ATMOSPHERIC IMAGING ASSEMBLY OBSERVATIONS OF CORONAL LOOPS: CROSS-FIELD TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTIONS

We construct revised response functions for the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) using the new atomic data, ionization equilibria, and coronal abundances available in CHIANTI 7.1. We then use these response functions in multithermal analysis of coronal loops, which allows us to determine a specifi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal 2013-06, Vol.770 (1), p.1-8
Main Authors: Schmelz, J T, Jenkins, B S, Pathak, S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ABUNDANCE
Assembly
ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
Atmospherics
Coronal loops
Coronas
Discrete element method
EQUILIBRIUM
Imaging
MONTE CARLO METHOD
PLASMA
RESOLUTION
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
Strands
SUN
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
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Summary:We construct revised response functions for the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) using the new atomic data, ionization equilibria, and coronal abundances available in CHIANTI 7.1. We then use these response functions in multithermal analysis of coronal loops, which allows us to determine a specific cross-field temperature distribution without ad hoc assumptions. Our method uses data from the six coronal filters and the Monte Carlo solutions available from our differential emission measure (DEM) analysis. The resulting temperature distributions are not consistent with isothermal plasma. Therefore, the observed loops cannot be modeled as single flux tubes and must be composed of a collection of magnetic strands. This result is now supported by observations from the High-resolution Coronal Imager, which show fine-scale braiding of coronal strands that are reconnecting and releasing energy. Multithermal analysis is one of the major scientific goals of AIA, and these results represent an important step toward the successful achievement of that goal. As AIA DEM analysis becomes more straightforward, the solar community will be able to take full advantage of the state-of-the-art spatial, temporal, and temperature resolution of the instrument.
ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1088/0004-637X/770/1/14