Fe XIII Lines Research Articles

Evolution of the thermodynamic properties of a coronal mass ejection in the inner Corona

The thermodynamic evolution of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) in the inner corona (≤1.5 Rsun) is not yet completely understood. In this work, we study the evolution of thermodynamic properties of a CME core observed in the inner corona on 20 July 2017, by combining the MLSO/K-Cor white-light and the MLSO/CoMP Fe XIII 10747 Å line spectroscopic data. We also estimate the emission measure weighted temperature (TEM) of the CME core by applying the Differential Emission Measure (DEM) inversion technique on the SDO/AIA six EUV channels data and compare it with the effective temperature (Teff) obtained using Fe XIII line width measurements. We find that the Teff and TEM of the CME core show similar variation and remain almost constant as the CME propagates from ∼1.05 to 1.35 Rsun. The temperature of the CME core is of the order of million-degree kelvin, indicating that it is not associated with a prominence. Further, we estimate the electron density of this CME core using K-Cor polarized brightness (pB) data and found it decreasing by a factor of ∼3.6 as the core evolves. An interesting finding is that the temperature of the CME core remains almost constant despite expected adiabatic cooling due to the expansion of the CME core, which suggests that the CME core plasma must be heated as it propagates. We conclude that the expansion of this CME core behaves more like an isothermal than an adiabatic process.

A Spectroscopic Survey of Infrared 1–4 μm Spectra in Regions of Prominent Solar Coronal Emission Lines of Fe XIII, Si X, and Si IX

The infrared solar spectrum contains a wealth of physical data about the Sun and is being explored using modern detectors and technology with new ground-based solar telescopes. One such instrument will be the ground-based Cryogenic Near-IR Spectro-Polarimeter of the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST), which will be capable of sensitive imaging of the faint infrared solar coronal spectra with full Stokes I, Q, U, and V polarization states. Highly ionized magnetic dipole emission lines have been observed in galaxies and the solar corona. Quantifying the accuracy of spectral inversion procedures requires a precise spectroscopic calibration of observations. A careful interpretation of the spectra around prominent magnetic dipole lines is essential for deriving physical parameters and particularly for quantifying the off-limb solar coronal observations from DKIST. In this work, we aim to provide an analysis of the spectral regions around the infrared coronal emission lines of Fe xiii 1074.68 nm, Fe xiii 1079.79 nm, Si x 1430.10 nm, and Si ix 3934.34 nm, aligning with the goal of identifying solar photospheric and telluric lines that will help facilitate production of reliable inversions and data products from four sets of solar coronal observations. The outputs can be integrated in processing pipelines to produce level 2 science-ready data.

Benchmarking Multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock Calculations for Astrophysics: Si-like Ions from Cr xi to Zn xvii

Abstract The multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock (MCDHF) and relativistic configuration interaction methods are used to provide excitation energies, lifetimes, and radiative transition data for the 604 (699, 702, 704, 704, 704, and 699) lowest levels of the 3s 23p 2, 3s3p 3, 3s 23p3d, 3p 4, 3s3p 23d, 3s 23d 2, 3p 33d, 3s3p3d 2, 3s3d 3, 3p3d 3, 3p 23d 2, 3s 23p4s, 3s 23p4p, 3s 23p4d, 3s 23p4f, 3s3p 24s, 3s3p 24p, 3s3p 24d, 3s3p 24f, 3s 23d4s, 3s 23d4p, 3p 34s, 3p 34p, 3s3p3d4s, 3s 23p5s, and 3s 23p5p configurations in Cr xi, (Mn xii, Fe xiii, Co xiv, Ni xv, Cu xvi, and Zn xvii). Previous line identifications of Fe xiii and Ni xv in the EUV and X-ray wavelength ranges are reviewed by comprehensively comparing the MCDHF theoretical results with available experimental data. Many recent identifications of Fe xiii and Ni xv lines are confirmed, and several new identifications for these two ions are proposed. A consistent atomic data set with spectroscopic accuracy is provided for the lowest hundreds of levels for Si-like ions of iron-group elements of astrophysical interest, for which experimental values are scarce. The uncertainty estimation method suggested by Kramida, applied to the comparison of the length and velocity line strength values, is used for ranking the transition data. The correlation of the latter with the gauge dependency patterns of the line strengths is investigated.

Spectropolarimeter on board the Aditya-L1: polarization modulation and demodulation

One of the major science goals of the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) payload aboard the Aditya-L1 mission is to map the coronal magnetic field topology and quantitative estimation of longitudinal magnetic field on a routine basis. The infrared channel of VELC is equipped with a polarimeter to carry out full Stokes spectropolarimetric observations in the Fe xiii line at 1074.7 nm. The polarimeter is in a dual-beam setup with a continuously rotating wave plate as the polarization modulator. Detection of circular polarization due to the Zeeman effect and depolarization of linear polarization in the presence of a magnetic field due to the saturated Hanle effect in the Fe xiii line require a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Due to the limited number of photons, long integration times are expected to build the required SNR. In other words, signals from a large number of modulation cycles are to be averaged to achieve the required SNR. This poses several difficulties. One is the increase in data volume and the other is the change in the modulation matrix in successive modulation cycles. The latter effect arises due to a mismatch between the retarder's rotation period and the length of the signal detection time in the case of the VELC spectropolarimeter. It is shown in this paper that by appropriately choosing the number of samples per half rotation, the data volume can be optimized. A potential solution is suggested to account for modulation matrix variation from one cycle to another.

Fe xii and Fe xiii Line Widths in the Polar Off-limb Solar Corona up to 1.5 R ⊙

Abstract The nonthermal broadening of spectral lines formed in the solar corona is often used to seek evidence of Alfvén waves propagating in the corona. To have a better understanding of the variation of line widths at different altitudes, we measured the line widths of the strong Fe xii 192.4, 193.5, and 195.1 Å and Fe xiii 202.0 Å in an off-limb southern coronal hole up to 1.5 R ⊙ observed by the Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer on board the Hinode satellite. We compared our measurements to the predictions from the Alfvén Wave Solar Model (AWSoM) and the SPECTRUM module. We found that the Fe xii and Fe xiii line widths first increase monotonically below 1.1 R ⊙ and then keep fluctuating between 1.1 and 1.5 R ⊙. The synthetic line widths of Fe xii and Fe xiii below 1.3 R ⊙ are notably lower than the observed ones. We found that the emission from a streamer in the line of sight significantly contaminates the coronal hole line profiles even up to 1.5 R ⊙ both in observations and simulations. We suggest that either the discrepancy between the observations and simulations is caused by insufficient nonthermal broadening at the streamer in the AWSoM simulation or the observations are less affected by the streamer. Our results emphasize the importance of identifying the origin of the coronal EUV emission in off-limb observations.

Electron Densities in the Solar Corona Measured Simultaneously in the Extreme Ultraviolet and Infrared

Abstract Accurate measurements of electron density are critical for determination of the plasma properties in the solar corona. We compare the electron densities diagnosed from Fe xiii lines observed by the Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) onboard the Hinode mission with the near-infrared (NIR) measurements provided by the ground-based Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter (CoMP). To do that, the emissivity-ratio method based on all available observed lines of Fe xiii is used for both EIS and CoMP. The EIS diagnostics is further supplemented by the results from Fe xii lines. We find excellent agreement, within 10%, between the electron densities measured from both extreme-ultraviolet and NIR lines. In the five regions selected for detailed analysis, we obtain electron densities of log(N e [cm−3]) = 8.2–8.6. Where available, the background subtraction has a significant impact on the diagnostics, especially on the NIR lines, where the loop contributes less than a quarter of the intensity measured along the line of sight. For the NIR lines, we find that the line center intensities are not affected by stray light within the instrument, and recommend using these for density diagnostics. The measurements of the Fe xiii NIR lines represent a viable method for density diagnostics using ground-based instrumentation.

Formation and dynamics of transequatorial loops

Aims. We aim to study the dynamical evolution of transequatorial loops (TELs) using imaging techniques and spectroscopy. Methods. We used the images recorded by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly and the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory together with spectroscopic observations taken from the Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer on board Hinode. Results. The data from the AIA 193 Å channel show that TELs are formed between AR 12230 and a newly emerging AR 12234, evolving between 10 and 14 December 2014. The xt-plots for 12 December 2014, obtained using AIA 193 Å data, reveal signatures of inflow and outflow towards an X-region. High-cadence AIA images also show recurrent intensity enhancements in close proximity to the X-region (P2), which is observed to have higher intensities for spectral lines that are formed at log T[K] = 6.20 and voids at other higher temperatures. The electron densities and temperatures in the X-region (and P2) are maintained steadily at log Ne= 8.5–8.7 cm−3 and log T[K] = 6.20, respectively. Doppler velocities in the X-region show predominant redshifts by about 5–8 km s−1 when they are closer to the disk center but blueshifts (along with some zero-velocity pixels) when away from the center. The full-width-half-maximum maps reveal non-thermal velocities of about 27–30 km s−1 for Fe XII, Fe XIII, and Fe XV lines. However, the brightest pixels have nonthermal velocities ∼62 km s−1 for Fe XII and Fe XIII lines. On the contrary, the dark X-region for Fe XV line have the highest non-thermal velocity (∼115 km s−1). Conclusions. We conclude that the TELs are formed due to magnetic reconnection. We further note that the TELs themselves undergo magnetic reconnection, which leads to the re-formation of loops among individual ARs. Moreover, this study, for the first time, provides measurements of plasma parameters in X-regions, thereby providing essential constraints for theoretical studies.

Using Multi-line Spectropolarimetric Observations of Forbidden Emission Lines to Measure Single-point Coronal Magnetic Fields

Abstract Polarized magnetic dipole (M1) emission lines provide important diagnostics for the magnetic field dominating the evolution of the solar corona. This paper advances a multi-line technique using specific combinations of M1 lines to infer the full vector magnetic field for regions of optically thin emission that can be localized along a given line of sight. Our analytical formalism is a generalization of the “single-point inversion” approach introduced by Plowman. We show that combinations of M1 transitions for which each is either a transition or has equal Landé g-factors for the upper and lower levels contain degenerate spectropolarimetric information that prohibits the application of the single-point inversion technique. This may include the pair of Fe xiii lines discussed by Plowman. We identify the Fe xiii 10747 Å and Si x 14301 Å lines as one alternative combination for implementing this technique. Our sensitivity analysis, based on coronal loop properties, suggests that for photon noise levels around 10−4 of the line intensity, which will be achievable with the National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, magnetic fields with sufficient strength (∼10 G) and not severely inclined to the line of sight (≲35°) can be recovered with this method. Degenerate solutions exist, though we discuss how added constraints may help resolve them or reduce their number.

Spectropolarimetric Insight into Plasma Sheet Dynamics of a Solar Flare

Abstract We examine spectropolarimetric data from the Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter (CoMP) instrument, acquired during the evolution of the 2017 September 10 X8.2 solar flare on the western solar limb. CoMP captured linearly polarized light from two emission lines of Fe xiii at 1074.7 and 1079.8 nm, from 1.03 to 1.5 solar radii. We focus here on the hot plasma sheet lying above the bright flare loops and beneath the ejected coronal mass ejection. The polarization has a striking and coherent spatial structure, with unexpectedly small polarization aligned with the plasma sheet. By elimination, we find that small-scale magnetic field structure is needed to cause such significant depolarization, and suggest that plasmoid formation during reconnection (associated with the tearing-mode instability) creates magnetic structure on scales below instrument resolution of 6 Mm. We conclude that polarization measurements with new coronagraphs, such as the upcoming Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, will further enhance our understanding of magnetic reconnection and development of turbulence in the solar corona.

Unfolding Overlapped Slitless Imaging Spectrometer Data for Extended Sources

Abstract Slitless spectrometers can provide simultaneous imaging and spectral data over an extended field of view, thereby allowing rapid data acquisition for extended sources. In some instances, when the object is greatly extended or the spectral dispersion is too small, there may be locations in the focal plane where emission lines at different wavelengths contribute. It is then desirable to unfold the overlapped regions in order to isolate the contributions from the individual wavelengths. In this paper, we describe a method for such an unfolding, using an inversion technique developed for an extreme ultraviolet imaging spectrometer and coronagraph named the COronal Spectroscopic Imager in the EUV (COSIE). The COSIE spectrometer wavelength range (18.6–20.5 nm) contains a number of strong coronal emission lines and several density sensitive lines. We focus on optimizing the unfolding process to retrieve emission measure maps at constant temperature, maps of spectrally pure intensity in the Fe xii and Fe xiii lines, and density maps based on both Fe xii and Fe xiii diagnostics.

Predictions of DKIST/DL-NIRSP Observations for an Off-limb Kink-unstable Coronal Loop

Abstract Synthetic intensity maps are generated from a 3D kink-unstable flux rope simulation using several DKIST/DL-NIRSP spectral lines to make a prediction of the observational signatures of energy transport and release. The reconstructed large field-of-view intensity mosaics and single tile sit-and-stare high-cadence image sequences show detailed, fine-scale structure and exhibit signatures of wave propagation, redistribution of heat, flows, and fine-scale bursts. These fine-scale bursts are present in the synthetic Doppler velocity maps and can be interpreted as evidence for small-scale magnetic reconnection at the loop boundary. The spectral lines reveal the different thermodynamic structures of the loop, with the hotter lines showing the loop interior and braiding and the cooler lines showing the radial edges of the loop. The synthetic observations of DL-NIRSP are found to preserve the radial expansion, and hence the loop radius can be measured accurately. The electron number density can be estimated using the intensity ratio of the Fe xiii lines at 10747 and 10798 Å. The estimated density from this ratio is correct to within ±10% during the later phases of the evolution; however, it is less accurate initially when line-of-sight density inhomogeneities contribute to the Fe xiii intensity, resulting in an overprediction of the density by ≈30%. The identified signatures are all above a conservative estimate for instrument noise and therefore will be detectable. In summary, we have used forward modeling to demonstrate that the coronal off-limb mode of DKIST/DL-NIRSP will be able to detect multiple independent signatures of a kink-unstable loop and observe small-scale transient features including loop braiding/twisting and small-scale reconnection events occurring at the radial edge of the loop.

Neon-like Iron Ion Lines Measured in NIFS/Large Helical Device (LHD) and Hinode/EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS)

Abstract Line intensities emerging from the Ne-sequence iron ion (Fe xvii) are measured in the laboratory, by the Large Helical Device at the National Institute for Fusion Science, and in the solar corona by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board the Hinode mission. The intensity ratios of Fe xvii λ 204.6/λ 254.8 are derived in the laboratory by unblending the contributions of the Fe xiii and xii line intensities. They are consistent with theoretical predictions and solar observations, the latter of which endorses the in-flight radiometric calibrations of the EIS instrument. The still remaining temperature-dependent behavior of the line ratio suggests the contamination of lower-temperature iron lines that are blended with the λ 204.6 line.

Chromospheric evaporation flows and density changes deduced from Hinode/EIS during an M1.6 flare

We analyzed high-cadence sit-and-stare observations acquired with the Hinode/EIS spectrometer and HXR measurements acquired with RHESSI during an M-class flare. During the flare impulsive phase, we observe no significant flows in the cooler Fe XIII line but strong upflows, up to 80-150 km/s, in the hotter Fe XVI line. The largest Doppler shifts observed in the Fe XVI line were co-temporal with the sharp intensity peak. The electron density obtained from a Fe XIII line pair ratio exhibited fast increase (within two minutes) from the pre-flare level of 5.01x10^(9) cm^(-3) to 3.16x10^(10) cm^(-3) during the flare peak. The nonthermal energy flux density deposited from the coronal acceleration site to the lower atmospheric layers during the flare peak was found to be 1.34x10^(10) erg/s/cm^(2) for a low-energy cut-off that was estimated to be 16 keV. During the decline flare phase, we found a secondary intensity and density peak of lower amplitude that was preceded by upflows of 15 km/s that were detected in both lines. The flare was also accompanied by a filament eruption that was partly captured by the EIS observations. We derived Doppler velocities of 250-300 km/s for the upflowing filament material.The spectroscopic results for the flare peak are consistent with the scenario of explosive chromospheric evaporation, although a comparatively low value of the nonthermal energy flux density was determined for this phase of the flare. This outcome is discussed in the context of recent hydrodynamic simulations. It provides observational evidence that the response of the atmospheric plasma strongly depends on the properties of the electron beams responsible for the heating, in particular the steepness of the energy distribution.

Active region upflows

Upflows at the edges of active regions (ARs) are studied by spatially and temporally combining multi-instrument observations obtained with EIS/Hinode, AIA and HMI/SDO and IBIS/NSO, to derive their plasma parameters. This information is used for benchmarking data-driven modelling of the upflows (Galsgaard et al., 2015). The studied AR upflow displays blueshifted emission of 5-20 km/s in Fe XII and Fe XIII and its average electron density is 1.8x10^9 cm^3 at 1 MK. The time variation of the density shows no significant change (in a 3sigma error). The plasma density along a single loop drops by 50% over a distance of 20000 km. We find a second velocity component in the blue wing of the Fe XII and Fe XIII lines at 105 km/s. This component is persistent during the whole observing period of 3.5 hours with variations of only 15 km/s. We also study the evolution of the photospheric magnetic field and find that magnetic flux diffusion is responsible for the formation of the upflow region. High cadence Halpha observations of the chromosphere at the footpoints of the upflow region show no significant jet-like (spicule/rapid blue excursion) activity to account for several hours/days of plasma upflow. Using an image enhancement technique, we show that the coronal structures seen in the AIA 193A channel is comparable to the EIS Fe XII images, while images in the AIA 171A channel reveals additional loops that are a result of contribution from cooler emission to this channel. Our results suggest that at chromospheric heights there are no signatures that support the possible contribution of spicules to AR upflows. We suggest that magnetic flux diffusion is responsible for the formation of the coronal upflows. The existence of two velocity components possibly indicate the presence of two different flows which are produced by two different physical mechanisms, e.g. magnetic reconnection and pressure-driven.

Data-model comparison using FORWARD and CoMP

AbstractThe FORWARD SolarSoft IDL package is a community resource for model-data comparison, with a particular emphasis on analyzing coronal magnetic fields. FORWARD allows the synthesis of coronal polarimetric signals at visible, infrared, and radio frequencies, and will soon be augmented for ultraviolet polarimetry. In this paper we focus on observations of the infrared (IR) forbidden lines of Fe XIII, and describe how FORWARD may be used to directly access these data from the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter (MLSO/CoMP), to put them in the context of other space- and ground-based observations, and to compare them to synthetic observables generated from magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models.

EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRA OF SOLAR FLARES FROM THE EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET SPECTROHELIOGRAPH SPIRIT ONBOARD THE CORONAS-F SATELLITE

We present detailed EUV spectra of 4 large solar flares: M5.6, X1.3, X3.4, and X17 classes in the spectral ranges 176-207 \AA\ and 280-330 \AA. These spectra were obtained {by the slitless} spectroheliograph SPIRIT aboard the CORONAS-F satellite. To our knowledge these are the first detailed EUV spectra of large flares obtained with spectral resolution of $\sim 0.1$ \AA. We performed a comprehensive analysis of the obtained spectra and provide identification of the observed spectral lines. The identification was performed based {on the calculation} of synthetic spectra (CHIANTI database was used), with simultaneous {calculations of DEM} and density of the emitting plasma. More than 50 intense lines are present in the spectra that correspond to a temperature range of $T=0.5-16$ MK; most of the lines belong to Fe, Ni, Ca, Mg, Si ions. In all the considered flares intense hot lines from Ca XVII, Ca XVIII, Fe XX, Fe XXII, and Fe XXIV are observed. The calculated DEMs have a peak at $T \sim 10$ MK. The densities were determined using Fe XI - Fe XIII lines and averaged $6.5 \times 10^9$ cm$^{-3}$. We also discuss the identification, accuracy and major discrepancies of the spectral line intensity prediction.

INTENSITY RATIO OF DENSITY-SENSITIVE LINES IN Fe IONS OBSERVED WITH A WELL-DEFINED LABORATORY PLASMA

We present spectra of highly charged Fe ions in the extreme ultraviolet range observed using an electron beam ion trap equipped with a flat-field grazing incidence spectrometer. The density dependence of line intensity ratios is investigated for several density-sensitive lines of Fe XIII, XIV, and XV. Unlike previous studies where the electron density was estimated from theoretical considerations, here it is derived from electron beam profile measurements. The experimental data are compared with model calculations.

The 3s23p3d3Foterm in the Si-like spectrum of Fe (Fe XIII)1This article is part of a Special Issue on the 10th International Colloquium on Atomic Spectra and Oscillator Strengths for Astrophysical and Laboratory Plasmas.

The structure of Si-like ions is discussed for the example of iron (spectrum Fe XIII). The 3s23p3d 3Foterm with its three fine structure levels of very different lifetimes has eluded the early observations. Meanwhile, complementary experimental techniques have permitted to track these levels. Theory has also evolved from approximate techniques to accurate ab initio calculations, the results of which cast doubt on some earlier Fe XIII line identifications and guide the search for and the identification of the correct lines in solar corona spectra.

A RING OF POLARIZED LIGHT: EVIDENCE FOR TWISTED CORONAL MAGNETISM IN CAVITIES

Coronal prominence cavities may be manifestations of twisted or sheared magnetic fields capable of storing the energy required to drive solar eruptions. The Coronal Multi-Channel Polarimeter (CoMP), recently installed at Mauna Loa Solar Observatory, can measure polarimetric signatures of current-carrying magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) systems. For the first time, this instrument offers the capability of daily full-Sun observations of the forbidden lines of Fe XIII with high enough spatial resolution and throughput to measure polarimetric signatures of current-carrying MHD systems. By forward-calculating CoMP observables from analytic MHD models of spheromak-type magnetic flux ropes, we show that a predicted observable for such flux ropes oriented along the line of sight is a bright ring of linear polarization surrounding a region where the linear polarization strength is relatively depleted. We present CoMP observations of a coronal cavity possessing such a polarization ring.

Active region moss

We present a study of the physical plasma parameters such as electron temperature, electron density, column depth and filling factors in the moss regions and their variability over a short (an hour) and a long period (5 consecutive days) of time. Primarily, we have analyzed the spectroscopic observations recorded by the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) aboard Hinode. In addition we have used supplementary observations taken from TRACE and the X-Ray Telescope (XRT). We find that the moss emission is strongest in the Fe xii and Fe xiii lines. Based on analyses using line ratios and emission measure we found that the moss region has a characteristic temperature of log T = 6.2. The electron densities measured at different locations in the moss regions using Fe xii ratios are about 1-3\times1010 cm(-3) and about 2-4\times10^9 cm^(-3) using Fe xiii and Fe xiv. The electron density substantially increases (by a factor of about 3-4 or even more in some cases) when a background subtraction was performed. The density and temperature show very small variation over time. The filling factor of the moss plasma can vary between 0.1-1 and the path length along which the emission originates is from a few 100 to a few 1000 kms long. By combining the observations recorded by TRACE, EIS and XRT, we find that the moss regions correspond to the foot-points of both hot and warm loops.