Imaging Observations of Chromospheric Evaporation in a Circular-ribbon Flare

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, we report our multiwavelength imaging observations of chromospheric evaporation in a C5.5 circular-ribbon flare (CRF) on 2014 August 24. The flare was observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the X-ray Telescope (XRT) on board the Hinode spacecraft, and the ground-based Nobeyama Radioheliograph. The CRF consisted of a discrete circular ribbon with a diameter of ∼1′ and a short inner ribbon observed in ultraviolet (UV), extreme-ultraviolet, soft X-ray (SXR), and especially in 17 GHz. The peak time (∼04:58 UT) of the flare in 17 GHz coincided with that in UV 1600 Å and SXR derivative as a hard X-ray proxy, implying the peak time of impulsive energy deposition in the lower atmosphere. Shortly after the peak time, converging motion and filling processes in the flare loop were revealed in AIA 131 Å and two XRT filters (Be_thin and Be_med), which are clear evidence for chromospheric evaporation upflows. The chromospheric evaporation lasted for ∼6 minutes until ∼05:04 UT. The temperature, density, and apparent velocities of the upflows are ∼107 K, ∼1.8 × 1010 cm−3, and 50−630 km s−1 with a mean value of ∼170 km s−1. By comparison with previous models, we are able to estimate that energies above 5 × 1010 erg cm−2 s−1 are likely needed to explain the observational results. Since heating by thermal conduction does not seem to provide enough energy, alternative mechanisms such as nonthermal electrons or Alfvénic waves might need to be invoked.