Analysis of Solar-like X-Class Flare on Wolf 359 Observed Simultaneously with TESS and XMM-Newton

We present an analysis of a flare on the Wolf 359 star based on simultaneous observations of TESS and XMM-Newton. A stellar flare with energy comparable to an X-class solar flare is analyzed on this star for the first time. The main goal of the study was to determine whether the same physical processes drive and occur in stellar flares as in the solar flares. We tried to estimate the flare class by various direct and indirect methods. Light curves and spectra in different energy ranges were used to determine the parameters and profiles of the flare. From the XMM-Newton EPIC-pn X-ray data, we estimated the temperature and emission measure during the flare. The thermodynamical timescale and the loop semi-length were also determined with two different methods. The RGS spectra enabled us to calculate the differential emission measure (DEM) distributions. The obtained DEM distributions have three components at temperature values of 3 MK, 7 MK, and 16-17 MK. The analysis of the line ratio in helium-like triplets allowed us to determine the plasma electron density. Our results for the flare loop on Wolf 359 were compared to typical parameters for solar flares observed with GOES and RHESSI. This supports our conclusion that the processes taking place in stellar flares are like those in solar flares. The determined geometrical parameters of the phenomenon do not differ from the values of analogs occurring on the Sun.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, accepted to Ap

KORTES Mission for Solar Activity Monitoring Onboard International Space Station

peer reviewedWe present a description of the recent advances in the development of the KORTES assembly—the first solar oriented mission designed for the Russian segment of the International Space Station. KORTES consists of several imaging and spectroscopic instruments collectively covering a wide spectral range extending from extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths to X-rays. The EUV telescopes inside KORTES will trace the origin and dynamics of various solar phenomena, e.g., flares, CMEs, eruptions etc. EUV spectra provided by grazing-incidence spectroheliographs will enable precise DEM-diagnostics during these events. The monochromatic X-ray imager will observe the formation of hot plasma in active regions and outside them. The SolpeX module inside KORTES will offer an opportunity to measure fluxes, Doppler shifts and polarization of soft X-ray emission both in lines and continuum. SolpeX observations will contribute to studies of particle beams and chromospheric evaporation. The instrumentation of KORTES will employ a variety of novel multilayer and crystal optics. The deployment of KORTES is planned for 2024

The non-Fourier image reconstruction method for the STIX instrument

In this work we aimed to develop the image reconstruction algorithm without any analytical simplifications and restrictions. In our method we abandon Fourier’s approach to image reconstruction, and instead use the number of counts recorded in each detector pixel, and then reconstruct each image using a classical Richardson-Lucy algorithm. Among similar works performed in the past, our approach is based, for the first time, on the real geometry of STIX. We made a preliminary analysis of expected differences in STIX imaging which may occur due to usage of slightly different geometries. The other difference is that we use single-pixel-response maps. Namely, knowing the instrument geometry we are able to calculate the detector response for point sources covering entire the solar disc. Next, we iteratively combine them with varying weights until the best match between reconstructed and observed detector responses is achieved. Preliminary tests revealed that the developed algorithm reproduces high quality images. The algorithm is moderately fast, but the result comparable to CLEAN algorithm is obtained within 20-50 iteration steps which takes less than 2 seconds on typical portable computer configuration. The location, size and intensity of reconstructed sources are very close to simulated ones. Therefore the algorithm is very well suited for the detailed photometry of the solar HXR sources. Moreover, its simplicity allows to improve photon transmission calculation in case of any grids uncertainties measured after the launch