Observations of High-Temperature Flare Plasma with Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE)
Abstract
The so-called standard model of solar flares makes specific predictions concerning the amount, location, and timing of both hot (Te>10 MK) and cool (Te<2 MK) plasma in solar flares. The ability of the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) to image solar plasma over a wide range of temperatures (Te~104-107 K) at high spatial resolution (0.5″ pixels) make it a unique instrument for observing solar flares and testing the model predictions. We present TRACE and Yohkoh observations of an M2.4 two-ribbon flare that began on 1999 July 25 at about 13:08 UT. These observations are in qualitative agreement with the essential elements of the reconnection model. We observe impulsive footpoint brightenings that are quickly followed by the formation of high-temperature plasma in the corona. After an interval of about 1300 s cooler loops form below the hot plasma. The cooling time inferred from the observations suggests large densities (ne~1011 cm-3) for the high temperature plasma so that radiative losses dominate the cooling process. The TRACE data are consistent with the Yohkoh observations of a ``hot'' (Te~15-20 MK) plasma existing at the top of the arcade.
- Publication:
-
Poster - AGU Fall Meeting 1999
- Pub Date:
- 1999
- Bibcode:
- 1999agu..meet..234R