Plasma Diagnostics of an EIT Wave Observed by Hinode/EIS and SDO/AIA
Abstract
We present plasma diagnostics of an Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) wave observed with high cadence in Hinode/Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) sit-and-stare spectroscopy and Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly imagery obtained during the HOP-180 observing campaign on 2011 February 16. At the propagating EIT wave front, we observe downward plasma flows in the EIS Fe XII, Fe XIII, and Fe XVI spectral lines (log T ≈ 6.1-6.4) with line-of-sight (LOS) velocities up to 20 km s-1. These redshifts are followed by blueshifts with upward velocities up to -5 km s-1 indicating relaxation of the plasma behind the wave front. During the wave evolution, the downward velocity pulse steepens from a few km s-1 up to 20 km s-1 and subsequently decays, correlated with the relative changes of the line intensities. The expected increase of the plasma densities at the EIT wave front estimated from the observed intensity increase lies within the noise level of our density diagnostics from EIS Fe XIII 202/203 Å line ratios. No significant LOS plasma motions are observed in the He II line, suggesting that the wave pulse was not strong enough to perturb the underlying chromosphere. This is consistent with the finding that no Hα Moreton wave was associated with the event. The EIT wave propagating along the EIS slit reveals a strong deceleration of a ≈ -540 m s-2 and a start velocity of v 0 ≈ 590 km s-1. These findings are consistent with the passage of a coronal fast-mode MHD wave, pushing the plasma downward and compressing it at the coronal base.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- December 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1088/2041-8205/743/1/L10
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1111.3505
- Bibcode:
- 2011ApJ...743L..10V
- Keywords:
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- Sun: corona;
- Sun: coronal mass ejections: CMEs;
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- Accepted for ApJ Letters