Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Dec 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011agufmsh13b1942c&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #SH13B-1942
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
[7500] Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy, [7509] Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy / Corona, [7519] Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy / Flares, [7554] Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy / X-Rays, Gamma Rays, And Neutrinos
Scientific paper
Observations by the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) have shown that "super-hot" (T > 30 MK) plasma temperatures appear to be commonly achieved by intense, GOES M- and X-class flares. Recent studies of individual X-class flares (Caspi & Lin 2010, ApJ 725, L161; Longcope et al. 2010, SolPhys 267, 107) showed that the super-hot thermal component is spectrally and spatially distinct from the ubiquitous ~10-20 MK plasma observed by GOES, suggesting that the two populations are heated by different physical mechanisms. However, how and why some flares achieve super-hot temperatures while others do not, and on what physical parameters this depends, remains unknown; consequently, the origins of super-hot plasmas remain poorly understood. We present results from a survey of 37 M- and X-class flares observed by RHESSI and GOES, which show that the maximum plasma temperature measured by RHESSI is strongly correlated with GOES class, such that super-hot temperatures are achieved almost exclusively by X-class flares. This correlation is significantly steeper than that observed for the peak GOES temperature. The maximum (instantaneous) thermal energy of the RHESSI-observed plasma, which occurs after the peak RHESSI temperature, is also correlated with GOES class, and super-hot flares are observed to be strongly associated with high number densities and (instantaneous) thermal energy densities compared to cooler flares, suggesting that strong magnetic fields are a requirement for the formation of super-hot plasma. We discuss these results and their implications for flare plasma heating, temperature distribution evolution, and energy transport.
Caspi Amir
Krucker Sa"m
Lin Robert P.
No associations
LandOfFree
Statistical Properties of Super-Hot Solar Flares does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Statistical Properties of Super-Hot Solar Flares, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Statistical Properties of Super-Hot Solar Flares will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-876611