Coronal Emission Research Articles

Analyzing Electron Beam-Induced Coronal Extreme Ultraviolet Emissions and Solar Radio Bursts Type III During M-Class Flares: A Preliminary Study

Abstract Solar flare events are triggered by the process of magnetic reconnection, which leads to a sudden release of stored magnetic energy and intensifies the electromagnetic emissions across the entire spectrum. In this preliminary study, we investigate the role of accelerated electron beams from acceleration site in enhancing Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) emissions in the solar corona and generating metric solar radio bursts type III (SRBT III) during M-class flare events. By focusing on six flare events associated with SRBT III, which occurred between June 15, 2024, and June 25, 2024, we utilize data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and the Compound Astronomical Low-cost Low-frequency Instrument for Spectroscopy and Transportable Observatory (CALLISTO) network to conduct our analysis. Our analysis involves examining the temporal and spatial patterns of coronal 171 Å EUV emissions and Type III radio bursts during these M-class flare events. Additionally, we conducted a visual inspection of 171 A EUV image in the active region to observe changes in the coronal loops and structural modifications throughout the flare. Our findings reveal a significant temporal correlation between the EUV and Type III radio emissions, along with noticeable structural modifications in the EUV images. These observations suggest that accelerated electron beams originating from the acceleration site play a crucial role in driving both phenomena.

Modeling Multiple X-Ray Reflection in Super-Eddington Winds

It has been recently discovered that a few super-Eddington sources undergoing black hole super-Eddington accretion exhibit X-ray reflection signatures. In such new systems, one expects the coronal X-ray emissions to be mainly reflected by optically thick super-Eddington winds instead of thin disks. In this paper, we conduct a series of general-relativistic ray-tracing and Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations to model the X-ray reflection signatures, especially the characteristic Fe Kα line, produced from super-Eddington accretion flows around nonspinning black holes. In particular, we allow the photons emitted by a lamppost corona to be reflected multiple times in a cone-like funnel surrounded by fast winds. We find that the Fe Kα line profile most sensitively depends on the wind kinematics, while its exact shape also depends on the funnel open angle and corona height. Furthermore, very interestingly, we find that the Fe Kα line can have a prominent double-peak profile in certain parameter spaces, even with a face-on orientation. Moreover, we compare the Fe Kα line profiles produced from super-Eddington and thin disks and show that such lines can provide important insights into the understanding of black hole systems undergoing super-Eddington accretion.

The Decline and Fall of ROME. V. A Preliminary Search for Star-disrupted Planet Interactions and Coronal Activity at 5 GHz among White Dwarfs within 25 pc

The recent discovery of planetesimals orbiting white dwarfs has renewed interest in the final chapters of the evolution of planetary systems. Although observational and theoretical studies have examined the dynamical evolution of these systems, studies of their magnetic star–planet interactions, as powered by unipolar induction, have thus far only been assessed theoretically. This fifth paper of the Radio Observations of Magnetized Exoplanets series presents the results of a targeted minisurvey of nine white dwarfs within 25 pc without known stellar mass companions in search of radio emissions generated by magnetic interactions between white dwarfs and their planetary remnants. This ∼5 GHz Arecibo radio telescope survey achieved mJy-level sensitivity over <1 s integration times. Although no exoplanet-induced stellar radio flares were detected, this is the first survey to search for magnetic star–planet interactions between white dwarfs and planetary companions, cores, or disrupted planetesimals. It is also the most extensive and sensitive radio survey for intrinsic coronal emissions from apparently isolated white dwarfs. The study of radio emissions from white dwarf systems may present a new means to detect and measure DC and DQ magnetic fields, search for white dwarf coronae, characterize the density and spatial distribution of white dwarf magnetospheric plasma, characterize the dynamical and electrical properties of planetary cores, and offer new constraints on the modeling of double-degenerate merger events.

Investigating explosive events in a 3D quiet-Sun model: Transition region and coronal response

Transition region explosive events are characterized by the non-Gaussian profiles of the emission lines that form at transition region temperatures, and they are believed to be manifestations of small-scale reconnection events in the transition region. Traditionally, the enhanced emission at the line wings is interpreted as bi-directional outflows generated by the reconnection of oppositely directed magnetic fields. We investigate whether the 2D picture also holds in a more realistic setup of a 3D radiation magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) quiet-Sun model. We also compare the thermal responses in the transition region and corona of different events. We took a 3D self-consistent quiet-Sun model extending from the upper convection zone to the lower corona calculated using the MURaM code. We first synthesized the Si iv line profiles from the model and then located the profiles which show signatures of bi-directional flows. These tend to appear along network lanes, and most do not reach coronal temperatures. We isolated two hot events (around 1 MK) and one cool event (order of 0.1 MK) and examined the magnetic field evolution in and around these selected events. Furthermore, we investigated why some explosive events reach coronal temperatures, while most remain cool. We also examined the emission of these events as seen in the 174 AA passband of the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on board Solar Orbiter and all coronal passbands of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The field lines around two events reconnect at small angles (i.e., they undergo component reconnection). The third case is associated with the relaxation of a highly twisted flux rope. All three events reveal signatures in the synthesized EUI 174 AA images. The intensity variations in two events are dominated by variations of the coronal emissions, while the cool component seen in the respective channel contributes significantly to the intensity variation in one case. In comparison, one hot event is embedded in regions with higher magnetic field strength and heating rates while the densities are comparable, and the other hot event is heated to coronal temperatures mainly because of the low density. Small-scale heating events seen in the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) channels of AIA or EUI might be hot or cool. Our results imply that the major difference between the events in which coronal counterparts dominate or not is the amount of converted magnetic energy and/or density in and around the reconnection region.

BASS. XLI. The Correlation between Mid-infrared Emission Lines and Active Galactic Nuclei Emission

We analyze Spitzer spectra of 140 active galactic nuclei (AGN) detected in the hard X-rays (14–195 keV) by the Burst Alert Telescope on board Swift. This sample allows us to probe several orders of magnitude in black hole masses (106–109 M ⊙), Eddington ratios (10−3–1), X-ray luminosities (1042–1045 erg s−1), and X-ray column densities (1020–1024 cm−2). The AGN emission is expected to be the dominant source of ionizing photons with energies ≳50 eV, and therefore, high-ionization mid-infrared (MIR) emission lines such as [Ne v] 14.32, 24.32 μm and [O iv] 25.89 μm are predicted to be good proxies of AGN activity, and robust against obscuration effects. We find high detection rates (≳85%–90%) for the MIR coronal emission lines in our AGN sample. The luminosities of these lines are correlated with the 14–150 keV luminosity (with a typical scatter of σ ∼0.4–0.5 dex), strongly indicating that the MIR coronal line (CL) emission is driven by AGN activity. CLs are also tightly correlated to the bolometric luminosity (σ ∼0.2–0.3 dex), calculated from careful analysis of the spectral energy distribution. We find that the relationship between the CL strengths and L 14–150 keV is independent of black hole mass, AGN luminosity, and Eddington ratio, and mostly not affected by high X-ray column densities. This confirms that the MIR CLs can be used as unbiased tracers of the AGN power for X-ray luminosities in the 1042–1045 erg s−1 range.

Measuring Sub-Kelvin Variations in Stellar Temperature with High-resolution Spectroscopy

The detection of stellar variability often relies on the measurement of selected activity indicators, such as coronal emission lines and nonthermal emissions. On the flip side, the effective stellar temperature is normally seen as one of the key fundamental parameters (with mass and radius) to understanding the basic physical nature of a star and its relation with its environment (e.g., planetary instellation). We present a novel approach for measuring disk-averaged temperature variations to sub-Kelvin accuracy inspired by algorithms developed for precision radial velocity (pRV). This framework uses the entire content of the spectrum, not just preidentified lines, and can be applied to existing data obtained with high-resolution spectrographs. We demonstrate the framework by recovering the known rotation periods and temperature modulation of Barnard star and AU Mic in data sets obtained in the infrared with SPIRou at CHFT and at optical wavelengths on ϵ Eridani with HARPS at ESO 3.6 m telescope. We use observations of the transiting hot Jupiter HD189733b, obtained with SPIRou, to show that this method can unveil the minute temperature variation signature expected during the transit event, an effect analogous to the Rossiter–McLaughlin effect but in temperature space. This method is a powerful new tool for characterizing stellar activity, and in particular temperature and magnetic features at the surfaces of cool stars, affecting both pRV and transit spectroscopic observations. We demonstrate this method in the context of high-resolution spectroscopy but it could be used at lower resolution.

New Results on the Onset of a Coronal Mass Ejection from 5303 Å Emission Line Observations with VELC/ADITYA-L1

We report on the onset of a coronal mass ejection (CME) using spectroscopic observations in the 5303 Å coronal emission line with the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) onboard ADITYA-L1, the recently launched first Indian space solar mission. The CME was observed on 2024 July 16 in association with an X1.9 class soft X-ray flare from heliographic location S05W85. The VELC observations were near the west limb of the Sun during the CME. The results obtained helped to constrain the onset time of the CME. In addition, they indicate a ≈50% decrease in the coronal intensity near the source region of the CME due to mass depletion, a ≈15% enhancement in the emission line width, and a redshifted Doppler velocity of about ≈10 km s−1. The nonthermal velocity associated with the line broadening is ≈24.87 km s−1.

A View of the Long-term Spectral Behavior of Ultracompact X-Ray Binary 4U 0614+091

In this study, we examine 51 archival NICER observations and six archival NuSTAR observations of the neutron star ultracompact X-ray binary (UCXB) 4U 0614+091, which span over 5 yr. The source displays persistent reflection features, so we use a reflection model designed for UCXBs, with overabundant carbon and oxygen (xillverCO) to study how various components of the system vary over time. The flux of this source is known to vary quasiperiodically on a timescale of a few days, so we study how the various model components change as the overall flux varies. The flux of most components scales linearly with the overall flux, while the power law, representing coronal emission, is anticorrelated, as expected. This is consistent with previous studies of the source. We also find that during observations of the high-soft state, the disk emissivity profile as a function of radius becomes steeper. We interpret this as the corona receding to be closer to the compact object during these states, at which point the assumed power law illumination of xillverCO may be inadequate to describe the illumination of the disk.

Unexpected major geomagnetic storm caused by faint eruption of a solar trans-equatorial flux rope

Some geomagnetic storms’ solar origins are ambiguous, making them hard to predict. On March 23, 2023, a severe geomagnetic storm occurred, however, forecasts based on remote-sensing observations failed to predict it. Here, we show clear evidence that this storm originates from the eruption of a trans-equatorial, longitudinal and low-density magnetic flux rope (FR) with weaker coronal emission and no chromospheric signs. The FR’s gentle eruption results in a faint full-halo coronal mass ejection (CME), which is missed by forecasters and not included in CME catalogs. Combining magnetic field modeling and in-situ measurements, we reveal the FR’s southward axial magnetic field as the main cause of the geomagnetic storm. This CME is the stealthiest one reported causing a severe geomagnetic storm. Our study highlights that erupting trans-equatorial FRs can generate major geomagnetic storms in a stealthy way. Characteristic observational signatures of similar eruptions are proposed to help in future forecasts.

JADES – the Rosetta stone of JWST-discovered AGN: deciphering the intriguing nature of early AGN

ABSTRACT JWST has discovered a large population of active galactic nuclei (AGN) at high redshift, which are weak in the X-rays. Here we present the NIRSpec spectrum of the most extreme of these objects, GN-28074, an AGN at $z=2.26$ with prominent hydrogen and He i broad lines, and with the highest limit on the bolometric to X-ray luminosity ratio among all spectroscopically confirmed AGN in GOODS. This source is also characterized by a mid-IR excess, likely associated with the AGN torus’ hot dust. The high bolometric luminosity and moderate redshift of this AGN allow us to explore its properties more in depth relative to other JWST-discovered AGN. The NIRSpec spectrum reveals prominent, slightly blueshifted absorption of H$\alpha$, H$\beta$, and He i $\lambda$10830. The Balmer absorption lines require gas with densities of $n_{\rm H}\gt 10^8~{\rm cm}^{-3}$, consistent with clouds in the broad-line region (BLR). This finding suggests that part of the X-ray weakness is due to high (Compton-thick) X-ray absorption by clouds in the BLR, or in its outer regions. GN-28074 is also extremely radio-weak. The radio weakness can also be explained in terms of absorption, as the inferred density of the BLR clouds makes them attenuate the radio emission through free–free absorption. Alternatively, the nuclear magnetic field may be underdeveloped, resulting both in intrinsically weak radio emission and lack of hot corona, hence intrinsic X-ray weakness. Finally, we show that recently proposed scenarios, invoking hyper-dense outflows or Raman scattering to explain the broad H$\alpha$, are ruled out.

Radio Scrutiny of the X-Ray-weak Tail of Low-mass Active Galactic Nuclei: A Novel Signature of High-Eddington Accretion?

The supermassive black holes (M BH ∼ 106–1010 M ⊙) that power luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs), i.e., quasars, generally show a correlation between thermal disk emission in the ultraviolet (UV) and coronal emission in hard X-rays. In contrast, some “massive” black holes (mBHs; M BH ∼ 105–106 M ⊙) in low-mass galaxies present curious X-ray properties with coronal radiative output up to 100× weaker than expected. To examine this issue, we present a pilot study incorporating Very Large Array radio observations of a sample of 18 high-accretion-rate (Eddington ratios L bol/L Edd > 0.1), mBH-powered AGNs (M BH ∼ 106 M ⊙) with Chandra X-ray coverage. Empirical correlations previously revealed in samples of radio-quiet, high-Eddington AGNs indicate that the radio–X-ray luminosity ratio, L R/L X, is approximately constant. Through multiwavelength analysis, we instead find that the X-ray-weaker mBHs in our sample tend toward larger values of L R/L X even though they remain radio-quiet per their optical–UV properties. This trend results in a tentative but highly intriguing correlation between L R/L X and X-ray weakness, which we argue is consistent with a scenario in which X-rays may be preferentially obscured from our line of sight by a “slim” accretion disk. We compare this observation to weak emission-line quasars (AGNs with exceptionally weak broad-line emission and a significant X-ray-weak fraction) and conclude by suggesting that our results may offer a new observational signature for finding high-accretion-rate AGNs.

Coronal magnetic field and emission properties of small-scale bright and faint loops in the quiet Sun

Context. The present study provides statistical information on the coronal magnetic field and intensity properties of small-scale bright and faint loops in the quiet Sun. Aims. We aim to quantitatively investigate the morphological and topological properties of the coronal magnetic field in bright and faint small-scale loops, with the former known as coronal bright points (CBPs). Methods. We analyse 126 small-scale loops of all sizes using quasi-temporal imaging and line-of-sight magnetic field observations. These observations are taken by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) in the Fe XII 193 Å channel and the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory. We employ a recently developed automatic tool that uses a linear magneto-hydro-static (LMHS) model to compute the magnetic field in the solar atmosphere and automatically match individual magnetic field lines with small-scale loops. Results. For most of the loops, we automatically obtain an excellent agreement of the magnetic field lines from the LMHS model and the loops seen in the AIA 193 Å channel. One stand-out result is that the magnetic field is non-potential. We obtain the typical ranges of loop heights, lengths, intensities, mean magnetic field strength along the loops and at loop tops, and magnetic field strength at loop footpoints. We investigate the relationship between all those parameters. We find that loops below the classic chromospheric height of 1.5 Mm are flatter, suggesting that non-magnetic forces (one of which is the plasma pressure) play an important role below this height. We find a strong correlation (Pearson coefficient of 0.9) between loop heights and lengths. An anti-correlation is found between the magnetic field strength at loop tops and loop heights and lengths. The average intensity along the loops correlates stronger with the average magnetic field along the loops than with the field strength at loop tops. Conclusions. The latter correlation indicates that the energy release in the loops is more likely linked to the average magnetic field along the loops than the field strength on the loop tops. In other words, the energy is probably released all along the loops, but not just at the loop top. This result is consistent with a recent benchmarking radiative 3D MHD model.

SN 2021adxl: A luminous nearby interacting supernova in an extremely low-metallicity environment

SN 2021adxl is a slowly evolving, luminous, Type IIn supernova with asymmetric emission line profiles, similar to the well-studied SN 2010jl. We present extensive optical, near-ultraviolet, and near-infrared photometry and spectroscopy covering ∼1.5 years post discovery. SN 2021adxl occurred in an unusual environment, atop a vigorously star-forming region that is offset from its host galaxy core. The appearance of Lyα and O II, as well as the compact core, would classify the host of SN 2021adxl as a “Blueberry” galaxy, analogous to higher redshift, low-metallicity, star-forming dwarf “Green Pea” galaxies. Using several abundance indicators, we find a metallicity of the explosion environment of only ∼0.1 Z⊙, the lowest reported metallicity for a Type IIn SN environment. SN 2021adxl reaches a peak magnitude of Mr ≈ −20.2 mag and since discovery, SN 2021adxl has faded by only ∼4 magnitudes in the r band with a cumulative radiated energy of ∼1.5 × 1050 erg over 18 months. SN 2021adxl shows strong signs of interaction with a complex circumstellar medium, seen by the detection of X-rays, revealed by the detection of coronal emission lines, and through multi-component hydrogen and helium profiles. In order to further understand this interaction, we model the Hα profile using a Monte Carlo electron scattering code. The blueshifted high-velocity component is consistent with emission from a radially thin spherical shell resulting in the broad emission components due to electron scattering. Using the velocity evolution of this emitting shell, we find that the SN ejecta collide with circumstellar material of at least ∼5 M⊙ assuming a steady-state mass-loss rate of ∼4 − 6 × 10−3 M⊙ yr−1 for the first ∼200 days of evolution. SN 2021adxl was last observed to be slowly declining at ∼0.01 mag d−1, and if this trend continues, SN 2021adxl will remain observable after its current solar conjunction. Continuing the observations of SN 2021adxl may reveal signatures of dust formation or an infrared excess, similar to that seen for SN 2010jl.

The Influence of Different Phases of a Solar Flare on Changes in the Total Electron Content in the Earth’s Ionosphere

Abstract Variations in X-ray and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) irradiance during solar flares lead to a noticeable increase in the electron concentration in the illuminated part of the Earth’s ionosphere. Due to the large amount of experimental data accumulated by global navigation satellite systems, the total electron content (TEC) response to the impulsive phase of a solar flare has been studied quite well. However, recent studies have shown that a large fraction of X-class flares have a second strong peak of warm coronal emission (which is called “EUV late phase”), whose influence on the ionization of ionospheric layers is not yet clear. A combined analysis of successive solar emissions and the caused TEC changes made it possible to numerically estimate the ionospheric response to the impulsive, gradual, and late phases of the X2.9 solar flare that occurred on 2011 November 3 and demonstrate the high geoeffectiveness of the rather weak Fe xv 28.4 nm solar emission during the EUV late phase. It was found that the ionospheric response to the relatively weak emissions of the EUV late phase of the X2.9 solar flare amounted to almost a third of the TEC increase during the impulsive phase.

Extreme-ultraviolet Polarimetric Diagnostics of the Solar Corona: The Hanle Effect of Ne viii 770 Å

Magnetic fields are the primary driver of the plasma thermodynamics in the upper solar atmosphere, especially in the corona. However, magnetic field measurements in the solar corona are sporadic, thereby limiting us from the complete understanding of physical processes occurring in the coronal plasma. In this paper, we explore the diagnostic potential of a coronal emission line in the extreme-ultraviolet, i.e., Ne viii 770 Å, to probe the coronal magnetic fields. We utilize 3D “Magnetohydrodynamic Algorithm outside a Sphere” models as input to the FORWARD code to model polarization in the Ne viii line produced as a result of resonance scattering, and we interpret its modification due to collisions and the magnetic fields through the Hanle effect. The polarization maps are synthesized both on the disk and off the limb. The variation of this polarization signal through the different phases of Solar Cycle 24 and the beginning phase of Solar Cycle 25 is studied in order to understand the magnetic diagnostic properties of this line owing to different physical conditions in the solar atmosphere. The detectability of the linear polarization signatures of the Hanle effect significantly improves with increasing solar activity, consistent with the increase in the magnetic field strength and the intensity of the mean solar brightness at these wavelengths. We finally discuss the signal-to-noise ratio requirements by considering realistic instrument designs.

The Nature of X-Rays from Young Stellar Objects in the Orion Nebula Cluster—A Chandra HETGS Legacy Project

The Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) is the closest site of very young (∼1 Myr) massive star formation The ONC hosts more than 1600 young and X-ray bright stars with masses ranging from ∼0.1–35 M ⊙. The Chandra HETGS Orion Legacy Project observed the ONC with the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (HETGS) for 2.1 Ms. We describe the spectral extraction and cleaning processes necessary to separate overlapping spectra. We obtained 36 high-resolution spectra, which include a high-brilliance X-ray spectrum of θ 1 Ori C with over 100 highly significant X-ray lines. The lines show Doppler broadening between 300 and 400 km s−1. Higher spectral diffraction orders allow us to resolve line components of high Z He-like triplets in θ 1 Ori C with unprecedented spectral resolution. Long-term light curves spanning ∼20 yr show all stars to be highly variable, including the massive stars. Spectral fitting with thermal coronal emission line models reveals that most sources show column densities of up to a few times 1022 cm−2 and high coronal temperatures of 10–90 MK. We observe a bifurcation of the high-temperature component where some stars show a high component of 40 MK, while others show above 60 MK, indicating heavy flaring activity. Some lines are resolved with Doppler broadening above our threshold of ∼200 km s−1, up to 500 km s−1. This data set represents the largest collection of HETGS high-resolution X-ray spectra from young pre-main-sequence stars in a single star-forming region to date.

Inferring the iron K emissivity profiles of accretion discs irradiated by extended coronae

ABSTRACT One of the most promising methods to measure the spin of an accreting black hole is fitting the broad iron K$\alpha$ line in the X-ray spectrum. The line profile also depends on the geometry of the hard X-ray emitting corona. To put constraints on the black hole spin and corona geometry, it is essential to understand how do they affect the iron K$\alpha$ line emissivity profile. In this work, we present calculations of the illumination and the iron K$\alpha$ emissivity profiles performed with the Monte Carlo GR radiative transfer code monk. We focus on distinction between the illumination and emissivity profiles, which is in most previous studies neglected. We show that especially for the case of black hole X-ray binaries (BHXRBs), the difference is very large. For active galactic nuclei (AGNs), the emissivity profile has a more similar shape as the illumination profile, but it is notably steeper in the innermost region within a few gravitational radii. We find out that the different behaviour between AGN and BHXRB discs is due to the different energy spectra of the illuminating radiation. This suggests that the emissivity profile of the iron K$\alpha$ line cannot be determined by black hole spin and corona geometry alone and the energy spectrum of the illuminating radiation has to be taken into account. We also examined the effect of including the self-irradiation, and find it to be more important than the corona emission in BHXRBs.

Comprehensive Synthesis of Magnetic Tornado: Cospatial Incidence of Chromospheric Swirls and Extreme-ultraviolet Brightening

Magnetic tornadoes, characterized as impulsive Alfvén waves initiated by photospheric vortices in intergranular lanes, are considered efficient energy channels to the corona. Despite their acknowledged importance for solar coronal heating, their observational counterparts from the corona have not been well understood. To address this issue, we use a radiative magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a coronal loop with footpoints rooted in the upper convection zone and synthesize the chromospheric and coronal emissions corresponding to a magnetic tornado. Considering Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly 171 Å and Solar Orbiter/Extreme Ultraviolet Imager 174 Å channels, our synthesis reveals that the coronal response to magnetic tornadoes can be observed as an EUV brightening of which the width is ∼2 Mm. This brightening is located above the synthesized chromospheric swirl observed in the Ca ii 8542 Å, Ca ii K, and Mg ii k lines, which can be detected by instruments such as the Swedish 1 m Solar Telescope/CRisp Imaging SpectroPolarimeter, Goode Solar Telescope/Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph, and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph. Considering the height correspondence of the synthesized brightening, magnetic tornadoes can be a mechanism for the small-scale EUV brightenings such as the solar “campfires.” Our findings indicate that coordinated observations encompassing the chromosphere to the corona are indispensable for comprehending the origin of coronal EUV brightenings.

Decomposing the AIA 304 Å Channel into Its Cool and Hot Components

The AIA 304 Å channel on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) offers a unique view of ≈105 K\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$\\approx 10^{5}\ ext{ K}$\\end{document} plasma emitting in the He ii 304 Å line. However, when observing off-limb, the emission of the (small) cool structures in the solar atmosphere (such as spicules, coronal rain and prominence material) can be of the same order as the surrounding hot coronal emission from other spectral lines included in the 304 Å passband, particularly over active regions. In this paper, we investigate three methods based on temperature and morphology that are able to distinguish the cool and hot emission within the 304 Å passband. The methods are based on the Differential Emission Measure (DEM), a linear decomposition of the AIA response functions (RFit) and the Blind Source Separation (BSS) technique. All three methods are found to produce satisfactory results in both quiescent and flaring conditions, largely removing the diffuse corona and leading to images with cool material off-limb in sharp contrast with the background. We compare our results with co-aligned data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) in the SJI 1400 Å and 2796 Å channels, and find the RFit method to best match the quantity and evolution of the cool material detected with IRIS. Some differences can appear due to plasma emitting in the logT=5.1–5.5\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$\\log T=5.1\\,\ ext{--}\\,5.5$\\end{document} temperature range, particularly during the catastrophic cooling stage prior to rain appearance during flares. These methods are, in principle, applicable to any passband from any instrument suffering from similar cool and hot emission ambiguity, as long as there is good coverage of the high-temperature range.

The extreme coronal line emitter AT 2022fpx: varying optical polarization properties and late-time X-ray flare

ABSTRACT Supermassive black holes disrupt passing stars, producing outbursts called tidal disruption events (TDEs). TDEs have recently gained attention due to their unique dynamics and emission processes, which are still not fully understood. Especially, the so-called optical TDEs are of interest as they often exhibit delayed or obscured X-ray emission from the accretion disc, making the origin of the prompt emission unclear. In this paper, we present multiband optical polarization observations and optical spectrometry of a recent TDE candidate AT 2022fpx, alongside monitoring observations in optical, ultraviolet, and X-rays. The optical spectra of AT 2022fpx show Bowen fluorescence as well as highly ionized iron emission lines, which are characteristic of extreme coronal line emitters. Additionally, the source exhibits variable but low-polarized continuum emission at the outburst peak, with a clear rotation of the polarization angle. X-ray emission observed approximately 250 d after the outburst peak in the decay appear flare-like but is consistent with constant temperature blackbody emission. The overall outburst decay is slower than for typical TDEs, and resembles more the ones seen from Bowen fluorescence flares. These observations suggest that AT 2022fpx could be a key source in linking different long-lived TDE scenarios. Its unique characteristics, such as extreme coronal line emission, variable polarization, and delayed X-ray flare, can be attributed to the outer shock scenario or a clumpy torus surrounding the supermassive black hole. Further studies, especially in the context of multiwavelength observations, are crucial to fully understand the dynamics and emission mechanisms of these intriguing astrophysical events.