No Arabic abstract
Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are often accompanied by coronal dimming evident in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft X-ray observations. The locations of dimming are sometimes considered to map footpoints of the erupting flux rope. As the emitting material expands in the corona, the decreased plasma density leads to reduced emission observed in spectral and irradiance measurements. Therefore, signatures of dimming may reflect properties of CMEs in the early phase of its eruption. In this study, we analyze the event of flare, CME, and coronal dimming on December 26, 2011. We use the data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on Solar Dynamics Observatories (SDO) for disk observations of the dimming, and analyze images taken by EUVI, COR1, and COR2 onboard the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatories to obtain the height and velocity of the associated CMEs observed at the limb. We also measure magnetic reconnection rate from flare observations. Dimming occurs in a few locations next to the flare ribbons, and it is observed in multiple EUV passbands. Rapid dimming starts after the onset of fast reconnection and CME acceleration, and its evolution well tracks the CME height and flare reconnection. The spatial distribution of dimming exhibits cores of deep dimming with a rapid growth, and their light curves are approximately linearly scaled with the CME height profile. From the dimming analysis, we infer the process of the CME expansion, and estimate properties of the CME.
We study the coronal dimming caused by the fast halo CME (deprojected speed v =1250 km s $^{-1})$ associated with the C3.7 two-ribbon flare on 2012 September 27, using Hinode/EIS spectroscopy and SDO/AIA Differential Emission Measure (DEM) analysis. The event reveals bipolar core dimmings encompassed by hook-shaped flare ribbons located at the ends of the flare-related polarity inversion line, and marking the footpoints of the erupting filament. In coronal emission lines of $log T , [{rm K}] = 5.8-6.3$, distinct double component spectra indicative of the superposition of a stationary and a fast up-flowing plasma component with velocities up to 130 km s$^{-1}$ are observed at regions, which were mapped by the scanning EIS slit close in time of their impulsive dimming onset. The outflowing plasma component is found to be of the same order and even dominant over the stationary one, with electron densities in the upflowing component of $2times 10^{9}$cm$^{-3}$ at $log T , [{rm K}] = 6.2$. The density evolution in core dimming regions derived from SDO/AIA DEM analysis reveals impulsive reductions by $40 - 50%$ within $lesssim$10 min, and remains at these reduced levels for hours. The mass loss rate derived from the EIS spectroscopy in the dimming regions is of the same order than the mass increase rate observed in the associated white light CME ($1 times 10^{12} {rm ; g ; s}^{-1}$), indicative that the CME mass increase in the coronagraphic field-of-view results from plasma flows from below and not from material piled-up ahead of the outward moving and expanding CME front.
Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are often associated with coronal dimmings, i.e. transient dark regions that are most distinctly observed in Extreme Ultra-violet (EUV) wavelengths. Using Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) data, we apply Differential Emission Measure (DEM) diagnostics to study the plasma characteristics of six coronal dimming events. In the core dimming region, we find a steep and impulsive decrease of density with values up to 50-70%. Five of the events also reveal an associated drop in temperature of 5-25%. The secondary dimming regions also show a distinct decrease in density, but less strong, decreasing by 10-45%. In both the core and the secondary dimming the density changes are much larger than the temperature changes, confirming that the dimming regions are mainly caused by plasma evacuation. In the core dimming, the plasma density reduces rapidly within the first 20-30 min after the flare start, and does not recover for at least 10 hrs later, whereas the secondary dimming tends to be more gradual and starts to replenish after 1-2 hrs. The pre-event temperatures are higher in the core dimming (1.7-2.6 MK) than in the secondary dimming regions (1.6-2.0 MK). Both core and secondary dimmings are best observed in the AIA 211 AA and 193 AA filters. These findings suggest that the core dimming corresponds to the footpoints of the erupting flux rope rooted in the AR, while the secondary dimming represents plasma from overlying coronal structures that expand during the CME eruption.
Solar coronal dimmings have been observed extensively in the past two decades and are believed to have close association with coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Recent study found that coronal dimming is the only signature that could differentiate powerful ares that have CMEs from those that do not. Therefore, dimming might be one of the best candidates to observe the stellar CMEs on distant Sun-like stars. In this study, we investigate the possibility of using coronal dimming as a proxy to diagnose stellar CMEs. By simulating a realistic solar CME event and corresponding coronal dimming using a global magnetohydrodynamics model (AWSoM: Alfven-wave Solar Model), we first demonstrate the capability of the model to reproduce solar observations. We then extend the model for simulating stellar CMEs by modifying the input magnetic flux density as well as the initial magnetic energy of the CME flux rope. Our result suggests that with improved instrument sensitivity, it is possible to detect the coronal dimming signals induced by the stellar CMEs.
We compare estimates of the speed and width of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in several catalogs for the CMEs associated with ~200 solar energetic particle (SEP) events in 2006-2013 that included 25 MeV protons. The catalogs used are: CDAW, CACTUS, SEEDS and CORIMP, all derived from observations by the LASCO coronagraphs on the SOHO spacecraft, the CACTUS catalog derived from the COR2 coronagraphs on the STEREO-A and -B spacecraft, and the DONKI catalog, which uses observations from SOHO and the STEREO spacecraft. We illustrate how, for this set of events, CME parameters can differ considerably in each catalog. The well-known correlation between CME speed and proton event intensity is shown to be similar for most catalogs, but this is largely because it is determined by a few large particle events associated with fast CMEs, and small events associated with slow CMEs. Intermediate particle events shuffle in position when speeds from different catalogs are used. Quadrature spacecraft CME speeds do not improve the correlation. CME widths also vary widely between catalogs, and are influenced by plane of the sky projection and how the width is inferred from the coronagraph images. The high degree of association (~50%) between the 25 MeV proton events and full halo (360 deg.-width) CMEs as defined in the CDAW catalog is removed when other catalogs are considered. Using CME parameters from the quadrature spacecraft, the SEP intensity is correlated with CME width, which is also correlated with CME speed.
Solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are closely coupled through magnetic reconnection. CMEs are usually accelerated impulsively within the low solar corona, synchronized with the impulsive flare energy release. We investigate the dynamic evolution of a fast CME and its associated X2.8 flare occurring on 2013 May 13. The CME experiences two distinct phases of enhanced acceleration, an impulsive one with a peak value of ~5 km s$^{-2}$ followed by an extended phase with accelerations up to 0.7 km s$^{-2}$. The two-phase CME dynamics is associated with a two-episode flare energy release. While the first episode is consistent with the standard eruption of a magnetic flux rope, the second episode of flare energy release is initiated by the reconnection of a large-scale loop in the aftermath of the eruption and produces stronger nonthermal emission up to $gamma$-rays. In addition, this long-duration flare reveals clear signs of ongoing magnetic reconnection during the decay phase, evidenced by extended HXR bursts with energies up to 100--300 keV and intermittent downflows of reconnected loops for >4 hours. The observations reveal that the two-step flare reconnection substantially contributes to the two-phase CME acceleration, and the impulsive CME acceleration precedes the most intense flare energy release. The implications of this non-standard flare/CME observation are discussed.