instrument provide information on the lower transition region and the electron pressure. While the lines of He  i and He  ii have a common behaviour, as do the other transition region lines, the behaviour of the helium lines relative to the other transition region lines is significantly different. The emission measure distributions that account for all transition region lines, except those of helium, fail to produce sufficient emission in the He  i and He  ii resonance lines by around an order of magnitude, in both supergranulation cell boundary and cell interior regions. The electron pressure appears to be higher in the cell interiors than in the average cell boundaries, although the uncertainties are large. While the VAL-D model gives a closer match to the He  i 584.3-Å line, it does not successfully reproduce other transition region lines.     

High-frequency oscillations in a solar active region coronal loop

The Solar Eclipse Corona Imaging System (SECIS) was used to record high-cadence observations of the solar corona during the total solar eclipse of 1999 August 11. During the 2 min 23.5 s of totality, 6364 images were recorded simultaneously in each of the two channels: a white light channel, and the Fe  xiv (5303 Å) 'green line' channel ( T ∼2 MK) . Here we report initial results from the SECIS experiment, including the discovery of a 6-s intensity oscillation in an active region coronal loop.     

A comparison of theoreticalCIV emission line strengths with active region observations obtained with the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS)

Theoretical line ratios involving 2s ² S - 3p ² P, 2p ² P - 3s ² S, and 2p ² S - 3d ² D transitions inCiv between 312 and 420 Å are presented. A comparison of these with solar active region observational data obtained during a rocket flight by the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS) reveals good agreement between theory and experiment, with discrepancies that average only 22%. This provides experimental support for the accuracy of the atomic data adopted in the line ratio calculations, and also resolves discrepancies found previously when the theoretical results were compared with solar data from the S082A instrument on boardSkylab. The potential usefulness of theCIV line ratios as electron temperature diagnostics for the solar transition region is briefly discussed.     

Coronal Fe ix line intensities and electron density diagnostics

The relative intensities of the most prominent extreme-ultraviolet lines of Fe  ix , seen in the outer atmospheres of the Sun and other stars, have been shown to be inconsistent with the best available atomic data. The density-sensitive Fe  ix λ 241.7/ λ 244.9 line intensity ratio, for example, yields electron densities in the solar corona that disagree with those obtained from ratios in other ions, particularly at higher densities. We show here that these differences can be largely removed by using newly calculated atomic data, in particular electron impact collision strengths that include pronounced resonance features, and by incorporating a measure of line excitation by collisional excitation and cascading.     

Scaling-laws of Radio Spike Bursts and Their Constraints on New Solar Radio Telescopestwo

Radio observation is one of important methods in solar physics and space science. Sometimes, it is almost the sole approach to observe the physical processes such as the acceleration, emission, and propagation of non-thermal energetic particles, etc. So far, more than 100 solar radio telescopes have been built in the world, including solar radiometers, dynamic spectrometers, and radioheliographs. Some of them have been closed after the fulfillment of their primary scientific objectives, or for their malfunctions, and thus replaced by other advanced instruments. At the same time, based on some new technologies and scientific ideas, various kinds of new and much more complicated solar radio telescopes are being constructed by solar radio astronomers and space scientists, such as the American E-OVSA and the solar radio observing system under the framework of Chinese Meridian Project II, etc. When we plan to develop a new solar radio telescope, it is crucial to design the most suitable technical parameters, e.g., the observing frequency range and bandwidth, temporal resolution, frequency resolution, spatial resolution, polarization degree, and dynamic range. Then, how do we select a rational set of these parameters? The long-term observation and study revealed that a large strong solar radio burst is frequently composed of a series of small bursts with different time scales. Among them, the radio spike burst is the smallest one with the shortest lifetime, the narrowest bandwidth, and the smallest source region. Solar radio spikes are considered to be related to a single magnetic energy release process, and can be regarded as an elementary burst in solar flares. It is a basic requirement for the new solar radio telescope to observe and discriminate these solar radio spike bursts, even though the temporal and spatial scales of radio spike bursts actually vary with the observing frequency. This paper presents the scaling laws of the lifetime and bandwidth of solar radio spike bursts with respect to the observing frequency, which provide some constraints for the new solar radio telescopes, and help us to select the rational telescope parameters. Besides, we propose a spectrum-image combination mode as the best observation mode for the next-generation solar radio telescopes with high temporal, spectral, and spatial resolutions, which may have an important significance for revealing the physical essence of the various non-thermal processes in violent solar eruptions.     

Determination of the Topology Skeleton of Magnetic Fields in a Solar Active Region

Magnetic topology has been a key to the understanding of magnetic energy re-lease mechanism. Based on observed vector magnetograms, we have determined the three-dimensional (3D) topology skeleton of the magnetic fields in the active region NOAA 10720.The skeleton consists of six 3D magnetic nulls and a network of corresponding spines, fans,and null-null lines. For the first time, we have identified a spiral magnetic null in Sun's corona.The magnetic lines of force twisted around the spine of the null, forming a 'magnetic wreath'with excess of free magnetic energy and resembling observed brightening structures at extra-ultraviolet (EUV) wavebands. We found clear evidence of topology eruptions which are re-ferred to as catastrophic changes of topology skeleton associated with a coronal mass ejection(CME) and an explosive X-ray flare. These results shed new lights on the structural complex-ity and its role in explosive magnetic activity. The concept of flux rope has been widely used in modelling explosive magnetic activity, although their observational identity is rather ob-scure or, at least, lacking of necessary details up to date. We suggest that the magnetic wreath associated with the 3D spiral null is likely an important class of the physical entity of flux ropes.