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Winebarger, Amy R.

Publications and source records attributed to Winebarger, Amy R..

31 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2015

Automatic Event Detection in Search for Inter-Moss Loops in IRIS Si IV Slit-Jaw Images

The high-resolution capabilities of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrometer (IRIS) mission have allowed the exploration of the finer details of the solar magnetic structure from the chromosphere to the lower corona that have previously been unresolved. Of particular interest to us are the relatively short-lived, low-lying magnetic loops that have foot points in neighboring moss regions. These inter-moss loops have also appeared in several AIA pass bands, which are generally associated with temperatures that are at least an order of magnitude higher than that of the Si IV emission seen in the 1400 angstrom pass band of IRIS. While the emission lines seen in these pass bands can be associated with a range of temperatures, the simultaneous appearance of these loops in IRIS 1400 and AIA 171, 193, and 211 suggest that they are not in ionization equilibrium. To study these structures in detail, we have developed a series of algorithms to automatically detect signal brightening or events on a pixel-by-pixel basis and group them together as structures for each of the above data sets. These algorithms have successfully picked out all activity fitting certain adjustable criteria. The resulting groups of events are then statistically analyzed to determine which characteristics can be used to distinguish the inter-moss loops from all other structures. While a few characteristic histograms reveal that manually selected inter-moss loops lie outside the norm, a combination of several characteristics will need to be used to determine the statistical likelihood that a group of events be categorized automatically as a loop of interest. The goal of this project is to be able to automatically pick out inter-moss loops from an entire data set and calculate the characteristics that have previously been determined manually, such as length, intensity, and lifetime. We will discuss the algorithms, preliminary results, and current progress of automatic characterization.

loops↗
NASA NTRS2014

Speed of CMEs and the Magnetic Non-Potentiality of their Source Active Regions

Most fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs) originate from solar active regions (ARs). Non-potentiality of ARs plausibly determines the speed of CMEs in the outer corona. Several other unexplored parameters might be important as well. To find out the relation between the intial speed of CMEs and the non-potentiality of source ARs, we identified over a hundred of CMEs with source ARs via their co-produced flares. The speed of the CMEs are collected from the SOHO LASCO CME catalog. We have used vector magnetograms obtained with HMI/SDO, to evaluate various magnetic non-potentiality parameters, e.g. magnetic free-energy proxies, twist, shear angle, signed shear angle, net current etc. We have also included several other parameters e.g. total unsigned flux, magnetic area of ARs, area of sunspots, to investigate their correlation, if any, with the initial speeds of CMEs. Our preliminary results show that the ARs with larger non-potentiality and area produce faster CMEs but they can also produce slow ones. The ARs with lesser non-potentiality and area generally produce only slower CMEs.

sunspots↗
NASA NTRS2014

Transition-Region/Coronal Signatures of Penumbral Microjets: Hi-C, SDO/AIA and Hinode (SOT/FG) Observations

Penumbral microjets are bright, transient features seen in the chromosphere of sunspot penumbrae. Katsuaka et al. (2007) noted their ubiquity and characterized them using the Ca II H-line filter on Hinode's Solar Optical Telescope (SOT). The jets are 1000{4000 km in length, 300{400 km in width, and last less than one minute. It was proposed that these penumbral microjets could contribute to the transition-region and coronal heating above sunspots. We examine whether these microjets appear in the transition-region (TR) and/or corona or are related{ temporally and spatially{ to similar brightenings in the TR and/or corona. First, we identify penumbral microjets with the SOT's Ca II H-line filter. The chosen sunspot is observed on July 11, 2012 from 18:50:00 UT to 20:00:00 UT at approx. 14 inches, -30 inches. We then examine the sunspot in the same field of view and at the same time in other wavelengths. We use the High Resolution Coronal Imager Telescope (Hi-C) at 193A and the 1600A, 304A, 171A, 193A, and 94A passbands of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the Solar Dynamic Observatory. We include examples of these jets and where they should appear in the other passbands, but find no signifcant association, except for a few jets with longer lifetimes and bigger sizes seen at locations in the penumbra with repeated stronger brightenings. We conclude that the normal microjets are not heated to transition-region/coronal temperatures, but the larger jets are.

Tiwari, Sanjiv K.↗
NASA NTRS2014

The Evolution of Transition Region Loops Using IRIS and AIA

Over the past 50 years, the model for the structure of the solar transition region has evolved from a simple transition layer between the cooler chromosphere to the hotter corona to a complex and diverse region that is dominated by complete loops that never reach coronal temperatures. The IRIS slitjaw images show many complete transition region loops. Several of the "coronal" channels in the SDO AIA instrument include contributions from weak transition region lines. In this work, we combine slitjaw images from IRIS with these channels to determine the evolution of the loops. We develop a simple model for the temperature and density evolution of the loops that can explain the simultaneous observations. Finally, we estimate the percentage of AIA emission that originates in the transition region.

Winebarger, Amy R.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Observational Consequences of Coronal Heating Mechanisms

The coronal heating problem remains unsolved today, 80 years after its discovery, despite 50 years of suborbital and orbital coronal observatories. Tens of theoretical coronal heating mechanisms have been suggested, but only a few have been able to be ruled out. In this talk, we will explore the reasons for the slow progress and discuss the measurements that will be needed for potential breakthrough, including imaging the solar corona at small spatial scales, measuring the chromospheric magnetic fields, and detecting the presence of high temperature, low emission measure plasma. We will discuss three sounding rocket instruments developed to make these measurements: the High resolution Resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C), the Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha Spectropolarimeter (CLASP), and the Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS).

Winebarger, Amy R.↗
NASA NTRS2014

Hi-C Observations of an Active Region Corona, and Investigation of the Underlying Magnetic Structure

Hi-C: first observational evidence of field line braiding in the AR corona; NLFFF extrapolations support. Flux emergence and/or cancellation in the coronal braided region generate large stresses and tension in the coronal field loops which is released as heat in the corona. The field in these sub-regions are highly sheared and have apparent high speed plasma flows, therefore, the contribution from shearing flows to power the coronal and transition region heating can not be ruled out! The spatial resolution of Hi-­C is five times better than AIA. The cadence of Hi-C is 2.5 - 6 times better than AIA. The 193 Å was selected because of the strong emission line of Fe XII (peak formation temperature of 1.5 MK). Hi-­C collected data for 345 s @ 5.4 s cadence. The Hi-C target region was NOAA AR 11520; 11 July 2012, 18:51-18:57 UT. NLFFF extrapolation confirms the braided structure, and free magnetic energy estimates in the given volume.

Tiwari, Sanjiv K.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Coronal Heating Observed with Hi-C

The recent launch of the High‐Resolution Coronal Imager (Hi‐C) as a sounding rocket has offered a new, different view of the Sun. With approx 0.3" resolution and 5 second cadence, Hi‐C reveals dynamic, small‐scale structure within a complicated active region, including coronal braiding, reconnection regions, Alfven waves, and flows along active region fans. By combining the Hi‐C data with other available data, we have compiled a rich data set that can be used to address many outstanding questions in solar physics. Though the Hi‐C rocket flight was short (only 5 minutes), the added insight of the small‐scale structure gained from the Hi‐C data allows us to look at this active region and other active regions with new understanding. In this talk, I will review the first results from the Hi‐C sounding rocket and discuss the impact of these results on the coronal heating problem.

Winebarger, Amy R.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Loop Evolution Observed with AIA and Hi-C

In the past decade, the evolution of EUV loops has been used to infer the loop substructure. With the recent launch of High Resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C), this inference can be validated. In this presentation we discuss the first results of loop analysis comparing AIA and Hi-C data. In the past decade, the evolution of EUV loops has been used to infer the loop substructure. With the recent launch of High Resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C), this inference can be validated. In this presentation we discuss the first results of loop analysis comparing AIA and Hi-C data.

Mulu-Moore, Fana↗
NASA NTRS2012

Inter-Calibration of EIS, XRT and AIA using Active Region and Bright Point Data

Certain limitations in our solar instruments have created the need to use several instruments together for long term and/or large field of view studies. We will, therefore, present an intercalibration study of the EIS, XRT and AIA instruments using active region and bright point data. We will use the DEMs calculated from EIS bright point observations to determine the expected AIA and XRT intensities. We will them compare to the observed intensities and calculate a correction factor. We will consider data taken over a year to see if there is a time dependence to the correction factor. We will then determine if the correction factors are valid for active region observations.

Mulu-Moore, Fana M.↗
NASA NTRS2011

The Need for X-Ray Spectroscopy

For over four decades, X-ray, EUV, and UV spectral observations have been used to measure physical properties of the solar atmosphere. During this time, there has been substantial improvement in the spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution of the observations for the EUV and UV wavelength ranges. At wavelengths below 100 Angstroms, however, observations of the solar corona with simultaneous spatial and spectral resolution are limited, and not since the late 1970's have spatially resolved solar X-ray spectra been measured. The soft-X-ray wavelength range is dominated by emission lines formed at high temperatures and provides diagnostics unavailable in any other wavelength range. In this presentation, we will discuss the important science questions that can be answered using spatially and spectrally resolved X-ray spectra.

Winebarger, Amy R.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Can the Nanoflare Model Reproduce Observed Emissions?

All theories that attempt to explain the high temperatures observed in the solar corona are based on short bursts of energy release. The intensities and velocities measured in the core of an active, however, can be steady over many hours of observation. One heating scenario that has been proposed to reconcile such observations with models is the "long nanoflare storm," where short duration heating events occur infrequently on many sub-resolutions strands. In this Letter, we examine the emission measure distribution predicted for such a heating scenario by modeling an arcade of strands in an active region core. Comparisons of the computed emission measure distributions with recent observations indicate that that the long nanoflare storm scenario implies much more 1 MK emission than is actually observed for all plausible combinations of loop lengths, heating rates, and abundances. We conjecture that if the plasma had super coronal abundances, the model may be able to match the observations at low temperatures.

Mulu-Moore, Fana M.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Determining the Differential Emission Measure from EIS, XRT, and AIA

This viewgraph presentation determines the Differential Emission Measure (DEM) from the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS), X Ray Telescope (XRT), and Atmospheric Imaging Array (AIA). Common observations with Fe, Si, and Ca EIS lines are shown along with observations with Al-mesh, Ti-poly Al-thick and Be-thick XRT filters. Results from these observations are shown to determine what lines and filters are important to better constrain the hot component.

Winebarger, Amy R.↗