Library

Notes: Abstract We demonstrate that even in the absence of flares there are very often volumes of hot plasma in the corona above active regions with temperatures in excess of 10 million degrees. Characteristics of this hot plasma and its time variations seem to be different in active regions of different phase of development. These hot plasma regions are sources of very weak, but clearly recognizable, X-ray emission above 3.5 keV. Long-lived X-ray brightenings, 104 times weaker than a flare, but lasting up to 10 hr occur predominantly along the H ∥ = 0 line, apparently low in the corona. After major flares, long-lived X-ray emission is also radiated from tops of arches extending high into the corona. Some other long-lived sources, far from the H∥ = 0 line, may be associated with newly emerging flux. Short-lived X-ray sources, with fluxes ranging from subflare levels to 10−3 times the flare flux, last for 2 to more than 30 min and are probably microflares. They seem to be most frequent in growing young active regions and appear often in areas with newly emerging flux.

Notes: Abstract We continue previous research on the limb flare of 30 April, 1980, 20:20 UT, observed in X-rays by several instruments aboard the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM). It is shown quantitatively that the flare originated in an emerging magnetically confined kernel (diameter ∼ 20″) which existed for about ten to fifteen minutes, and from which energetic electrons streamed, in at least two injections, into a previously existing complicated magnetic loop system thus forming a less bright but extended and long-lived tongue. The tongue had a length of ∼ 35 000 km and lasted ∼ 90 min in X-rays (∼ 10 keV); at lower energies (∼ 0.7 keV) it was larger (∼ 80 000 km) and lasted longer. The total number of energetic electrons (≈ 1037) initially present in the kernel is of the same order as the number present in the tongue after the kernel's decline. This gives evidence that the energetic electrons in the tongue originated mainly in the kernel. The electron number densities in the kernel and tongue at maximum brightness were ∼ 4.5 × 1011 and ∼ 1 × 1011 cm#X2212;3, respectively. During the first eight minutes of its existence the tongue was hotter than the kernel, but it cooled off gradually. Its decline in intensity and temperature was exponential; energy was lost by radiation and by conduction through the footpoints of the loop system. These footpoints have a cross-section of only ∼ 3 × 106 km2. This small value, as well as photographs in a Civ UV emission line, suggests a highly filamentary structure of the system; this is further supported by the finding that the tongue had a ‘filling factor’ of ∼ 10#X2212;2. Several faint X-ray brightenings (≲ 0.005 of the flare's maximum intensity) were observed at various locations along the solar limb for several hours before and after the flare. At ∼ 30 min before the flare's onset a faint (≲ 0.02) flare precursor occurred, coinciding in place and shape with the flare. First the kernel precursor was brightest but the tongue precursor increased continuously in brightness and was the brightest part of the precursor some 10–15 min after the first visibility of the kernel precursor, until the start of the main flare. This suggests (weak) continuous electron acceleration in the tongue during a period of at least 30 min. The main flare was caused by strong emergence of magnetic field followed by two consecutive field line reconnections and accelerations in a small loop system, causing footpoint heating. Subsequently plasma streamed (convectively) into a pre-existing system of larger loops, forming the tongue.

Notes: Abstract There is no evidence for the C2(0,1) band in an investigated sunspot spectrum. Upper limits are given for the band intensity.

Notes: Abstract Extremely low background noise of the HXIS experiment aboard the SMM made it possible to detect 〉 3.5 keV X-ray emissions from non-flaring active regions which are 103–104 times weaker than the X-ray flux from flares. Short-lived X-ray bursts and long-lived X-ray enhancements of various intensities seem to characterize active regions in different phases of their development. After major two-ribbon flares, giant X-ray arches are seen in the corona, slowly decaying for many hours after the flare end. Associated with these arches appear to be quasi-periodic flare-like variations of purely coronal nature.