arXiv subjects

Yajie Chen

Publications and source records attributed to Yajie Chen.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2022

A new post-hoc flat field measurement method for the Solar X-ray and Extreme Ultraviolet Imager onboard the Fengyun-3E satellite

The extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations are widely used in solar activity research and space weather forecasting since they can observe both the solar eruptions and the source regions of the solar wind. Flat field processing is indispensable to remove the instrumental non-uniformity of a solar EUV imager in producing high-quality scientific data from original observed data. Fengyun-3E (FY-3E) is a meteorological satellite operated in Sun-synchronous orbit, and the routine EUV imaging data from the Solar X-ray and Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (X-EUVI) onboard FY-3E has the characteristics of concentric rotation. Taking advantage of the concentric rotation, we propose a post-hoc flat field measurement method for its EUV 195 channel in this paper. This method removes small-scale and time-varying component of the coronal activities by taking the median value for each pixel along the time axis of a concentric rotation data cube, and then derives large-scale and invariable component of the quiet coronal radiation, and finally generates a flat field image. Analysis shows that our method is able to measure the instrumental spot-like non-uniformity possibly caused by contamination on the detector, which mostly disappears after the in-orbit self-cleaning process. It can also measure the quasi-periodic grid-like non-uniformity, possibly from the obscuration of the support mesh on the rear filter. After flat field correction, these instrumental non-uniformities from the original data are effectively removed. X-EUVI 195 data after dark and flat field corrections are consistent with the 193 channel data from SDO/AIA, verifying the suitability of the method. Our method is not only suitable for FY-3E/X-EUVI but also a candidate method for the flat field measurement of future solar EUV telescopes.

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arXiv2022

Can we detect coronal mass ejections through asymmetries of Sun-as-a-star extreme-ultraviolet spectral line profiles?

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the largest-scale eruptive phenomena in the solar system. Associated with enormous plasma ejections and energy release, CMEs have an important impact on the solar-terrestrial environment. Accurate predictions of the arrival times of CMEs at the Earth depend on the precise measurements on their three-dimensional velocities, which can be achieved using simultaneous line-of-sight (LOS) and plane-of-sky (POS) observations. Besides the POS information from routine coronagraph and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imaging observations, spectroscopic observations could unveil the physical properties of CMEs including their LOS velocities. We propose that spectral line asymmetries measured by Sun-as-a-star spectrographs can be used for routine detections of CMEs and estimations of their LOS velocities during their early propagation phases. Such observations can also provide important clues for the detection of CMEs on other solar-like stars. However, few studies have concentrated on whether we can detect CME signals and accurately diagnose CME properties through Sun-as-a-star spectral observations. In this work, we constructed a geometric CME model and derived the analytical expressions for full-disk integrated EUV line profiles during CMEs. For different CME properties and instrumental configurations, full disk-integrated line profiles were synthesized. We further evaluated the detectability and diagnostic potential of CMEs from the synthetic line profiles. Our investigations provide important constraints on the future design of Sun-as-a-star spectrographs for CME detections through EUV line asymmetries.

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arXiv2022

Decayless oscillations in solar coronal bright points

Decayless kink oscillations of solar coronal loops (or decayless oscillations for short) have attracted great attention since their discovery. Coronal bright points (CBPs) are mini-active regions and consist of loops with a small size. However, decayless oscillations in CBPs have not been widely reported. In this study, we identified this kind of oscillations in some CBPs using 171 Å\, images taken by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). After using the motion magnification algorithm to increase oscillation amplitudes, we made time-distance maps to identify the oscillatory signals. We also estimated the loop lengths and velocity amplitudes. We analysed 23 CBPs, and found 31 oscillation events in 16 of them. The oscillation periods range from 1 to 8 minutes (on average about 5 minutes), and the displacement amplitudes have an average value of 0.07 Mm. The average loop length and velocity amplitude are 23 Mm and 1.57 \kms, respectively. Relationships between different oscillation paraments are also examined. Additionally, we performed a simple forward model to illustrate how these sub-pixel oscillation amplitudes (less than 0.4 Mm) could be detected. Results of the model confirm the reliability of our data processing methods. Our study shows for the first time that decayless oscillations are common in small-scale loops of CBPs. These oscillations allow for seismological diagnostics of the Alfvén speed and magnetic field strength in the corona.

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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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arXiv2022

Three-dimensional Propagation of the Global EUV Wave associated with a solar eruption on 2021 October 28

We present a case study for the global extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wave and its chromospheric counterpart `Moreton-Ramsey wave' associated with the second X-class flare in Solar Cycle 25 and a halo coronal mass ejection (CME). The EUV wave was observed in the H$α$ and EUV passbands with different characteristic temperatures. In the 171 Å and 193/195 Å images, the wave propagates circularly with an initial velocity of 600-720 km s$^{-1}$ and a deceleration of 110-320 m s$^{-2}$. The local coronal plasma is heated from log(T/K)=5.9 to log(T/K)=6.2 during the passage of the wavefront. The H$α$ and 304 Å images also reveal signatures of wave propagation with a velocity of 310-540 km s$^{-1}$. With multi-wavelength and dual-perspective observations, we found that the wavefront likely propagates forwardly inclined to the solar surface with a tilt angle of ~53.2$^{\circ}$. Our results suggest that this EUV wave is a fast-mode magnetohydrodynamic wave or shock driven by the expansion of the associated CME, whose wavefront is likely a dome-shaped structure that could impact the upper chromosphere, transition region and corona.

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arXiv2021

Coronal microjets in quiet-Sun regions observed with the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager onboard Solar Orbiter

We report the smallest coronal jets ever observed in the quiet Sun with recent high resolution observations from the High Resolution Telescopes (HRI-EUV and HRI-Lyα) of the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) onboard Solar Orbiter. In the HRI-EUV (174 Å) images, these microjets usually appear as nearly collimated structures with brightenings at their footpoints. Their average lifetime, projected speed, width, and maximum length are 4.6 min, 62 km s^(-1), 1.0 Mm, and 7.7 Mm, respectively. Inverted-Y shaped structures and moving blobs can be identified in some events. A subset of these events also reveal signatures in the HRI-Lyα (H I Lyα at 1216 Å) images and the extreme ultraviolet images taken by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Our differential emission measure analysis suggests a multi-thermal nature and an average density of ~1.4x10^9 cm^(-3) for these microjets. Their thermal and kinetic energies were estimated to be ~3.9x10^24 erg and ~2.9x10^23 erg, respectively, which are of the same order of the released energy predicted by the nanoflare theory. Most events appear to be located at the edges of network lanes and magnetic flux concentrations, suggesting that these coronal microjets are likely generated by magnetic reconnection between small-scale magnetic loops and the adjacent network field.

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arXiv2021

Measurements of the magnetic field strengths at the bases of stellar coronae using the magnetic-field-induced transition theory

Measurements of the magnetic field in the stellar coronae are extremely difficult. Recently, it was proposed that the magnetic-field-induced transition (MIT) of the Fe X 257 Å line can be used to measure the coronal magnetic field of the Sun. We performed forward modeling with a series of global stellar magnetohydrodynamics models to investigate the possibility of extending this method to other late-type stars. We first synthesized the emissions of several Fe X lines for each stellar model, then calculated the magnetic field strengths using the intensity ratios of Fe X 257 Å to several other Fe X lines based on the MIT theory. Finally, we compared the derived field strengths with those in the models, and concluded that this method can be used to measure at least the magnetic field strengths at the coronal bases of stars with a mean surface magnetic flux density about one order of magnitude higher than that of the Sun. Our investigation suggests the need of an extreme ultraviolet spectrometer to perform routine measurements of the stellar coronal magnetic field.

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arXiv2021

Forward Modeling of Solar Coronal Magnetic Field Measurements Based on a Magnetic-field-induced Transition in Fe X

It was recently proposed that the intensity ratios of several extreme ultraviolet spectral lines from the Fe X ion can be used to measure the solar coronal magnetic field based on the magnetic-field-inducedtransition (MIT) theory. To verify the suitability of this method, we performed forward modelingwith a three-dimensional radiation magnetohydrodynamic model of a solar active region. Intensities of several spectral lines from Fe X were synthesized from the model. Based on the MIT theory, intensity ratios of the MIT line Fe X 257 A to several other Fe X lines were used to derive the magnetic field strengths, which were then compared with the field strengths in the model. We also developed a new method to simultaneously estimate the coronal density and temperature from the Fe X 174/175 and 184/345 A line ratios. Using these estimates, we demonstrated that the MIT technique can provide reasonably accurate measurements of the coronal magnetic field in both on-disk and off-limb solar observations. Our investigation suggests that a spectrometer that can simultaneously observe the Fe X 174, 175, 184, 257, and 345 A lines and allow an accurate radiometric calibration for these lines is highly desired to achieve reliable measurements of the coronal magnetic field. We have also evaluatedthe impact of the uncertainty in the Fe X 3p4 3d 4D5/2 and 4D7/2 energy difference on the magnetic field measurements.

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arXiv2021

The Ellerman bomb and Ultraviolet burst triggered successively by an emerging magnetic flux rope

Ellerman bombs (EBs) and Ultraviolet (UV) bursts are common brightening phenomena which are usually generated in the low solar atmosphere of emerging flux regions. In this paper, we have investigated the emergence of an initial un-twisted magnetic flux rope based on three-dimensional (3D) magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. The EB-like and UV burst-like activities successively appear in the U-shaped part of the undulating magnetic fields triggered by Parker Instability. The EB-like activity starts to appear earlier and lasts for about 80 seconds. Six minutes later, a much hotter UV burst-like event starts to appear and lasts for about 60 seconds. Along the direction vertical to the solar surface, both the EB and UV burst start in the low chromosphere, but the UV burst extends to a higher altitude in the up chromosphere. The regions with apparent temperature increase in the EB and UV burst are both located inside the small twisted flux ropes generated in magnetic reconnection processes, which are consistent with the previous 2D simulations that most hot regions are usually located inside the magnetic islands. However, the twisted flux rope corresponding to the EB is only strongly heated after it floats up to an altitude much higher than the reconnection site during that period. Our analyses show that the EB is heated by the shocks driven by the strong horizontal flows at two sides of the U-shaped magnetic fields. The twisted flux rope corresponding to the UV burst is heated by the driven magnetic reconnection process.

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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

Small-scale Bright Blobs Ejected from a Sunspot Light Bridge

Light bridges (LBs) are bright lanes that divide an umbra into multiple parts in some sunspots. Persistent oscillatory bright fronts at a temperature of $\sim$$10^5$ K are commonly observed above LBs in the 1400/1330 Å~passbands of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). Based on IRIS observations, we report small-scale bright blobs from the oscillating bright front above a light bridge. Some of these blobs reveal a clear acceleration, whereas the others do not. The average speed of these blobs projected onto the plane of sky is $71.7\pm14.7$ km s$^{-1}$, with an initial acceleration of $1.9\pm1.3$ km s$^{-2}$. These blobs normally reach a projected distance of 3--7 Mm from their origin sites. From the transition region images we find an average projected area of $0.57\pm0.37$ Mm$^{2}$ for the blobs. The blobs were also detected in multi-passbands of the Solar Dynamics Observatory, but not in the H$α$ images. These blobs are likely to be plasma ejections, and we investigate their kinematics and energetics. Through emission measure analyses, the typical temperature and electron density of these blobs are found to be around $10^{5.47}$ K and $10^{9.7}$ cm$^{-3}$, respectively. The estimated kinetic and thermal energies are on the order of $10^{22.8}$ erg and $10^{23.3}$ erg, respectively. These small-scale blobs appear to show three different types of formation process. They are possibly triggered by induced reconnection or release of enhanced magnetic tension due to interaction of adjacent shocks, local magnetic reconnection between emerging magnetic bipoles on the light bridge and surrounding unipolar umbral fields, and plasma acceleration or instability caused by upward shocks, respectively.

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arXiv2020

A Magnetic Reconnection model for Hot Explosions in the Cool Atmosphere of the Sun

UV bursts and Ellerman bombs are transient brightenings observed in the low solar atmospheres of emerging flux regions. Observations have discovered the cospatial and cotemporal EBs and UV bursts, and their formation mechanisms are still not clear. The multi-thermal components with a large temperature span in these events challenge our understanding of magnetic reconnection and heating mechanisms in the low solar atmosphere. We have studied magnetic reconnection between the emerging and background magnetic fields. The initial plasma parameters are based on the C7 atmosphere model. After the current sheet with dense photosphere plasma is emerged to $0.5$ Mm above the solar surface, plasmoid instability appears. The plasmoids collide and coalesce with each other, which makes the plasmas with different densities and temperatures mixed up in the turbulent reconnection region. Therefore, the hot plasmas corresponding to the UV emissions and colder plasmas corresponding to the emissions from other wavelenghts can move together and occur at about the same height. In the meantime, the hot turbulent structures basically concentrate above $0.4$ Mm, whereas the cool plasmas extend to much lower heights to the bottom of the current sheet. These phenomena are consistent with the observations of Chen et al. 2019, ApJL. The synthesized Si IV line profiles are similar to the observed one in UV bursts, the enhanced wing of the line profiles can extend to about $100$ km s$^{-1}$. The differences are significant among the numerical results with different resolutions, which indicate that the realistic magnetic diffusivity is crucial to reveal the fine structures and realistic plasmas heating in these reconnection events. Our results also show that the reconnection heating contributed by ambipolar diffusion in the low chromosphere around the temperature minimum region is not efficient.

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arXiv2020

Mapping the magnetic field in the solar corona through magnetoseismology

Magnetoseismology, a technique of magnetic field diagnostics based on observations of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves, has been widely used to estimate the field strengths of oscillating structures in the solar corona. However, previously magnetoseismology was mostly applied to occasionally occurring oscillation events, providing an estimate of only the average field strength or one-dimensional distribution of field strength along an oscillating structure. This restriction could be eliminated if we apply magnetoseismology to the pervasive propagating transverse MHD waves discovered with the Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter (CoMP). Using several CoMP observations of the Fe xiii 1074.7 nm and 1079.8 nm spectral lines, we obtained maps of the plasma density and wave phase speed in the corona, which allow us to map both the strength and direction of the coronal magnetic field in the plane of sky. We also examined distributions of the electron density and magnetic field strength, and compared their variations with height in the quiet Sun and active regions. Such measurements could provide critical information to advance our understanding of the Sun's magnetism and the magnetic coupling of the whole solar atmosphere.

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arXiv2020

Global maps of the magnetic field in the solar corona

Understanding many physical processes in the solar atmosphere requires determination of the magnetic field in each atmospheric layer. However, direct measurements of the magnetic field in the Sun's corona are difficult to obtain. Using observations with the Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter, we have determined the spatial distribution of the plasma density in the corona, and the phase speed of the prevailing transverse magnetohydrodynamic waves within the plasma. We combine these measurements to map the plane-of-sky component of the global coronal magnetic field. The derived field strengths in the corona from 1.05 to 1.35 solar radii are mostly 1-4 Gauss. These results demonstrate the capability of imaging spectroscopy in coronal magnetic field diagnostics.

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arXiv2020

Generation of Solar Spicules and Subsequent Atmospheric Heating

Spicules are rapidly evolving fine-scale jets of magnetized plasma in the solar chromosphere. It remains unclear how these prevalent jets originate from the solar surface and what role they play in heating the solar atmosphere. Using the Goode Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory, we observed spicules emerging within minutes of the appearance of opposite-polarity magnetic flux around dominant-polarity magnetic field concentrations. Data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory showed subsequent heating of the adjacent corona. The dynamic interaction of magnetic fields (likely due to magnetic reconnection) in the partially ionized lower solar atmosphere appears to generate these spicules and heat the upper solar atmosphere.

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arXiv2020

A White-light Flare Powered by Magnetic Reconnection in the Lower Solar Atmosphere

White-light flares (WLFs), first observed in 1859, refer to a type of solar flares showing an obvious enhancement of the visible continuum emission. This type of enhancement often occurs in most energetic flares, and is usually interpreted as a consequence of efficient heating in the lower solar atmosphere through non-thermal electrons propagating downward from the energy release site in the corona. However, this coronal-reconnection model has difficulty in explaining the recently discovered small WLFs. Here we report a C2.3 white-light flare, which are associated with several observational phenomena: fast decrease in opposite-polarity photospheric magnetic fluxes, disappearance of two adjacent pores, significant heating of the lower chromosphere, negligible increase of hard X-ray flux, and an associated U-shaped magnetic field configuration. All these suggest that this white-light flare is powered by magnetic reconnection in the lower part of the solar atmosphere rather than by reconnection higher up in the corona.

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arXiv2019

Flame-like Ellerman Bombs and Their Connection to Solar UV Bursts

Ellerman bombs (EBs) are small-scale intense brightenings in H$α$ wing images, which are generally believed to be signatures of magnetic reconnection events around the temperature minimum region of the solar atmosphere. They have a flame-like morphology when observed near the solar limb. Recent observations from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) reveal another type of small-scale reconnection events, termed UV bursts, in the lower atmosphere. Though previous observations have shown a clear coincidence of some UV bursts and EBs, the exact relationship between these two phenomena is still under debate. We investigate the spatial and temporal relationship between flame-like EBs and UV bursts using joint near-limb observations between the 1.6--meter Goode Solar Telescope (GST) and IRIS. In total 161 EBs have been identified from the GST observations, and 20 of them reveal signatures of UV bursts in the IRIS images. Interestingly, we find that these UV bursts have a tendency to appear at the upper parts of their associated flame-like EBs. The intensity variations of most EB-related UV bursts and their corresponding EBs match well. Our results suggest that these UV bursts and EBs are likely formed at different heights during a common reconnection process.

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arXiv2019

Solar Ultraviolet Bursts in a Coordinated Observation of IRIS, Hinode and SDO

Solar ultraviolet (UV) bursts are small-scale compact brightenings in transition region images. The spectral profiles of transition region lines in these bursts are significantly enhanced and broadened, often with chromospheric absorption lines such as Ni~{\sc{ii}} 1335.203 and 1393.330 Å superimposed. We investigate the properties of several UV bursts using a coordinated observation of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), and \textit{Hinode} on 2015 February 7. We have identified 12 UV bursts, and 11 of them reveal small blueshifts of the Ni~{\sc{ii}} absorption lines. However, the Ni~{\sc{ii}} lines in one UV burst exhibit obvious redshifts of $\sim$20 km s$^{-1}$, which appear to be related to the cold plasma downflows observed in the IRIS slit-jaw images. We also examine the three-dimensional magnetic field topology using a magnetohydrostatic model, and find that some UV bursts are associated with magnetic null points or bald patches. In addition, we find that these UV bursts reveal no obvious coronal signatures from the observations of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board SDO and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board \textit{Hinode}.

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