MAX MILLENNIUM COORDINATED OBSERVING PLAN 018

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


TITLE: REGION LIKELY TO PRODUCE GREAT FLARES 
AUTHOR:  Richard Canfield (canfield@physics.montana.edu) Montana State University
William Marquette (wmarquette25@gmail.com) Helio Research
VERSION: Version 6: 26 February 2015
SUMMARY: This plan describes context and flare observations from ground-based and space-based instruments and observatories appropriate to solar active regions that are likely to produce (1) flares with either nuclear-line or high-energy gamma-ray emission that extends above 50 MeV, which are typically of GOES X (and high M) class, and are associated with fast and wide CMEs, or (2) very large flares, with GOES classification > X5, with or without such gamma-ray emission.   This plan describes the circumstances under which the Max Millennium Chief Observer will declare a Great Flare Watch.
  • Goal: To obtain multi-wavelength imaging and spectroscopic observations before, during and after gamma-ray solar flares, which will be the source of the most valuable and unique spectra and images from RHESSI.  
  • Approach: In a manner appropriate to each instrument, observatory, and spacecraft, to observe, if at all possible, the active region identified in the Great Flare Watch message from the Max Millennium Chief Observer distributed to the Max Millennium Message of the Day list. 

  • SCIENTIFIC GOALS

    The scientific goal of this program is to understand energy release, particle acceleration, and particle and energy transport in those flares that produce gamma-ray lines. 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

    The MM Chief Observer will choose an active region for this observing program when either of the following criterion is met:
    1. Active region has produced a flare that is large (typically GOES X-class) and is associated with Fermi LAT nuclear-line or high-energy gamma-ray emission, typically with a fast and broad CME (if a region produced one such flare, it will probably produce at least one more).

    2. Active region has an area  > 1000 micro-hemispheres and is classified "beta-gamma-delta", and in addition has an "Island Delta" sunspot configuration with the following properties, of which the first three are most important:


    SCHEDULING

    This is a target-of-opportunity plan. It will be called only when there is a region on the disk or the limb that is likely to produce a great flare, according to the criterion above.