A Discussion on the physics of the solar atmosphere - The interpretation of hard and soft x-rays from solar flares

1976 ◽  
Vol 281 (1304) ◽  
pp. 473-490 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
Temperature Structure ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Total Energy Release ◽  
Alternative Source ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Source Mechanisms ◽  
Source Models ◽  
The One

The present status of observations of hard X-ray bursts is reviewed in terms of the light they shed on alternative source models and on general characteristics of electron acceleration in flares. Special attention is given to the requirements of total energy release, and the time scale of its release, into energetic electrons on the basis of the normal bremsstrahlung interpretation of bursts. It is particularly emphasized that, since these electrons may dominate the energy balance in many flares, they provide on the one hand an attractive heating mechanism for the thermal flare but, on the other, put severe demands on acceleration mechanisms. A reassessment of the relative merits of synchrotron and inverse Compton source mechanisms is suggested, along with other possibilities, as an escape from this apparent difficulty. Observational characteristics of soft X-ray flares are cursorily reviewed. The importance of a non-isothermal approach to the physics of the soft X-ray plasma is then illustrated in terms of flare energy flow. It is argued however, that high spectral resolution is not the key to this problem since ill conditioning of the problem prevents useful inference of temperature structure. Instead high resolution imaging with moderate spectral resolution is advocated.

A multiplexed high-resolution imaging spectrometer for resonant inelastic soft X-ray scattering spectroscopy

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 736-743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Warwick ◽  
Yi-De Chuang ◽  
Dmitriy L. Voronov ◽  
Howard A. Padmore
Keyword(s):  
Photon Energy ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
Incident Photon Energy ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Incident Photon ◽  
X Ray Scattering ◽  
Flat Field ◽  
Ray Scattering

The optical design of a two-dimensional imaging soft X-ray spectrometer is described. A monochromator will produce a dispersed spectrum in a narrow vertical illuminated stripe (∼2 µm wide by ∼2 mm tall) on a sample. The spectrometer will use inelastically scattered X-rays to image the extended field on the sample in the incident photon energy direction (vertical), resolving the incident photon energy. At the same time it will image and disperse the scattered photons in the orthogonal (horizontal) direction, resolving the scattered photon energy. The principal challenge is to design a system that images from the flat-field illumination of the sample to the flat field of the detector and to achieve sufficiently high spectral resolution. This spectrometer provides a completely parallel resonant inelastic X-ray scattering measurement at high spectral resolution (∼30000) over the energy bandwidth (∼5 eV) of a soft X-ray absorption resonance.

scholarly journals Multilayer Mirror Based High-Resolution Solar Soft X-Ray Spectrometer

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Panini ◽  
S. Narendranath ◽  
P. Sreekumar ◽  
K. Sankarasubramanian
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Spectral Range ◽  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
High Resolution Spectroscopy ◽  
Time Variability ◽  
Type I ◽  
The Sun ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray

Soft X-ray spectroscopy of the Sun is an important tool to understand the coronal dynamics and composition. The solar coronal X-ray spectrum below 1 keV is the least explored with high-resolution spectroscopy. Recent observations with Hinode XRT using coarse spectroscopy along with high-resolution imaging have shown that abundances in the coronae have variability associated with structures on the Sun. Disk averaged abundances with better spectral resolution spectrometers show time variability associated with flares. Both spatial and temporal variabilities seem to be related to changes in the magnetic field topology. Understanding such short term variabilities is necessary to model the underlying dynamics and mixing of material between different layers of the Sun. A Sensitive high-resolution spectrometer that covers the range in plasma temperatures and emission line complexes would uniquely reveal the entire evolution of flares. We are investigating a design of a multi-layer mirror-based X-ray spectrograph in the spectral range from 0.5 to 7 keV. The instrument operates in four asynchronous spectral channels operating one at a time. The multi-layer mirror placed at the focus of a Wolter type I telescope reflects a narrow band X-rays to the CCD which is placed at Nasmyth defocus. Converging X-rays from the front end optics helps to increase the spectral range of each channel while preserving the spectral resolution. This design is estimated to achieve a spectral resolution of 20 eV in the spectral range of 0.5–7 keV. With such high spectral resolution, we can resolve individual spectral features e.g., 6.7 keV Fe complex which can be used to diagnose high-temperature transient plasma during flares. The instrument design estimated performance and the science capabilities of this instrument will be discussed in detail in the paper.

scholarly journals Determination of the Height of Hard X-Ray Sources in the Solar Atmosphere by Measurement of Photospheric Albedo Photons

1975 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. 239-241
Author(s):  
John C. Brown ◽  
H. F. Van Beek
Keyword(s):  
Solar Atmosphere ◽  
The Other ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
Source Models ◽  
The One

SummaryThe importance and difficulties of determining the height of hard X-ray sources in the solar atmosphere, in order to distinguish source models, have been discussed by Brown and McClymont (1974) and also in this Symposium (Brown, 1975; Datlowe, 1975). Theoretical predictions of this height, h, range between and 105 km above the photosphere for different models (Brown and McClymont, 1974; McClymont and Brown, 1974). Equally diverse values have been inferred from observations of synchronous chromospheric EUV bursts (Kane and Donnelly, 1971) on the one hand and from apparently behind-the-limb events (e.g. Datlowe, 1975) on the other.

scholarly journals Photoproduction of H3+ from gaseous methanol inside dense molecular clouds

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (S251) ◽  
pp. 369-370
Author(s):  
S. Pilling ◽  
D. P. P. Andrade ◽  
A. C. F. Santos ◽  
H. M. Boechat-Roberty
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Molecular Clouds ◽  
Mass Spectra ◽  
Column Density ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Alternative Source ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Flight Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Dense Molecular Cloud ◽  
Synchrotron Light

AbstractWe present experimental results obtained from photoionization and photodissociation processes of abundant interstellar methanol (CH3OH) as an alternative route for the production of H3+ in dense clouds. The measurements were taken at the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) employing soft X-ray and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Mass spectra were obtained using the photoelectron-photoion coincidence techniques. Absolute averaged cross sections for the production of H3+ due to molecular dissociation of methanol by soft X-rays (C1s edge) were determined. The H3+'s photoproduction rate and column density were been estimated adopting a typical soft X-ray luminosity inside dense molecular and the observed column density of methanol. Assuming a steady state scenario, the highest column density value for the photoproduced H3+ was about 1011 cm2, which gives the ratio photoproduced/observed of about 0.05%, as in the case of dense molecular cloud AFGL 2591. Despite the small value, this represent a new and alternative source of H3+ into dense molecular clouds and it is not been considered as yet in interstellar chemistry models.

scholarly journals Stellar Winds in Massive X-ray Binaries

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (S329) ◽  
pp. 355-358
Author(s):  
Peter Kretschmar ◽  
Silvia Martínez-Núñez ◽  
Enrico Bozzo ◽  
Lidia M. Oskinova ◽  
Joachim Puls ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Compact Object ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Stellar Winds ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Current State ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Strong Winds ◽  
The One ◽  
X Ray Binaries

AbstractStrong winds from massive stars are a topic of interest to a wide range of astrophysical fields. In High-Mass X-ray Binaries the presence of an accreting compact object on the one side allows to infer wind parameters from studies of the varying properties of the emitted X-rays; but on the other side the accretor’s gravity and ionizing radiation can strongly influence the wind flow. Based on a collaborative effort of astronomers both from the stellar wind and the X-ray community, this presentation attempts to review our current state of knowledge and indicate avenues for future progress.

The Limits of Resolution in X-Ray Microscopy

1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1185-1186
Author(s):  
J. Maser ◽  
C. Jacobsen ◽  
S. Spector
Keyword(s):  
Near Field ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Thin Specimen ◽  
Selective Labeling ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Luminescent Probes ◽  
Electron Microscopes ◽  
Good Signal ◽  
Do So

In far-field microscopes, the spatial resolution is ultimately limited by the wavelength of the radiation used. While near-field and related microscopes can improve upon this, they can only do so with thin specimen regions. Thin specimens can also be studied at atomic resolution using electron microscopes. To achieve improved resolution on micrometer-thick specimens, another alternative is to use significantly shorter photon wavelengths. We discuss here the use of soft x-rays for microscopy and their resolution limits.Image formation requires resolution and contrast. by using soft x-rays with a photon energy between the K absorption edges of carbon and oxygen, one is able to image hydrated biological specimens with high contrast. The contrast is such that no addi-tional staining is required, while efforts are also underway to utilize gold and luminescent probes for selective labeling. In addition, x-ray sources have high spectral resolution and good signal-to-background relative to electron microscopes which allows for elemental and chemical state mapping of major constituents.

scholarly journals Variability in X-ray line ratios in helium-like ions of massive stars: the wind-driven case

2019 ◽  
Vol 625 ◽  
pp. A86 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Ignace ◽  
Z. Damrau ◽  
K. T. Hole
Keyword(s):  
Mass Loss ◽  
Massive Stars ◽  
Mass Loss Rate ◽  
Variable Mass ◽  
Line Ratio ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Wind Integration ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Wind Variability

Context. High spectral resolution and long exposure times are providing unprecedented levels of data quality of massive stars at X-ray wavelengths. Aims. A key diagnostic of the X-ray emitting plasma are the fir lines for He-like triplets. In particular, owing to radiative pumping effects, the forbidden-to-intercombination line luminosity ratio, R = f∕i, can be used to determine the proximity of the hot plasma to the UV-bright photospheres of massive stars. Moreover, the era of large observing programs additionally allows for investigation of line variability. Methods. This contribution is the second to explore how variability in the line ratio can provide new diagnostic information about distributed X-rays in a massive star wind. We focus on wind integration for total line luminosities, taking account of radiative pumping and stellar occultation. While the case of a variable stellar radiation field was explored in the first paper, the effects of wind variability are emphasized in this work. Results. We formulate an expression for the ratio of line luminosities f∕i that closely resembles the classic expression for the on-the-spot result. While there are many ways to drive variability in the line ratio, we use variable mass loss as an illustrative example for wind integration, particularly since this produces no variability for the on-the-spot case. The f∕i ratio can be significantly modulated owing to evolving wind properties. The extent of the variation depends on how the timescale for the wind flow compares to the timescale over which the line emissivities change. Conclusions. While a variety of factors can ellicit variable line ratios, a time-varying mass-loss rate serves to demonstrate the range of amplitude and phased-dependent behavior in f∕i line ratios. Importantly, we evaluate how variable mass loss might bias measures of f∕i. For observational exposures that are less than the timescale of variable mass loss, biased measures (relative to the time-averaged wind) can result; if exposures are long, the f∕i ratio is reflective of the time-averaged spherical wind.

scholarly journals A High Spectral Resolution Observation of the Soft X‐Ray Diffuse Background with Thermal Detectors

2002 ◽  
Vol 576 (1) ◽  
pp. 188-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. McCammon ◽  
R. Almy ◽  
E. Apodaca ◽  
W. Bergmann Tiest ◽  
W. Cui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spectral Resolution ◽  
High Spectral Resolution ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Thermal Detectors ◽  
Resolution Observation ◽  
Diffuse Background
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