您选择的条件: Shuting Li
  • Statistical analysis of circular-ribbon flares

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Circular-ribbon flares (CFs) are a special type of solar flares owing to their particular magnetic topology. In this paper, we conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis of 134 CFs from 2011 September to 2017 June, including four B-class, 82 C-class, 40 M-class, and eight X-class flares, respectively. The flares were observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft. The physical properties of CFs are derived, including the location, area ($A_{CF}$), equivalent radius ($r_{CF}$) assuming a semi-spherical fan dome, lifetime ($\tau_{CF}$), and peak SXR flux in 1$-$8 {\AA}. It is found that all CFs are located in active regions, with the latitudes between -30$^\circ$ and 30$^\circ$. The distributions of areas and lifetimes could be fitted with a log-normal function. There is a positive correlation between the lifetime and area. The peak SXR flux in 1$-$8 {\AA} is well in accord with a power-law distribution with an index of $-$1.42. For the 134 CFs, 57\% of them are accompanied by remote brightenings or ribbons. A positive correlation exists between the total length ($L_{RB}$) and average distance ($D_{RB}$) of remote brightenings. About 47\% and 51\% of the 134 CFs are related to type III radio bursts and jets, respectively. The association rates are independent of flare energies. About 38\% of CFs are related to mini-filament eruptions, and the association rates increase with flare classes. Only 28\% of CFs are related to CMEs, meaning that a majority of them are confined rather than eruptive events. There is a positive correlation between the CME speed and peak SXR flux in 1$-$8 {\AA}, and faster CMEs tend to be wider.

  • Three-dimensional analyses of an aspherical coronal mass ejection and its driven shock

    分类: 天文学 >> 天文学 提交时间: 2023-02-19

    摘要: Context. Observations reveal that shocks can be driven by fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and play essential roles in particle accelerations. A critical ratio, $\delta$, derived from a shock standoff distance normalized by the radius of curvature (ROC) of a CME, allows us to estimate shock and ambient coronal parameters. However, true ROCs of CMEs are difficult to measure due to observed projection effects. Aims. We investigate the formation mechanism of a shock driven by an aspherical CME without evident lateral expansion. Through three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions without a priori assumptions of the object morphology, we estimate two principal ROCs of the CME surface and demonstrate how the difference between two principal ROCs of the CME affects the estimate of the coronal physical parameters. Methods. The CME was observed by the Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation (SECCHI) instruments and the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO). We used the mask-fitting method to obtain the irregular 3D shape of the CME and reconstructed the shock surface using the bow-shock model. Through smoothings with fifth-order polynomial functions and Monte Carlo simulations, we calculated the ROCs at the CME nose. Results. We find that (1) the maximal ROC is 2-4 times the minimal ROC of the CME. A significant difference between the CME ROCs implies that the assumption of one ROC of an aspherical CME could cause over-/under- estimations of the shock and coronal parameters. (2) The shock nose obeys the bow-shock formation mechanism, considering the constant standoff distance and the similar speed between the shock and CME around the nose. (3) With a more precise $\delta$ calculated via 3D ROCs in space, we derive corona parameters at high latitudes of about -50$^{\circ}$, including the Alfv{\'e}n speed and the coronal magnetic field strength.