arXiv subjects

Hardi Peter

Publications and source records attributed to Hardi Peter.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

SPICE PSF Correction: General Framework and Capability Demonstration

We present a new method of removing PSF artifacts and improving the resolution of multidimensional data sources including imagers and spectrographs. Rather than deconvolution, which is translationally invariant, this method is based on sparse matrix solvers. This allows it to be applied to spatially varying PSFs and also to combining observations from instruments with radically different spatial, spectral, or thermal response functions (e.g., SDO/AIA and RHESSI). It was developed to correct PSF artifacts in Solar Orbiter SPICE, so the motivation, presentation of the method, and the results revolve around that application. However, it can also be used as a more robust (e.g., WRT a varying PSFs) alternative to deconvolution of 2D image data and similar problems, and is relevant to more general linear inversion problems.

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arXiv2022

Failed Solar Eruption of A Multi-thermal Flux Rope

A magnetic flux rope (FR), hosting hot plasma, is thought to be central to the physics of coronal mass ejection. Such FRs are widely observed with passbands of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), that are sensitive to emission from the hot plasma around 10 MK. In contrast, observations of warmer (around 1 MK) counterparts of FRs are sparse. In this study, we report the failed eruption of a multi-thermal FR, hosting both hot and warm plasma. On 2015 May 1, a hot channel appeared in the AIA high temperature passbands out of the southeastern solar limb to the south of a nearby flare, and then erupted outward. During the eruption, it rotated perpendicular to the erupting direction. The hot channel stopped erupting, and disappeared gradually, showing a failed eruption. During the hot channel eruption, a warm channel appeared sequentially in the AIA low temperature passbands. It underwent the similar evolution, including the failed eruption, rotation, and disappearance, to the hot channel. A bright compression front is formed in front of the warm channel eruption in AIA low temperature images. Under the hot and warm channel eruptions, a small flare occurred, upon which several current sheets, connecting the erupting channels and the underneath flare, formed in the AIA high temperature passbands. Investigating the spatial and temporal relation between the hot and warm channels, we suggest that both channels twist together, constituting the same multi-thermal FR that has plasma with the high and low temperatures.

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arXiv2022

Spectroscopic and Imaging Observations of Spatially Extended Magnetic Reconnection in the Splitting of a Solar Filament Structure

On the Sun, Doppler shifts of bidirectional outflows from the magnetic-reconnection site have been found only in confined regions through spectroscopic observations. Without spatially resolved spectroscopic observations across an extended region, the distribution of reconnection and its outflows in the solar atmosphere cannot be made clear. Magnetic reconnection is thought to cause the splitting of filament structures, but unambiguous evidence has been elusive. Here we report spectroscopic and imaging analysis of a magnetic-reconnection event on the Sun, using high-resolution data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph and the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Our findings reveal that the reconnection region extends to an unprecedented length of no less than 14,000 km. The reconnection splits a filament structure into two branches, and the upper branch erupts eventually. Doppler shifts indicate clear bidirectional outflows of ~100 km/s, which decelerate beyond the reconnection site. Differential-emission-measure analysis reveals that in the reconnection region the temperature reaches over 10 MK and the thermal energy is much larger than the kinetic energy. This Letter provides definite spectroscopic evidence for the splitting of a solar filament by magnetic reconnection in an extended region.

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arXiv2022

Plasma composition measurements in an active region from Solar Orbiter/SPICE and Hinode/EIS

A key goal of the Solar Orbiter mission is to connect elemental abundance measurements of the solar wind enveloping the spacecraft with EUV spectroscopic observations of their solar sources, but this is not an easy exercise. Observations from previous missions have revealed a highly complex picture of spatial and temporal variations of elemental abundances in the solar corona. We have used coordinated observations from Hinode and Solar Orbiter to attempt new abundance measurements with the SPICE (Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment) instrument, and benchmark them against standard analyses from EIS (EUV Imaging Spectrometer). We use observations of several solar features in AR 12781 taken from an Earth-facing view by EIS on 2020 November 10, and SPICE data obtained one week later on 2020 November 17; when the AR had rotated into the Solar Orbiter field-of-view. We identify a range of spectral lines that are useful for determining the transition region and low coronal temperature structure with SPICE, and demonstrate that SPICE measurements are able to differentiate between photospheric and coronal Mg/Ne abundances. The combination of SPICE and EIS is able to establish the atmospheric composition structure of a fan loop/outflow area at the active region edge. We also discuss the problem of resolving the degree of elemental fractionation with SPICE, which is more challenging without further constraints on the temperature structure, and comment on what that can tell us about the sources of the solar wind and solar energetic particles.

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arXiv2022

What drives decayless kink oscillations in active region coronal loops on the Sun?

We study here the phenomena of decayless kink oscillations in a system of active region (AR) coronal loops. Using high resolution observations from two different instruments, namely the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on board Solar Orbiter and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we follow these AR loops for an hour each on three consecutive days. Our results show significantly more resolved decayless waves in the higher-resolution EUI data compared with the AIA data. Furthermore, the same system of loops exhibits many of these decayless oscillations on Day-2, while on Day-3, we detect very few oscillations and on Day-1, we find none at all. Analysis of photospheric magnetic field data reveals that at most times, these loops were rooted in sunspots, where supergranular flows are generally absent. This suggests that supergranular flows, which are often invoked as drivers of decayless waves, are not necessarily driving such oscillations in our observations. Similarly, our findings also cast doubt on other possible drivers of these waves, such as a transient driver or mode conversion of longitudinal waves near the loop footpoints. In conclusion, through our analysis we find that none of the commonly suspected sources proposed to drive decayless oscillations in active region loops seems to be operating in this event and hence, the search for that elusive wave driver needs to continue.

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arXiv2022

Reconfiguration and eruption of a solar filament by magnetic reconnection with an emerging magnetic field

Both observations and simulations suggest that the solar filament eruption is closely related to magnetic flux emergence. It is thought that the eruption is triggered by magnetic reconnection between the filament and the emerging flux. However, the details of such a reconnection are rarely presented. In this study, we report the detailed reconnection between a filament and its nearby emerging fields, that led to the reconfiguration and subsequent partial eruption of the filament located over the polarity inversion line of active region 12816. Before the reconnection, we observed repeated brightenings in the filament at a location that overlies a site of magnetic flux cancellation. Plasmoids form at this brightening region, and propagate bi-directionally along the filament. These indicate the tether-cutting reconnection that results in the formation and eruption of a flux rope. To the northwest of the filament, magnetic fields emerge, and reconnect with the context ones, resulting in repeated jets. Afterwards, another magnetic fields emerge near the northwestern filament endpoints, and reconnect with the filament, forming the newly reconnected filament and loops. Current sheet repeatedly occurs at the interface, with the mean temperature and emission measure of 1.7 MK and 1.1$\times$10$^{28}$ cm$^{-5}$. Plasmoids form in the current sheet, and propagate along it and further along the newly reconnected filament and loops. The newly reconnected filament then erupts, while the unreconnected filament remains stable. We propose that besides the orientation of emerging fields, some other parameters, such as the position, distance, strength, and area, are also crucial for triggering the filament eruption.

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arXiv2022

Observation of Magnetic Switchback in the Solar Corona

Switchbacks are sudden, large radial deflections of the solar wind magnetic field, widely revealed in interplanetary space by the Parker Solar Probe. The switchbacks' formation mechanism and sources are still unresolved, although candidate mechanisms include Alfvénic turbulence, shear-driven Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, interchange reconnection, and geometrical effects related to the Parker spiral. This Letter presents observations from the Metis coronagraph onboard Solar Orbiter of a single large propagating S-shaped vortex, interpreted as first evidence of a switchback in the solar corona. It originated above an active region with the related loop system bounded by open-field regions to the East and West. Observations, modeling, and theory provide strong arguments in favor of the interchange reconnection origin of switchbacks. Metis measurements suggest that the initiation of the switchback may also be an indicator of the origin of slow solar wind.

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arXiv2022

A highly dynamic small-scale jet in a polar coronal hole

We present an observational study of the plasma dynamics at the base of a solar coronal jet, using high resolution extreme ultraviolet imaging data taken by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager on board Solar Orbiter, and by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board Solar Dynamics Observatory. We observed multiple plasma ejection events over a period of $\sim$1 hour from a dome-like base that is ca.~4 Mm wide and is embedded in a polar coronal hole. Within the dome below the jet spire, multiple plasma blobs with sizes around 1--2 Mm propagate upwards to dome apex with speeds of the order of the sound speed (ca.~120~km~s$^{-1}$ ). Upon reaching the apex, some of these blobs initiate flows with similar speeds towards the other footpoint of the dome. At the same time, high speed super-sonic outflows ($\sim$230~km~s$^{-1}$) are detected along the jet spire. These outflows as well as the intensity near the dome apex appear to be repetitive. Furthermore, during its evolution, the jet undergoes many complex morphological changes including transitions between the standard and blowout type eruption. These new observational results highlight the underlying complexity of the reconnection process that powers these jets and also provide insights into the plasma response when subjected to rapid energy injection.

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arXiv2022

Parallel plasma loops and the energization of the solar corona

The outer atmosphere of the Sun is composed of plasma heated to temperatures well in excess of the visible surface. We investigate short cool and warm (<1 MK) loops seen in the core of an active region to address the role of field-line braiding in energising these structures. We report observations from the High-resolution Coronal imager (Hi-C) that have been acquired in a coordinated campaign with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). In the core of the active region, the 172 A band of Hi-C and the 1400 A channel of IRIS show plasma loops at different temperatures that run in parallel. There is a small but detectable spatial offset of less than 1 arcsec between the loops seen in the two bands. Most importantly, we do not see observational signatures that these loops might be twisted around each other. Considering the scenario of magnetic braiding, our observations of parallel loops imply that the stresses put into the magnetic field have to relax while the braiding is applied: the magnetic field never reaches a highly braided state on these length-scales comparable to the separation of the loops. This supports recent numerical 3D models of loop braiding in which the effective dissipation is sufficiently large that it keeps the magnetic field from getting highly twisted within a loop.

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arXiv2022

Doppler shifts of spectral lines formed in the solar transition region and corona

Context. Emission lines formed in the transition region and corona show dominantly redshifts and blueshifts, respectively. Aims. We investigate the Doppler shifts in a 3D radiation MHD model of the quiet Sun and compare these to observed properties. We concentrate on Si IV 1394 A originating in the transition region and examine the Doppler shifts of several other spectral lines at different formation temperatures. Methods. We construct a radiation MHD model extending from the upper convection zone to the lower corona using the MURaM code. In this quiet Sun model the magnetic field is self-consistently maintained by the action of a small-scale dynamo. We synthesize the profiles of several optically thin emission lines, formed at temperatures from the transition region into the corona. We investigate the spatial structure and coverage of red- and blueshifts and how this changes with line-formation temperature. Results. The model successfully reproduces the observed change of average net Doppler shifts from red- to blueshifted from the transition region into the corona. In particular, the model shows a clear imbalance of area coverage of red- vs. blueshifts in the transition region of ca. 80% to 20%. We determine that (at least) four processes generate the systematic Doppler shifts in our model, including pressure enhancement in the transition region, transition region brightenings unrelated to coronal emission, boundaries between cold and hot plasma, and siphon-type flows. Conclusions. We show that there is not a single process that is responsible for the observed net Doppler shifts in the transition region and corona. Because current 3D MHD models do not yet fully capture the evolution of spicules, one of the key ingredients of the chromosphere, most probably these have still to be added to the list of processes responsible for the persistent Doppler shifts.

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arXiv2021

Coronal Condensation as the Source of Transition Region Supersonic Downflows above a Sunspot

Plasma loops or plumes rooted in sunspot umbrae often harbor downflows with speeds of 100 km/s. These downflows are supersonic at transition region temperatures of 0.1 MK. The source of these flows is not well understood. We aim to investigate the source of sunspot supersonic downflows (SSDs) in AR 12740 using simultaneous spectroscopic and imaging observations. We identified SSD events from multiple raster scans of a sunspot by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, and calculated the electron densities, mass fluxes and velocities of these SSDs. The EUV images provided by the AIA onboard the SDO and the EUVI onboard the STEREO were employed to investigate the origin of these SSDs and their associated coronal rain. Almost all the identified SSDs appear at the footpoints of sunspot plumes and are temporally associated with appearance of chromospheric bright dots inside the sunspot umbra. Dual-perspective EUV imaging observations reveal a large-scale closed magnetic loop system spanning the sunspot region and a remote region. We observed that the SSDs are caused by repeated coronal rain that forms and flows along these closed magnetic loops toward the sunspot. One episode of coronal rain clearly indicates that reconnection near a coronal X-shaped structure first leads to the formation of a magnetic dip. Subsequently, hot coronal plasma catastrophically cools from 2 MK in the dip region via thermal instability. This results in the formation of a transient prominence in the dip, from which the cool gas mostly slides into the sunspot along inclined magnetic fields under the gravity. This drainage process manifests as a continuous rain flow, which lasts for around 2 hrs and concurrently results in a nearly steady SSD event. Our results demonstrate that coronal condensation in magnetic dips can result in the quasi-steady sunspot supersonic downflows.

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arXiv2021

Propagating brightenings in small loop-like structures in the quiet Sun corona: Observations from Solar Orbiter/EUI

Brightenings observed in the solar extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) images are generally interpreted as signatures of micro- or nanoflares occurring at the transition region or coronal temperatures. Recent observations with the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on board Solar Orbiter have revealed the smallest of such brightenings (termed campfires) in the quiet-Sun corona. Analyzing EUI 174 Å data at a resolution of about 400 km on the Sun with a cadence of 5 s from 30-May-2020, we report here a number of cases where these campfires exhibit propagating signatures along their apparent small (3-5 Mm) loop-like structures. Measured propagation speeds are generally between 25 km s$^{-1}$ and 60 km s$^{-1}$. These apparent motions would be slower than the local sound speed if the loop plasma is assumed to be at a million Kelvin. Furthermore, these brightenings exhibit non-trivial propagation characteristics such as bifurcation, merging, reflection and repeated plasma ejections. We suggest that these features are manifestations of the internal dynamics of these small-scale magnetic structures and could provide important insights into the dynamic response ($\sim$40 s) of the loop plasma to the heating events as well as into the locations of the heating events themselves.

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arXiv2021

Formation of a solar filament by magnetic reconnection and coronal condensation

In solar filament formation mechanisms, magnetic reconnection between two sets of sheared arcades forms helical structures of the filament with numerous magnetic dips, and cooling and condensation of plasma trapped inside the helical structures supply mass to the filament. Although each of these processes, namely, magnetic reconnection and coronal condensation have been separately reported, observations that show the whole process of filament formation are rare. In this Letter, we present the formation of a sigmoid via reconnection between two sets of coronal loops, and the subsequent formation of a filament through cooling and condensation of plasma inside the newly formed sigmoid. On 2014 August 27, a set of loops in the active region 12151 reconnected with another set of loops that are located to the east. A longer twisted sigmoidal structure and a set of shorter lower-lying loops then formed. The observations coincide well with the tether-cutting model. The newly formed sigmoid remains stable and does not erupt as a coronal mass ejection. From the eastern endpoint, signatures of injection of material into the sigmoid (as brightenings) are detected, which closely outline the features of increasing emission measure at these locations. This may indicate the chromospheric evaporation caused by reconnection, supplying heated plasma into the sigmoid. In the sigmoid, thermal instability occurs, and rapid cooling and condensation of plasma take place, forming a filament. The condensations then flow bi-directionally to the filament endpoints. Our results provide a clear observational evidence of the filament formation via magnetic reconnection and coronal condensation.

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arXiv2021

Flare induced decay-less transverse oscillations in solar coronal loops

Evidence of flare induced, large-amplitude, decay-less transverse oscillations is presented. A system of multi-thermal coronal loops as observed with the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), exhibit decay-less transverse oscillations after a flare erupts nearby one of the loop footpoints. Measured oscillation periods lie between 4.2 min and 6.9 min wherein the displacement amplitudes range from 0.17 Mm to 1.16 Mm. A motion-magnification technique is employed to detect the pre-flare decay-less oscillations. These oscillations have similar periods (between 3.7 min and 5.0 min) like the previous ones but their amplitudes (0.04 Mm to 0.12 Mm) are found to be significantly smaller. No phase difference is found among oscillating threads of a loop when observed through a particular AIA channel or when their multi-channel signatures are compared. These features suggest that the occurrence of a flare in this case neither changed the nature of these oscillations (decaying vs decay-less) nor the oscillation periods. The only effect the flare has is to increase the oscillation amplitudes.

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arXiv2021

Revisiting the formation mechanism for coronal rain from previous studies

Solar coronal rain is classified generally into two categories: flare-driven and quiescent coronal rain. The latter is observed to form along both closed and open magnetic field structures. Recently, we proposed that some of the quiescent coronal rain events, detected in the transition region and chromospheric diagnostics, along loop-like paths could be explained by the formation mechanism for quiescent coronal rain facilitated by interchange magnetic reconnection between open and closed field lines. In this study, we revisited 38 coronal rain reports from the literature. From these earlier works, we picked 15 quiescent coronal rain events out of the solar limb, mostly suggested to occur in active region closed loops due to thermal nonequilibrium, to scrutinize their formation mechanism. Employing the extreme ultraviolet images and line-of-sight magnetograms, the evolution of the quiescent coronal rain events and their magnetic fields and context coronal structures is examined. We find that 6, comprising 40%, of the 15 quiescent coronal rain events could be totally or partially interpreted by the formation mechanism for quiescent coronal rain along open structures facilitated by interchange reconnection. The results suggest that the quiescent coronal rain facilitated by interchange reconnection between open and closed field lines deserves more attention.

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arXiv2021

Transient small-scale brightenings in the quiet solar corona: a model for campfires observed with Solar Orbiter

Context. Recent observations by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on board Solar Orbiter have characterized prevalent small-scale transient brightenings in the corona above the quiet Sun termed campfires. Aims. In this study we search for comparable brightenings in a numerical model and then investigate their relation to the magnetic field and the processes that drive these events. Methods. We use the MURaM code to solve the 3D radiation MHD equations in a box that stretches from the upper convection zone to the corona. The model self-consistently produces a supergranular network of the magnetic field and a hot corona above this quiet Sun. For the comparison with the model we synthesize the coronal emission as seen by EUI in its 174 Å channel, isolate the seven strongest transient brightenings, and investigate (the changes of) the magnetic field in and around these in detail. Results. The transients we isolate have a lifetime of about 2 minutes and are elongated loop-like features with lengths around 1Mm to 4 Mm. They tend to occur at heights of about 2Mm to 5Mm above the photosphere a bit offset from magnetic concentrations that mark the bright chromospheric network and they reach temperatures of above 1 MK. With this they very much resemble the (larger) campfires found in observations. In our model most events are energised by component reconnection between (bundles of) field lines that interact at coronal heights. In one case we find that untwisting of a highly twisted flux rope initiates the heating. Conclusions. Based on our study we propose that the majority of campfire events found by EUI are driven by component reconnection and our model suggests that this process contributes significantly to the heating of the corona above the quiet Sun.

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arXiv2021

On-disk solar coronal condensations facilitated by magnetic reconnection between open and closed magnetic structures

Coronal condensation and rain are a crucial part of the mass cycle between the corona and chromosphere. In some cases, condensation and subsequent rain originate in the magnetic dips formed during magnetic reconnection. This provides a new and alternative formation mechanism for coronal rain. Until now, only off-limb, rather than on-disk, condensation events during reconnection have been reported. In this paper, employing extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) images of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) and Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), we investigate the condensations facilitated by reconnection from 2011 July 14 to 15, when STEREO was in quadrature with respect to the Sun-Earth line. Above the limb, in STEREO/EUV Imager (EUVI) 171 Å~images, higher-lying open structures move downward, reconnect with the lower-lying closed loops, and form dips. Two sets of newly reconnected structures then form. In the dips, bright condensations occur in EUVI 304 Å~images repeatedly which then flow downward to the surface. In the on-disk observations by SDO/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) in the 171 Å~channel, these magnetic structures are difficult to identify. Dark condensations appear in AIA 304 Å~images, and then move to the surface as on-disk coronal rain. The cooling and condensation of coronal plasma is revealed by the EUV light curves. If only the on-disk observations would be available, the relation between the condensations and reconnection, shown clearly by the off-limb observations, would not be identified. Thus, we suggest that some on-disk condensation events seen in transition region and chromospheric lines may be facilitated by reconnection.

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arXiv2021

Magnetic reconnection between loops accelerated by a nearby filament eruption

Magnetic reconnection modulated by non-local disturbances in the solar atmosphere has been investigated theoretically, but rarely observed. In this study, employing Ha and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) images and line of sight magnetograms, we report acceleration of reconnection by adjacent filament eruption. In Ha images, four groups of chromospheric fibrils are observed to form a saddle-like structure. Among them, two groups of fibrils converge and reconnect. Two newly reconnected fibrils then form, and retract away from the reconnection region. In EUV images, similar structures and evolution of coronal loops are identified. Current sheet forms repeatedly at the interface of reconnecting loops, with width and length of 1-2 and 5.3-7.2 Mm, and reconnection rate of 0.18-0.3. It appears in the EUV low-temperature channels, with average differential emission measure (DEM) weighed temperature and EM of 2 MK and 2.5*10^27 cm-5. Plasmoids appear in the current sheet and propagate along it, and then further along the reconnection loops. The filament, located at the southeast of reconnection region, erupts, and pushes away the loops covering the reconnection region. Thereafter, the current sheet has width and length of 2 and 3.5 Mm, and reconnection rate of 0.57. It becomes much brighter, and appears in the EUV high-temperature channels, with average DEM-weighed temperature and EM of 5.5 MK and 1.7*10^28 cm-5. In the current sheet, more hotter plasmoids form. More thermal and kinetic energy is hence converted. These results suggest that the reconnection is significantly accelerated by the propagating disturbance caused by the nearby filament eruption.

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