Identifying plasma fractionation processes in the chromosphere using IRIS

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Long, David M., Baker, Deborah, To, Andy S. H., van Driel-Gesztelyi, Lidia, Brooks, David H., Stangalini, Marco, Murabito, Mariarita, James, Alexander W., Mathioudakis, Mihalis, Testa, Paola
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Long, David M.
Baker, Deborah
To, Andy S. H.
van Driel-Gesztelyi, Lidia
Brooks, David H.
Stangalini, Marco
Murabito, Mariarita
James, Alexander W.
Mathioudakis, Mihalis
Testa, Paola
author_facet Long, David M.
Baker, Deborah
To, Andy S. H.
van Driel-Gesztelyi, Lidia
Brooks, David H.
Stangalini, Marco
Murabito, Mariarita
James, Alexander W.
Mathioudakis, Mihalis
Testa, Paola
contents The composition of the solar corona differs from that of the photosphere, with the plasma thought to fractionate in the solar chromosphere according to the First Ionisation Potential (FIP) of the different elements. This produces a FIP bias, wherein elements with a low FIP are preferentially enhanced in the corona compared to their photospheric abundance, but direct observations of this process remain elusive. Here we use a series of spectroscopic observations of Active Region AR 12759 as it transited the solar disc over a period of 6 days from 2-7 April 2020 taken using the Hinode Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) instruments to look for signatures of plasma fractionation in the solar chromosphere. Using the Si X/S X and Ca XIV/Ar XIV diagnostics, we find distinct differences between the FIP bias of the leading and following polarities of the active region. The widths of the IRIS Si IV lines exhibited clear differences between the leading and following polarity regions, indicating increased unresolved wave activity in the following polarity region compared to the leading polarity region, with the chromospheric velocities derived using the Mg II lines exhibiting comparable, albeit much weaker, behaviour. These results are consistent with plasma fractionation via resonant/non-resonant waves at different locations in the solar chromosphere following the ponderomotive force model, and indicate that IRIS could be used to further study this fundamental physical process.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2403_06711
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Identifying plasma fractionation processes in the chromosphere using IRIS
Long, David M.
Baker, Deborah
To, Andy S. H.
van Driel-Gesztelyi, Lidia
Brooks, David H.
Stangalini, Marco
Murabito, Mariarita
James, Alexander W.
Mathioudakis, Mihalis
Testa, Paola
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
The composition of the solar corona differs from that of the photosphere, with the plasma thought to fractionate in the solar chromosphere according to the First Ionisation Potential (FIP) of the different elements. This produces a FIP bias, wherein elements with a low FIP are preferentially enhanced in the corona compared to their photospheric abundance, but direct observations of this process remain elusive. Here we use a series of spectroscopic observations of Active Region AR 12759 as it transited the solar disc over a period of 6 days from 2-7 April 2020 taken using the Hinode Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) instruments to look for signatures of plasma fractionation in the solar chromosphere. Using the Si X/S X and Ca XIV/Ar XIV diagnostics, we find distinct differences between the FIP bias of the leading and following polarities of the active region. The widths of the IRIS Si IV lines exhibited clear differences between the leading and following polarity regions, indicating increased unresolved wave activity in the following polarity region compared to the leading polarity region, with the chromospheric velocities derived using the Mg II lines exhibiting comparable, albeit much weaker, behaviour. These results are consistent with plasma fractionation via resonant/non-resonant waves at different locations in the solar chromosphere following the ponderomotive force model, and indicate that IRIS could be used to further study this fundamental physical process.
title Identifying plasma fractionation processes in the chromosphere using IRIS
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.06711