Year 2011 Science Report from Wrocław Solar Physics Division SRC
Data reduction and interpretation
RESIK
RESIK was a unique Bragg crystal spectrometer operating from The Two
previous missions of the Program are CORONAS-F satellite F launched on 31
July 2001. The instrument operated during a period close to the maximum of
23rd solar activity. The instrument recorded ~1mls high quality spectra in the
spectral range 3.3-6.1 A, never studied before systematically. In the spectra
several prominent X-ray emission lines are seen formed in active regions and
flares in particulas. Spectroscopic analysis of these lines allow to study the
physical conditions in the multi-million kelvin plasmas and the plasma chemical
composition in particular. In 2011, futher analysis of spectra have been
performed in collaboration with Prof. Ken Phillips (UCL, UK) and Prof.
Kuznetsov, IZMIRAN (Russia). The main result is determination of the chlorine
abundance in the corona (published in ApJ).
Fig. 1. (Left panel:) Fluxes of the total Cl XVI line emission (including Cl XV
satellites) in the 4.43-4.505 Å spectral range divided by emission measures from
GOES plotted against TGOES (black points). These are compared with the
theoretical G(Te) curves for the total line emission assuming A(Cl) = 5.5. (Right
panel:) Distribution of Cl abundance A(Cl) estimated from the Cl XVI line
emission (histogram). The peak of the best fitting Gaussian distribution is A(Cl)
= 5.75, with width corresponding to an uncertainty of 0.26 (courtesy Barbara
Sylwester,
http://www.cbk.pan.wroc.pl/body/publikacje/2011/apj_738_1_49.pdf ).
In collaboration with the group from Astronomical institute of Czech Academy
of Sciences (prof. Dzifcakova, Kulinowa, Kasparova) a common analysis of RESIK
spectra seen in chanel 4 has been performed. This analysis discusses possible
role of line excitations through non-Maxwellian electron distributions. It has
been found that such excitations can substantially modify the relative
intensities of selected spectral lines at the time when strong non-thermal or
radio emission is observed during impulsive phases of flares. Results have been
published in A&A.
Fig. 2. RESIK and RHESSI analysis results of the 2003 February 22 flare. Left: the
synthetic line ratios for n = 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 (solid, dotted, dashed, dot-dashed,
dot-dot-dot dashed, and long-dashed lines, respectively), and the measured line
ratios (stars) with their error bars. The arrows follow the time evolution of the
RESIK spectra (0 marks the first observed spectrum, see Table A.1). Right: the
time evolution of the parameter n (with error bars, upward arrows indicate n >
12) of the n-distribution and the total flux (dashed line) from all four RESIK
channels. See the paper for details
(http://www.cbk.pan.wroc.pl/body/publikacje/2011/aa16741-11.pdf )
In collaboration with FIAN Moscow, a multiwavelength analysis of the long
duration flare observed on 2002 April 15 (soft X-ray peak time at 03:55 UT) has
been performed (Anna Kępa and Tomasz Mrozek). This particular flare
occurred on the disk (S15W01) in NOAA AR 9906 and was observed by a
number of space instruments including EIT/SoHO, RESIK, and RHESSI. In the
analysis of these measurements we studied the morphology and physical
parameters characterizing the conditions in the flaring plasmas. The EIT and
SPIRIT images have been used to study evolution of flare loops. Analysis of
RHESSI data created opportunity for the detailed analysis of HXR emission with
a high energy resolution.
In Fig. ?? we present X-ray and UEV (195 A) respective example lightcurves.
Fig. ?? The EUV EIT light curve shows first an impulsive peak that roughly
coincides with the soft X-ray peak (observed by GOES), a comparable increase
of EUV occurs about 1 hour later, but the soft X rays show no new flaring
activity at that time. This measurements confirm recent finding of a similar
behavior (p. Aniu- jakas referencje z sieci). The paper describing results of this
analysis will be submitted for publication shortly.
SphinX
SphinX soft X-ray spectrophotometer successfully operated aboard the Russian
CORONAS-Photon satellite between February and December 2009. The
instrument collected ~2 mln spectra covering a period of very low solar activity,
the lowest since approximately 100 years. No other X-ray instrument was
capable of taking the X-ray spectra at such low activity and therefore the
SphinX measurements are unique in this respect. The Coronas was the Russian
program for studying the solar physics and solar-terrestrial relation using a
series of satellites that provides for three solar-oriented spacecrafts to be
placed on near-earth orbit. The CORONAS -Photon, third spacecraft of this
series, has been launched on 30 January 2009. SphinX has been developed
entirely in Wroclaw Solar Physics Division of SRC PAS under the financial
support from the Ministry of Science grant 4 T12E 045 29 and its data are being
analysed with the support of grant N N203 381736. Over the year 2011, the
reduction of SphinX mission detector D1 data to Level 1 has been completed
and the data has been converted to so-called science grade Level_1 format.
Reduced data have been converted to FITS format and are available for public
download from Wrocław:
http://156.17.94.1/sphinx_l1_catalogue/SphinX_cat_main.htm (with mirrors at
Ondrejov, Palermo, FIAN Moscow and SOTERIA SODA server in ROB Belgium).
The internet site with information on SphinX data formats and methods to be
used in data analysis has been established and made available at
http://156.17.94.1/sphinx_l1_catalogue/CALIB_SOFT_GUIDE/SphinX_level1_de
scription_calibration_info_and_software_page.html
SphinX User Guide document has been written and linked to the above given
site. The instrument description and results of early analyses can be found in a
number of published papers (in English and Russian, see
http://www.cbk.pan.wroc.pl/?l=PL&act=7)
In order to facilitate advanced data analysis so-called Detector Response Matrix
for SphinX D1 detector has been determined. This work involved Szymon
Gburek and Marek Siarkowski.
Joint SphinX data analysis has been undertaken (Szymon Gburek) in
collaboration with scientists from Osservatorio Astronomico Di Palermo in
order to determine plasma properties in several Active Regions, other than
11024. Also there, the negotiations on the scope of expected calibrations of
future experiments, under development at Solar Physics Division in Wrocław,
have been performed at the XACT facility in Palermo.
During XIV Dolnośląski Festiwal Nauki I took part in preparation and running
the exhibition of, constructed in Wrocław, space instrumentation and gave a
lecture entitled “Kosmiczna winda”.
In Fig. 1 example plots of mission- long variability recorded by SphinX detector
1 are shown. In the bottom, the comparison is shown between the SphinXestimated and actualy measured (blue) fluxes in the standard 1-8 Å GOES
band. It is clear that D1 measurements are covering the variability of solar X-ray
fluence at levels approx. 20 times below the GOES sensitivity threshold.
Fig. 1. Summary plots of solar activity as seen by SphinX detector D1 over entire
duration of the CORONAS-Photon Mission. Detector count rates fluence is
presented in the top panel, temperatures derived in the isothermal
approximationand in the middle as well as the equivalent fluxes in the standard
GOES band 1-8 Å in the bottom panel. Ar stand for Active region, QS for quiet
Sun (courtesy Magdalena Gryciuk, Marek Siarkowski, Szymon Gburek, Piotr
Podgórski ).
Of special interest was the study of about 105 spectra recorded by SphinX at
the time when the X-ray emission was dominated by presence of isolated
active region AR 11024. This AR has been born on the disk and its emiision was
observe for nearly ten days until ther region rotated over the western limb of
the Sun in July 2009. In the analysis of SphinX spectra, the XRT images from
Hinode have been used in order to study the evolutions of the morphology of
X-ray sources. When interpreted together, these measurements allowed for
determination of physical conditions in the active region, for the first time in
such details. The average temperature of this AR plasma has been found to be
the highest when the active region was “young”, a day or two after it was
“born”. Its temperature amounted to ~6 MK at this time; later on, during
following 10 days the temperature was seen decreasing towards the level
representative for the “quiet Sun”, i.e. down to ~2 MK. The average active
region plasma density was found to be ~2x109 cm-3 and the thermal energy
contained in the AR has been estimated to be ~1x1030 ergs (see Fig. 2).
Respective paper has been published.
Fig. 2. The time variability of the AR 11024 plasma parameters as obtained
based on fittingthe observed spectra with theoretical ones. The top panel:
temperature T; the middle panel: emission measure EM, the bottom panel:
thermodynamic measure ThM. (courtesy Barbara Sylwester).
Moreover, during the year 2011, we initiated the comparison of SphinX
spectra, with the spectra obtained from NASA RHESSI mission in the
overlapping spectral range below approximately 10 keV. The X-ray spectra
obtained by both instruments are in good agreement (see Fig. 3).
Fig. 3. Comparison of mean RHESSI (black line) and SphinX (blue line) spectra
(courtesy Tomasz Mrozek).
The results indicate that X-ray flux measured by RHESSI in the range 3-5 keV is
slightly underestimated, especially in the case of very weak phenomena, which
points to possible inaccuracies in calibration of RHESSI in its lower energy
range. In the case of Sphinx there is an excess in measured flux towards higher
energies which is related most probably to detector effects. Respective paper is
under preparation.
Possible axion-related interpretation of the observed spectral shape of the
solar emission in the soft X-ray range has been initiated (Szymon Gburek and
Marek Siarkowski) in collaboration with CERN specialist, prof. Konstantin
Zioutas. It appears possible interpretation of SphinX observations may place a
new limit for so-called axion coupling constant.
A new direction of SphinX data interpretation has been opened at SPD-SRC
involving Piotr Podgórski and Janusz Sylwester, namely investigations of effects
of particle radiation background on the signal measured by X-ray detectors.
Detailed knowledge of this effects may contribute to interpretation of the weak
spectra, especially in the context of their axion interpretation. This new
direction in data analysis started in close collaboration with the expert in this
area, dr. Oleksiy Dudnik from Kharkov University. Exchange of visits between
Wrocław and Kharkov took place in 2011 during which a common SphinX and
STEP-F data analysis and comparison has been performed. The results indicate
that the signal obtained by SphinX detectors can also be useful in
interpretation of the changing particle environment in the polar orbits. This
relates to regions of terrestrial polar ovals and South Atlantic anomaly.
Respective papere has been publishe in Ukrainian Journal (Космічна наука і технологія)
as well as another paper accepted for publication in Solar System Research.
Fig. ?? Time records of the detector rates seen in the SphinX X-ray and Particle
detector STEP-F. Both instruments were placed atop the CORONAS-Photon.
Correspondence of the records can help in identifying the particle contribution
to the signal observed by SphinX (courtesy Piotr Podgórski).
Theoretical Modeling
We continued (together with R. Falewicz and P. Rudawy - IA UWr) the detailed
analysis of the energy balance of individual solar flares using NRL HDl code. We
analyzed two new flares, for which presence of small non-thermal electron
beams, characterised on the basis of X-ray spectra recorded by the RHESSI
satellite, can fully explain the observed light curves in both: the early impulsive
phase and the decay phases. The results are prepared for publication in the
A&A.
Additionally, we started to develop a new routine, an extension of the already
used code ,with procedures calculating the Fokker-Planck distributions. These
procedures will replace an approximate analytical formula of the heating term
by the non-thermal electrons with a direct calculation of the Coulomb losses of
an electron beam. This will allow for more realistic simulations of the heating
process and to calculations of the spatial distribution of X-ray emission.
New instruments & ideas
Design of a number of new instruments has been continued. This included in
particular a new type of CCD-based spectrophotometer (code name RESPECT)
for the soft X-ray range (in close collaboration with FIAN, Moscow), newgeneration Bragg spectrometer ChemiX for Interhelioprobe interplanetary
Russian mission, The STIX imaging hard X-ray spectrophotometer for the ESA S
olar Orbiter.
Fig. 4. A model of X-ray spectrophotometer under development in clooaboration
with FIAN Moscow.
Respective reports has been written and delivered where necessary. An
interesting new iniciative has been borne including SRC experimental teams
from Wrocław and Warsaw, namely construction of the solar X-ray
spectrophotometers to be placed aboard the US satellites. Two such missions
are envisaged to happen shortly (in 2014 and 2015) with the use of one
nanosatellite of 3U design (in collaboration with prof. Gatsonis from Worcester
Polytechnical Institute) and one microsatellite of Smart type (in collaboration
with Prof. Paschalidis and dr. Dennis from NASA GSFC). This new initiative is
being overlooked by prof. Pawel Rudawy from Astronomical Institute, Wrocław
University, who joined the team of SPD SRC. Application for the support of this
programme has been prepared and submitted to NCN.
Grant applications & grant progress
The final report from deliverable 3.5 of SOTERIA 7FP rogramme has been
written and put forward to KUL coordinator prof. Lapenta in Belgium.
The analysis work on the X-ray spectra has been covered in part thanks to the
Ministry of science grant N N203 381736 “Investigations of coronal plasma
from SphinX and the other space experiments”. This grant entered the final
third year of financing.
Several grant applications have been submitted and all of them received the
funding. In Particular, The team of SPD-SRC received the support from 7FP as a
member of the eHEROES consortium of 15 european institutes. eHEROES is
aimed to study problems of “Environment for Human Exploration and RObotic
Experimentation” within the scope of THEME [SPA.2011.2.1-01] Exploitation of
space science and exploration data.
The other successful grant applications were submitted to the Polish National
Science Centre funding agency (NCN) in order to support continuation of X-ray
spectra obtained from RESIK Bragg spectrometer (Prof. Barbara Sylwester),
initiation of design of a new concept Polish Bragg spectrometer ChemiX for the
Russian Interhelioprobe interplanetary mission to the Sun (Prof. Marek
Siarkowski) and support of the STIX hard X-ray imaging telescope for the ESA
Solar Orbiter mission to the Sun. Also, a special grant application has been
prepared at SRC and submitted to NCN in order to cover planned common
space experiment between Poland and USA aimed to study the solar X-ray
emission.
SPD-SRC participated in preparation of the REGPOT grant application led by SRC
Headquarters.
Publications & presentations
Several publications have been submitted for publication at most in leading
astrophysical journal. The list and downloads of these papers and/or
presentations are possible from SPD-SRC site
http://www.cbk.pan.wroc.pl/?l=PL&act=7 Overall, the SPD-SRC team
publications have been cited approximately 2000 times, an increase by ~300
times over 2011.
General
During a common meeting of Presidiums of the Russian and Polish Academy of
Sciences which took place in Staszic Palace in Warsaw on 19 October 2011,
teams of Russian and Polish scientists were awarded by prestigious Common
Award Prize and Respective medals were hand over. The award signifies
important scientific results obtained in the field of solar physics from common
instruments placed aboard Russian solar satellites of the CORONAS series. All
five Polish awardees are members of the Wrocław Solar Physics Division of SRC
(Jarosław Bąkała, Mirosław Kowaliński, Zbigniew Kordylewski oraz Barbara I
Janusz Sylwester).
Main results of Russian-Polish collaboration in the area of solar phicics are
described in more details (in Russian and Polish) in the first three Chapters of a
special memorial booklet issued in 2011 by IKI Moscow
(http://www.cbk.pan.wroc.pl/body/publikacje/2011/Booklet_Wspolpraca_PAN
_RAN_IKI_2011.pdf ). The contributing authors from Poland were Barbara
Sylwester, Zbigniew Kordylewski and Janusz Sylwester.
During XIV Dolnośląski Festiwal Nauki Szymon Gburek, Zbigniew Kordylewski
and Stefan Plocieniak took part in preparation and running the exhibition of,
space instrumentation constructed in Wrocław, and gave (SG) a lecture entitled
“Kosmiczna winda”.