![Page 1: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares
Nicole Vilmer
LESIA-Observatoire de Paris
VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04
![Page 2: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Magnetic energy release in the solar corona:CME’s (see previous talks)
But ALSO EFFICIENT PARTICLE ACCELERATION
![Page 3: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Flare Accelerated Particles
Particle acceleration (Where, How Fast? How Many? Which Ones?)
Injection in the interplanetary medium (Where? When? Relation with flare particles?)
![Page 4: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Hard X-ray/-ray continuum (HXR/GR): ~ 10 keV-~100 Mev (up to GeV) electrons (acceleration time scales, energy spectra, number)-ray line radiation (GRL) : a few MeV/nuc-a few GeV/nuc ions (acceleration time scales, energy spectra, abundances…)High energy (~75 MeV) -ray continuum and neutrons: > 100 MeV/nuc ions (acceleration time scales, energy spectra, numbers)
Observations of several thousands of X-ray flares 30 GRL flares on 3 solar activity cycles Main scientific goal of RHESSI
Direct diagnostics of accelerated particles interacting in the solar atmosphere
![Page 5: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
RHESSI observations
SXR emissionHot plasma (a few MK )
HXR emissionBremsstrahlung from non Thermal electrons
Prompt -ray lines:Deexcitation lines from C and 0(60%) due to interactions from > Mev Protons and alphas
Neutron capture line:p on heavy ions produce neutronsNeutrons are slowed down and captured by ambient hydrogen deuterium + 2.2 MeV.
![Page 6: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
X/ -ray spectrum
RHESSI Energy range
Pion decay radiation(ions > 100 MeV/nuc)sometimes with neutrons
Ultrarelativistic ElectronBremsstrahlung
Thermal components
Electronbremsstrahlung
-ray lines (ions > 3 MeV/nuc)
T= 2 10 7 KT= 4 10 7 K
Phebus/Granatobservations
![Page 7: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Energetic Ions -ray line spectroscopy ions in the 1MeV/nuc-100 MeV/nuc range
narrow deexcitation -ray line fluences ion energy spectrum
and target abundances(i.e. solar atmosphere) Broad -ray lines
abundances of accelerated ions
2.2 MeV deuterium line:capture line after thermalizationfrom neutrons from nuclear reactions
(Share & Murphy,2000)
![Page 8: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Decimetric/metric emissionsNon thermal electrons Propagating in the coronaPlasma emissions
Cm/mm radio emissionsGyrosynchrotron emissions from>100 keV-1 MeV electronsIn the corona
HXR emissionsBremsstrahlung radiation from>10 keV- 10 MeV electronsin the chromosphere
![Page 9: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Particle acceleration associated with solar flares in active regions
Electrons from 10 keV to GeV10 33 -10 39 électrons > 25 keV10 28 -10 34 ergs > 25 keV
Ions from 10 MeV to GeV10 30 -10 34 > 30 MeV 10 30 - 10 32 ergs > 1 MeV
From many flares observed by SMMYOHKOH-GRANAT-CGRO (withlimited spectral resolution)
1028 to 10 34 ergs released timescales from a second to tens of minutes
![Page 10: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Principal Investigator: Robert Lin UCB
Project Manager: Peter Harvey UCB
Lead System Engineer: David CurtisUCB
Lead Co-Investigator: Brian Dennis GSFC
Co-Investigators: Arnold Benz ETHZPatricia Bornmann NOAAJohn Brown U. of GlasgowRichard Canfield Montana State U.Carol CrannellGSFCGordon EmslieU. Alabama Huntsville Shinzo EnomeGordon HolmanGSFC, Code 682Hugh Hudson UCB Gordon HurfordGSFC,Code 682Takeo KosugiNAOJNorman Madden LBNLReuven RamatyGSFC, Code 661Frank van BeekDelft U.Nicole VilmerParis ObservatoryTycho von RosenvingeGSFC, Code 66Alex ZehnderPSI
![Page 11: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
RHESSI Characteristics Imaging
Angular resolution
Field of View
Spectroscopy Energy range Energy resolution
Fourier-transform imaging with 9 bi-grid rotating modulation collimators
2.3 to 36 depending on energy HXR 2.3 ; GRL /GR 36
Full Sun Tens of ms for basic image (near future) 2s for detailed image
3 keV to 10 MeV < 1 keV 5 keV@ 20 MeV
![Page 12: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
First RHESSI observations of a solar -ray line flare : images and spectra at high resolution (23/07/02 event)Electron & Ion interaction sites: First images at gamma-ray energiesElectron & Ion production time profiles: effects of transport in the solar atmosphere? Some preliminary observations of the gamma-ray flares in October/November 2003
Relationship between cm/mm emitting electrons and HXR/gamma-ray ones: towards higher frequencies: Evidence of flat energetic electron components above 1 MeV
![Page 13: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
23/07/2002 X4.8 GOES: RHESSI -ray line flare
Lin et al, 2003 (ApJ, October 2003)
Images:64’’ wideAt the time of flare maximum
![Page 14: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Early phase: evidence of production of non Thermal electrons in the corona
From Lin et al, 2003
12-30 keV contours with TRACE 195 A
Thermal + steep double Law components : 5-6.5
E>20 keV > 2 10 31 ergs in this phaseMostly released in the corona(compared to total energy :10 31 ergs above 30 KeV
![Page 15: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
First impulsive peak
40 MK +2 power laws 2.5-3.5
Lin et al, 2003, Krucker et al, 2003
![Page 16: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Second impulsive peak
Apparent movement of northern footpoint andCoronal source // ribbon ( 50 km/s) No systematic motion of southern footpointReconnection in highly sheared region?
![Page 17: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Halpha-HXR movie
Courtesy S. Krucker)
![Page 18: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Spectral evolution movie
Holman et al
2003
![Page 19: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
X4.8 flare : 23/07/2002 Imaging spectroscopy with RHESSI
Emslie et al, 2003
N
M x0.1
Sx0.01
Photon spectrum
![Page 20: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Lin et al, 2003
2.2 MeV line
Nuclear Prompt lines
Electron bremsstrahlung
![Page 21: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Electron & Ion Production Time Profiles
Spectral analysis 6 narrow linesBroken electron power lawBroad nuclear line component511 keV and 2.2 MeV lines
Share et al, 2003
Radiation from electrons
Radiation from ions(delay of ~ 10s: transportEffects)
E>2.5 MeV10 31 ergs
![Page 22: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Smith et al, 2003
Redshift (0.1-0.8 %)larger than expectedfor a limb flareif Downward isotropic distributionif Radial B field!
SMM 5 flaresSame longitude
Broadening 0.1-2.1% FWHM
No redshift (light curve) Redshift (Heavy curve)
![Page 23: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
First gamma-ray images of a flare!
Gamma-ray line image displaced from20 ’’ from electron emission site!!! Interpretation? Hurford et al, 2003
+ TRACE post flare loop
![Page 24: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
X/ -ray spectrum
RHESSI Energy range
Pion decay radiation(ions > 100 MeV/nuc)sometimes with neutrons
Ultrarelativistic ElectronBremsstrahlung
Thermal components
Electronbremsstrahlung
-ray lines (ions > 3 MeV/nuc)
T= 2 10 7 KT= 4 10 7 K
Phebus/Granatobservations
![Page 25: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Bremsstrahlung and Synchrotron Emitting Electrons (I): Electron « broken » energy spectra
Many evidence from HXR/GR observations that hardening of electron spectra above a few hundred keV (i.e. electron dominated disk event but also GRL events)
Evolution of the break energy in the course
of the event Relation between mm/cm emitting electrons and
electrons above Eb
PHEBUS& BernTrottet et al (1998)
![Page 26: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Bremsstrahlung and Synchrotron Emitting Electrons (II):
Production of submm emissions by ultrarelativistic electrons?
First detection at 212 GHzNow also at 405 GHZ
(Kaufman et al, 2002,2004)
From Trottet, Raulin, Kaufman et al, 2002
Gyrosynchrotron emissionFrom power law energy distribution with = 2.7Corresponding to a mid size electron-dominated
event above > 100 kev(no observations)
![Page 27: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
The Sun is an efficient particle accelerator
First observations of a solar -ray line flare with high spectral and spatial resolutions:
HXR imaging spectroscopy: variations of photon (electron) spectra from one HXR source to the other (e- transport in loops…)
HXR images: spatial distribution and movements of footpoint sources consistent with magnetic reconnection scenarios?
HXR spectroscopy: precise determination of the electron spectrum from photon spectrum at high resolution
GRL spectroscopy : measurements of redshifts emissions by ions in tilted B fields
GRL images: unexpected displacement between electron and ion interaction sites (acceleration? propagation and injection in B
fields?
Other -ray line observations in October/November ???
![Page 28: Energy Release and Particle Acceleration in Solar Flares Nicole Vilmer LESIA-Observatoire de Paris VII COLAGE-Atibaia 01/04/04](https://reader037.vdocuments.us/reader037/viewer/2022110320/56649cb15503460f9497635a/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
The Sun: an efficient particle accelerator
Bremsstrahlung and synchrotron emitting electronsRelationship between cm/mm and a few MeV electronsis it still true for ultrarelativistic electrons and for the production of submillimeter emissions??
Gamma-ray observations from 1 to 10 MeV (even > 10 MeV) with observations >100 GHz needed to conclude…