On the Performance of Multi-Instrument Solar Flare Observations During Solar Cycle 24
Abstract
Our current fleet of space-based solar observatories offer us a wealth of opportunities to study solar flares over a range of wavelengths, and the greatest advances in our understanding of flare physics often come from coordinated observations between different instruments. While many current missions/instruments have their own individual flare lists, there has been little or no effort into cataloging which flares have been observed by various combinations of instruments. In this study we present an evaluation of how well the solar community has performed in jointly observing solar flares - either intentionally or serendipitously - during a 6.5 year period spanning the peak of Solar Cycle 24. We consider all flares greater than GOES class C1, that may have been observed by RHESSI, SDO/EVE (MEGS-A and -B), EIS, SOT, and XRT on Hinode, and IRIS. Out of the 6953 flares that we consider, 40 were jointly observed by either 6 or all 7 instruments. Using each instrument's individual rate of success in observing flares, we show that the number of flares co-observed by 3 or more instruments is higher than the number expected under the assumption that the instruments operated independently of one another. Our study illustrates that these missions often acted in cooperation, or at least had aligned goals. The difficulty in scheduling coordinated observations for solar-flare research is discussed with respect to instruments projected to begin operations during Solar Cycle 25, such as the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, Solar Orbiter, and Parker Solar Probe.
- Publication:
-
2018 Triennial Earth-Sun Summit (TESS)
- Pub Date:
- May 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018tess.conf40802M