The correspondence between x-ray bright points and evolving magnetic features in the quiet sun

Abstract

Coronal bright points, first identified as X-ray Bright Points (XBPs), are compact, short-lived and associated with small-scale, opposite polarity magnetic flux features. Previous studies have yielded contradictory results suggesting that XBPs are either primarily a signature of emerging flux in the quiet Sun, or of the disappearance of pre-existing flux. With the goal of improving our understanding of the evolution of the quiet Sun magnetic field, we present results of a study of more recent data on XBPs and small-scale evolving magnetic structures. The coordinated data set consists of X-ray images obtained during rocket flights on 15 August and 11 December, 1987, full-disk magnetograms obtained at the National Solar Observatory - Kitt Peak, and time-lapse magnetograms of multiple fields obtained at Big Bear Solar Observatory. We find that XBPs were more frequently associated with pre-existing magnetic features of opposite polarity which appeared to be cancelling than with emerging or new flux regions. Most young, emerging regions were not associated with XBPs. However, some XBPs were associated with older ephemeral regions, some of which were cancelling with existing network or intranetwork poles. Nearly all of the XBPs corresponded to opposite polarity magnetic features which wereconverging towards each other; some of these had not yet begun cancelling. We suggest that most XBPs form when converging flow brings oppositely directed field lines together, leading to reconnection and heating of the newly-formed loops in the low corona.