Ultraviolet Observations Research Articles

Constraining the Systematics of (Acoustic) Wave Heating Estimates in the Solar Chromosphere

Acoustic wave heating is believed to contribute significantly to the missing energy input required to maintain the solar chromosphere in its observed state. We studied the propagation of waves above the acoustic cutoff in the upper photosphere into the chromosphere with ultraviolet and optical spectral observations interpreted through comparison with 3D radiative magnetohydrodynamic Bifrost models to constrain the heating contribution from acoustic waves in the solar atmosphere. Sit-and-stare observations taken with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph and data from the Interferometric BIdimensional Spectrograph were used to provide the observational basis of this work. We compared the observations with synthetic observables derived from the Bifrost solar atmospheric model. Our analysis of the Bifrost simulations show that internetwork and enhanced-network regions exhibit significantly different wave-propagation properties, which are important for accurate wave flux estimates. The inferred wave energy fluxes based on our observations are not sufficient to maintain the solar chromosphere. We point out that the systematics of the modeling approaches in the literature lead to differences which could determine the conclusions of this type of study, based on the same observations.

The Transition Region of Solar Flare Loops

The transition region between the Sun’s corona and chromosphere is important to the mass and energy transfer from the lower atmosphere to the corona; consequently, this region has been studied intensely with ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations. A major result of these studies is that the amount of plasma at low temperatures, <105 K, is far too large to be compatible with the standard theory of thermal conductivity. However, it is not clear whether the disagreement lies with a problem in the observations or a problem in the theory. We address this issue by analyzing high–spatial and temporal resolution EUV observations from an X1.6-class flare, taken with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph and the Solar Dynamic Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA). These data allow us to isolate the emission of flare loops from that of surrounding structures. We compare the emission measures (EMs) derived from the C ii 1334.525 Å and Si iv 1402.770 Å transition region spectral lines, the Fe xxi 1354.066 Å flare line, and the AIA 171 Å coronal images. We find that the EM ratios are incompatible with a standard conduction-dominated transition region model. Furthermore, the large increases in the EM magnitudes due to flare heating make it highly unlikely that the disagreement between data and theory is due to observational uncertainties in the source of the emission. We conclude that the standard Spitzer–Härm thermal conductivity must be invalid for, at least, flare loops. We discuss the possibility that turbulent suppression of thermal conduction can account for our results.

Imaging-spectroscopy of a band-split type II solar radio burst with the Murchison Widefield Array

Type II solar radio bursts are caused by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) shocks driven by solar eruptive events such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Often, both fundamental and harmonic bands of type II bursts are split into sub-bands, which are generally believed to be coming from upstream and downstream regions of the shock; however, this explanation remains unconfirmed. Here, we present combined results from imaging analyses of type II radio burst band splitting and other fine structures observed by the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) and extreme ultraviolet observations from Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on 28 September 2014. The MWA provides imaging-spectroscopy in the range 80−300 MHz with a time resolution of 0.5 s and frequency resolution of 40 kHz. Our analysis shows that the burst was caused by a piston-driven shock with a driver speed of ∼112 km s−1 and shock speed of ∼580 km s−1. We provide rare evidence that band splitting is caused by emission from multiple parts of the shock (as opposed to the upstream–downstream hypothesis). We also examine the small-scale motion of type II fine structure radio sources in MWA images, and suggest that this motion may arise because of radio propagation effects from coronal turbulence, and is not due to the physical motion of the shock location. We present a novel technique that uses imaging spectroscopy to directly determine the effective length scale of turbulent density perturbations, which is found to be 1−2 Mm. The study of the systematic and small-scale motion of fine structures may therefore provide a measure of turbulence in different regions of the shock and corona.

The rebrightening of aROSAT-selected tidal disruption event: repeated weak partial disruption flares from a quiescent galaxy?

ABSTRACTThe ROSAT-selected tidal disruption event (TDE) candidate RX J133157.6−324319.7 (J1331) was detected in 1993 as a bright [0.2–2 keV flux of (1.0 ± 0.1) × 10−12 erg s−1 cm−2], ultra-soft (kT = 0.11 ± 0.03 keV) X-ray flare from a quiescent galaxy (z = 0.051 89). During its fifth all-sky survey (eRASS5) in 2022, Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma (SRG)/ eROSITA detected the repeated flaring of J1331, where it had rebrightened to an observed 0.2–2 keV flux of (6.0 ± 0.7) × 10−13 erg s−1 cm−2, with spectral properties (kT = 0.115 ± 0.007 keV) consistent with the ROSAT-observed flare ∼30 yr earlier. In this work, we report on X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, and radio observations of this system. During a pointed XMM observation ∼17 d after the eRASS5 detection, J1331 was not detected in the 0.2–2 keV band, constraining the 0.2–2 keV flux to have decayed by a factor of ≳40 over this period. Given the extremely low probability (∼5 × 10−6) of observing two independent full TDEs from the same galaxy over a 30 yr period, we consider the variability seen in J1331 to be likely caused by two partial TDEs involving a star on an elliptical orbit around a black hole. J1331-like flares show faster rise and decay time-scales [$\mathcal {O}(\mathrm{d})$] compared to standard TDE candidates, with negligible ongoing accretion at late times post-disruption between outbursts.

A new multi‐messenger description of starburst galaxies emission: perspectives for neutrino and gamma‐ray observations

AbstractStar‐forming and starburst galaxies (SBGs), which are well‐known cosmic‐ray (CR) reservoirs, are expected to emit gamma rays and neutrinos predominantly via hadronic collisions. In this work we analyze the 10‐year Fermi‐Low Energy Technique (LAT) spectral energy distributions of 13 nearby galaxies by means of a physical model that accounts for high‐energy proton transport in starburst nuclei and includes the contribution of primary and secondary electrons. In particular, we test the hypothesis that the observed gamma‐ray fluxes are mostly due to star‐forming activity, which is in agreement with the available star formation rates coming from infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) observations. Through this observation‐based approach, we determine the most‐likely neutrino counterparts from star‐forming and SBGs and quantitatively assess the ability of current and upcoming neutrino telescopes to detect them as point‐like sources. We also generate mock gamma‐ray data to simulate the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) performance in detecting these sources. Moreover, we propose a test to discriminate between the two different CR transport models for the starburst nuclei by looking at the different gamma‐ray expectations. We point out that current data already gives a slight preference to CR models, which are dominated by advection.

Absence of nuclear polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission from a compact starburst: The case of the type-2 quasar Mrk 477

Mrk 477 is the closest type-2 quasar, at a distance of 163 Mpc. This makes it an ideal laboratory for studying the interplay between nuclear activity and star formation with a great level of detail and signal-to-noise. In this Letter we present new mid-infrared (mid-IR) imaging and spectroscopic data with an angular resolution of 0.4″ (∼300 pc) obtained with the Gran Telescopio Canarias instrument CanariCam. The N-band (8–13 μm) spectrum of the central ∼400 pc of the galaxy reveals [S IV]λ10.51 μm emission, but no 8.6 or 11.3 μm polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) features, which are commonly used as tracers of recent star formation. This is in stark contrast with the presence of a nuclear starburst of ∼300 pc in size, an age of 6 Myr, and a mass of 1.1×108 M⊙, as constrained from ultraviolet Hubble Space Telescope observations. Considering this, we argue that even the more resilient, neutral molecules that mainly produce the 11.3 μm PAH band are most likely being destroyed in the vicinity of the active nucleus despite the relatively large X-ray column density, log NH = 23.5 cm−2, and modest X-ray luminosity, 1.5×1043 erg s−1. This highlights the importance of being cautious when using PAH features as star formation tracers in the central region of galaxies to evaluate the impact of feedback from active galactic nuclei.

Sympathetic Partial Filament Eruptions Caused by the Interaction between Two Nearby Filaments

To better understand the physical connections in sympathetic solar eruptions, we investigated the interaction between two nearby filaments and their successive partial eruptions in the active region (AR) NOAA 12866 on 2021 September 9 by using data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the New Vacuum Solar Telescope. Based on Hα and extreme ultraviolet observations, we found that the right part of one filament (F1) became active first and experienced an obvious rolling motion. Then the whole body of the filament became wider and expanded toward another filament (F2). They collided with each other, and the interaction between them was accompanied by the brightening and bidirectional flows that appeared between them. This implies that magnetic reconnection occurred between the threads of two filaments. The interaction resulted in a rightward motion of F2 at first, and then its activation, and finally part of it erupted. Furthermore, when the erupted F2 deflected rapidly toward the middle part of F1, the left part of F1 erupted with its overlying magnetic fields pushed by F2. These observational results imply that these successive eruptions within a short time are physically linked, and this was caused by the interaction of the filaments. Nonlinear force-free field extrapolation reveals that the magnetic structure of the filament F1 was composed of several magnetic flux ropes with different twists. These results further advance our understanding of partial filament eruptions and sympathetic solar eruptions.

Ultraviolet imaging observations of three jellyfish galaxies: star formation suppression in the centre and ongoing star formation in stripped tails

ABSTRACT Spiral galaxies undergo strong ram-pressure effects when they fall into the galaxy cluster potential. As a consequence, their gas is stripped to form extended tails within which star formation can happen, giving them the typical jellyfish appearance. The ultraviolet imaging observations of jellyfish galaxies provide an opportunity to understand ongoing star formation in the stripped tails. We report the ultraviolet observations of the jellyfish galaxies JW39, JO60, JO194 and compare with observations in optical continuum and Hα. We detect knots of star formation in the disc and tails of the galaxies and find that their UV and Hα flux are well correlated. The optical emission line ratio maps of these galaxies are used to identify for every region the emission mechanism, due to either star formation, LINER or a mix of the two phenomena. The star-forming regions in the emission line maps match very well with the regions having significant UV flux. The central regions of two galaxies (JW39, JO194) show a reduction in UV flux which coincides with composite or LINER regions in the emission line maps. The galaxies studied here demonstrate significant star formation in the stripped tails, suppressed star formation in the central regions and present a possible case of accelerated quenching happening in jellyfish galaxies.

Ultraviolet spectropolarimetry: investigating stellar magnetic field diagnostics

Magnetic fields are important for stellar photospheres and magnetospheres, influencing photospheric physics and sculpting stellar winds. Observations of stellar magnetic fields are typically made in the visible, although infrared observations are becoming common. Here we consider the possibility of directly detecting magnetic fields at ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths using high resolution spectropolarimetry, specifically considering the capabilities of the proposed Polstar mission. UV observations are particularly advantageous for studying wind resonance lines not available in the visible, but they can also provide many photospheric lines in hot stars. Detecting photospheric magnetic fields using the Zeeman effect and Least Squares Deconvolution is potentially more effective in the UV due to the much higher density of strong lines. We investigate detecting magnetic fields in the magnetosphere of a star using the Zeeman effect in wind lines, and find that this could be detectable at high S/N in an O or B star with a strong magnetic field. We consider detecting magnetic fields using the Hanle effect in linear polarization, which is complementary to the Zeeman effect, and could be more sensitive in photospheric lines of rapid rotators. The Hanle effect can also be used to infer circumstellar magnetism in winds. Detecting the Hanle effect requires UV observations, and a multi-line approach is key for inferring magnetic field properties. This demonstrates that high resolution spectropolarimetry in the UV, and the proposed Polstar mission, has the potential to greatly expand our ability to detect and characterize magnetic fields in and around hot stars.

Spectroscopic Mapping of Io’s Surface with HST/STIS: SO2 Frost, Sulfur Allotropes, and Large-scale Compositional Patterns

Io’s intense volcanic activity results in one of the most colorful surfaces in the solar system. Ultraviolet and visible-wavelength observations of Io are critical to uncovering the chemistry behind its volcanic hues. Here, we present global, spatially resolved ultraviolet-visible spectra of Io from the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope, which bridge the gap between previous highly resolved imagery and disk-integrated spectroscopy, to provide an unprecedented combination of spatial and spectral detail. We use this comprehensive data set to investigate spectral endmembers, map observed spectral features associated with SO2 frost and other sulfur species, and explore possible compositions in the context of Io surface processes. In agreement with past observations, our results are consistent with extensive equatorial SO2 frost deposits that are stable over multidecade timescales, widespread sulfur-rich plains surrounding the SO2 deposits, and the enrichment of Pele’s pyroclastic ring and the high-latitude regions in metastable short-chain sulfur allotropes.

Auroral Field‐Aligned Current Signatures in Jupiter's Magnetosphere: Juno Magnetic Field Observations and Physical Modeling

AbstractWe analyze magnetic data obtained during northern high‐altitude traversals of Jovian middle magnetosphere (MM) field lines during the first 10 inbound data‐taking passes of the Juno spacecraft for azimuthal field perturbations associated with magnetosphere‐ionosphere coupling currents. Full traversals across the MM region occur on all 10 passes at radial distances ∼7 to 16 RJ (T1 traversals), followed in four cases by reversed traversals (T2) at ∼4 to 7 RJ. Signatures of upward field‐aligned currents were observed in all cases, closely collocated with the statistical main auroral oval when mapped along field lines to the ionosphere. Two T1 sheets carry currents ∼10 MA per radian of azimuth in ionospheric colatitudinal layers ∼1.2°, closely comparable with the ∼8.5 MA rad−1 theoretical model value of Cowley et al. (2008, https://doi.org/10.5194/angeo-26-4051-2008). The other T1 sheets typically carry half this current ∼5.1 MA rad−1 in layers half the width ∼0.56°, thus with comparable current densities ∼425 nA m−2. The T2 currents are smaller ∼3.4 MA rad−1 with current densities ∼120 nA m−2, a difference that may relate to locations on opposite sides of the main oval as reflected in near‐contemporaneous ultraviolet observations, though ionospheric field strengths are not greatly different. Comparison with northern near‐periapsis currents observed inside ∼2 RJ on the same passes by Kotsiaros et al. (2019, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-019-0819-7) yields a cross‐correlation coefficient ∼0.7 with our T1 currents, though Kotsiaros et al.’s mean current value of ∼3.8 MA rad−1 is somewhat less than our overall mean T1 value ∼6.2 MA rad−1. The differences may have spatial, temporal, or methodological origins.

Shock cooling of a red-supergiant supernova at redshift 3 in lensed images.

The core-collapse supernova of a massive star rapidly brightens when a shock, produced following the collapse of its core, reaches the stellar surface. As the shock-heated star subsequently expands and cools, its early-time light curve should have a simple dependence on the size of the progenitor1 and therefore final evolutionary state. Measurements of the radius of the progenitor from early light curves exist for only a small sample of nearby supernovae2-14, and almost all lack constraining ultraviolet observations within a day of explosion. The several-day time delays and magnifying ability of galaxy-scale gravitational lenses, however, should provide a powerful tool for measuring the early light curves of distant supernovae, and thereby studying massive stellar populations at high redshift. Here we analyse individual rest-frame exposures in the ultraviolet to the optical taken with the Hubble Space Telescope, which simultaneously capture, in three separate gravitationally lensed images, the early phases of a supernova at redshift z ≈ 3 beginning within 5.8 ± 3.1 hours of explosion. The supernova, seen at a lookback time of approximately 11.5 billion years, is strongly lensed by an early-type galaxy in the Abell 370 cluster. We constrain the pre-explosion radius to be [Formula: see text] solar radii, consistent with a red supergiant. Highly confined and massive circumstellar material at the same radius can also reproduce the light curve, but because no similar low-redshift examples are known, this is unlikely.

A Short Gamma-Ray Burst from a Protomagnetar Remnant

The contemporaneous detection of gravitational waves and gamma rays from GW170817/GRB 170817A, followed by kilonova emission a day after, confirmed compact binary neutron star mergers as progenitors of short-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and cosmic sources of heavy r-process nuclei. However, the nature (and life span) of the merger remnant and the energy reservoir powering these bright gamma-ray flashes remains debated, while the first minutes after the merger are unexplored at optical wavelengths. Here, we report the earliest discovery of bright thermal optical emission associated with short GRB 180618A with extended gamma-ray emission—with ultraviolet and optical multicolor observations starting as soon as 1.4 minutes post-burst. The spectrum is consistent with a fast-fading afterglow and emerging thermal optical emission 15 minutes post-burst, which fades abruptly and chromatically (flux density F ν ∝ t −α , α = 4.6 ± 0.3) just 35 minutes after the GRB. Our observations from gamma rays to optical wavelengths are consistent with a hot nebula expanding at relativistic speeds, powered by the plasma winds from a newborn, rapidly spinning and highly magnetized neutron star (i.e., a millisecond magnetar), whose rotational energy is released at a rate L th ∝ t −(2.22±0.14) to reheat the unbound merger-remnant material. These results suggest that such neutron stars can survive the collapse to a black hole on timescales much larger than a few hundred milliseconds after the merger and power the GRB itself through accretion. Bright thermal optical counterparts to binary merger gravitational wave sources may be common in future wide-field fast-cadence sky surveys.

FarNet-II: An improved solar far-side active region detection method

Context. Activity on the far side of the Sun is routinely studied through the analysis of the seismic oscillations detected on the near side using helioseismic techniques such as phase-shift sensitive holography. Detections made through those methods are limited to strong active regions due to the need for a high signal-to-noise ratio. Recently, the neural network FarNet was developed to improve these detections. This network extracts more information from helioseismic far-side maps, enabling the detection of smaller and weaker active regions. Aims. We aim to create a new machine learning tool, FarNet-II, which further increases FarNet’s scope, and to evaluate its performance in comparison to FarNet and the standard helioseismic method for detecting far-side activity. Methods. We developed FarNet-II, a neural network that retains some of the general characteristics of FarNet but improves the detections in general, as well as the temporal coherence among successive predictions. The main novelties of the new neural network are the implementation of attention and convolutional long short-term memory (ConvLSTM) modules. A cross-validation approach, training the network 37 times with a different validation set for each run, was employed to leverage the limited amount of data available. We evaluate the performance of FarNet-II using three years of extreme ultraviolet observations of the far side of the Sun acquired with the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) as a proxy of activity. The results from FarNet-II were compared with those obtained from FarNet and the standard helioseismic method using the Dice coefficient as a metric. Given that the application of the ConvLSTM modules can affect the accuracy as a function of the position on the sequence, we take this potential dependency into account in the evaluation. Results. FarNet-II achieves a Dice coefficient that improves that of FarNet by over 0.2 points for every output position on the sequences from the evaluation dates. Its improvement over FarNet is higher than that of FarNet over the standard method. Conclusions. The new network is a very promising tool for improving the detection of activity on the far side of the Sun given by pure helioseismic techniques. Space weather forecasts can potentially benefit from the higher sensitivity provided by this novel method.

Extending optical flare models to the UV: results from comparing of TESS and GALEX flare observations for M Dwarfs

ABSTRACT The ultraviolet (UV) emission of stellar flares may have a pivotal role in the habitability of rocky exoplanets around low-mass stars. Previous studies have used white-light observations to calibrate empirical models which describe the optical and UV flare emission. However, the accuracy of the UV predictions of models has previously not been tested. We combined TESS optical and GALEX UV observations to test the UV predictions of empirical flare models calibrated using optical flare rates of M stars. We find that the canonical 9000-K black-body model used by flare studies underestimates the GALEX near-ultraviolet (NUV) energies of field age M stars by up to a factor of 6.5 ± 0.7 and the GALEX far-ultraviolet energies of fully convective field age M stars by 30.6 ± 10.0. We calculated energy correction factors that can be used to bring the UV predictions of flare models closer in line with observations. We calculated pseudo-continuum flare temperatures that describe both the white-light and GALEX NUV emission. We measured a temperature of 10 700 K for flares from fully convective M stars after accounting for the contribution from UV line emission. We also applied our correction factors to the results of previous studies of the role of flares in abiogenesis. Our results show that M stars do not need to be as active as previously thought in order to provide the NUV flux required for prebiotic chemistry, however, we note that flares will also provide more FUV flux than previously modelled.

X-Ray Emission from the Exoplanet Hosting LTT 1445 Triple Star System

JWST will be able to observe the atmospheres of rocky planets transiting nearby M dwarfs. The M-dwarf triple star system LTT 1445, at a distance of 6.86 pc, hosts some of the nearest rocky terrestrial planets. These planets most likely orbit the M 3.5V star LTT 1445A. During a 28.6 ks Chandra ACIS-S3 observation we have: (i) spatially resolved and detected all three stars in the LTT 1445 system; (ii) measured the X-ray luminosity of the individual stars, including LTT 1445A, for the first time; (iii) studied the flux variability of the X-ray sources and found strong variability from the A and C components; and (iv) investigated how the coronal luminosities, temperatures, and volume emission measures vary at different activity levels. Combining these X-ray data with upcoming HST ultraviolet observations will allow a differential emission measure estimation of the star’s extreme-ultraviolet spectrum, thereby facilitating modeling of the rocky planets’ atmospheres.

X-Rays in Cepheids: Identifying Low-mass Companions of Intermediate-mass Stars* *Based on observations obtained with the Chandra X-ray Observatory.

X-ray observations have been made of a sample of 20 classical Cepheids, including two new observations (Polaris and l Car) reported here. The occurrence of X-ray flux around the pulsation cycle is discussed. Three Cepheids are detected (δ Cep, β Dor, and Polaris). X-rays have also been detected from the low-mass F, G, and K companions of four Cepheids (V473 Lyr, R Cru, V659 Cen, and W Sgr) and one hot companion (S Mus). Upper limits on the X-ray flux of the remaining Cepheids provide an estimate that 28% have low-mass companions. This fraction of low-mass companions in intermediate-mass Cepheids is significantly lower than expected from random pairing with the field initial mass function (IMF). Combining the companion fraction from X-rays with that from ultraviolet observations results in a binary/multiple fraction of 57% ± 12% for Cepheids with ratios q > 0.1 and separations a >1 au. This is a lower limit since M stars are not included. X-ray observations detect less massive companions than other existing studies of intermediate-mass stars. Our measured occurrence rate of unresolved, low-mass companions to Cepheids suggests that intermediate-period binaries derive from a combination of disk and core fragmentation and accretion. This yields a hybrid mass ratio distribution that is skewed toward small values compared to a uniform distribution but is still top-heavy compared to random pairings drawn from the IMF.

A Pilot Survey of an M Dwarf Flare Star with Swift’s UV Grism

The near-ultraviolet (NUV) spectral region is a useful diagnostic for stellar flare physics and assessing the energy environment of young exoplanets, especially as relates to prebiotic chemistry. We conducted a pilot NUV spectroscopic flare survey of the young M dwarf AU Mic with the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory's UltraViolet and Optical Telescope. We detected four flares and three other epochs of significantly elevated count rates during the 9.6 hr of total exposure time, consistent with a NUV flare rate of ∼0.5 hr−1. The largest flare we observed released a minimum energy of 6 × 1033 erg between 1730 and 5000 Å. All flares had durations longer than the ∼14–17 minutes duration of each Swift visit, making measuring total flare energy and duration infeasible.

A New Post-hoc Flat Field Measurement Method for the Solar X-Ray and Extreme Ultraviolet Imager Onboard the FengYun-3E Satellite

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations are widely used in solar activity research and space weather forecasting since they can observe both the solar eruptions and the source regions of the solar wind. Flat field processing is indispensable to remove the instrumental non-uniformity of a solar EUV imager in producing high-quality scientific data from original observed data. FengYun-3E (FY-3E) is a meteorological satellite operated in a Sun-synchronous orbit, and the routine EUV imaging data from the Solar X-ray and Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (X-EUVI) onboard FY-3E has the characteristic of concentric rotation. Taking advantage of the concentric rotation, we propose a post-hoc flat field measurement method for its EUV 195 Å channel in this paper. This method removes the small-scale and time-varying component of coronal activities by taking the median value for each pixel along the time axis of a concentric rotation data cube, and then derives the large-scale and invariable component of the quiet coronal radiation, and finally generates a flat field image. The flat field can be generated with cadences from hundreds of minutes (one orbit) to several days. Higher flat field accuracy can be achieved by employing more data. Further analysis shows that our method is able to measure the instrumental spot-like non-uniformity possibly caused by contamination on the detector, which mostly disappears after the in-orbit self-cleaning process. It can also measure the quasi-periodic grid-like non-uniformity, possibly from the obscuration of the support mesh on the rear filter. After flat field correction, these instrumental non-uniformities from the original data are effectively removed. Moreover, the X-EUVI 195 Å data after dark and flat field corrections are consistent with the 193 Å imaging data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory, verifying the suitability of the method. The post-hoc method does not occupy observation time, which is advantageous for space weather operations. Our method is not only suitable for FY-3E/X-EUVI but also a candidate method for the flat field measurement of future solar EUV telescopes.

Statistical investigation of the kinematic and thermal properties of supra-arcade downflows observed during a solar flare

ABSTRACT Supra-arcade downflows (SADs) are dark structures descending towards post-reconnection flare loops observed in extreme ultraviolet or X-ray observations and are closely related to magnetic reconnection during solar flares. Due to the lack of statistical study on SADs in a single flare, evolutions of kinematic and thermal properties of SADs during the flare process still remain obscure. In this work, we identified 81 SADs in a flare that occurred on 2013 May 22 using observations of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The kinematic properties of each SAD, including the appearance time, height, projective velocity, and acceleration were recorded. We found that the appearance heights of SADs become larger during the flare, which is likely due to the lift of the bottom of the plasma sheet. In the flare decay phase, the region where SADs mainly appear moves from the north part to the south side possibly related to a secondary eruption in the south side. The trajectories of most SADs can be fitted by one or two deceleration processes, while some special ones have positive accelerations during the descent. For the thermal properties, we selected 54 SADs, whose front and body could be clearly distinguished from the surrounding during the entire descent, to perform Differential Emission Measure analysis. It is revealed that the temperatures of the SAD front and body tend to increase during their downward courses, and the relationship between the density and temperature indicates that the heating is mainly caused by adiabatic compression.