| Presentation Title: | The Fundamentals of Impulsive Energy Release in the Corona Explorer (FIERCE) mission concept |
| Author(s): | Albert Y. Shih and the FIERCE team |
Abstract:
Understanding how energy is released suddenly and transformed at the Sun requires breakthrough observations that reveal the whole picture of the initiation and evolution of flares and solar eruptive events. The Fundamentals of Impulsive Energy Release in the Corona Explorer (FIERCE) MIDEX mission concept leverages X-ray focusing optics for the unprecedented capability to characterize both particle acceleration and plasma heating in the tenuous corona and to trace the flow of energy down to the chromosphere without being blinded by bright sources. FIERCE performs imaging spectroscopy at hard X-ray energies to measure energetic electrons and at soft X-ray energies to measure hot (>2 MK) plasmas. FIERCE is the culmination of many years of instrument development – including multiple FOXSI sounding-rocket flights – with ready-to-go technologies and designs. FIERCE not only fills a critical gap in the Heliophysics System Observatory, but would also launch at the best time of the next cycle of solar activity.