624 research outputs found
Problems and Progress in Flare Fast Particle Diagnostics
Recent progress in the diagnosis of flare fast particles is critically
discussed with the main emphasis on high resolution Hard X-Ray (HXR) data from
RHESSI and coordinated data from other instruments. Spectacular new photon data
findings are highlighted as are advances in theoretical aspects of their use as
fast particle diagnostics, and some important comparisons made with
interplanetary particle data. More specifically the following topics are
addressed
(a) RHESSI data on HXR (electron) versus gamma-ray line (ion) source
locations.
(b) RHESSI hard X-ray source spatial structure in relation to theoretical
models and loop density structure.
(c) Energy budget of flare electrons and the Neupert effect.
(d) Spectral deconvolution methods including blind target testing and results
for RHESSI HXR spectra, including the reality and implications of dips inferred
in electron spectra
(e) The relation between flare in-situ and interplanetary particle data.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figures, submitted to Advances in Space Researc
The influence of albedo on the size of hard X-ray flare sources
Context: Hard X-rays from solar flares are an important diagnostic of
particle acceleration and transport in the solar atmosphere. Any observed X-ray
flux from on-disc sources is composed of direct emission plus Compton
backscattered photons (albedo). This affects both the observed spectra and
images as well as the physical quantities derived from them such as the spatial
and spectral distributions of accelerated electrons or characteristics of the
solar atmosphere. Aims: We propose a new indirect method to measure albedo and
to infer the directivity of X-rays in imaging using RHESSI data. Methods:
Visibility forward fitting is used to determine the size of a disc event
observed by RHESSI as a function of energy. This is compared to the sizes of
simulated sources from a Monte Carlo simulation code of photon transport in the
chromosphere for different degrees of downward directivity and true source
sizes to find limits on the true source size and the directivity. Results: The
observed full width half maximum of the source varies in size between 7.4
arcsec and 9.1 arcsec with the maximum between 30 and 40 keV. Such behaviour is
expected in the presence of albedo and is found in the simulations. A source
size smaller than 6 arcsec is improbable for modest directivities and the true
source size is likely to be around 7 arcsec for small directivities.
Conclusions: While it is difficult to image the albedo patch directly, the
effect of backscattered photons on the observed source size can be estimated.
The increase in source size caused by albedo has to be accounted for when
computing physical quantities that include the size as a parameter such as
flare energetics. At the same time, the study of the albedo signature provides
vital information about the directivity of X-rays and related electrons.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, A&A (accepted
Variational Inference of Joint Models using Multivariate Gaussian Convolution Processes
We present a non-parametric prognostic framework for individualized event
prediction based on joint modeling of both longitudinal and time-to-event data.
Our approach exploits a multivariate Gaussian convolution process (MGCP) to
model the evolution of longitudinal signals and a Cox model to map
time-to-event data with longitudinal data modeled through the MGCP. Taking
advantage of the unique structure imposed by convolved processes, we provide a
variational inference framework to simultaneously estimate parameters in the
joint MGCP-Cox model. This significantly reduces computational complexity and
safeguards against model overfitting. Experiments on synthetic and real world
data show that the proposed framework outperforms state-of-the art approaches
built on two-stage inference and strong parametric assumptions
Spatially-resolved Energetic Electron Properties for the 21 May 2004 Flare from Radio Observations and 3D Simulations
We investigate in detail the 21 May 2004 flare using simultaneous
observations of the Nobeyama Radioheliograph, Nobeyama Radiopolarimeters,
Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) and Solar and
Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The flare images in different spectral ranges
reveal the presence of a well-defined single flaring loop in this event. We
have simulated the gyrosynchrotron microwave emission using the recently
developed interactive IDL tool GX Simulator. By comparing the simulation
results with the observations, we have deduced the spatial and spectral
properties of the non-thermal electron distribution. The microwave emission has
been found to be produced by the high-energy electrons ( keV) with a
relatively hard spectrum (); the electrons were strongly
concentrated near the loop top. At the same time, the number of high-energy
electrons near the footpoints was too low to be detected in the RHESSI images
and spatially unresolved data. The SOHO Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Telescope
images and the low-frequency microwave spectra suggest the presence of an
extended "envelope" of the loop with lower magnetic field. Most likely, the
energetic electron distribution in the considered flare reflects the localized
(near the loop top) particle acceleration (injection) process accompanied by
trapping and scattering.Comment: Accepted for publication in Solar Physic
Fast spectral fitting of hard X-ray bremsstrahlung from truncated power-law electron spectra
<p><b>Context:</b> Hard X-ray bremsstrahlung continuum spectra, such as from solar flares, are commonly described in terms of power-law fits, either to the photon spectra themselves or to the electron spectra responsible for them. In applications various approximate relations between electron and photon spectral indices are often used for energies both above and below electron low-energy cutoffs.</p>
<p><b>Aims:</b> We examine the form of the exact relationships in various situations, and for various cross-sections, showing that empirical relations sometimes used can be highly misleading especially at energies below the low-energy cutoff, and consider how to improve fitting procedures.</p>
<p><b>Methods:</b> We obtain expressions for photon spectra from single, double and truncated power-law electron spectra for a variety of cross-sections and for the thin and thick target models and simple analytic expressions for the non-relativistic Bethe-Heitler case.</p>
<p><b>Results:</b> We show that below the low-energy cutoff Kramers and other constant spectral index forms commonly used are very poor approximations to accurate results, but that our analytical forms are a good match; and that above a low-energy cutoff, the Kramers and non-relativistic Bethe-Heitler results match reasonably well with results for up to energies around 100 keV.</p>
<p><b>Conclusions:</b> Analytical forms of the non-relativistic Bethe-Heitler photon spectra from general power-law electron spectra are good match to exact results for both thin and thick targets and they enable much faster spectral fitting than evaluation of the full spectral integrations.</p>
Parallel electric field amplification by phase-mixing of Alfven waves
Previous numerical studies have identified "phase mixing" of low-frequency
Alfven waves as a mean of parallel electric field amplification and
acceleration of electrons in a collisionless plasma. Theoretical explanations
are given of how this produces an amplification of the parallel electric field,
and as a consequence, also leads to enhanced collisionless damping of the wave
by energy transfer to the electrons. Our results are based on the properties of
the Alfven waves in a warm plasma which are obtained from drift-kinetic theory,
in particular, the rate of their electron Landau damping. Phase mixing in a
collisionless low- plasma proceeds in a manner very similar to the
visco-resistive case, except for the fact that electron Landau damping is the
primary energy dissipation channel. The time and length scales involved are
evaluated. We also focus on the evolution of the parallel electric field and
calculate its maximum value in the course of its amplification
Dynamics of electron beams in the solar corona plasma with density fluctuations
The problem of beam propagation in a plasma with small scale and low intensity inhomogeneities is investigated. It is shown that the electron beam propagates in a plasma as a beam-plasma structure and is a source of Langmuir waves. The plasma inhomogeneity changes the spatial distribution of the waves. The spatial distribution of the waves is fully determined by the distribution of plasma inhomogeneities. The possible applications to the theory of radio emission associated with electron beams are discussed
Hard X-ray footpoint sizes and positions as diagnostics of flare accelerated energetic electrons in the low solar atmosphere
The hard X-ray (HXR) emission in solar flares comes almost exclusively from a
very small part of the flaring region, the footpoints of magnetic loops. Using
RHESSI observations of solar flare footpoints, we determine the radial
positions and sizes of footpoints as a function of energy in six near-limb
events to investigate the transport of flare accelerated electrons and the
properties of the chromosphere. HXR visibility forward fitting allows to find
the positions/heights and the sizes of HXR footpoints along and perpendicular
to the magnetic field of the flaring loop at different energies in the HXR
range. We show that in half of the analyzed events, a clear trend of decreasing
height of the sources with energy is found. Assuming collisional thick-target
transport, HXR sources are located between 600 and 1200 km above the
photosphere for photon energies between 120 and 25 keV respectively. In the
other events, the position as a function of energy is constant within the
uncertainties. The vertical sizes (along the path of electron propagation)
range from 1.3 to 8 arcseconds which is up to a factor 4 larger than predicted
by the thick-target model even in events where the positions/heights of HXR
sources are consistent with the collisional thick-target model. Magnetic
mirroring, collisional pitch angle scattering and X-ray albedo are discussed as
potential explanations of the findings.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
RHESSI and SDO/AIA observations of the chromospheric and coronal plasma parameters during a solar flare
X-ray and EUV observations are an important diagnostic of various plasma
parameters of the solar atmosphere during solar flares. Soft X-ray and EUV
observations often show coronal sources near the top of flaring loops, while
hard X-ray emission is mostly observed from chromospheric footpoints. Combining
RHESSI with simultaneous SDO/AIA observations, it is possible for the first
time to determine the density, temperature, and emission profile of the solar
atmosphere over a wide range of heights during a flare, using two independent
methods. Here we analyze a near limb event during the first of three hard X-ray
peaks. The emission measure, temperature, and density of the coronal source is
found using soft X-ray RHESSI images while the chromospheric density is
determined using RHESSI visibility analysis of the hard X-ray footpoints. A
regularized inversion technique is applied to AIA images of the flare to find
the differential emission measure (DEM). Using DEM maps we determine the
emission and temperature structure of the loop, as well as the density, and
compare it with RHESSI results. The soft X-ray and hard X-ray sources are
spatially coincident with the top and bottom of the EUV loop, but the bulk of
the EUV emission originates from a region without co-spatial RHESSI emission.
The temperature analysis along the loop indicates that the hottest plasma is
found near the coronal loop top source. The EUV observations suggest that the
density in the loop legs increases with increasing height while the temperature
remains constant within uncertainties.Comment: 23 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Comparative analysis of spring flood risk reduction measures in Alaska, United States and the Sakha Republic, Russia
Thesis (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2017River ice thaw and breakup are an annual springtime phenomena in the North. Depending on regional weather patterns and river morphology, breakups can result in catastrophic floods in exposed and vulnerable communities. Breakup flood risk is especially high in rural and remote northern communities, where flood relief and recovery are complicated by unique geographical and climatological features, and limited physical and communication infrastructure. Proactive spring flood management would significantly minimize the adverse impacts of spring floods. Proactive flood management entails flood risk reduction through advances in ice jam and flood prevention, forecasting and mitigation, and community preparedness. With the goal to identify best practices in spring flood risk reduction, I conducted a comparative case study between two flood-prone communities, Galena in Alaska, United States and Edeytsy in the Sakha Republic, Russia. Within a week from each other, Galena and Edeytsy sustained major floods in May 2013. Methods included focus groups with the representatives from flood managing agencies, surveys of families impacted by the 2013 floods, observations on site, and archival review. Comparative parameters of the study included natural and human causes of spring floods, effectiveness of spring flood mitigation and preparedness strategies, and the role of interagency communication and cooperation in flood risk reduction. The analysis revealed that spring flood risk in Galena and Edeytsy results from complex interactions among a series of natural processes and human actions that generate conditions of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. Therefore, flood risk in Galena and Edeytsy can be reduced by managing conditions of ice-jam floods, and decreasing exposure and vulnerability of the at-risk populations. Implementing the Pressure and Release model to analyze the vulnerability progression of Edeytsy and Galena points to common root causes at the two research sites, including colonial heritage, unequal distribution of resources and power, top-down governance, and limited inclusion of local communities in the decision-making process. To construct an appropriate flood risk reduction framework it is important to establish a dialogue among the diverse stakeholders on potential solutions, arriving at a range of top-down and bottom-up initiatives and in conjunction selecting the appropriate strategies. Both communities have progressed in terms of greater awareness of the hazard, reduction in vulnerabilities, and a shift to more reliance on shelter-in-place. However, in neither community have needed improvements in levee protection been completed. Dialogue between outside authorities and the community begins earlier and is more intensive for Edeytsy, perhaps accounting for Edeytsy's more favorable rating of risk management and response than Galena's
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