arXiv subjects

M. D. Ding

Publications and source records attributed to M. D. Ding.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

arXiv2012

Modeling Magnetic Field Structure of a Solar Active Region Corona using Nonlinear Force-Free Fields in Spherical Geometry

We test a nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) optimization code in spherical geometry using an analytical solution from Low and Lou. Several tests are run, ranging from idealized cases where exact vector field data are provided on all boundaries, to cases where noisy vector data are provided on only the lower boundary (approximating the solar problem). Analytical tests also show that the NLFFF code in the spherical geometry performs better than that in the Cartesian one when the field of view of the bottom boundary is large, say, $20^\circ \times 20^\circ$. Additionally, We apply the NLFFF model to an active region observed by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) both before and after an M8.7 flare. For each observation time, we initialize the models using potential field source surface (PFSS) extrapolations based on either a synoptic chart or a flux-dispersal model, and compare the resulting NLFFF models. The results show that NLFFF extrapolations using the flux-dispersal model as the boundary condition have slightly lower, therefore better, force-free and divergence-free metrics, and contain larger free magnetic energy. By comparing the extrapolated magnetic field lines with the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board SDO, we find that the NLFFF performs better than the PFSS not only for the core field of the flare productive region, but also for large EUV loops higher than 50 Mm.

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arXiv2012

Analysis and Modeling of Two Flare Loops Observed by AIA and EIS

We analyze and model an M1.0 flare observed by SDO/AIA and Hinode/EIS to investigate how flare loops are heated and evolve subsequently. The flare is composed of two distinctive loop systems observed in EUV images. The UV 1600 Åemission at the feet of these loops exhibits a rapid rise, followed by enhanced emission in different EUV channels observed by AIA and EIS. Such behavior is indicative of impulsive energy deposit and the subsequent response in overlying coronal loops that evolve through different temperatures. Using the method we recently developed, we infer empirical heating functions from the rapid rise of the UV light curves for the two loop systems, respectively, treating them as two big loops of cross-sectional area 5\arcsec by 5\arcsec, and compute the plasma evolution in the loops using the EBTEL model (Klimchuk et al. 2008). We compute the synthetic EUV light curves, which, with the limitation of the model, reasonably agree with observed light curves obtained in multiple AIA channels and EIS lines: they show the same evolution trend and their magnitudes are comparable by within a factor of two. Furthermore, we also compare the computed mean enthalpy flow velocity with the Doppler shift measurements by EIS during the decay phase of the two loops. Our results suggest that the two different loops with different heating functions as inferred from their footpoint UV emission, combined with their different lengths as measured from imaging observations, give rise to different coronal plasma evolution patterns captured both in the model and observations.

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arXiv2012

Quadrature Observations of Wave and Non-Wave Components and Their Decoupling in an Extreme-Ultraviolet Wave Event

We report quadrature observations of an extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) wave event on 2011 January 27 obtained by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUVI) onboard \emph{Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory} (\emph{STEREO}), and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the \emph{Solar Dynamics Observatory} (\emph{SDO}). Two components are revealed in the EUV wave event. A primary front is launched with an initial speed of $\sim$440 km s$^{-1}$. It appears significant emission enhancement in the hotter channel but deep emission reduction in the cooler channel. When the primary front encounters a large coronal loop system and slows down, a secondary much fainter front emanates from the primary front with a relatively higher starting speed of $\sim$550 km s$^{-1}$. Afterwards the two fronts propagate independently with increasing separation. The primary front finally stops at a magnetic separatrix, while the secondary front travels farther before it fades out. In addition, upon the arrival of the secondary front, transverse oscillations of a prominence are triggered. We suggest that the two components are of different natures. The primary front belongs to a non-wave coronal mass ejection (CME) component, which can be reasonably explained with the field-line stretching model. The multi-temperature behavior may be caused by considerable heating due to the nonlinear adiabatic compression on the CME frontal loop. For the secondary front, most probably it is a linear fast-mode magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave that propagates through a medium of the typical coronal temperature. X-ray and radio data provide us with complementary evidence in support of the above scenario.

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arXiv2012

Observation of An Evolving Magnetic Flux Rope Prior To and During A Solar Eruption

Explosive energy release is a common phenomenon occurring in magnetized plasma systems ranging from laboratories, Earth's magnetosphere, the solar corona and astrophysical environments. Its physical explanation is usually attributed to magnetic reconnection in a thin current sheet. Here we report the important role of magnetic flux rope structure, a volumetric current channel, in producing explosive events. The flux rope is observed as a hot channel prior to and during a solar eruption from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) telescope on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO). It initially appears as a twisted and writhed sigmoidal structure with a temperature as high as 10 MK and then transforms toward a semi-circular shape during a slow rise phase, which is followed by fast acceleration and onset of a flare. The observations suggest that the instability of the magnetic flux rope trigger the eruption, thus making a major addition to the traditional magnetic-reconnection paradigm.

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arXiv2011

Investigation of the Formation and Separation of An EUV Wave from the Expansion of A Coronal Mass Ejection

We address the nature of EUV waves through direct observations of the formation of a diffuse wave driven by the expansion of a coronal mass ejection (CME) and its subsequent separation from the CME front. The wave and the CME on 2011 June 7 were well observed by Atmospheric Imaging Assembly onboard Solar Dynamic Observatory. Following the solar eruption onset, marked by the beginning of the rapid increasing of the CME velocity and the X-ray flux of accompanying flare, the CME exhibits a strong lateral expansion. During this impulsive expansion phase, the expansion speed of the CME bubble increases from 100 km s$^{-1}$ to 450 km s$^{-1}$ in only six minutes. An important finding is that a diffuse wave front starts to separate from the front of the expanding bubble shortly after the lateral expansion slows down. Also a type-II burst is formed near the time of the separation. After the separation, two distinct fronts propagate with different kinematic properties. The diffuse front travels across the entire solar disk; while the sharp front rises up, forming the CME ejecta with the diffuse front ahead of it. These observations suggest that the previously termed EUV wave is a composite phenomenon and driven by the CME expansion. While the CME expansion is accelerating, the wave front is cospatial with the CME front, thus the two fronts are indiscernible. Following the end of the acceleration phase, the wave moves away from the CME front with gradually an increasing distance between them.

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arXiv2011

Interaction and Eruption of Two Filaments Observed by Hinode, SOHO, and STEREO

We investigate the interaction between two filaments and the subsequent filament eruption event observed from different view angles by Hinode, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), and the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO). In the event, the two filaments rose high, interacted with each other, and finally were ejected along two different paths. We measure the bulk-flow velocity using spectroscopic data. We find significant outflows at the speed of a few hundreds of km/s during the filament eruption, and also some downflows at a few tens of km/s at the edge of the eruption region in the late stage of the eruption. The erupting material was composed of plasmas with a wide temperature range of 10^4-10^6 K. These results shed light on the filament nature and the coronal dynamics.

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arXiv2011

Evolution of Hard X-ray Sources and Ultraviolet Solar Flare Ribbons for a Confined Eruption of a Magnetic Flux Rope

We study the magnetic field structures of hard X-ray sources and flare ribbons of the M1.1 flare in active region NOAA 10767 on 2005 May 27. We have found in a nonlinear force-free field extrapolation, over the same polarity inversion line, a small pre-eruptive magnetic flux rope located next to sheared magnetic arcades. Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) and Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) observed this confined flare in the X-ray bands and ultraviolet (UV) 1600 Å\ bands, respectively. In this event magnetic reconnection occurred at several locations. It first started at the location of the pre-eruptive flux rope. Then, the observations indicate that magnetic reconnection occurred between the pre-eruptive magnetic flux rope and the sheared magnetic arcades more than 10 minutes before the flare peak. It implied the formation of the larger flux rope, as observed with TRACE. Next, hard X-ray (HXR) sources appeared at the footpoints of this larger flux rope at the peak of the flare. The associated high-energy particles may have been accelerated below the flux rope, in or around a reconnection region. Still, the close spatial association between the HXR sources and the flux rope footpoints favors an acceleration within the flux rope. Finally, a topological analysis of a large solar region including the active regions NOAA 10766 and 10767 shows the existence of large-scale Quasi-Separatrix Layers (QSLs) before the eruption of the flux rope. No enhanced emission was found at these QSLs during the flare, but the UV flare ribbons stopped at the border of the closest large-scale QSL.

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arXiv2011

Spectroscopic analysis of interaction between an EIT wave and a coronal upflow region

We report a spectroscopic analysis of an EIT wave event that occurred in active region 11081 on 2010 June 12 and was associated with an M2.0 class flare. The wave propagated near circularly. The south-eastern part of the wave front passed over an upflow region nearby a magnetic bipole. Using EIS raster observations for this region, we studied the properties of plasma dynamics in the wave front, as well as the interaction between the wave and the upflow region. We found a weak blueshift for the Fe XII λ195.12 and Fe XIII λ202.04 lines in the wave front. The local velocity along the solar surface, which is deduced from the line of sight velocity in the wave front and the projection effect, is much lower than the typical propagation speed of the wave. A more interesting finding is that the upflow and non-thermal velocities in the upflow region are suddenly diminished after the transit of the wave front. This implies a significant change of magnetic field orientation when the wave passed. As the lines in the upflow region are redirected, the velocity along the line of sight is diminished as a result. We suggest that this scenario is more in accordance with what was proposed in the field-line stretching model of EIT waves.

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arXiv2011

Observing Flux Rope Formation During the Impulsive Phase of a Solar Eruption

Magnetic flux rope is believed to be an important structural component of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). While there exist much observational evidence of the flux rope after the eruption, e.g., as seen in remote-sensing coronagraph images or in-situ solar wind data, the direct observation of flux ropes during CME impulsive phase has been rare. In this Letter, we present an unambiguous observation of a flux rope still in the formation phase in the low corona. The CME of interest occurred above the east limb on 2010 November 03 with footpoints partially blocked. The flux rope was seen as a bright blob of hot plasma in AIA 131 Å passband (peak temperature ~11 MK) rising from the core of the source active region, rapidly moving outward and stretching upward the surrounding background magnetic field. The stretched magnetic field seemed to curve-in behind the core, similar to the classical magnetic reconnection scenario in eruptive flares. On the other hand, the flux rope appeared as a dark cavity in AIA 211 Å passpand (2.0 MK) and 171 Å passband (0.6 MK); in these relatively cool temperature bands, a bright rim clearly enclosed the dark cavity. The bright rim likely represents the pile-up of the surrounding coronal plasma compressed by the expanding flux rope. The composite structure seen in AIA multiple temperature bands is very similar to that in the corresponding coronagraph images, which consists of a bright leading edge and a dark cavity, commonly believed to be a flux rope.

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arXiv2011

A Comparative Study of Confined and Eruptive Flares in NOAA AR 10720

We investigate the distinct properties of two types of flares: eruptive flares associated with CMEs and confined flares without CMEs. Our sample of study includes nine M and X-class flares, all from the same active region (AR), six of which are confined and three others are eruptive. The confined flares tend to be more impulsive in the soft X-ray time profiles and show more slender shapes in the EIT 195 A images, while the eruptive ones are of long-duration events and show much more extended brightening regions. The location of the confined flares are closer to the center of the AR, while the eruptive flares are at the outskirts. This difference is quantified by the displacement parameter, the distance between the AR center and the flare location: the average displacement of the six confined flares is 16 Mm, while that of eruptive ones is as large as 39 Mm. Further, through nonlinear force-free field extrapolation, we find that the decay index of the transverse magnetic field in the low corona (~10 Mm) have a larger value for eruptive flares than that for confined one. In addition, the strength of the transverse magnetic field over the eruptive flare sites is weaker than that over the confined ones. These results demonstrate that the strength and the decay index of background magnetic field may determine whether or not a flare be eruptive or confined. The implication of these results on CME models is discussed in the context of torus instability of flux rope.

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arXiv2010

Different Patterns of Chromospheric Evaporation in a Flaring Region Observed with Hinode/EIS

We investigate the chromospheric evaporation in the flare of 2007 January 16 using line profiles observed by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) onboard Hinode. Three points at flare ribbons of different magnetic polarities are analyzed in detail. We find that the three points show different patterns of upflows and downflows in the impulsive phase of the flare. The spectral lines at the first point are mostly blue shifted, with the hotter lines showing a dominant blue-shifted component over the stationary one. At the second point, however, only weak upflows are detected; in stead, notable downflows appear at high temperatures (up to 2.5-5.0 MK). The third point is similar to the second one only that it shows evidence of multi-component downflows. While the evaporated plasma falling back down as warm rain is a possible cause of the redshifts at points 2 and 3, the different patterns of chromospheric evaporation at the three points imply existence of different heating mechanisms in the flaring active region.

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arXiv2010

Spectroscopic Analysis of an EIT Wave/Dimming Observed by Hinode/EIS

EIT waves are a wavelike phenomenon propagating outward from the coronal mass ejection (CME) source region, with expanding dimmings following behind. We present a spectroscopic study of an EIT wave/dimming event observed by Hinode/EIS. Although the identification of the wave front is somewhat affected by the pre-existing loop structures, the expanding dimming is well defined. We investigate the line intensity, width, and Doppler velocity for 4 EUV lines. In addition to the significant blue shift implying plasma outflows in the dimming region as revealed in previous studies, we find that the widths of all the 4 spectral lines increase at the outer edge of the dimmings. We illustrate that this feature can be well explained by the field line stretching model, which claims that EIT waves are apparently moving brightenings that are generated by the successive stretching of the closed field lines.

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arXiv2010

Evidence of Explosive Evaporation in a Microflare Observed by Hinode/EIS

We present a detailed study of explosive chromospheric evaporation during a microflare which occurred on 2007 December 7 as observed with the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) onboard Hinode. We find temperature-dependent upflows for lines formed from 1.0 to 2.5 MK and downflows for lines formed from 0.05 to 0.63 MK in the impulsive phase of the flare. Both the line intensity and the nonthermal line width appear enhanced in most of the lines and are temporally correlated with the time when significant evaporation was observed. Our results are consistent with the numerical simulations of flare models, which take into account a strong nonthermal electron beam in producing the explosive chromospheric evaporation. The explosive evaporation observed in this microflare implies that the same dynamic processes may exist in events with very different magnitudes.

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arXiv2010

Re-flaring of a Post-Flare Loop System Driven by Flux Rope Emergence and Twisting

In this letter, we study in detail the evolution of the post-flare loops on 2005 January 15 that occurred between two consecutive solar eruption events, both of which generated a fast halo CME and a major flare. The post-flare loop system, formed after the first CME/flare eruption, evolved rapidly, as manifested by the unusual accelerating rise motion of the loops. Through nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) models, we obtain the magnetic structure over the active region. It clearly shows that the flux rope below the loops also kept rising accompanied with increasing twist and length. Finally, the post-flare magnetic configuration evolved to a state that resulted in the second CME/flare eruption. This is an event in which the post-flare loops can re-flare in a short period of $\sim$16 hr following the first CME/flare eruption. The observed re-flaring at the same location is likely driven by the rapid evolution of the flux rope caused by the magnetic flux emergence and the rotation of the sunspot. This observation provides valuable information on CME/flare models and their prediction.

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arXiv2010

A statistical study of the post-impulsive-phase acceleration of flare-associated coronal mass ejections

It is now generally accepted that the impulsive acceleration of a coronal mass ejection (CME) in the inner corona is closely correlated in time with the main energy release of the associated solar flare. In this paper, we examine in detail the post-impulsive-phase acceleration of a CME in the outer corona, which is the phase of evolution immediately following the main impulsive acceleration of the CME; this phase is believed to correspond to the decay phase of the associated flare. This observational study is based on a statistical sample of 247 CMEs that are associated with M- and X-class GOES soft X-ray flares from 1996 to 2006. We find that, from many examples of events, the CMEs associated with flares with long-decay time (or so-called long-duration flares) tend to have positive post-impulsive-phase acceleration, even though some of them have already obtained a high speed at the end of the impulsive acceleration but do not show a deceleration expected from the aerodynamic dragging of the background solar wind. On the other hand, the CMEs associated with flares of short-decay time tend to have significant deceleration. In the scattering plot of all events, there is a weak correlation between CME post-impulsive-phase acceleration and flare decay time. The CMEs deviated from the general trend are mostly slow or weak ones associated with flares of short-decay time; the deviation is caused by the relatively stronger solar wind dragging force for these events. The implications of our results on CME dynamics and CME-flare relations are discussed.

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arXiv2010

Study the build-up, initiation and acceleration of 2008 April 26 coronal mass ejection observed by STEREO

In this paper, we analyze the full evolution, from a few days prior to the eruption to the initiation, and the final acceleration and propagation, of the CME that occurred on 2008 April 26 using the unprecedented high cadence and multi-wavelength observations by STEREO. There existed frequent filament activities and EUV jets prior to the CME eruption for a few days. These activities were probably caused by the magnetic reconnection in the lower atmosphere driven by photospheric convergence motions, which were evident in the sequence of magnetogram images from MDI (Michelson Doppler Imager) onboard SOHO. The slow low-layer magnetic reconnection may be responsible for the storage of magnetic free energy in the corona and the formation of a sigmoidal core field or a flux rope leading to the eventual eruption. The occurrence of EUV brightenings in the sigmoidal core field prior to the rise of the flux rope implies that the eruption was triggered by the inner tether-cutting reconnection, but not the external breakout reconnection. During the period of impulsive acceleration, the time profile of the CME acceleration in the inner corona is found to be consistent with the time profile of the reconnection electric field inferred from the footpoint separation and the RHESSI 15-25 keV HXR flux curve of the associated flare. The full evolution of this CME can be described in four distinct phases: the build-up phase, initiation phase, main acceleration phase, and propagation phase. The physical properties and the transition between these phases are discussed, in an attempt to provide a global picture of CME dynamic evolution.

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arXiv2010

Why Are Halo Coronal Mass Ejections Faster?

Halo coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were found to be significantly faster than normal CMEs, which was a long-standing puzzle. In order to solve the puzzle, we first investigate the observed properties of 31 limb CMEs that display clearly loop-shaped frontal loops. The observational results show a strong tendency that slower CMEs are weaker in the white-light intensity. Then, we perform a Monte Carlo simulation of 20 000 artificial limb CMEs that have average velocity of $\sim$523 km s$^{-1}$. The Thomson scattering of these events is calculated when they are assumed to be observed as limb and halo events, respectively. It is found that the white-light intensity of many slow CMEs becomes remarkably reduced as they turn from being viewed as a limb event to as a halo event. When the intensity is below the background solar wind fluctuation, it is assumed that they would be missed by coronagraphs. The average velocity of "detectable" halo CMEs is $\sim$922 km s$^{-1}$, very close to the observed value. It also indicates that wider events are more likely to be recorded. The results soundly suggest that the higher average velocity of halo CMEs is due to that a majority of slow events and a part of narrow fast events carrying less material are so faint that they are blended with the solar wind fluctuations, and therefore are not observed.

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arXiv2009

Formation Heights of Extreme Ultraviolet Lines in an Active Region Derived by Correlation of Doppler Velocity and Magnetic Field

We study the correlation heights, which indicate the formation height of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lines in an active region using observations from the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) and Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) on board \emph{Hinode}. The nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) optimization method is adopted to extrapolate the 3D magnetic fields to higher layers. Three subregions with different characteristics are selected in the active region for this study. The results show that the formation heights in different subregions vary with their different magnetic fields or velocity patterns. After solving the line blending problem between the He {\sc \romannumeral 2} 256.32 Åand Si {\sc \romannumeral 10} 256.37 Ålines by the double Gaussian curve fitting, we find that the transition region lies higher in a strong magnetic area. In a pre-flare heating area there possibly exist multithermal loops as implied by comparing the Doppler velocity and the magnetic field on the solar disk.

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