Emission Measure Loci Research Articles

Multiwavelength study of on-disk coronal-hole jets with IRIS and SDO observations

Context. Solar jets are an important field of study, as they may contribute to the mass and energy transfer from the lower to the upper atmosphere. Aims. We use the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) and Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) observations to study two small-scale jets (jet 1 and jet 2) originating in the same on-disk coronal hole observed in October 2013. Methods. We combine dopplergrams, intensity maps, and line width maps derived from IRIS Si IV 1393.755 Å spectra along with images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on SDO to describe the dynamics of the jets. Images from AIA, with the use of the emission measure loci technique and rectangular differential emission measure (DEM) distributions, provide estimations of the plasma temperatures. We used the O IV 1399.77 Å, 1401.16 Å spectral lines from IRIS to derive electron densities. Results. For jet 1, the SDO images show a small mini-filament 2 minutes before the jet eruption, while jet 2 originates at a pre-existing coronal bright point. The analysis of asymmetric spectral profiles of the Si IV 1393.755 Å and 1402.770 Å lines reveals the existence of two spectral components at both regions. One of the components can be related to the background plasma emission originating outside the jet, while the secondary component represents higher-energy plasma flows associated with the jets. Both jets exhibit high densities of the order of 1011 cm−3 at their base and 1010 cm−3 at the spire, respectively, as well as similar average nonthermal velocities of ∼50–60 km/s. However, the two jets show differences in their length, duration, and plane-of-sky velocity. Finally, the DEM analysis reveals that both jets exhibit multithermal distributions. Conclusions. This work presents a comprehensive description of the thermal parameters and the dynamic evolution of two jets. The locations of the asymmetric profiles possibly indicate the areas of energy release triggering the jets.

Coronal Plasma Characterization via Coordinated Infrared and Extreme Ultraviolet Observations of a Total Solar Eclipse

Abstract We present coordinated coronal observations of the 2017 August 21 total solar eclipse with the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) and the Airborne Infrared Spectrometer (AIR-Spec). These instruments provide an unprecedented view of the solar corona in two disparate wavelength regimes, the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and the near- to mid-infrared (IR), opening new pathways for characterizing the complex coronal plasma environment. During totality, AIR-Spec sampled coronal IR spectra near the equatorial west limb, detecting strong sources of Mg viii, S xi, Si ix, and Si x in two passbands encompassing 1.4–4 μm. We apply an intensity-ratio diagnostic to a strong resonant Fe xii line pair arising from the coordinated EIS observations. This results in a high-resolution map of electron density throughout the shared EIS/AIR-Spec field of view. Electron density measurements allow us to produce a similar map of plasma temperature using emission measure (EM) loci analysis as applied to 27 EIS emission lines, providing temperatures of 106.12 ± 103.5 K along the limb and 106.19 ± 103.5 K at about 100″ outward. Applying EM loci analysis to AIR-Spec IR spectra coadded over two 31″ wide ranges centered at two locations, 30″ and 100″ from the limb, produces temperatures consistent with the EIS data, albeit suffering from moderate uncertainties. Regardless, we demonstrate that EUV spectral data are valuable constraints to coronal IR emission models, and will be powerful supplements for future IR solar observatories, particularly DKIST.

Exploring the damping of Alfvén waves along a long off-limb coronal loop, up to 1.4 R⊙

The Alfvén wave energy flux in the corona can be explored using the electron density and velocity amplitude of the waves. The velocity amplitude of Alfvén waves can be obtained from the non-thermal velocity of spectral line profiles. Previous calculations of the Alfvén wave energy flux with height in active regions and polar coronal holes have provided evidence for the damping of Alfvén waves with height. We present off-limb Hinode Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) observations of a long coronal loop up to 1.4 R⊙. We obtained the electron density along the loop and found the loop to be almost in hydrostatic equilibrium. We obtained the temperature using the emission measure-loci (EM-loci) method and found the loop to be isothermal across, as well as along, the loop with a temperature of about 1.37 MK. We significantly improve the estimate of non-thermal velocities over previous studies by using the estimated ion (equal to electron) temperature. Estimates of electron densities are improved using the significant updates of the CHIANTI v.8 atomic data. More accurate measurements of propagating Alfvén wave energy along the coronal loop and its damping are presented up to distances of 1.4 R⊙, further than have been previously explored. The Alfvén wave energy flux obtained could contribute to a significant part of the coronal losses due to radiation along the loop.

Flare-related Recurring Active Region Jets: Evidence for Very Hot Plasma

We present a study of two active region jets (AR jets) that are associated with two C-class X-ray flares. The recurrent, homologous jets originated from the northern periphery of a sunspot. We confirm flare-like temperatures at the footpoints of these jets using spectroscopic observations of Fe xxiii (263.76 A) and Fe xxiv (255.11 A) emission lines. The emission measure loci method was used to obtain an isothermal temperature, and the results show a decrease (17.7 to 13.6 MK) in the temperature during the decay phase of the C 3.0 flare. The electron number densities at the footpoints were found to range from $1.7 \times 10^{10}$ to $2.0 \times 10^{11}~\mbox{cm}^{-3}$ using the Fe xiv line pair ratio. Nonthermal velocities were found to range from 34 – 100 km/s for Fe xxiv and 51 – 89 km/s for Fe xxiii. The plane-of-sky velocities were calculated to be $462 \pm 21$ and $228 \pm 23~\mbox{km}/\mbox{s}$ for the two jets using the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) 171 A channel. The AIA light curves of the jet footpoint regions confirmed the temporal and spatial correlation between the two X-ray flares and the jet footpoint emission. The Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) also confirmed superhot plasma of 27 (25) MK with a nonthermal energy of $2.38 \times 10^{26}$ ( $2.87 \times 10^{27}$ ) $\mbox{erg}\,\mbox{s}^{-1}$ in the jet footpoint region during the rise (peak) phase of one of the flares. The temperatures of the jet footpoint regions obtained from EIS agree very well (within an uncertainty of 20%) with temperatures obtained from the Geostationary Environmental Operational Satellite (GOES) flux ratios. These results provide clear evidence for very hot plasma ( ${>}\,10~\mbox{MK}$ ) at the footpoints of the flare-related jets, and they confirm the heating and cooling of the plasma during the flares.

The Instruments and Capabilities of the Miniature X-Ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSats

The Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSat is the first solar science oriented CubeSat mission flown for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, with the main objective of measuring the solar soft X-ray (SXR) flux and a science goal of determining its influence on Earth’s ionosphere and thermosphere. These observations can also be used to investigate solar quiescent, active region, and flare properties. The MinXSS X-ray instruments consist of a spectrometer, called X123, with a nominal 0.15 keV full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) resolution at 5.9 keV and a broadband X-ray photometer, called XP. Both instruments are designed to obtain measurements from 0.5 – 30 keV at a nominal time cadence of 10 s. A description of the MinXSS instruments, performance capabilities, and relation to the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 0.1 – 0.8 nm flux is given in this article. Early MinXSS results demonstrate the capability of measuring variations of the solar spectral soft X-ray (SXR) flux between 0.8 – 12 keV from at least GOES A5–M5 (5 times 10^{-8},mbox{--},5 times10^{-5}~mbox{W},mbox{m}^{-2}) levels and of inferring physical properties (temperature and emission measure) from the MinXSS data alone. Moreover, coronal elemental abundances can be inferred, specifically for Fe, Ca, Si, Mg, S, Ar, and Ni, when the count rate is sufficiently high at each elemental spectral feature. Additionally, temperature response curves and emission measure loci demonstrate the MinXSS sensitivity to plasma emission at different temperatures. MinXSS observations coupled with those from other solar observatories can help address some of the most compelling questions in solar coronal physics. Finally, simultaneous observations by MinXSS and the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) can provide the most spectrally complete soft X-ray solar flare photon flux measurements to date.

The Plasma Parameters and Geometry of Cool and Warm Active Region Loops

Abstract How the solar corona is heated to high temperatures remains an unsolved mystery in solar physics. In the present study we analyze observations of 50 whole active region loops taken with the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer on board the Hinode satellite. Eleven loops were classified as cool loops (<1 MK) and 39 as warm loops (1–2 MK). We study their plasma parameters, such as densities, temperatures, filling factors, nonthermal velocities, and Doppler velocities. We combine spectroscopic analysis with linear force-free magnetic field extrapolation to derive the 3D structure and positioning of the loops, their lengths and heights, and the magnetic field strength along the loops. We use density-sensitive line pairs from Fe xii, Fe xiii, Si x, and Mg vii ions to obtain electron densities by taking special care of intensity background subtraction. The emission measure loci method is used to obtain the loop temperatures. We find that the loops are nearly isothermal along the line of sight. Their filling factors are between 8% and 89%. We also compare the observed parameters with the theoretical Rosner–Tucker–Vaiana (RTV) scaling law. We find that most of the loops are in an overpressure state relative to the RTV predictions. In a follow-up study, we will report a heating model of a parallel-cascade-based mechanism and will compare the model parameters with the loop plasma and structural parameters derived here.

TWO TYPES OF EXTREME-ULTRAVIOLET BRIGHTENINGS IN AR 10926 OBSERVED BYHINODE/EIS

We have investigated seven extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) brightenings in the active region AR 10926 on 2006 December 2 observed by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on board the Hinode spacecraft. We have determined their Doppler velocities and non-thermal velocities from 15 EUV spectral lines (log T = 4.7 ? 6.4) by fitting each line profile to a Gaussian function. The Doppler velocity maps for different temperatures are presented to show the height dependence of the Doppler shifts. It is found that the active region brightenings show two distinct Doppler shift patterns. The type 1 brightening shows a systematic increase of Doppler velocity from ?68 km s?1 (strong blueshift) at log T = 4.7 to ?2 km s?1 (weak blueshift) at log T = 6.4, while the type 2 brightenings have Doppler velocities in the range from ?20 km s?1 to 20 km s?1. The type 1 brightening point is considered to sit in an upward reconnection outflow whose speed decreases with height. In both types of brightenings, the non-thermal velocity is found to be significantly enhanced at log T = 5.8 compared to the background region. We have also determined electron densities from line ratios and derived temperatures from emission measure loci using the CHIANTI atomic database. The electron densities of all brightenings are comparable to typical values in active regions (log Ne = 9.9-10.4). The emission measure loci plots indicate that these brightenings should be multi-thermal whereas the background is isothermal. The differential emission measure as a function of temperature shows multiple peaks in the EUV brightening regions, while it has only a single peak (log T = 6.0) in the background region. Using Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms, we have found that the type 1 brightening is associated with a canceling magnetic feature with a flux canceling rate of 2.4 ? 1018 Mx hr?1. We also found the canceling magnetic feature and chromospheric brightenings in the type 1 brightening from the Hinode SOT and Transition Region and Coronal Explorer data. This observation corroborates our argument that brightening is caused by magnetic reconnection in a low atmosphere.

Hinode observations and 3D magnetic structure of an X-ray bright point

Aims. We present complete Hinode Solar Optical Telescope (SOT), X-Ray Telescope (XRT)and EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) observations of an X-ray bright point (XBP) observed on the 10, 11 of October 2007 over its entire lifetime (∼12 h). We aim to show how the measured plasma parameters of the XBP change over time and also what kind of similarities the X-ray emission has to a potential magnetic field model. Methods. Information from all three instruments on-board Hinode was used to study its entire evolution. XRT data was used to investigate the structure of the bright point and to measure the X-ray emission. The EIS instrument was used to measure various plasma parameters over the entire lifetime of the XBP. Lastly, the SOT was used to measure the magnetic field strength and provide a basis for potential field extrapolations of the photospheric fields to be made. These were performed and then compared to the observed coronal features. Results. The XBP measured ∼15 �� in size and was found to be formed directly above an area of merging and cancelling magnetic flux on the photosphere. A good correlation between the rate of X-ray emission and decrease in total magnetic flux was found. The magnetic fragments of the XBP were found to vary on very short timescales (minutes), however the global quasi-bipolar structure remained throughout the lifetime of the XBP. The potential field extrapolations were a good visual fit to the observed coronal loops in most cases, meaning that the magnetic field was not too far from a potential state. Electron density measurements were obtained using a line ratio of Fe xii and the average density was found to be 4.95 ×10 9 cm −3 with the volumetric plasma filling factor calculated to have an average value of 0.04. Emission measure loci plots were then used to infer a steady temperature of log Te[K] ∼ 6.1. The calculated Fe xii Doppler shifts show velocity changes in and around the bright point of ±15 kms −1 which are observed to change on a timescale of less than 30 min.

ARE CORONAL LOOPS ISOTHERMAL OR MULTITHERMAL?

Surprisingly few solar coronal loops have been observed simultaneously with TRACE and SOHO/CDS, and even fewer analyses of these loops have been conducted and published. The SOHO Joint Observing Program 146 was designed in part to provide the simultaneous observations required for in-depth temperature analysis of active region loops and determine whether these loops are isothermal or multithermal. The data analyzed in this paper were taken on 2003 January 17 of AR 10250. We used TRACE filter ratios, emission measure loci, and two methods of differential emission measure analysis to examine the temperature structure of three different loops. TRACE and CDS observations agree that Loop 1 is isothermal with Log T $=$ 5.85, both along the line of sight as well as along the length of the loop leg that is visible in the CDS field of view. Loop 2 is hotter than Loop 1. It is multithermal along the line of sight, with significant emission between 6.2 $<$ Log T $<$ 6.4, but the loop apex region is out of the CDS field of view so it is not possible to determine the temperature distribution as a function of loop height. Loop 3 also appears to be multithermal, but a blended loop that is just barely resolved with CDS may be adding cool emission to the Loop 3 intensities and complicating our results. So, are coronal loops isothermal or multithermal? The answer appears to be yes!

May Day! Coronal Loop Temperatures from theHinodeEUV Imaging Spectrometer

Data from the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on Hinode taken on 2007 May 1 (May Day) are used to investigate the thermal properties of a coronal loop in AR 10953. For background subtraction, we have taken cuts across the loop near the apex and the footpoint where the background is relatively simple. Three density-sensitive line ratios give statistically different answers, and emission measure loci plots indicate that the loop plasma in not isothermal. Therefore, we have done differential emission measure analysis on these data and found a two-component model that can reproduce the background-subtracted intensities. Since both of these components are broadened, they cannot simply represent two isothermal strands of the EIS loop or two isothermal loops along the line of sight. They could, however, represent either two dominant ensembles of strands for the observed EIS loop or the dominant ensemble of strands for two individual loops along the line of sight. The TRACE image of the active region can help us determine which of these models best describes the data. It shows what appears to be two distinct loops that cross, one behind the other, at the approximate position of our cut near the EIS loop apex. It seemed natural to conclude, therefore, that the two-component DEM distribution represents two ensembles of strands, one for each of the loops seen in the TRACE image.

Comparison of High‐ResolutionTRACEData to Spectroscopic CDS Data for Temperature Determination

In this paper we aim to measure the temperature along a specific coronal loop feature which is located in an active region on the western solar limb. The data are taken from Joint Observing Program 146 and consist of high-cadence TRACE triple-filter images coinciding with sparse raster Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS) spectroscopic data. The double filter ratio temperature analysis technique is applied to two sets of TRACE images having a 20 minute time gap resulting in temperatures between 1.0 and 1.3 MK. The CDS sparse raster line intensities are used to create emission measure (EM) loci plots determining temperature values over an overlapping 40 minute observing period. These plots appear to be consistent with a line-of-sight isothermal structure which increases in temperature from ~1.20 to ~1.75 MK over the observing period; in contrast, EM loci plots for nearby background pixels depict multithermal emission. Possible reasons for the difference between the TRACE and CDS results and the implications of this analysis on future observations are discussed.

The Cross‐Field Thermal Structure of Coronal Loops from Triple‐FilterTRACEObservations

The highly suppressed thermal transport across the magnetic field in the solar corona makes the determination of the cross-field thermal distribution within coronal loops a powerful diagnostic of the properties of the heating process itself. The cross-field thermal structure is currently being strongly debated. Spectroscopic observations with high temperature fidelity but low spatial resolution indicate that some observed loops are multithermal, whereas imaging observations with high spatial resolution but low temperature fidelity indicate more isothermal conditions. We report here on triple filter observations of coronal loops made by the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), which has the best spatial resolution currently available. We tested the isothermal hypothesis using the emission measure loci technique and found that the loops are consistent with an isothermal plasma near 1.5 MK only if a generous estimate of the photometric uncertainties is used. A more restrictive estimate based on discussions with the TRACE experimenters rules out the isothermal hypothesis. The observations are much better explained by a multithermal plasma with significant emission measure throughout the range 1-3 MK. The details of the emission measure distribution are not well defined, however. Future subarcsecond spectroscopic observations covering a wide range of temperatures are the most promising means of unlocking the thermal structure of the corona.

Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer Observations of Isothermal and Multithermal Coronal Loops

A data set obtained on 2003 January 17 with the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS) shows two loops sitting side by side on the solar disk. These loops are oriented along the CDS slit, so all pixels in each loop were observed simultaneously. So, although the instrument has a relatively slow time cadence, changes as a function of time that may occur during the CDS raster buildup will not affect the loop temperature results. Differential emission measure (DEM) analysis using a forward-folding technique shows different results for the two loops. For the first loop, the intensities of the lines that remain after background subtraction are well fit with a DEM curve that collapses to a single spike. In other words, the loop plasma at this location is isothermal. This analysis is confirmed with an emission measure loci method and agrees with the results obtained recently by other authors that show that the moderate spatial resolution of CDS can detect isothermal structures. For the second loop, the background-subtracted line intensities require a broad DEM, not consistent with isothermal plasma. This conclusion is confirmed with an automatic-inversion DEM method. In this Letter, we specifically address some of the concerns raised about CDS temperature analysis: the slow CDS temporal resolution, the moderate CDS spatial resolution, the inherent smoothing associated with DEM inversion, and line-of-sight effects on the DEM distribution.

Active Region Loops: Temperature Measurements as a Function of Time from JointTRACEandSOHOCDS Observations

In this paper, we aim to quantitatively investigate the structure and time variation of quiescent active region loop structures. We coordinated a joint program of observations (JOP 146) using TRACE, to obtain high-cadence EUV images, and SOHO CDS, to obtain spectroscopic data. Loop intensities are used to determine temperature as a function of time for a single loop, taking full account of the background emission. In many locations, the emission measure loci are consistent with an isothermal structure. However, the results indicate significant changes in the loop temperature (between 1 and 2 MK) over the 6 hr observing period. It is possible that the loop structures are composed of multiple, independently heated strands with sizes less than the resolution of the imager and spectrometer.

A benchmark study for CHIANTI based on RESIK solar flare spectra

Aims. To perform a benchmark analysis for the recent version of the CHIANTI atomic database (v. 5.2) based on high-resolution solar flare X-ray spectra in the range 3.4-6.1 angstrom from the RESIK crystal spectrometer on the CORONAS-F spacecraft.Methods. A C5.8 flare occurring on 2003 February 22 was chosen for analysis. RESIK spectra of this flare include emission lines of He-like and H-like K, Ar, S, and Si, with some dielectronic lines. Initially, two independent plasma diagnostic techniques are employed: an emission measure (EM) loci analysis using the line flux and the line contribution function G(T-e, N-e), and a new method based on continuum fluxes and contribution functions. We further apply a differential emission measure (DEM) analysis, from which CHIANTI synthetic spectra are derived. The continuum from RESIK spectra is checked against simultaneous RHESSI and GOES observations. Comparisons of CHIANTI synthetic spectra with those from the MEKAL code in the 3.4-6.1 angstrom range are also presented.Results. The emitting plasma appears multi-thermal, having one dominant temperature component determined independently from the line and continuum EM loci and DEM analyses. Consistency between line and continuum emissions requires photospheric elemental abundances (Asplund et al. 2005), with a depleted sulphur abundance. With the exception of RESIK channel 4 (5.0-6.1 angstrom), we find overall very good agreement between the calculated and observed intensities. From comparisons with other instruments, RESIK's precision in the continuum level is confirmed to be within the estimated 20% uncertainties in the intensity calibration. We find general agreement between CHIANTI and MEKAL isothermal spectra, but we note that the atomic data for the Si XII and Si XIII ions contained in CHIANTI are more complete.Conclusions. RESIK observations of both lines and continua are suitable for characterising the properties of the flaring plasma such as temperature, emission measure and elemental abundance. These spectra can be used to evaluate any atomic database.

All Coronal Loops Are the Same: Evidence to the Contrary

The 1998 April 20 spectral line data from the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory show a coronal loop on the solar limb. Our original analysis of these data showed that the plasma was multithermal, both along the length of the loop and along the line of sight. However, more recent results by other authors indicate that background subtraction might change these conclusions, so we consider the effect of background subtraction on our analysis. We show emission measure (EM) loci plots of three representative pixels: loop apex, upper leg, and lower leg. Comparisons of the original and background-subtracted intensities show that the EM loci are more tightly clustered after background subtraction, but that the plasma is still not well represented by an isothermal model. Our results taken together with those of other authors indicate that a variety of temperature structures may be present within loops.

Separating the X‐Ray Emissions of UV Ceti A and B withChandra

We present the first spatially separated X-ray observation of the active UV Ceti binary with Chandra, providing important new information on the relative X-ray activity levels of its nearly identical dM5.5e components. The two components had similar X-ray luminosities during low-level periods, and emission measure loci derived from Low Energy Transmission Grating spectra reveal similar coronal temperatures (3-6 MK). However, the B component showed a higher degree of variability, resulting in a higher average X-ray luminosity than that of UV Cet A. We discuss possible causes of this enhanced activity in UV Cet B.