Multi-Instrument Observations of Small Transients Through the Solar Atmosphere
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flares↗
Engineering topics
Sabrina L Savage
Publications and source records attributed to Sabrina L Savage.
Nanoflare Heating Frequency of an X-ray Bright Point Observed by MaGIXS
Nanoflares have been considered to be one of the most likely candidates for heating the solar corona to multi-million kelvin temperatures. Individual nanoflares are difficult to detect with today's instruments, but their presence may be established by comparing simulated nanoflare-heated plasma emissions to observed emissions. We present a simulation of emission from an X-ray Bright Point (XBP) detected by the MaGIXS, as well as simultaneous observations from SDO/AIA and Hinode/XRT. To simulate the XBP loops, we utilize the HYDRAD code. The length and magnetic field strength of these loops are determined using potential field extrapolation of SDO/HMI's observed photospheric magnetogram. Each loop is considered to be heated by random nanoflares, the amplitude and frequency of which are governed by the length of the loop and the strength of the magnetic field. The simulated outputs are used to estimate the intensity of spectrally pure maps of Fe-18, Fe-17, Ne-9, O-8, O-9, Ne-9, and so on, which is then compared to the intensity determined from MaGIXS observations. In addition, we derived the intensity maps obtained by AIA and XRT and compared them to the observed data. The composite distribution of the delay time of the nanoflares for which the simulated loops morphology and intensities match with observation shows a peak at 200s-500s, indicating that most of the nanoflares have a high/intermediate frequency.
coronal heating↗
Solar Coronal Phenomenon: Imaging Spectroscopy
The Sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona, is significantly hotter than its surface, presenting a long-standing scientific mystery. One hypothesis is that small, frequent bursts of energy, called nanoflares, may be responsible for this heating, though the exact mechanism remains unclear. Additionally, certain elements in the corona appear more abundant than expected, a phenomenon termed the "FIP effect," which might also be linked to coronal heating processes. Imaging X-ray spectroscopy offers a powerful method for investigating these solar mysteries. In this talk, we will explore these intriguing questions about the Sun and discuss how imaging X-ray spectroscopy can provide insights. We will introduce the Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (MaGIXS) sounding rocket experiment and its recent successful flight, designed to probe these enigmatic aspects of the Sun.
solar corona↗