RHESSI Investigations of the Neupert Effect in Solar Flares Brian R. Dennis AAS/SPD Meeting 6 June 2002
The Neupert Effect The time integral of the hard X-ray emission closely matches the temporal variation of the soft X-ray emission. Implies that accelerated electrons that produce the hard X-rays also heat the plasma that produces the soft X-rays.
SXR:HXR Ratio vs. Flare Size A. Veronig et al. A&A, in press (2002)
RHESSI Contribution RHESSI observes both the soft X-rays (down to ~3 keV) and the hard X-rays with the same detectors. RHESSI also provides 2 arcsecond imaging capability in both soft and hard X-rays. RHESSI’s temporal resolution for images is 2 s for a complete set of spatial Fourier components. The spatially integrated time resolution is limited only by counting statistics.
RHESSI’s Limitations Suffers pulse pile up when the rates exceed ~10,000 counts per detector per second. Shutters moved into FOV when dead time reaches ~10%. Limits lower energy response below ~10 keV. K-escape photons contaminate low energy counts with higher energy emission.
RHESSI/GOES Comparison
10 April 2002 GOES Å Time derivative GOES Å RHESSI Light Curves 6 – 12 keV 12 – 25 keV 25 – 50 keV 50 – 100 keV
RHESSI Images 6 – 12 keV keV 12 – 25 keV 50 – 100 keV 10 April :02:34 – 19:03:03 UT
X1.5 Flare on 21 April GO8 5 XRA 1-8A X E
X1.5 Flare on 21 April 2002
21 April 2002 GOES Å Time derivative GOES Å RHESSI Light Curves 25 – 50 keV 50 – 100 keV
X1.5 Flare on 21 April 2002
Start of X1.5 Flare on 21 April 2002 TRACE images at 195 Å, RHESSI 12 – 25 keV contours 00:42:50 – 00:43:10 UT00:48:54 – 00:49:14 UT
Start of X1.5 Flare on 21 April 2002 TRACE images at 195 Å, RHESSI 12 – 25 keV contours
X1.5 Flare on 21 April 2002 TRACE 195 Å images and RHESSI contours at times of hard X-ray peaks keV 50 – 100 keV 01:15:43 – 01:16:03 UT01:23:27 – 01:23:47 UT
Conclusions Neupert Effect is alive and well. Fraction of flare energy in accelerated electrons –Increases with flare size on average –Decreases with time during 21 April X flare Additional heating mechanism is required