MAX MILLENNIUM COORDINATED OBSERVING PLAN # 011

Scientific Goal and Observational Approach  |  GBO Observing Program  |  Space Mission Observing Program  | Target of Opportunity | Scheduling Considerations


TITLE: Eruptive Flares Associated with Sigmoids (TOO)
AUTHORS:  Richard Canfield (canfield@physics.montana.edu) HESSI/MSU
Hugh Hudson (hudson@isass1.solar.isas.ac.jp) Yohkoh SXT/ISAS 
Sarah Gibson (sg273@damtp.cam.ac.uk) DAMTP/Cambridge 
Lyndsay Fletcher (lyndsay@astro.gla.ac.uk) TRACE/Glasgow
VERSION: 29 November 2000 
SUMMARY: This is a target-of-opportunity plan which will be carried out when/if a sigmoidal active region appears.  The purpose of the Max Millennium plan is to add flare observations to SOHO's multi-wavelength active-region observations, which will document the topology of the preflare and postflare active region as well as possible. The goal of the flare observations is to determine where in this evolving topology particle acceleration and energy release take place.  If flare observations are successfully obtained, coordinated analysis of the flare data will be the focus of a Max Millennium Coordinated Data Analysis Workshop.

SCIENTIFIC GOAL AND OBSERVATIONAL APPROACH  

The scientific goal of this plan is to understand where flare particle acceleration and impulsive energy release take place within the thermodynamic and magnetic topology of an erupting sigmoid.  It is expected that multiwavelength observations of flares will aid in discriminating between the very different topologies that have recently been proposed.  The observational approach is to: Top

GBO OBSERVING PROGRAM

Participating Observatories:
Bailkal Solar Vacuum Telescope  details Contact: Larisa Kashapova or Natalia Firstova, ISTP, Irkutsk
Big Bear Solar Observatory (BIG) details Contact: Haimin Wang, NJIT
Crimean Astrophysical Observatory details Contact: N.N. Stepanian, CRAO
El Leoncito Solar Observatory (ELL) details Contact: Marta Rovira, IAFE, Buenos Aires
GCT, VIT, DOT, SVST JOP_97 Contact: Karin Muglach, AIP
Helio Research JOP_106 Contact: Sara Martin, Helio Research
Hida Domeless Solar Telescope details Contact: Hiroki Kurokawa, Kyoto University
Hiraiso Solar Terrestrial Research Center details Contact: Maki Akioka, CRL
Huairou Solar Station details Contact: Hongqi Zhang, BAO
Itapetinga Radio Observatory (ITA) details Contact: Emilia Correia or Pierre Kaufmann, CRAAM/CRAAE
Kitt Peak details Contact: Jack Harvey, NSO
Kitt Peak Tower Telescope details Contact: David Rust, JHU/APL
Marshall Space Flight Center (MAR) details Contact: Mona Hagyard, MSFC
Mauna Loa Observatory (MAU) JOP_106 Contact: Joan Burkepile, HAO
Mees Solar Observatory (MEE) JOP_106 Contact: Barry Labonte, Mees Solar Obs, IfA
Meudon Observatory details Contact: Jean-Marie Malherbe, Observatoire de Paris
Modra Astronomical Observatory JOP_106 Contact: Michael Sersen, Modra
Nançay Radioheliograph (NAN) details Contact: Nicole Vilmer, Meudon
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka (MIT) details Contact: Takashi Sakurai, NAOJ
Nobeyama Radioheliograph (NOB) details Contact: Kiyoto Shibasaki, NRO
Ooty, Nagoya, EISCAT JOP_106 Contact: Sarah Gibson, Cambridge
Oporto Radiospectrograph (OPO) details Contact: A. S. de Magalhaes, U Porto
Owens Valley Radio Observatory Solar Array (OWE) details Contact: Dale E. Gary, NJIT or Kjell Nelin, OVRO
RATAN 600 Radiotelescope (RAT) details Contact: Vladimir Bogod, Special Astrophysical Observatory
Sonora Solar Observing Station (SON) details Contact: Antonio Sanchez, EOS/CIFUS/UNISON 
SOONSPOT details Contact: Alan Kiplinger, SEC, CU
Trieste Astronomical Observatory (TRI) details Contact: Mauro Messerotti or Paolo Zlobec, TAO
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SPACE MISSION OBSERVING PROGRAM  

SOHO (EIT) Contact: Barbara Thompson, SOHO, GSFC
SUMMARY The plan is linked with JOP106,  Sigmoidal Active Region Study for Whole Sun Month #3
Yohkoh (SXT) Contact: Hugh Hudson, SXT, ISAS
SUMMARY Standard observing modes with SXT and HXT providing thermal and nonthermal plasma diagnostics and 3D structural evolution, as well as high-energy electron parameters during flares.
TRACE (TRA) Contact: Lyndsay Fletcher, TRACE, CfA
SUMMARY This plan is linked with JOP106,  Sigmoidal Active Region Study for Whole Sun Month #3
INTERBALL-Tail (INT) Contact: Marek Siarkowski, SRC, PAS
SUMMARY Full disk X-ray photometry from the INTERBALL RF-15I instrument. Energy range about 1 kev and 10-15-30-60-120-240 keV with time resolution 0.125 - 8 sec.
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TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY  

The target for this campaign will be a sigmoid in the Eastern hemisphere. The region will be followed over several days, ideally over the west limb. If the sigmoid does not appear likely to produce a flare, or a strong flaring region is present elsewhere on the disk, a Max Millennium campaign will not be called.  The Yohkoh SXT Chief Observer will issue a message when he/she spots a sigmoid that is likely to produce a flare.  Announcements will be made via  the Max Millennium MOTD e-mail list.  To make sure you subscribe to the Max Millennium MOTD list, go to the Max Millennium E-mail and Hypermail page.
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SCHEDULING CONSIDERATIONS  

This plan will be put into operation (along with SOHO JOP 106, if possible) any time a suitable target is present for the indefinite future.
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