Extreme Ultraviolet Brightenings Research Articles

EUV Waves Driven by the Sudden Expansion of Transequatorial Loops Caused by Coronal Jets

Abstract We present two events to study the driving mechanism of extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) waves that are not associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), by using high-resolution observations taken by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Observational results indicate that the observed EUV waves were accompanied by flares and coronal jets, but not the CMEs that were regarded as drivers of most EUV waves in previous studies. In the first case, it is observed that a coronal jet is ejected along a transequatorial loop system at a plane-of-the-sky (POS) speed of 335 ± 22 km s − 1 ; in the meantime, an arc-shaped EUV wave appeared on the eastern side of the loop system. In addition, the EUV wave further interacted with another interconnecting loop system and launched a fast propagating (QFP) magnetosonic wave along the loop system, which had a period of 200 s and a speed of 388 ± 65 km s − 1 , respectively. In the second case, we observed a coronal jet that ejected at a POS speed of 282 ± 44 km s − 1 along a transequatorial loop system as well as the generation of bright EUV waves on the eastern side of the loop system. Based on the observational results, we propose that the observed EUV waves on the eastern side of the transequatorial loop systems are fast-mode magnetosonic waves and that they are driven by the sudden lateral expansion of the transequatorial loop systems due to the direct impingement of the associated coronal jets, while the QFP wave in the fist case formed due to the dispersive evolution of the disturbance caused by the interaction between the EUV wave and the interconnecting coronal loops. It is noted that EUV waves driven by sudden loop expansions have shorter lifetimes than those driven by CMEs.

A Study of External Magnetic Reconnection that Triggers a Solar Eruption

Abstract External magnetic reconnection (EMR) is suggested to play an essential role in triggering a solar eruption, but is rarely directly observed. Here, we report on a filament eruption on 2014 October 3 that apparently involves the process of an early EMR. A total of 1.7 × 1020 Mx flux was first canceled along the filament-related polarity inversion line over 12 hr, and then the filament axis started to brighten in extreme ultraviolet (EUV). An impulsive EUV brightening began 30 minutes later, and we attribute this to EMR, as it is located at the center of a bidirectional outflow with a velocity of 60–75 km s−1 along large-scale magnetic loops from active regions NOAA 12178 and 12179, respectively, and over the filament mentioned above. Following the EMR, the filament was activated; then, partial eruption occurred 6 minutes later in the west, in which the decay index above the magnetic flux rope (MFR) reached the critical value of 1.5. The observations are interpreted in terms of underlying magnetic flux cancelation leading to the buildup and eventual formation of the MFR with a filament embedded in it, and the MFR is elevated later. The activated MFR rises and pushes the overlying sheared field and forms a current sheet causing the EMR. The EMR in turn weakens the constraining effect of the overlying field, leading to the arising of the MFR, and subsequently erupting due to torus instability.

Energy Release in the Solar Atmosphere from a Stream of Infalling Prominence Debris

Abstract Recent high-resolution and high-cadence extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) imaging has revealed a new phenomenon, impacting prominence debris, where prominence material from failed or partial eruptions can impact the lower atmosphere, releasing energy. We report a clear example of energy release and EUV brightening due to infalling prominence debris that occurred on 2011 September 7–8. The initial eruption of material was associated with an X1.8-class flare from AR 11283, occurring at 22:30 UT on 2011 September 7. Subsequently, a semicontinuous stream of this material returned to the solar surface with a velocity v > 150 km s−1, impacting a region remote from the original active region between 00:20 and 00:40 UT on 2011 September 8. Using the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, the differential emission measure of the plasma was estimated throughout this brightening event. We found that the radiated energy of the impacted plasma was erg, while the thermal energy peaked at ∼1028 erg. From this we were able to determine the mass content of the debris to be in the range g. Given typical prominence masses, the likely debris mass is toward the lower end of this range. This clear example of a prominence debris event shows that significant energy release takes place during these events and that such impacts may be used as a novel diagnostic tool for investigating prominence material properties.

EUV and Magnetic Activities Associated with Type-I Solar Radio Bursts

Type-I bursts (i.e. noise storms) are the earliest-known type of solar radio emission at the metre wavelength. They are believed to be excited by non-thermal energetic electrons accelerated in the corona. The underlying dynamic process and exact emission mechanism still remain unresolved. Here, with a combined analysis of extreme ultraviolet (EUV), radio and photospheric magnetic field data of unprecedented quality recorded during a type-I storm on 30 July 2011, we identify a good correlation between the radio bursts and the co-spatial EUV and magnetic activities. The EUV activities manifest themselves as three major brightening stripes above a region adjacent to a compact sunspot, while the magnetic field there presents multiple moving magnetic features (MMFs) with persistent coalescence or cancelation and a morphologically similar three-part distribution. We find that the type-I intensities are correlated with those of the EUV emissions at various wavelengths with a correlation coefficient of 0.7-0.8. In addition, in the region between the brightening EUV stripes and the radio sources there appear consistent dynamic motions with a series of bi-directional flows, suggesting ongoing small-scale reconnection there. Mainly based on the induced connection between the magnetic motion at the photosphere and the EUV and radio activities in the corona, we suggest that the observed type-I noise storms and the EUV brightening activities are the consequence of small-scale magnetic reconnection driven by MMFs. This is in support of the original proposal made by Bentely et al. (Solar Phys. 193, 227, 2000).

Analysis of UV and EUV emission from impacts on the Sun after 2011 June 7 eruptive flare

On 2011 June 7 debris from a large filament eruption fell back to the Sun causing bright ultraviolet (UV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) splashes across the surface. These impacts may give clues on the process of stellar accretion. The aim is to investigate how the impact emission is influenced by structures in the falling ejecta and at the solar surface. We determine the UV and EUV light curves of a sample of impacts. The ballistic impact velocity is estimated from the ejection and landing times and, where possible, compared with the velocity derived by tracking the downflows in SDO/AIA and STEREO/EUVI images. Estimates of the column density before impact are made from the darkness of the falling plasma in the 193 A channel. The impact velocities were between 230 and 450 km/s. All impacts produced bright EUV emission at the impact site but bright UV was only observed when the impacting fragments reached the chromosphere. There was no clear relation between EUV intensity and kinetic energy. Low UV to EUV intensity ratios (I{UV}/I{EUV}) were seen (i) from impacts of low column-density fragments, (ii) when splashes, produced by some impacts, prevented subsequent fragments from reaching the chromosphere, and (iii) from an impact in an active region. The earliest impacts with the lowest velocity (~250 km/s) had the highest I{UV}/I{EUV}. The I{UV}/I{EUV} decreases with impact velocity, magnetic field at the impact site, and EUV ionising flux. Many of the infalling fragments dissipate above the chromosphere either due to ionisation and trapping in magnetic structures, or to them encountering a splash from an earlier impact. If the same happens in accreting stars then the reduced X-ray compared to optical emission that has been observed is more likely due to absorption by the trailing stream than locally at the impact site.

THE RAPID FORMATION OF A FILAMENT CAUSED BY MAGNETIC RECONNECTION BETWEEN TWO SETS OF DARK THREADLIKE STRUCTURES

ABSTRACT Taking advantage of the high spatiotemporal resolution observations from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we present rare observations of the rapid formation of a filament caused by magnetic reconnection between two sets of dark threadlike structures. The two sets of dark threadlike structures belong to distinct flux systems with their adjacent ends anchored in an opposite-polarity magnetic field region, where the calculated photospheric velocity field shows that converging flows dominate there. Due to the converging flows, opposite-polarity magnetic flux converged and then canceled, leading to the formation of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) brightening that spread in opposite directions along the spine of the dark threadlike structures. Meanwhile, very weak remote brightening in the other terminals of the dark threadlike structures, as well as EUV loops, which rooted in the opposite-polarity magnetic field region, appeared. In addition, all of the AIA Fe line observations reveal that a flux rope was formed and underwent a rolling motion during the fadeaway of the EUV brightening. Soon after, as the EUV brightening disappeared, a filament that is very likely composed of two sets of intertwined dark threadlike structures was formed. Via differential emission measure (EM) analysis, it is found that both the EM and temperature of the plasma around the flux-canceling site increased during the brightening, implying that there, magnetic reconnection may occur to heat the plasma. These observations provide evidence that the filament is formed by magnetic reconnection associated with flux convergence and cancellation, and the magnetic structure of the filament is most likely a flux rope.

Numerical evaluation of a 13.5-nm high-brightness microplasma extreme ultraviolet source

The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission and its spatial distribution as well as plasma parameters in a microplasma high-brightness light source are characterized by the use of a two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulation. The expected EUV source size, which is determined by the expansion of the microplasma due to hydrodynamic motion, was evaluated to be 16 μm (full width) and was almost reproduced by the experimental result which showed an emission source diameter of 18–20 μm at a laser pulse duration of 150 ps [full width at half-maximum]. The numerical simulation suggests that high brightness EUV sources should be produced by use of a dot target based microplasma with a source diameter of about 20 μm.

LARGE-SCALE CONTRACTION AND SUBSEQUENT DISRUPTION OF CORONAL LOOPS DURING VARIOUS PHASES OF THE M6.2 FLARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONFINED FLUX ROPE ERUPTION

We present a detailed multi-wavelength study of the M6.2 flare which was associated with a confined eruption of a prominence using TRACE, RHESSI, and NoRH observations. The pre-flare phase of this event is characterized by spectacular large-scale contraction of overlying extreme ultraviolet (EUV) coronal loops during which the loop system was subjected to an altitude decrease of ~20 Mm for an extended span of ~30 min. This contraction phase is accompanied by sequential EUV brightenings associated with hard X-ray (HXR) (up to 25 keV) and microwave (MW) sources from low-lying loops in the core of the flaring region which together with X-ray spectra indicate strong localized heating in the source region before the filament activation and associated M-class flare. With the onset of the impulsive phase of the M6.2 flare, we detect HXR and MW sources that exhibit intricate temporal and spatial evolution in relation with the fast rise of the prominence. Following the flare maximum, the filament eruption slowed down and subsequently confined within the large overlying active region loops; the event did not lead to a coronal mass ejection (CME). During the confinement process of the erupting prominence, we detect MW emission from the extended coronal region with multiple emission centroids which likely represent emission from hot blobs of plasma formed after the collapse of the expanding flux rope and entailing prominence material. RHESSI observations reveal high plasma temperature (~30 MK) and substantial non-thermal characteristics with electron spectral index (~5) during the impulsive phase of the flare. The time-evolution of thermal energy exhibits a good correspondence with the variations in cumulative non-thermal energy which suggest that the energy of accelerated particles efficiently converted to hot flare plasma implying an effective validation of the Neupert effect.

TRACKING THE EVOLUTION OF A COHERENT MAGNETIC FLUX ROPE CONTINUOUSLY FROM THE INNER TO THE OUTER CORONA

The magnetic flux rope (MFR) is believed to be the underlying magnetic structure of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). However, it remains unclear how an MFR evolves into and forms the multi-component structure of a CME. In this paper, we perform a comprehensive study of an extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) MFR eruption on 2013 May 22 by tracking its morphological evolution, studying its kinematics, and quantifying its thermal property. As EUV brightenings begin, the MFR starts to rise slowly and shows helical threads winding around an axis. Meanwhile, cool filamentary materials descend spirally down to the chromosphere. These features provide direct observational evidence of intrinsically helical structure of the MFR. Through detailed kinematical analysis, we find that the MFR evolution experiences two distinct phases: a slow rise phase and an impulsive acceleration phase. We attribute the first phase to the magnetic reconnection within the quasi-separatrix-layers surrounding the MFR, and the much more energetic second phase to the fast magnetic reconnection underneath the MFR. We suggest that the transition between these two phases be caused by the torus instability. Moreover, we identify that the MFR evolves smoothly into the outer corona and appears as a coherent structure within the white light CME volume. The MFR in the outer corona was enveloped by bright fronts that originated from plasma pile-up in front of the expanding MFR. The fronts are also associated with the preceding sheath region followed the outmost MFR-driven shock.

MAGNETIC RECONNECTION: FROM “OPEN” EXTREME-ULTRAVIOLET LOOPS TO CLOSED POST-FLARE ONES OBSERVED BYSDO

We employ Solar Dynamics Observatory observations and select three well-observed events including two flares and one extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) brightening. During the three events, the EUV loops clearly changed. One event was related to a major solar flare that took place on 2012 July 12 in active region NOAA AR 11520. Open EUV loops rooted in a facula of the AR deflected to the post-flare loops and then merged with them while the flare ribbon approached the facula. Meanwhile, open EUV loops rooted in a pore disappeared from top to bottom as the flare ribbon swept over the pore. The loop evolution was similar in the low-temperature channels (e. g., 171 angstrom) and the high-temperature channels (e. g., 94 angstrom). The coronal magnetic fields extrapolated from the photospheric vector magnetograms also show that the fields apparently open prior to the flare become closed after it. The other two events were associated with a B1.1 flare on 2010 May 24 and an EUV brightening on 2013 January 03, respectively. During both of these two events, some open loops either disappeared or darkened before the formation of new closed loops. We suggest that the observations reproduce the picture predicted by the standard magnetic reconnection model: open magnetic fields become closed due to reconnection, manifesting as a transformation from open EUV loops to closed post-flare ones.

Quiet Sun Explosive Events: Jets, Splashes, and Eruptions

Explosive events appear as broad non-Gaussian wings in the line profiles of small transition-region phenomena. Images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) give a first view of the plasma dynamics at the sites of explosive events seen simultaneously in O vi spectra of a region of quiet Sun, taken with the ultraviolet spectrometer Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). Distinct event bursts were seen either at the junction of supergranular network cells or near emerging flux. Three are described in the context of their surrounding transition region (304 Å) and coronal (171 Å) activity. One showed plasma ejections from an isolated pair of sites, with a time lag of 50 seconds between events. At the site where the later explosive event was seen, the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) images show a hot core surrounded by a small, expanding ring of chromospheric emission, which we interpret as a “splash.” The second explosive-event burst was related to flux cancellation, inferred from Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) magnetograms, and a coronal dimming surrounded by a ring of bright EUV emission with explosive events at positions where the spectrometer slit crossed the bright ring. The third series of events occurred at the base of a slow, small coronal mass ejection (mini-CME). All events studied here imply jet-like flows probably triggered by magnetic reconnection at supergranular junctions. Events come from sites close to the footpoints of jets seen in Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) images, and possibly from the landing site of high-velocity flows. They are not caused by rapid rotation in spicules.

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.

ENDPOINT BRIGHTENINGS IN ERUPTING FILAMENTS

Two well known phenomena associated with erupting filaments are the transient coronal holes that form on each side of the filament channel and the bright post-event arcade with its expanding double row of footpoints. Here we focus on a frequently overlooked signature of filament eruptions: the spike- or fan-shaped brightenings that appear to mark the far endpoints of the filament. From a sample of non-active-region filament events observed with the Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, we find that these brightenings usually occur near the outer edges of the transient holes, in contrast to the post-event arcades, which define their inner edges. The endpoints are often multiple and are rooted in and around strong network flux well outside the filament channel, a result that is consistent with the axial field of the filament being much stronger than the photospheric field inside the channel. The extreme ultraviolet brightenings, which are most intense at the time of maximum outward acceleration of the filament, can be used to determine unambiguously the direction of the axial field component from longitudinal magnetograms. Their location near the outer boundary of the transient holes suggests that we are observing the footprints of the current sheet formed at the leading edge of the erupting filament, as distinct from the vertical current sheet behind the filament which is the source of the post-event arcade.

Bright EUV lines emitted by highly ionized tungsten ions as diagnostic indicators of the tungsten transport in ITER core plasmas (Te > 7 keV)

In this paper we investigate the possible use of spectral lines from highly ionized tungsten (W) ions to measure transport and other physical properties of ITER plasmas. Firstly, we calculate the fractional abundances of W ions for plasmas having electron temperatures in the 7–40 keV range and an electron density of 1014 cm−3. Secondly, we calculate the wavelengths and emissivities versus temperature of the brightest spectral lines expected to be emitted by the W ions at extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths longer than 45 Å. To complement the grazing incidence spectroscopy technique traditionally used to study such spectra, we propose the use of segmented multilayer-coated telescopes for imaging the ITER plasmas in selected EUV lines, similar to the space-based instruments routinely used to study temperatures, emission measures and motions of 0.1–2 keV solar coronal plasmas.

Pinch plasma EUV source with particle injection

Injection of tin droplets into an argon or helium pinch discharge can provide high extreme ultraviolet (EUV) generation efficiency together with small plasma size. We estimate the rates of evaporation, ionization and expansion of a spherical solid density target in a gas pinch discharge. It is found that an initial tendency for the particle to become negatively charged reduces electron heat transport from the plasma. Negative charging is counteracted, and electron heat flux enhanced, by the generation of secondary electrons by ion impact on the surface and by photoemission dependent on the plasma radiation spectrum. When the heat flux exceeds 1 GW cm−2 the particle can ionize and expand very rapidly to a diameter comparable to that of the pinch plasma. The time required for ionization and the final radius are each estimated as a function of particle size, plasma density and temperature. It is demonstrated that the plasma conditions in the Star Pinch EUV source are suitable for high brightness EUV generation via particle injection.

Correlating Transition Region Explosive Events with Extreme-Ultraviolet Brightenings

Frequent small-scale reconnection events have been proposed as a possible mechanism to heat the solar corona. It has not yet been demonstrated, however, that the smallest reconnection events can heat the plasma to coronal temperatures. In this Letter, we use explosive events in the spectral line C IV λ1548 observed by the Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation instrument flown aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory to locate areas of reconnection in Active Region 8536 on 1999 May 13. We then examine coaligned Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) 171 A images for a response to the reconnection. We find that short-term (<5 minute) fluctuations are on average 2.2 times larger in regions of reconnection than in comparison (nonevent) regions. These fluctuations are statistically significant (3 σ above the mean intensity fluctuation in the nonevent regions) in 35% of the reconnection regions. We find two possible explanations for the 171 A intensity fluctuations: (1) the explosive event plasma could be heated to 1 MK, or (2) the emission measure of the O VI λ172 line could increase because of a surge of transition region material that would, in turn, increase the 171 A intensity. The latter explanation would imply that not all transient brightenings in the TRACE data are associated with plasma at coronal temperatures.

Analysis of blinkers and EUV brightenings in the quiet Sun observed with CDS

Movies of quiet Sun regions at disc centre obtained with the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS) onboard the SOHO spacecraft are used to study the properties of transient brightenings seen in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV), so-called blinkers, at three different temperatures sampled simultaneously in the chromospheric He I 584.3 A($2 \times 10^4$ K), the transition region O V 629.7 A($2.5 \times 10^5$ K) and coronal Mg IX 368.1 A(10 6 K) lines. Blinkers, here defined somewhat differently than in previous studies, were clearly detected in the O V and He I lines. Brightenings of the Mg IX line were also seen. A thorough analysis of blinker properties is carried out and their detailed properties are determined. Blinkers are found to be present in both bright (network) and dark (intranetwork) regions, but their number density is larger in the brighter areas (in O V) although the rest of their properties appear to be unaffected. The average sizes of brightenings range from 2.8 Mm 2 in Mg IX, 12.4 Mm 2 in He I to 23.5 Mm 2 in O V. The durations of blinkers are in the range 3-110 min, with the average durations being 23 min in He I, about 16 min in O V and 12 min in Mg IX. The frequency distributions of ratio of peak to background intensity, excess energy and size follow power laws with exponents < -5 for the intensity ratio, and between -1 and -3 for the other two parameters. The correlation coefficients between pairs of ratio, energy and size are at least 0.5, while other pairs of parameters describing the blinkers appear to be uncorrelated. The best correlation is between size and energy. The blinker durations exhibit a distribution whose form is compatible with a log-normal function. Finally, blinkers in the 3 lines (i.e. 3 temperature regimes) are poorly correlated; with the correlation coefficient being always less than 0.4. This suggests that to a large extent the transition region reacts independently of the corona and chromosphere to energy deposition, so that these parts of the atmosphere are at least partly decoupled from each other. This agrees with the expectations from models having separate transition-region loops, but contradicts the classical picture of the transition region, as being heated dominantly by energy conduction from the corona.

Multiwavelength monitoring of QS Tel

Multiwavelength monitoring observations of the AM Her system, QS Tel, are presented, the centrepiece being a coordinated campaign with the ASCA, EUVE and HST satellites and optical observations on 1996 September 28–29. The star was initially observed in an intermediate brightness, single pole state in 1996 April by ROSAT. However two EUVE snapshots of the system in August found it in a deep low state, the light curves appearing to retain a bright and faint phase morphology although the bright interval showed significant phase drifts compared with the earlier ROSAT data. At this time, the system appeared optically bright, while polarimetry pointed to one active pole. A modest recovery of intensity, albeit accompanied by an apparently chaotic extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light curve, was subsequently recorded during the coordinated run in late September. This brightening was confirmed by a second ROSAT pointing in early October, although the EUV brightening is matched by a marked decay in its optical output. These observations, all of which found the system in a fainter EUV state than seen in 1993, add to the catalogue of accretion mode behaviour in QS Tel. However, as yet, the data base of observations does not allow us to establish whether the accretion mode is dictated by accretion-rate dependent penetration of the magnetosphere or asynchronous rotation. The ASCA spectrum obtained during the coordinated observation is adequately described by a thermal spectrum with a temperature of about 4.4 keV and an absorbing column density of less than 8×1020 cm−2. At the same time, the 1150–2600 A UV HST spectrum shows a strong, broad Lyα absorption profile which we attribute to the white dwarf. We infer an effective temperature of 16 000–19 000 K and a mass between 0.5 and 0.93 M⊙ for the white dwarf, at least some of the uncertainty arising because the profile is very probably contaminated and broadened by Zeeman features. The orbital variation seen by HST can be matched by a blackbody-like spectrum with a temperature above 24 000 K. The near UV part of the spectrum contains evidence of phase-variable cyclotron harmonics.

Emergence of twisted magnetic flux related sigmoidal brightening

We have examined the morphological properties of a sigmoid associated with an SXR (soft X ray) flare. The sigmoid is cospatial with the EUV (extreme ultra violet) images and in the optical part lies along an S shaped Hα filament. The photoheliogram shows flux emergence within an existing δ type sunspot which has caused the rotation of the umbrae giving rise to the sigmoidal brightening. It is now widely accepted that flares derive their energy from the magnetic fields of the active regions and coronal levels are considered to be the flare sites. But still a satisfactory understanding of the flare processes has not been achieved because of the difficulties encountered to predict and estimate the probability of flare eruptions. The convection flows and vortices below the photosphere transport and concentrate mag netic field, which subsequently appear as active regions in the photosphere (Rust & Kumar 1994 and the references therein). Successive emergence of magnetic flux, twist the field, creating flare productive magnetic shear and has been studied by many authors (Sundara Raman et al. 1998 and the references therein). Hence, it is considered that the flare is powered by the energy stored in the twisted magnetic flux tubes (Kurokawa 1996 and the references therein). Rust & Kumar (1996) named the S shaped bright coronal loops that appear in soft X rays as 'Sigmoids' and concluded that this S shaped distortion is due to the twist developed in the magnetic field lines. These transient sigmoidal features tell a great deal about unstable coronal magnetic fields, as these regions are more likely to be eruptive (Canfield et al. 1999). As the magnetic fields of the active regions are deep rooted in the Sun, the twist developed in the subphotospheric flux tube penetrates the photosphere and extends in to the corona. Thus, it is essentially favourable for the subphotospheric twist to unwind the twist and transmit it through the photosphere to the corona. Therefore, it becomes essential to make complete observational descriptions of a flare from the magnetic field changes that are taking place in different atmospheric levels of the Sun, to pin down the energy storage and conversion process that trigger the flare phenomena. In this work, we have attempted to correlate the soft X ray and EUV brightening appeared in the active region NOAA 8688 of YOHKOH and SOHO pictures on 17th August 1999, with the corresponding features in Hα and white light photoheliograms observed at Kodaikanal. Α bipolar δ type sunspot group appeared in the eastern limb on its second rotation on 14th August 1999. On 17th and 18th August, the spot had

High-resolution Imaging of the Solar Chromosphere/Corona Transition Region

The properties of a previously unresolved extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) emission in solar active regions are examined using coordinated data sets from the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) satellite, the Michelson Doppler Imager on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory satellite, the Soft X-Ray Telescope (SXT) on the Yohkoh satellite, and the ground-based Swedish Vacuum Solar Telescope (SVST) on La Palma. The emission appears most prominently in TRACE Fe IX/Fe X 171 ? images as a bright dynamic network surrounding dark inclusions on scales of 2-3 Mm, confined to layers approximately 1-3 Mm thick with base heights approximately 2-4 Mm above the photosphere. It is seen only above plage regions that underlie (3-5) ? 106 K coronal loops visible in SXT images. The bright EUV elements emit at temperatures of about 106 K. Fine-scale motions and brightness variations of the emission occur on timescales of 1 minute or less. The dark inclusions correspond to jets of chromospheric plasma seen in simultaneous SVST filtergrams in the wings of H?. The combined characteristics imply that we are at least partially resolving the structure and dynamics of the conductively heated upper transition region between the solar chromosphere and corona.