Evolution of flare ribbons and energyrelease

We examined the relation between the evolutions of the H flare ribbons and the released magnetic energiesat a solar flare which occurred on 2001 April 10. This is the first study to evaluate the released energy quantitatively, based on the magnetic reconnection model, and by using the data obtained with the multi wavelength observation. We measured the, photospheric magnetic field strengths and the separation speeds of the fronts of the H flare ribbon, and compared them the nonthermal behaviors observed in HXRs and microwaves. Those nonthermal radiation sources tell us when and where large energy releases occur. Then, by using the photospheric and chromospheric features, we estimated the released magnetic energy at the flare. The estimated energy release rates at the H kernels associated with the HXR sources are locally large enough to explain the difference between the spatial distribution the H kernels and the HXR sources. Their temporal evolution of the energy release rates also shows peaks corresponding to HXR bursts.     

RHESSI observation of the M4.0 flare on 17 March 2002

The M4.0/SF flare on 17 March 2002 is a good example of the early observations with RHESSI. We presenthard X-ray images, light curves and energy spectra of individual hard X-ray sources, the spatial relationship between the hard X-ray sources and the H emission regions, and comparisons of light curves observed by RHESSI and GOES. We found that the picture exhibited by RHESSI is consistent with the general cartoon of a solar flare. In particular, we showed that the hard X-ray image spectra could be explained by a power-law electron beam with a lower energy cutoff E_c. The derived E_c could be as high as 40 keV, larger than the usually value of 20 keV.     

Eruption of huge magnetic systems from the sun

A number of evidences is presented supporting an idea that both the eruptive prominences as well as the associated white light transients are generated by eruptions of a huge magnetic field system from the solar surface. The presented opinion is based on a detailed comparison of the geometry, the characteristic features during the expansion and the location on the limb of the white light transients recorded by coronographs on board of the SKYLAB, P-78 and SMM satellites, with the eruptive prominences observed in Hα at the Wroclaw Astronomical Observatory.     

High temperature alters the growth reaction of Pottia protonemata.

Under gravistimulation, dark-grown protonemata of Pottia intermedia revealed negative gravitropism with a growth rate of approximately 28 μm·h⁻¹ at room temperature (20 °C). In 7 days, the protonema formed a bundle of vertically oriented filaments. At an elevated temperature (30 °C), bundles of vertically growing filaments were also formed. However, both filament growth rate and amplitude of the gravicurvature were reduced. Red light (RL) irradiation induced a positive phototropism of most apical protonemal cells at 20 °C. In a following period of darkness, approximately two-thirds of such cells began to grow upward again, recovering their negative gravitropism. RL irradiation at the elevated temperature caused a partial increase in the number of protonemal cells with negative phototropism, but the protonemata did not exhibit negative gravitropism after transfer to darkness. The negative gravitropic reaction was renewed only when protonemata were placed at 20 °C. A dramatic decrease in starch amount in protonemal apical cells, which are sensitive to both gravity and light, occurred at the higher temperature. Such a decrease may be one of the reasons for the inhibition of the protonemal gravireaction at the higher temperature. The observation has a bearing on the starch-statolith theory.     

Test alert service against very large SEP Events

The Aragats Solar Environment Center provides real time monitoring of different components of secondary cosmic ray fluxes. We plan to use this information to establish an early warning alert system against extreme, very large solar particle events with hard spectra, dangerous for satellite electronics and for the crew of the Space Station. Neutron monitors operating at altitude 2000 and 3200 m are continuously gathering data to detect possible abrupt variations of the particle count rates. Additional high precision detectors measuring muon and electron fluxes, along with directional information are under construction on Mt. Aragats. Registered ground level enhancements, in neutron and muon fluxes along with correlations between different species of secondary cosmic rays are analyzed to reveal possible correlations with expected times of arrival of dangerous solar energetic particles.     

日冕物质抛射在太阳活动周期内的变化

本文利用SMM1980年和1984年观测的两组日冕物质抛射事件(CMF)及同期耀斑和爆发日珥观测资料,从速度、位置及活动相关率三个方面分析CME在这两个不同时期的特征,并由此推测它在整个太阳活动周内的变化趋势.     

Analysis of long duration flares

Yohkoh has observed many long duration events permitting a statistical study of the properties of these interesting events. We have selected ten flares for analysis which have durations between 5 and 20 hours, and size ranging from C to X GOES class. Employing the Soft X-ray Telescope, the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer, GOES spacecraft, and ground-based H data, we examine the morphology, temperature, emission measure, location of the hard X-ray source, non-thermal velocities and upflows of the plasma at different stages in the flare development. Our results are used to address the question of the energy source that maintains the hot plasma at temperatures of several million degrees for many hours.     

On the association of eruptive prominences, coronal holes and current sheets with the coronal mass ejections

In this paper, a study of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed by Solar Maximum Mission satellite (SMM) during the period March – September, 1980, is presented. An attempt to identify various possible associations of the solar phenomena, for example, the location of coronal holes, the role of eruptive filaments or prominences, and current-sheets with the CMEs is carried out. It is shown that the combined associations of these three play an important role in the occurrence of geoeffective CMEs and also act as a tool to predict the associated geomagnetic activity.     

X-ray filaments in cluster cooling flows

ROSAT HRI images were obtained for two clusters of galaxies which contain strong cooling flows, A2029 and 2A0335+096. These observations confirm that gas is cooling at rates of in A2029 and in 2A0335+096. In both clusters, the X-ray emission from the inner cooling flow regions (r 100 kpc) is very inhomogeneous, with the X-ray surface brightness being dominated by a number of X-ray emitting filaments. Using the crude spectral resolution of the HRI, we show that these filaments are the result of excess emission, rather than foreground X-ray absorption. Although there are uncertainties in the pointing, many of the X-ray features in the cooling flow region of 2A0335+096 correspond to features in H optical line emission. This indicates that the 10⁴ K gas originates through the cooling of hot X-ray emitting gas. The gas is the filaments is too dense to be in hydrostatic equilibrium, and it is likely that other forces such as rotation, turbulence, and magnetic fields influence the dynamical state of the gas. The filaments may be supported in part by magnetic fields and may be connected with the filaments of very strong Faraday rotation seen in several nearly cooling flows.     

太阳微波爆发频谱事件

国家天文台 1.0-2.0GHZ,2.6-3.8 GHz太阳射电频谱仪从1994年1月和1996年9月投入观测至2000年4月10日记录到太阳射电爆发分别为297个和316个.取得了高质量的高时间分辨率、高频率分辨率的动态谱资料,为研究耀斑各种尺度的时间及空间演化过程提供了丰富的信息.1998年4月15日的共同事件在时间和频率上显示了丰富的幅度和结构的变化.     

On some large solar energetic particle events: Direct impulsive component and broad associated coronal mass ejections

Using the proton intensity and X-ray flux data from the GOES, combined with the observations of the associated solar eruptions by the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment (LASCO) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), 14 large SEP events occurring in the period 2000 January–2002 April have been studied. It is found that: (1) events with the SEPs increasing shortly after the maximum of their parent flares (<1 h; hereafter prompt events) have rapid and great (up to four orders of magnitude) SEP increments in high-energy channels (> ∼100 MeV); however, for events whose onset of the SEP injection lags the flare maximum for a long time (>3 h; hereafter delayed events), the high-energy SEPs show no obvious enhancements (within one order of magnitude); (2) peak intensity of the prompt events is distinctly larger than that of the delayed events; (3) CMEs associated with the poorly magnetically connected events (source region <W30°) in our survey are all halo CMEs. From these observational differences, we propose a special scenario of the production of the largest SEP events: both CMEs and flares are induced in the same coronal process; high-energy particles accelerated in the reconnection region can escape easily from the open field lines and/or be transported by fast CMEs into interplanetary space, indicating a direct impulsive component in large gradual SEP events. Meanwhile, the broad width of the associated CMEs implies that the CME width is more important in SEP events production than previously considered.     

Multi-scale reconnections in a complex CME

A series of three flares of GOES class M, M and C, and a CME were observed on 20 January 2004 occurring in close succession in NOAA 10540. Types II, III, and N radio bursts were associated. We use the combined observations from TRACE, EIT, Hα images from Kwasan Observatory, MDI magnetograms, GOES, and radio observations from Culgoora and Wind/ WAVES to understand the complex development of this event. We reach three main conclusions. First, we link the first two impulsive flares to tether-cutting reconnections and the launch of the CME. This complex observation shows that impulsive quadrupolar flares can be eruptive. Second, we relate the last of the flares, an LDE, to the relaxation phase following forced reconnections between the erupting flux rope and neighbouring magnetic field lines, when reconnection reverses and restores some of the pre-eruption magnetic connectivities. Finally, we show that reconnection with the magnetic structure of a previous CME launched about 8 h earlier injects electrons into open field lines having a local dip and apex (located at about six solar radii height). This is observed as an N-burst at decametre radio wavelengths. The dipped shape of these field lines is due to large-scale magnetic reconnection between expanding magnetic loops and open field lines of a neighbouring streamer. This particular situation explains why this is the first N-burst ever observed at long radio wavelengths.     

Sun earth connection coronal and heliospheric investigation (SECCHI)

The Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation (SECCHI) on the NASA Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) mission is a suite of remote sensing instruments consisting of an extreme ultraviolet imager, two white light coronagraphs, and a heliospheric imager. Two spacecraft with identical instrumentation will obtain simultaneous observations from viewpoints of increasing separation in the ecliptic plane. In support of the STEREO mission objectives, SECCHI will observe coronal mass ejections from their birth at the Sun, through the outer corona, to their impact at Earth. The SECCHI program includes a coordinated effort to develope magneto-hydrodynamic models and visualization tools to interpret the images that will be obtained from the two spacecraft viewpoints. The resulting three-dimensional analysis of CMEs will help to resolve some of the fundamental outstanding questions in solar physics.     

Continuous tracking of cmes using MICA, andLASCO C2 and C3 coronagraphs

In this work we have tracked coronal mass ejections observed with the ground based Mirror Coronagraph for Argentina (MICA) and the Large Angle and Spectroscopic Coronagraph (LASCO) C2 and C3 on board of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The MICA telescope is located at El Leoncito (31.8 S, 69.3 W), San Juan (Argentina), since 1997 as part of a bilateral scientific project between Germany and Argentina. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. Together these instruments are able to observe the solar corona ranging from 1.05 to 32 solar radii. MICA images the Fe XIV emission line corona and LASCO coronagraphs observe the Thomson scattered white light corona. We have selected events for which there are observations from the three coronagraphs. Using the composite data we were able to obtain height-time diagrams for the corresponding dynamical coronal features traveling outwards in order to determine some of their kinematical properties, i.e., plane of sky velocity and acceleration.     

Galaxies at the detection limits of deep X-ray surveys

The great sensitivities of the Chandra X-ray Observatory and XMM-Newton have allowed us to begin to explore the X-ray emission from galaxies at moderate to high redshift. By using the stacking method, we show that we can detect the ensemble emission from normal elliptical, spiral and irregular galaxies out to redshifts approaching unity. The average X-ray luminosity of these galaxy types can then be compared with the results of models of the evolution in the numbers of low-mass and high-mass X-ray binaries and can possibly be used to constrain models of star formation.     

Understanding solar flares from opticalobservations: How do particle beams affect the lower atmosphere?

During the impulsive phase of solar flares, both hard X-ray (HXR) and optical emissions exhibit fast temporal fluctuations detectable down to sub-second scales. This is usually ascribed to the propagation of beams of accelerated particles and to the dissipation of their energy in lower layers of the solar atmosphere. Although it is rather difficult to prove a temporal correlation between HXR and optical intensity variations, we discuss here some previous results and recent attempts. Namely in coordination with RHESSI observations, several ground-based observatories started to detect fast optical variations in the H line. In addition to this, we also mention a possibility of using some other diagnostically important lines. The proper interpretation of coordinated HXR and optical observations further requires robust tools for radiation-hydrodynamical (RHD) forward modeling. We briefly describe a new ‘hybrid’ code which consists of RHD part and particle-simulation part. Short-duration heating due to beam pulses is modeled which allows us to predict temporal fluctuations of HXR and selected optical and UV lines formed in chromospheric layers and in the transition region. Particularly the line asymmetries originating in a highly dynamical lower atmosphere of the flare can be used to diagnose the response of these layers to particle beams.     

Statistical properties of SEP event flux declines

The interplanetary space is not a passive medium, which merely constitutes a scene for the propagation of previously accelerated energetic particles, but influences the distribution of particles by changing their energies as well due to interactions with magnetic field inhomogeneities. Such processes manifest themselves in the energy spectra of solar energetic particle (SEP) events. In this paper the fluxes of protons with energies of 4–60 MeV are investigated on the basis of two data sets. Both sets are homogeneous, obtained by the CPME instrument aboard the IMP 8 satellite between 1974 and 2001. The first includes all SEP events where the integral fluxes of >4 MeV protons exceeded 2 particle/cm² s sr. The other set consists of fluxes recorded in differential energy windows between 0.5 and 48 MeV. Important characteristics of SEP events include the rates of decrease of particle flux, which, as well as peak flux time, is an integral feature of the interplanetary medium within a considerable region, surrounding the observation point. The time intervals selected cover the decay phases of SEP events following flares, CMEs and interplanetary shocks of different origin. Only those parts of declines were selected, that could reasonably be described by exponential dependence, irrespective of the gradual/impulsive character of the events. It is shown that the average values of characteristic decay time, τ, and energy spectral index, γ, are all changing with the solar activity phase. Distributions of τ and γ values are obtained in SEPs with and without shocks and during different phases of events: just after peak flux and late after maximum.     

快变分量观测与基本分量特性

本文对太阳２２周峰年期云南天文台日冕射电频谱仪观测到的６０个快速事件作了分析。从中获得了尖峰辐射、增强噪暴、快速起伏、类尖峰、叠加脉冲五种快变型别，对它们的亮温度、叠加特性、特征时间、辐射源尺度、偏振特性以及辐射机制六个方面作了分析研究后，对射电爆发、缓变分量和宁静太阳的辐射特征参量也作了研究，从而得出基本分量特性。     

The occurrence of single hard X-raysources in solar flares

The ‘standard’ thick target flare model predicts the existence of strong hard X-ray emission at the footpointsof a flare loop. However, Yohkoh observations suggest that up to 20% of events with data available in three or more Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT) channels show only a single source. Combining datasets from Yohkoh, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), and Nobeyama Radio Heliograph (NoRH), we compare the characteristics of these single source events to double source events. The objective of this study is to determine whether these represent unresolved double footpoints, asymmetric electron deposition due to magnetic mirroring effects, or a genuine departure from the ‘standard’ model.     

The characteristics of flare- and CME-productive solar active regions

Solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) cause immediate and adverse effects on the interplanetary space and geospace. In an era of space-based technical civilization, the deeper understanding of the mechanisms that produce them and the construction of efficient prediction schemes are of paramount importance. The source regions of flares and CMEs exhibit some common morphological characteristics, such as $\delta$-spots, filaments and sigmoids, which are associated with strongly sheared magnetic polarity inversion lines, indicative of the complex magnetic configurations that store huge amounts of free magnetic energy and helicity. The challenge is to transform this empirical knowledge into parameters/predictors that can help us distinguish efficiently between quiet, flare-, and CME-productive (eruptive) active regions. This paper reviews these efforts to parameterize the characteristics of eruptive active regions as well as the importance of transforming new knowledge into more efficient predictors and including new types of data. Magnetic properties of active regions were first introduced when systematic ground-based observations of the photospheric magnetic field became possible and the relevant research was boosted by the provision of near real time, uninterrupted, high-quality observations from space, which allowed the study of large, statistically significant samples. Nonetheless, flare and CME prediction still faces a number of challenges. The magnetic field information is still constrained at the photospheric level and accessed only from one vantage point of observation, thus there is always need for better predictors; the dynamic behavior of active regions is still not fully incorporated into predictions; the inherent stochasticity of flares and CMEs renders their prediction probabilistic, thus benchmark sets are necessary to optimize and validate predictions. To meet these challenges, researchers have put forward new magnetic properties, which describe different aspects of magnetic energy storage mechanisms in active regions and offer the opportunity of parametric studies for over an entire solar cycle. This inventory of features/predictors is now expanded to include information from flow fields, transition region and coronal spectroscopy, data-driven modeling of the coronal magnetic field, as well as parameterizations of dynamic effects from time series. Further work towards these directions may help alleviate the current limitations in observing the magnetic field of higher atmospheric layers. In this task, fundamental and operational research converge, with promising results which could stimulate the development of new missions and lay the ground for future exploratory studies, also profiting from and utilizing the long anticipated observations of the new generation of instruments.