Discovery of Short-Timescale Oscillations in the Transitions Region by CLASP at High Temporal Resolution
No abstract available
rocket↗
Engineering topics
Tsuneta, S.
Publications and source records attributed to Tsuneta, S..
UV Spectro-Polarimetry with CLASP and CLASP2 Sounding Rocket Experiments
No abstract available
chromosphere↗
Discovery of Short-Timescale Oscillations in the Transition Region by CLASP
High cadence spectroscopic observations by CLASP reveal that intensity fluctuations of blue and red peaks of the hydrogen Lyman-alpha line (121.57 nm) recurrently appear in the quiet Sun at short timescale. The intensity fluctuations of the blue and red peaks are opposite in phase to each other: the blue peak is enhanced during the decease of the red peak, and vice versa. Similar intensity fluctuations also can be seen in Mg II h & k profiles observed with IRIS. It is suggested that the short-timescale oscillatory or torsional phenomena take place in the transition region or the upper chromosphere.
CLASP↗
Discovery of Ubiquitous Fast Propagating Intensity Disturbances by the Chromospheric Lyman Alpha Spectropolarimeter (CLASP)
High cadence observations by the slit-jaw (SJ) optics system of the sounding rocket experiment known as the Chromospheric Lyman Alpha SpectroPolarimeter (CLASP) reveal ubiquitous intensity disturbances that recurrently propagate in one or both of the chromosphere or transition region at a speed much higher than the sound speed. The CLASP/SJ instrument provides a time series of 2D images taken with broadband filters centered on the Ly(alpha) line at a 0.6 s cadence. The fast propagating intensity disturbances are detected in the quiet Sun and in an active region, and at least 20 events are clearly detected in the field of view of 527′′ x 527′′ during the 5-minute observing time. The apparent speeds of the intensity disturbances range from 150 to 350 km/s, and they are comparable to the local Alfven speed in the transition region. The intensity disturbances tend to propagate along bright elongated structures away from areas with strong photospheric magnetic fields. This suggests that the observed propagating intensity disturbances are related to the magnetic canopy structures. The maximum distance traveled by the intensity disturbances is of about 10′′, and the widths are a few arcseconds, which is almost determined by the pixel size of 1.′′03. The timescale of each intensity pulse is shorter than 30 s. One possible explanation of the fast propagating intensity disturbances observed by CLASP is magneto-hydrodynamic fast mode waves.
CLASP↗
A Sounding Rocket Experiment for the Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP)
No abstract available
solar↗
A Sounding Rocket Experiment for the Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP)
A sounding-rocket experiment called the Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectro-Polarimeter (CLASP) is presently under development to measure the linear polarization profiles caused by scattering processes and the Hanle effect in the hydrogen Lyman-alpha line (121.567nm). Accurate measurements of the linear polarization signals caused by scattering processes and the Hanle effect are essential to explore the strength and structures of weak magnetic fields. The primary target of future solar telescopes is to measure the weak magnetic field in outer solar atmospheres (from the chromosphere to the corona through the transition region). The hydrogen Lyman-alpha-line is one of the best lines for the diagnostics of magnetic fields in the outer solar atmospheres. CLASP is to be launched in 2015, and will provide, for the first time, the observations required for magnetic field measurements in the upper chromosphere and transition region. CLASP is designed to have a polarimetric sensitivity of 0.1% and a spectral resolution of 0.01nm for the Lyman-alpha line. CLASP will measure two orthogonal polarizations simultaneously for about 5-minute flight. Now the integration of flight mirrors and structures is in progress. In addition to our strategy to realize such a high-precision spectro-polarimetry in the UV, we will present a progress report on our pre-launch evaluation of optical and polarimetric performances of CLASP.
solar↗
Nanoflare Evidence from Analysis of the X-Ray Variability of an Active Region Observed with Hinode/XRT
The investigation of the heating mechanisms of the confined coronal plasma is still under intense debate. It is widely believed that the energy source for coronal heating is the magnetic energy stored in the solar corona. An unsolved problem is how this magnetic energy is converted into thermal energy of the confined coronal plasma. As Parker proposed in 1988 rapid pulses called nanoflares are among the best candidate mechanisms of magnetic energy release. Nowadays a challenging problem is to obtain evidence that such nanoflares are really at work. If small energy discharges (nanoflares) contribute in some way to coronal heating, they could be too small and frequent to be resolved as independent events. In this case, we would need to search for indirect evidence. The idea of this work is that, if the solar corona emission is sustained by repeated nanoflares, locally the X-ray emission may not be entirely constant but may show variations around the mean intensity. So the nanoflares may leave their signature on the light curves. Many authors (Shimizu & Tsuneta 1997; Vekstein & Katsukawa 2000; Katsukawa & Tsuneta 2001; Katsukawa 2003; Sakamoto et al. 2008) pointed out that a detailed analysis of intensity fluctuations of the coronal X-ray emission could give us information on these smallest flares. Following this hint we use this approach for the first time on Hinode data, searching, with statistical analysis, for small but systematic variability in noisy background light curves and their link to coronal heating models.
Terzo, S.↗
The Hinode(Solar-B)Mission: An Overview
The Hinode satellite (formerly Solar-B) of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS/JAXA) was successfully launched in September 2006. As the successor to the Yohkoh mission, it aims to understand how magnetic energy is transferred from the photosphere to the upper atmospheres and resulting in explosive energy releases. Hinode is an observatory style mission, with all the instruments being designed and built to work together to address the science aims. There are three instruments onboard: the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT), the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS), and the X-ray Telescope (XRT). This paper overviews the mission, including the satellite, the scientific payload and operations. It will conclude with discussions on how the international science community can participate in the analysis of the mission data.
Kosugi, T.↗
The bright knots at the tops of soft X-ray flare loops: Quantitative results from Yohkoh
Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) observations from the Japanese Yohkoh spacecraft have shown that confined bright regions are common features at the tops of flare loops throughout most of the duration of the flares. In this paper we present quantitative results for these flare knots, in relation to other flare regions, for four relatively 'simple' flares. Emission measure distributions, electron temperatures, and electron densities are derived from SXT and Yohkoh Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) observations. The four flares selected are dominated by what appear to be single-loop structures, with bright knots at the loop tops. The flares are neither long-duration nor impulsive events. The spatial distributions of brightness and emission measure in the flares are found to be quite similar for all four events, even though there are significant differences in dynamical behavior between at least two of the events. Temperatures and densities calculated for these flares are consistent with previous results from many solar experiments. An investigation of intensity correlations between adjacent pixels at the tops of the loops suggests the existence of local disturbances in the magnetic loops that occur on spatial scales less than the radii of the loops.
Doschek, G. A.↗
Electric currents and coronal heating in NOAA active region 6952
We examine the spatial and temporal relationship between coronal structures observed with the soft X-ray telescope (SXT) on board the Yohkoh spacecraft and the vertical electric current density derived from photospheric vector magnetograms obtained using the Stokes Polarimeter at the Mees Solar Observatory. We focus on a single active region: AR 6952 which we observed on 7 days during 1991 December. For 11 independent maps of the vertical electric current density co-aligned with non-flaring X-ray images, we search for a morphological relationship between sites of high vertical current density in the photosphere and enhanced X-ray emission in the overlying corona. We find no compelling spatial or temporal correlation between the sites of vertical current and the bright X-ray structures in this active region.
Metcalf, T. R.↗
Ginga observations of X-ray flares on Algol
The Ginga X-ray satellite observed Algol (Beta Per) for 2 days in 1989 January, including both the primary optical eclipse and most of the secondary eclipse. We derive upper limits of about 20 and 10 percent, respectively, for the eclipsed flux fraction during the two eclipses. A large flare lasting over 12 hr was seen prior to and during secondary eclipse. High-temperature Fe line emission is clearly detected in the proportional counter data. The Fe line equivalent width is variable during the flare, ranging from 0.4-1.0 keV. Except for two intervals during the flare rise, the observed equivalent width is lower than predicted using solar abundances and an optically thin plasma model. Similar behavior has also been observed by Ginga in a large flare on UX Ari: in both events, opacity effects at line center may be playing a significant role. Loop model analysis of the large flare suggests that it involves a substantially longer loop or loops than a shorter duration Algol flare seen with Exosat.
Stern, R. A.↗
The Yohkoh mission for high-energy solar physics
Data on solar flare mechanisms and the sun's corona will be generated by Japan's Yohkoh satellite's X-ray imaging sensors and X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometers. It is noted that the X-ray corona above active regions expands, in some cases almost continually, in contradiction of the widely accepted model of magnetohydrostatic equilibrium in such regions. Flaring X-ray bright points have been discovered to often involve ejecta into an adjacent, much larger and fainter magnetic loop, which brightens along its length at speeds up to 1000 km/sec.
Acton, L.↗
The Solar-A mission - An overview
An overview of the Solar-A spacecraft, launched in August 1991, is presented. This mission is dedicated primarily to the study of solar flares, especially of high-energy phenomena observed in the X- and gamma-ray ranges. With a coordinated set of instruments, including hard X-ray and soft X-ray imaging telescopes as well as spectrometers with advanced capabilities, it is expected to reveal many new aspects of flares and help better understand their physics, supporting international collaboration with ground-based observatories as well as theoretical investigations. The scientific instruments of Solar-A, especially the soft X-ray telescope, require sophisticated control of flight operations to exploit their capabilities with the constraints of the telemetry data rate and the capacity of the data recorder; this is achieved by the 'data processor' unit. Objectives include flare-related phenomena, dynamical phenomena not necessarily related to flares, and global coronal structure.
Ogawara, Y.↗
The soft X-ray telescope for the SOLAR-A mission
The Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) of the SOLAR-A mission is designed to produce X-ray movies of flares with excellent angular and time resolution as well as full-disk X-ray images for general studies. A selection of thin metal filters provide a measure of temperature discrimination and aid in obtaining the wide dynamic range required for solar observing. The co-aligned SXT aspect telescope will yield optical images for aspect reference, white-light flare and sunspot studies, and, possibly, helioseismology. This paper describes the capabilities and characteristics of the SXT for scientific observing.
Tsuneta, S.↗
Solar-A reformatted data files and observing log
An overview is presented of the Solar-A telemetry data files which are to be created and the format and organization which the files are to use. The organization chosen is to be efficient in space, to facilitate access to the data, and to allow the data to be transportable to different machines. An observing log file is to be created automatically, using the reformatted data files as the input. It will be possible to perform searches with the observing log to list cases where instruments are in certain modes and/or seeing certain signal levels. A user will be able to search the observing log and obtain a list of all cases where a given set of conditions are satisfied. An event log will be created listing the times when the instrument or spacecraft modes change.
Morrison, M. D.↗
Ginga observations of a long-duration X-ray flare in the Algol system
Algol was observed by the Ginga X-ray satellite for about 2 days in January 1989, including both the primary and most of the secondary optical eclipses. No evidence for X-ray eclipses was seen. A large flare lasting over 12 h was detected prior to and during secondary eclipse. The flare began with a peak temperature of about 69 MK, gradually decaying to about 36 MK. Variable Fe line emission at 6.7 keV ws observed. The Fe line equivalent width is in clear disagreement with theoretical predictions for an optically thin plasma.
Stern, R. A.↗
An extended superhot solar flare X-ray source
A superhot hard X-ray source in a solar flare occulted by the solar limb was identified. Its hard X-ray image was found to show great horizontal extent but little vertical extent. An H alpha brightening at the same limb position about an hour later suggests a multi-component loop prominence system, so that it appears that a superhot source can evolve in the same manner as a normal solar soft X-ray source. The assignment of plausiable values to physical parameters in the source suggests (from the simplest form of classical thermal-conduction theory) that either new physics will be required to suppress conduction, or else that gradual energy release well after the impulsive phase of the flare must occur. In this respect too, the superhot source appears to resemble ordinary soft X-ray sources, except of course that its temperature is higher.
Hudson, H. S.↗