Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
May 2011
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2011spd....42.2238c&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, SPD meeting #42, #22.38; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 43, 2011
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
Previous studies have shown that the flare frequency distribution is consistent with a power-law. Furthermore, studies have shown that regions of higher magnetic complexity produce more large flares. This may imply that the flare frequency distribution is harder for magnetically complex active regions. However, the relationship between source active regions’ magnetic complexity and the flare size distribution has not been extensively studied.
We present a new study of 25,000 microflares detected by the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) from March 2002 to February 2007. For each flare, we have obtained the two classifications of magnetic complexity, the Mount Wilson Magnetic Classification and the Zurich/McIntosh Sunspot Classification, from the Solar Region Summary prepared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/ Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), and compared them with the RHESSI flare size distribution as observed in the 12 to 25 keV energy range.
We find that, for both the Mount Wilson Magnetic Classification and the Zurich/McIntosh Sunspot Classification, the slopes of the microflare size distribution does not change as a function of magnetic complexity. This implies that there exists a fundamental "parent distribution” of flare size. We also find a good correlation between the number of flares produced and the region's magnetic complexity for the Zurich/McIntosh Sunspot Classification. We conclude that the Zurich/McIntosh Classification is a more appropriate measure of flare productivity.
Christe Steven
Kuroda N.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Flare Productivity of Active Regions 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 The Flare Productivity of Active Regions, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Flare Productivity of Active Regions will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1205663