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White-Light Flares: TRACE and RHESSI Observations

White-Light Flares: TRACE and RHESSI Observations. H. Hudson (UCB), J. Wolfson (LMSAL) & T. Metcalf (CORA). White-Light Flares (WLF). “White light” is formed deep in the solar atmosphere and is therefore energetically important (also note “white-light prominences,” which are up in the corona)

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White-Light Flares: TRACE and RHESSI Observations

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  1. White-Light Flares: TRACE and RHESSI Observations H. Hudson (UCB), J. Wolfson (LMSAL) & T. Metcalf (CORA)

  2. White-Light Flares (WLF) • “White light” is formed deep in the solar atmosphere and is therefore energetically important (also note “white-light prominences,” which are up in the corona) • White-light (and UV) continuum emission associates well, at least in part, with the hard X-ray impulsive phase (Neidig) • There are some WLF observations from space prior to TRACE (Yohkoh; Matthews et al., 2003), but TRACE and RHESSI give us much better data • Solar-B should be able to make wonderful observations of WLF

  3. Event Selection • TRACE catalog => events with <10 s cadence in white light and full resolution, GOES C and above, full RHESSI coverage • Total event list consists of 33 events during RHESSI operations through 2004 • 11 events (X: 0; M: 7; C: 4) • All 11 events have TRACE WL response • All 11 events have RHESSI hard X-ray response • 10/11 events appear to be largely footpoints; one has obvious coronal sources as well

  4. TRACE spectral Response Solar-cycle modulation (Lean, 1997)

  5. Event Lista aHudson et al., Solar Phys. (in press, 2005)

  6. 2002 Oct. 4 05:35:49 UT 2002 Oct. 5 10:41:58 UT

  7. WL versus UV (1700A) TRACE WL WL difference 1700 A

  8. Intermittency 32 x 68 arc s frames

  9. WL-1700A Comparison Reversed colors!

  10. WL-hard X-ray comparison

  11. Conclusions • WL emission, as seen by TRACE, is not resolved at angular resolution 1”, temporal resolution 10 s • The data confirm a strong association with hard X-rays • Sources may be extended in area and include loop tops • “True” WL is morphologically different from UV • TRACE WL contrasts can exceed 100% even for flares below X class

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