Non-steady, Intermittent, Hot Loops in an Active Region Observed with the SDO/AIA
Abstract
While there is accumulated evidence of high temperature coronal emission in active region cores that corresponds to structures in equilibrium, other studies have found of evolving loops. We investigate the EUV intensity variations of two low and short coronal loops observed in the core of NOAA AR 11250 on 13 July 2011 between UT 12:02 and 16:32. The loops (32 Mm loop 1, 23 Mm loop 2), run directly between the AR opposite polarities, and are first detectable in the 94Å band (effective temperature ~ 7 MK). Space-time slices present intermittent brightenings evocative of turbulence. Spatial averages over the intermoss loop region lead to light curves used to analyze the temporal evolution of the loops. We find quantities with scaling regimes that are characteristic of intermittent processes. In particular intensity histograms display scaling ranges with slopes ~ -1.8, and spectra also show a scaling region for frequencies 1-8 mHz, with slopes - 3.8 (loop 1) and -2.8 (loop 2). We further investigate the time evolution of the loops in five other AIA EUV channels. The results are separated into two classes. Group A (94Å, 335Å, 211Å) characterized by hotter temperatures 2-6 MK), and group B (193Å, 171Å, 131Å) by cooler temperatures (0.4 - 1.6 MK). In loop 1 (group A) the intensity peaks in the 94Å channel are followed by maxima in the 335 Å channel with a time lag of ~10 min, suggestive of a cooling pattern with an exponential decay. The 211Å maxima follow those in the 335 Å channel, but there is no systematic relation which would indicate a progressive cooling process. In group B the signals in the 171 and 131Å channels track each other closely, and tend to lag behind the 193Å. The three signals follow a general gradual increase reaching a maximum at about the middle of the time series and then decrease. An exponential cooling model can also be associated with the 193 and 171Å pair. For loop 2 the observations in the group B light curves present similar properties as in loop 1. In contrast the intensity curves in group A only show one distinct case which could be a candidate for exponential decay via a 94 Å to 335 Å cooling process.Abstract (2,250 Maximum Characters): While there is accumulated evidence of high temperature coronal emission in active region cores that corresponds to structures in equilibrium, other studies have found of evolving loops. We investigate the EUV intensity variations of two low and short coronal loops observed in the core of NOAA AR 11250 on 13 July 2011 between UT 12:02 and 16:32. The loops (32 Mm loop 1, 23 Mm loop 2), run directly between the AR opposite polarities, and are first detectable in the 94Å band (effective temperature ~ 7 MK). Space-time slices present intermittent brightenings evocative of turbulence. Spatial averages over the intermoss loop region lead to light curves used to analyze the temporal evolution of the loops. We find quantities with scaling regimes that are characteristic of intermittent processes. In particular intensity histograms display scaling ranges with slopes ~ -1.8, and spectra also show a scaling region for frequencies 1-8 mHz, with slopes - 3.8 (loop 1) and -2.8 (loop 2). We further investigate the time evolution of the loops in five other AIA EUV channels. The results are separated into two classes. Group A (94Å, 335Å, 211Å) characterized by hotter temperatures 2-6 MK), and group B (193Å, 171Å, 131Å) by cooler temperatures (0.4 - 1.6 MK). In loop 1 (group A) the intensity peaks in the 94Å channel are followed by maxima in the 335 Å channel with a time lag of ~10 min, suggestive of a cooling pattern with an exponential decay. The 211Å maxima follow those in the 335 Å channel, but there is no systematic relation which would indicate a progressive cooling process. In group B the signals in the 171 and 131Å channels track each other closely, and tend to lag behind the 193Å. The three signals follow a general gradual increase reaching a maximum at about the middle of the time series and then decrease. An exponential cooling model can also be associated with the 193 and 171Å pair. For loop 2 the observations in the group B light curves present similar properties as in loop 1. In contrast the intensity curves in group A only show one distinct case which could be a candidate for exponential decay via a 94 Å to 335 Å cooling process.
- Publication:
-
AAS/Solar Physics Division Abstracts #44
- Pub Date:
- July 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013SPD....44...48C