THE NATURE OF CME-FLARE-ASSOCIATED CORONAL DIMMING

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2016 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/825/1/37· OSTI ID:22666138

Cheng, J. X. ^[1]

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1. Key Laboratory of Planetary Sciences, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Shanghai 200030 (China)

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are often accompanied by coronal dimming that is 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 the properties of CMEs in the early phase of their eruption. In this study, we analyze the event of flare, CME, and coronal dimming on 2011 December 26. We use the data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on the Solar Dynamics Observatory for disk observations of the dimming, and analyze images taken by EUVI, COR1, and COR2 on board the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory to obtain the height and velocity of the associated CMEs observed at the limb. We also measure the 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 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.

• OSTI ID: 22666138
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 825; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ACCELERATION
EMISSION
EVOLUTION
EXPANSION
EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MASS
PLASMA DENSITY
RADIANT FLUX DENSITY
SOFT X RADIATION
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STELLAR CORONAE
STELLAR FLARES
SUN
VELOCITY
VISIBLE RADIATION