Acceleration of Relativistic Protons during the 20 January 2005 Flare and CME |
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Sophie Masson Submitted: 2009-06-22 02:21
The origin of relativistic solar protons during large flare/CME events has not been uniquely identified so far.We perform a detailed comparative analysis of the time profiles of relativistic protons detected by the worldwide network of neutron monitors at Earth with electromagnetic signatures of particle acceleration in the solar corona during the large particle event of 20 January 2005. The intensity-time profile of the relativistic protons derived from the neutron monitor data indicates two successive peaks. We show that microwave, hard X-ray and gamma-ray emissions display several episodes of particle acceleration within the impulsive flare phase. The first relativistic protons detected at Earth are accelerated together with relativistic electrons and with protons that produce pion decay gamma-rays during the second episode. The second peak in the relativistic proton profile at Earth is accompanied by new signatures of particle acceleration in the corona within approximatively 1 solar radius above the photosphere, revealed by hard X-ray and microwave emissions of low intensity, and by the renewed radio emission of electron beams and of a coronal shock wave. We discuss the observations in terms of different scenarios of particle acceleration in the corona.
Authors: Masson, S., Klein, K.-L., Buetikofer R., Flueckiger E., Kurt V., Yushkov B., Krucker, S.
Projects: None
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Publication Status: Solar Physics (Published)
Last Modified: 2009-06-22 09:04
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The nature of flare ribbons in coronal null-point topology |
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Sophie Masson Submitted: 2009-06-04 03:04
Flare ribbons are commonly attributed to the low-altitude impact, along the footprints of separatrices or quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs), of particle beams accelerated through magnetic reconnection. If reconnection occurs at a three-dimensional coronal magnetic null point, the footprint of the dome-shaped fan surface would map a closed circular ribbon. This paper addresses the following issues: Does the entire circular ribbon brighten simultaneously, as expected because all fan field lines pass through the null point? And since the spine separatrices are singular field lines, do spine-related ribbons look like compact kernels? What can we learn from these observations about current sheet formation and magnetic reconnection in a null-point topology? The present study addresses these questions by analyzing TRACE and SoHO/MDI observations of a confined flare presenting a circular ribbon. Using a potential field extrapolation, we linked the circular shape of the ribbon with the photospheric mapping of the fan field lines originating from a coronal null-point. Observations show that the flare ribbon outlining the fan-lines brightens sequentially along the counterclockwise direction and that the spine-related ribbons are elongated. Using the potential field extrapolation as initial condition, we conduct a low-beta resistive MHD simulation of this observed event. We drive the coronal evolution by line-tied diverging boundary motions, so as to emulate the observed photospheric flow pattern associated with some magnetic flux emergence. The numerical analyzis allows to explain several observed features of the confined flare. The vorticity induced in the fan by the prescribed motions causes the spines to tear apart along the fan. This leads to formation of a thin current sheet and induces null-point reconnection. We also find that the null point and its associated topological structure is embedded within QSLs, already present in the asymmetric potential field configuration. We find that the QSL footprints correspond to the observed elongated spine-ribbons. Finally, we observe that before and after reconnecting at the null point, all field lines undergo slipping and slip-running reconnection within the QSLs. Field lines, and therefore particle impacts, slip or slip-run according to their distance from the spine, in directions and over distances that are compatible with the observed dynamics of the ribbons.
Authors: Masson, S., Pariat, E., Aulanier, G. and Schrijver, C. J.
Projects: None
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Publication Status: ApJ (accepted)
Last Modified: 2009-06-04 06:26
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