arXiv subjects

Lucia Kleint

Publications and source records attributed to Lucia Kleint.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Evidence of Non-Thermal Particles in Coronal Loops Heated Impulsively by Nanoflares

The physical processes causing energy exchange between the Sun's hot corona and its cool lower atmosphere remain poorly understood. The chromosphere and transition region (TR) form an interface region between the surface and the corona that is highly sensitive to the coronal heating mechanism. High resolution observations with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) reveal rapid variability (about 20 to 60 seconds) of intensity and velocity on small spatial scales at the footpoints of hot dynamic coronal loops. The observations are consistent with numerical simulations of heating by beams of non-thermal electrons, which are generated in small impulsive heating events called "coronal nanoflares". The accelerated electrons deposit a sizable fraction of their energy in the chromosphere and TR. Our analysis provides tight constraints on the properties of such electron beams and new diagnostics for their presence in the nonflaring corona.

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arXiv2014

Photon mean free paths, scattering, and ever-increasing telescope resolution

We revisit an old question: what are the effects of observing stratified atmospheres on scales below a photon mean free path? The mean free path of photons emerging from the solar photosphere and chromosphere is near 100 km. Using current 1m-class telescopes, the mean free path is on the order of the angular resolution. But the Daniel K. Inoue Solar Telescope will have a diffraction limit of 0.020'' near the atmospheric cutoff at 310nm, corresponding to 14 km at the solar surface. Even a small amount of scattering in the source function leads to physical smearing due to this solar 'fog', with effects similar to a degradation of the telescope PSF. We discuss a unified picture that depends simply on the nature and amount of scattering in the source function. Scalings are derived from which the scattering in the solar atmosphere can be transcribed into an effective Strehl ratio, a quantity useful to observers. Observations in both permitted (e.g., Fe I 630.2 nm) and forbidden (Fe I 525.0 nm) lines will shed light on both instrumental performance as well as on small scale structures in the solar atmosphere.

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arXiv2014

On the Origin of a Sunquake during the 29 March 2014 X1 Flare

Helioseismic data from the HMI instrument have revealed a sunquake associated with the X1 flare SOL2014-03-29T17:48 in active region NOAA 12017. We try to discover if acoustic-like impulses or actions of the Lorentz force caused the sunquake. We analyze spectro-polarimetric data obtained with the Facility Infrared Spectrometer (FIRS) at the Dunn Solar Telescope (DST). Fortuitously the FIRS slit crossed the flare kernel close to the acoustic source, during the impulsive phase. The infrared FIRS data remain unsaturated throughout the flare. Stokes profiles of lines of Si I 1082.7 nm and He I 1083.0 nm are analyzed. At the flare footpoint, the Si I 1082.7 nm core intensity increases by a factor of several, the IR continuum increases by 4 +/- 1%. Remarkably, the Si I core resembles the classical Ca II K line's self-reversed profile. With nLTE radiative models of H, C, Si and Fe these properties set the penetration depth of flare heating to 100 +/- 100 km, i.e. photospheric layers. Estimates of the non-magnetic energy flux are at least a factor of two less than the sunquake energy flux. Milne-Eddington inversions of the Si I line show that the local magnetic energy changes are also too small to drive the acoustic pulse. Our work raises several questions: Have we "missed" the signature of downward energy propagation? Is it intermittent in time and/or non-local? Does the 1-2 s photospheric radiative damping time discount compressive modes?

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arXiv2014

Hydrogen Balmer Continuum in Solar Flares Detected by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS)

We present a novel observation of the white-light flare (WLF) continuum, which was significantly enhanced during the X1 flare on March 29, 2014 (SOL2014-03-29T17:48). Data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) in its NUV channel show that at the peak of the continuum enhancement, the contrast at the quasi-continuum window above 2813 Å reached 100 - 200 % and can be even larger closer to the Mg II lines. This is fully consistent with the hydrogen recombination Balmer continuum emission, which follows an impulsive thermal and non-thermal ionization caused by the precipitation of electron beams through the chromosphere. However, a less probable photospheric continuum enhancement cannot be excluded. The light curves of the Balmer continuum have an impulsive character with a gradual fading, similar to those detected recently in the optical region on Hinode/SOT. This observation represents a first Balmer-continuum detection from space far beyond the Balmer limit (3646 Å), eliminating seeing effects known to complicate the WLF detection. Moreover, we use a spectral window so far unexplored for flare studies, which provides the potential to study the Balmer continuum, as well as many metallic lines appearing in emission during flares. Combined with future ground-based observations of the continuum near the Balmer limit, we will be able to disentangle between various scenarios of the WLF origin. IRIS observations also provide a critical quantitative measure of the energy radiated in the Balmer continuum, which constrains various models of the energy transport and deposition during flares.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2013

Unusual Filaments Inside the Umbra

We analyze several unusual filamentary structures, which appeared in the umbra of one of the sunspots in AR 11302. They do not resemble typical light bridges, neither in morphology, nor in evolution. We analyze data from SDO/HMI to investigate their temporal evolution, Hinode/SP for photospheric inversions, IBIS for chromospheric imaging, and SDO/AIA for the overlying corona. Photospheric inversions reveal a horizontal, inverse Evershed flow along these structures, which we call umbral filaments. Chromospheric images show brightenings and energy dissipation, while coronal images indicate that bright coronal loops seem to end in these umbral filaments. These rapidly evolving features do not seem to be common, and are possibly related to the high flare-productivity of the active region. Their analysis could help to understand the complex evolution of active regions.

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arXiv2012

Spectropolarimetry of C-class flare footpoints

We investigate the decay phase of a C-class flare in full-Stokes imaging spectropolarimetry with quasi-simultaneous measurements in the photosphere (6302.5 A line) and in the chromosphere (8542 A line) with the IBIS instrument. We analyze data from two fields-of-view, each spanning about 40" \times 80" and targeting the two footpoints of the flare. A region of interest is identified from V/I images: a patch of opposite polarity in the smaller sunspot's penumbra. We find unusual flows in this patch at photospheric levels: a Doppler shift of -4 km/s, but also a possible radial inflow into the sunspot of 4 km/s. Such patches seem to be common during flares, but only high-resolution observations allowed us to see the inflow, which may be related to future flares observed in this region. Chromospheric images show variable overlying emission and flows and unusual Stokes profiles. We also investigate the irregular penumbra, whose formation may be blocked by the opposite polarity patch and flux emergence. The 40 min temporal evolution depicts the larger of the flare ribbons becoming fainter and changing its shape. Measurable photospheric magnetic fields remain constant and we do not detect flare energy transport down from the chromosphere. We find no clear indications of impact polarization in the 8542 A line. We cannot exclude the possibility of impact polarization, because weaker signals may be buried in the prominent Zeeman signatures or it may have been present earlier during the flare.

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