Solar Coronal Magnetic Field Topology Inferred from High Resolution Optical and X-ray Movies

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Session 48 -- Solar and Solar-System Physics
Display presentation, Wednesday, 9:20-6:30, Pauley Room

[48.05] Solar Coronal Magnetic Field Topology Inferred from High Resolution Optical and X-ray Movies

T. Tarbell, Z. Frank, N. Hurlburt, M. Morrison, R. Shine, and A. Title (Lockheed PARL), L. Acton (Montana State Univ.)

We are using high resolution digital movies of solar active regions in optical and X-ray wavelengths to study solar flares and other transients. The optical movies were collected at the Swedish Solar Observatory on La Palma using the Lockheed tunable filtergraph system, in May - July, 1992. They include longitudinal and transverse magnetograms, H-alpha Doppler and intensity images at many wavelengths, Ca K, Na D, and white light images. Simultaneous X-ray images from Yohkoh are available much of the time. We are learning several ways to establish the connectivity of some coronal magnetic field lines. Some of the clues available are: magnetic footpoint polarities and transverse field directions; H-alpha fibrils and loops seen in several wavelengths; proper motion and Doppler shifts of blobs moving along field lines; footpoint brightening in micro-flares; spreading of flare ribbons during gradual phases of flares; X-ray morphology and correlations with H-alpha; and draining of flare loops. Examples of each of these will be shown on video.

This work is supported by NASA Contracts NASW-4612 and NAS8-37334 and by Lockheed Independent Research Funds.

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