MAX MILLENNIUM COORDINATED OBSERVING PLAN 009
SOHO JOINT OBSERVING PLAN 136

Scientific Goals  |  Ground Based Observatories  | Space Based Observatories  | Target | Scheduling Considerations


TITLE: DEFAULT HESSI COLLABORATION 
AUTHOR:  Richard Canfield (canfield@mithra.physics.montana.edu) Montana State University,
Dominic Zarro (zarro@smmdac.nascom.nasa.gov) Emergent Information Technologies Inc., GSFC
VERSION: Version 4: 18 December 2000 
SUMMARY: This is the default program for context and flare observations from ground-based and space-based instruments and observatories in collaboration with HESSI. It describes the observing programs to be used when HESSI support observations are performed and no other campaigns or target-of-opportunity programs are in effect.
  • Goal: To obtain multi-wavelength imaging and spectroscopic observations before, during and after many solar flares over a wide range of temperatures and heights in the solar atmosphere, for the purpose of determining the thermodynamic and magnetic context of particle acceleration in those solar flares observed by HESSI ; 
  • Approach: In a manner appropriate to each instrument, observatory, and spacecraft, to survey all active regions likely to flare while concentrating high temporal and spatial resolution observations by instruments with a limited spatial field of view on a single active region identified each day in the Max Millennium Message of the Day

  • SCIENTIFIC GOALS

    The scientific goal of this program is that of HESSI: to understand impulsive energy release, particle acceleration, and particle and energy transport. Key questions are: Co-temporal data from ground and space-based observatories are crucial to answering these questions.

    GROUND BASED OBSERVATORIES

    SPACE BASED OBSERVATORIES


    TARGET

    This plan may be used for either a scheduled campaign or a target of opporunity.  In either event, the target chosen for this observing plan will be the active region most likely to produce energetic hard X-ray and gamma-ray flares. Both impulsive flares and gradual flares are interesting, although the latter are of particular importance because they are associated with CMEs. Both limb flares and disk flares are interesting. Events near, or over, the limb offer unique opportunities to get altitude information. Over-the-limb events have the bright footpoint emission occulted so that the coronal X-ray emission can be studied more easily. On the other hand, events well on the disk (say within 60 degrees of the central meridian) offer the opportunity for getting reliable vector magnetic fields.    Since this is the default observing plan, it is a compromise among various factors:  probability of flares of various GOES levels and types, location of the AR on the disk or limb, history of past observations.

    Target selection will be announced by MMmotd e-mail daily, or more often if necessary, by the Max Millennium Chief Observer at Big Bear Solar Observatory.


    SCHEDULING

    This plan is intended to be used on both a target-of-opportunity basis or on a scheduled basis, as appropriate.