First results of the STIX hard X-ray telescope onboard Solar Orbiter

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Francesco Battaglia ◽  
Jonas Saqri ◽  
Ewan Dickson ◽  
Hualin Xiao ◽  
Astrid Veronig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Flares ◽  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Imaging Spectroscopy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Imaging ◽  
First Results ◽  
Early Peak ◽  
Accelerated Particles ◽  
Magnetic Energy Release

<p>With the launch and commissioning of Solar Orbiter, the Spectrometer/Telescope for Imaging X-rays (STIX) is the latest hard X-ray telescope to study solar flares over a large range of flare sizes. STIX uses hard X-ray imaging spectroscopy in the range from 4 to 150 keV to diagnose the hottest temperature of solar flare plasma and the related nonthermal accelerated electrons. The unique orbit away from the Earth-Sun line in combination with the opportunity of joint observations with other Solar Orbiter instruments, STIX will provide new inputs into understanding the magnetic energy release and particle acceleration in solar flares. Commissioning observations showed that STIX is working as designed and therefore we report on the first solar microflare observations recorded on June 2020, when the spacecraft was at 0.52 AU from the Sun. STIX’s measurements are compared with Earth-orbiting observatories, such as GOES and SDO/AIA, for which we investigate and interpret the different temporal evolution. The detected early peak of the STIX profiles relative to GOES is due either by nonthermal X-ray emission of accelerated particles interacting with the dense chromosphere or the higher sensitivity of STIX toward hotter plasma.</p>

Observations from the Hinotori mission

1991 ◽  
Vol 336 (1643) ◽  
pp. 339-347 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Flares ◽  
Bragg Diffraction ◽  
High Dispersion ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Crystal Spectrometer ◽  
Quartz Crystals ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Imaging ◽  
Imaging Telescope ◽  
First Time

The satellite Hinotori was launched in 1981 by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of Japan. Two major experiments on board the Hinotori satellite were a hard X-ray imaging telescope with modulation collimators, and a high dispersion soft X-ray crystal spectrometer utilizing the Bragg diffraction of X-rays on quartz crystals. These two instruments have revealed for the first time that solar flares show varying characteristics depending on the environment of flaring regions, and that flares produce plasmas as hot as 3-4 x 10 7 K.

Energetic electrons in solar flares: observational support for acceleration processes linked to magnetic reconnection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole Vilmer ◽  
Sophie Musset
Keyword(s):  
Solar Flares ◽  
Magnetic Energy ◽  
Imaging Spectroscopy ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Coronal Magnetic Field ◽  
High Energy ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Energetic Electrons ◽  
Radio Imaging ◽  
Gyrosynchrotron Emission

<p>Efficient electron (and ion) acceleration is produced in association with solar flares. Energetic particles play a major role in the active Sun since they contain a large amount of the magnetic energy released during flares. Energetic electrons (and ions) interact with the solar atmosphere and produce high-energy X-rays and γ-rays. Energetic electrons also produce radio emission in a large frequency band through gyrosynchrotron emission processes in the magnetic fields of flaring active regions and conversion of plasma waves when e.g. propagating to the high corona towards the interplanetary medium. It is currently admitted that solar flares are powered by magnetic energy previously stored in the coronal magnetic field and that magnetic energy release is likely to occur on coronal currents sheets along regions of strong gradient of magnetic connectivity. However, understanding the connection between particle acceleration processes and the topology of the complex magnetic structures present in the corona is still a challenging issue. In this talk, we shall review some recent results derived from X-ray and radio imaging spectroscopy of solar flares bringing some new observational constraints on the localization of HXR/radio sources with respect to current sheets, termination shocks in the corona derived from EUV observations.</p>

scholarly journals X-ray AGN; The View from ASCA

1995 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 513-516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideyo Kunieda
Keyword(s):  
Imaging Spectroscopy ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Absorption Feature ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Considerable Contribution ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Multiple Components ◽  
X Ray Imaging ◽  
Broad Energy

ASCA capability of X-ray imaging spectroscopy up to 10 keV. allows us to examine the emission and absorption feature from AGN. Warm absorber, low energy lines and broad iron K lines are confirmed from Sy I’s. High sensitivity in broad energy band makes it possible to distinguish multiple components emerged by different processes. Detection of X-rays from faint sources tells us various galaxies may harbor AGN sometimes with obscuration tori. They might have considerable contribution to CXB.

Defects of Platelet Function Recognized by X-Ray Imaging and Scanning Electron Microscopy

1985 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 610-613
Author(s):  
M.G. Baldini ◽  
S. Morinaga ◽  
D. Minasian ◽  
R. Feder ◽  
D. Sayre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Imaging Technique ◽  
Human Platelets ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Imaging ◽  
Complex Phenomena ◽  
Scanning Electron

Contact X-ray imaging is presently developing as an important imaging technique in cell biology. Our recent studies on human platelets have demonstrated that the cytoskeleton of these cells contains photondense structures which can preferentially be imaged by soft X-ray imaging. Our present research has dealt with platelet activation, i.e., the complex phenomena which precede platelet appregation and are associated with profound changes in platelet cytoskeleton. Human platelets suspended in plasma were used. Whole cell mounts were fixed and dehydrated, then exposed to a stationary source of soft X-rays as previously described. Developed replicas and respective grids were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

scholarly journals X-Ray Imaging Spectroscopy of Stephan's Quintet and Seyfert 2 Galaxy NGC 7319

1997 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 445-452 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisamitsu Awaki ◽  
Katsuji Koyama ◽  
Hironori Matsumoto ◽  
Hiroshi Tomida ◽  
Takeshi Tsuru ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Imaging Spectroscopy ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Imaging

An investigation into the extent of Lodox imaging usage in South Africa: Radiographer’s perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julius Muchui Thambura ◽  
Jeanette G.E du Plessis ◽  
Cheryl M E McCrindle ◽  
Tanita Cronje
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Waiting Times ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Trauma Patients ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Imaging Protocol ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Imaging

Abstract Introduction Anecdotal evidence suggests that medical professionals in trauma units are requesting additional regional images using conventional x-ray systems, even after trauma patients have undergone full-body Lodox scans. Patients are then exposed to additional radiation, additional waiting times and an increased medical bill. This study aimed at investigating the extent to which Lodox systems were used in trauma units (n=28) in South Africa. Method In this descriptive cross-sectional study, the researcher invited one radiographer from the 28 hospitals in South Africa that use Lodox systems. Radiographers who were most experienced in using the Lodox system completed an online questionnaire. Results Twenty (71.43% n=20) out of twenty-eight radiographers responded. Most hospitals (90%, n=18) were referring patients for additional conventional x-ray images. Radiographers indicated that conventional x-rays were requested for the chest (27.80%, 10/36), the abdomen (16.67%, 6/36), the spine (13.89%, 5/36) and the extremities and skull (19.44%, 7/36). Additionally, radiographers reported using Lodox to perform procedures and examinations usually performed on conventional x-ray systems when conventional x-ray systems were not operational. Conclusion Currently, it is not clear if the use of conventional x-ray imaging following Lodox is necessary, but the results suggest that the practice is commonplace, with healthcare workers in most hospitals (90%, n=18) requesting additional x-ray imaging. The researcher thus recommends that an imaging protocol for Lodox imaging systems should be developed to guide the referral of the patients for further imaging.

scholarly journals Disentangling AGN and starburst activities in NGC 6240 from an X-ray perspective

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (S312) ◽  
pp. 36-38
Author(s):  
Junfeng Wang
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Imaging Spectroscopy ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Resolving Power ◽  
High Excitation ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Supermassive Black Hole ◽  
X Ray Imaging ◽  
High Temperature Gas

AbstractThe circum-nuclear region in an active galaxy is often complex with presence of high excitation gas, collimated radio outflow, and star formation activities, besides the actively accreting supermassive black hole. The unique spatial resolving power of Chandra X-ray imaging spectroscopy enables more investigations to disentangle the active galactic nuclei and starburst activities. For galaxies in the throes of a violent merging event such as NGC6240, we were able to resolve the high temperature gas surrounding its binary active black holes and discovered a large scale soft X-ray halo.

scholarly journals Truncated Inception Net: COVID-19 Outbreak Screening using Chest X-rays

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dipayan Das ◽  
KC Santosh ◽  
Umapada Pal
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Imaging Systems ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Imaging ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Different Types

Abstract Since December 2019, the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has caused world-wide turmoil in less than a couple of months, and the infection, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is spreading at an unprecedented rate. AI-driven tools are used to identify Coronavirus outbreaks as well as forecast their nature of spread, where imaging techniques are widely used, such as CT scans and chest X-rays (CXRs). In this paper, motivated by the fact that X-ray imaging systems are more prevalent and cheaper than CT scan systems, a deep learning-based Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model, which we call Truncated Inception Net, is proposed to screen COVID-19 positive CXRs from other non-COVID and/or healthy cases. To validate our proposal, six different types of datasets were employed by taking the following CXRs: COVID-19 positive, Pneumonia positive, Tuberculosis positive, and healthy cases into account. The proposed model achieved an accuracy of 99.96% (AUC of 1.0) in classifying COVID- 19 positive cases from combined Pneumonia and healthy cases. Similarly, it achieved an accuracy of 99.92% (AUC of 0.99) in classifying COVID-19 positive cases from combined Pneumonia, Tuberculosis and healthy CXRs. To the best of our knowledge, as of now, the achieved results outperform the existing AI-driven tools for screening COVID-19 using CXRs.

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