Solar Physics Division Meeting 2000, June 19-22
Session 13. Solar Corona
Oral, Chair: D. A. Biesecker, Thursday, June 22, 2000, 8:30-10:00, 10:30-11:00am, Forum

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[13.03] TRACE Observations of Footpoints, Connections and Loops

T.D. Tarbell (LMSAL)

The Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (a NASA Small Explorer mission) was launched in April, 1998, and began observing in May. Since launch, TRACE has performed nearly flawlessly and has collected over two million images of the Sun. TRACE was designed to collect images of all temperature domains of the solar atmosphere with high spatial resolution and high cadence. Its movie sequences of the transition region and corona have given us an unprecedented view of the dynamic activity of magnetic fields above the solar surface. Using powerful movie analysis software (the ANA browser), quantitative interactive study of large datacubes is possible within hours of receipt of the raw data. Since solar activity is increasing and since potential damage to the CCD detector by over-exposure is better understood now, TRACE devotes a large fraction of its observing time to flare watches. The full-sun orbit, circular data buffers, and generous telemetry allow TRACE to collect high cadence observations of preflare and flare conditions. This talk will show examples of interesting and beautiful TRACE observations of flares and less energetic coronal changes. The footpoints of loops involved can sometimes be identified from transient brightenings in the chromosphere and transition region. The inferred connectivity is compared with photospheric magnetograms and with loops seen in Fe IX/X 171 and Fe XII 195.

This work is supported by the TRACE project at LMSAL (contract NAS5-38099) and the SOI/MDI project at Stanford and LMSAL (grant NAG5-3077).


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