Statistical analysis of solar H-alpha flares

A statistical analysis of a large data set of H-alpha flares comprising almost 100000 single events that occurred during the period January 1975 to December 1999 is presented. We analyzed the flares evolution steps, i.e. duration, rise times, decay times and event asymmetries. Moreover, these parameters characterizing the temporal behavior of flares, as well as the spatial distribution on the solar disk, i.e. N-S and E-W asymmetries, are analyzed in terms of their dependency on the solar cycle. The main results are: 1) The duration, rise and decay times increase with increasing importance class. The increase is more pronounced for the decay times than for the rise times. The same relation is valid with regard to the brightness classes but in a weaker manner. 2) The event asymmetry indices, which characterize the proportion of the decay to the rise time of an event, are predominantly positive (90%). For about 50% of the events the decay time is even more than 4 times as long as the rise time. 3) The event asymmetries increase with the importance class. 4) The flare duration and decay times vary in phase with the solar cycle; the rise times do not. 5) The event asymmetries do not reveal a distinct correlation with the solar cycle. However, they drop during times of solar minima, which can be explained by the shorter decay times found during minimum activity. 6) There exists a significant N-S asymmetry over longer periods, and the dominance of one hemisphere over the other can persist for more than one cycle. 7) For certain cycles there may be evidence that the N-S asymmetry evolves with the solar cycle, but in general this is not the case. 8) There exists a slight but significant E-W asymmetry with a prolonged eastern excess.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figure

Temporal aspects and frequency distributions of solar soft X-ray flares

A statistical analysis of almost 50000 soft X-ray (SXR) flares observed by GOES during the period 1976-2000 is presented. On the basis of this extensive data set, statistics on temporal properties of soft X-ray flares, such as duration, rise and decay times with regard to the SXR flare classes is presented. Correlations among distinct flare parameters, i.e. SXR peak flux, fluence and characteristic times, and frequency distributions of flare occurrence as function of the peak flux, the fluence and the duration are derived. We discuss the results of the analysis with respect to statistical flare models, the idea of coronal heating by nanoflares, and elaborate on implications of the obtained results on the Neupert effect in solar flares.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

EQ-5D in Central and Eastern Europe : 2000-2015

Objective: Cost per quality-adjusted life year data are required for reimbursement decisions in many Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. EQ-5D is by far the most commonly used instrument to generate utility values in CEE. This study aims to systematically review the literature on EQ-5D from eight CEE countries. Methods: An electronic database search was performed up to July 1, 2015 to identify original EQ-5D studies from the countries of interest. We analysed the use of EQ-5D with respect to clinical areas, methodological rigor, population norms and value sets. Results: We identified 143 studies providing 152 country-specific results with a total sample size of 81,619: Austria (n=11), Bulgaria (n=6), Czech Republic (n=18), Hungary (n=47), Poland (n=51), Romania (n=2), Slovakia (n=3) and Slovenia (n=14). Cardiovascular (20%), neurologic (16%), musculoskeletal (15%) and endocrine/nutritional/metabolic diseases (14%) were the most frequently studied clinical areas. Overall 112 (78%) of the studies reported EQ VAS results and 86 (60%) EQ-5D index scores, of which 27 (31%) did not specify the applied tariff. Hungary, Poland and Slovenia have population norms. Poland and Slovenia also have a national value set. Conclusions: Increasing use of EQ-5D is observed throughout CEE. The spread of health technology assessment activities in countries seems to be reflected in the number of EQ-5D studies. However, improvement in informed use and methodological quality of reporting is needed. In jurisdictions where no national value set is available, in order to ensure comparability we recommend to apply the most frequently used UK tariff. Regional collaboration between CEE countries should be strengthened

An Observational Overview of Solar Flares

We present an overview of solar flares and associated phenomena, drawing upon a wide range of observational data primarily from the RHESSI era. Following an introductory discussion and overview of the status of observational capabilities, the article is split into topical sections which deal with different areas of flare phenomena (footpoints and ribbons, coronal sources, relationship to coronal mass ejections) and their interconnections. We also discuss flare soft X-ray spectroscopy and the energetics of the process. The emphasis is to describe the observations from multiple points of view, while bearing in mind the models that link them to each other and to theory. The present theoretical and observational understanding of solar flares is far from complete, so we conclude with a brief discussion of models, and a list of missing but important observations.Comment: This is an article for a monograph on the physics of solar flares, inspired by RHESSI observations. The individual articles are to appear in Space Science Reviews (2011

A multiwavelength study of solar flare waves

Propagating wave-like disturbances associated with solar flares – commonly observed in the chromosphere as Moreton waves – have been known for several decades. Recently, the phenomenon has come back into focus prompted by the observation of coronal waves with the SOHO/EIT instrument (“EIT waves"). It has been suggested that they represent the anticipated coronal counterpart to Moreton waves, but due to some pronounced differences, this interpretation is still being debated. We study 12 flare wave events in order to determine their physical nature, using Hα, EUV, He I 10 830 Å  SXR and radioheliographic data. The flare wave signatures in the various spectral bands are found to lie on closely associated kinematical curves, implying that they are signatures of the same physical disturbance. In all events, and at all wavelengths, the flare waves are decelerating, which explains the apparent “velocity discrepancy" between Moreton and EIT waves which has been reported by various authors. In this paper, the focus of the study is on the morphology, the spatial characteristics and the kinematics of the waves. The characteristics of the common perturbation which causes the wave signatures, as well as the associated type II radio bursts, will be studied in companion Paper II, and a consistent physical interpretation of flare waves will be given

A multiwavelength study of solar flare waves

The study of solar flare waves – globally propagating wave-like disturbances usually observed in Hα as Moreton waves – has recently come back into focus prompted by the observation of coronal waves in the EUV with the SOHO/EIT instrument (“EIT waves"), and in several additional wavelength channels. We study 12 flare wave events in order to determine their physical nature, using Hα, EUV, helium I, SXR and radioheliographic data. In the companion Paper I, we have presented the observational data and have discussed the morphology, spatial characteristics and the kinematics of the different flare wave signatures. The wavefronts observed in the various spectral bands were found to follow kinematical curves that are closely associated, implying that they are signatures of the same physical disturbance. In the present paper, we continue the study with a close examination of the evolution of the common perturbation that causes the different wave signatures, and with a detailed analysis of the metric type II radio bursts that were associated with all flare wave events. The basic characteristics of the waves are deceleration, perturbation profile broadening, and perturbation amplitude decrease. This behavior can be interpreted in terms of a freely propagating fast-mode MHD shock formed from a large-amplitude simple wave. It is shown that this scenario can account for all observed properties of the flare waves in the various spectral bands, as well as for the associated metric type II radio bursts

Non-thermal processes associated with rising structures and waves during a “halo” type CME

We analyse structures and events connected with a flare-associated “halo” type coronal mass ejection (CME) observed on December 18, 2000. A GOES C7.0 class X-ray flare started at 11:02 UT in NOAA Active Region 9269, located at N14 E03. Yohkoh SXT observed slowly rising soft X-ray loops already some 5 min before flare start. Hα images show a two-ribbon flare, remote brightenings, and a partly disappearing filament near the active region. A metric radio precursor was observed to start at 11:06:30 UT, simultaneously with impulsive emission in hard X-rays and microwaves. The frequency-drifting precursor envelope was superposed with J- and reverse drift bursts. The radio bursts traced large-scale soft X-ray loop structures about 160 000 km away from the flare core, and hard X-ray emission was observed at the ends of some of these loops. The precursor emission points to a rising structure where electron acceleration takes place. Later on, a radio type II burst (signature of a propagating shock, driven either by an ejecta or a blast wave) and an EIT wave were observed. We conclude that possible sources for the rising structure and accelerator of electron beams are (1) large-scale loops that connect the flare core region and the precursor site in the close vicinity of two separate rising filaments, and (2) a growing shock that accelerates electrons along closed field lines until the multipolar field is opened and the CME is lifted off. As neither X-ray nor EUV ejecta could be observed whether in the direction of the type II burst or near the radio precursor, we find some support for the shock wave scenario

Deriving effective sunspot temperatures from SOHO/VIRGO irradiance measurements

A method is developed to obtain mean effective sunspot temperatures from satellite irradiance deficits. Using a formalism derived from a star spot modelling approach, this method only requires accurate positions and areas of sunspots – but not intensities. The method is applied to SOHO/VIRGO spectral solar irradiance (SSI) at 402, 500, and 862 nm as well as total solar irradiance (TSI) measured during the period 16 July to 17 August 1996, the disk passage of active region NOAA 7981. MDI full disk white-light images are used to extract sunspot positions and areas. First, using the spot pixels, which are identified on MDI images as ${ I_{\rm s} < 0.92}$, we find the mean effective temperature of NOAA 7981 to be $\simeq$300 K less than the local photospheric temperature. Because the area is dominated by penumbral pixels, the temperature is close to a value representing the penumbra. Second, separating umbral and penumbral pixels, we obtain a temperature difference of $\simeq$850 K for the umbra and of $\simeq$200 K for the penumbra. Finally, if a 5% binning of the spot intensities is applied, a temperature deficit of $\simeq$1000 K is found for the darkest regions of the spot