Iron Fluorescence in X-class Solar Flares: Aditya-L1/SoLEXS Observations

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Main Authors: Sarwade, Abhilash R., Sankarasubramanian, K., Bug, Monoj, Sharan, Vaishali, Lakshmipathaiah, Kiran, Kushwaha, Ankur, Ramadevi, M. C., Verma, Smrati
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Sarwade, Abhilash R.
Sankarasubramanian, K.
Bug, Monoj
Sharan, Vaishali
Lakshmipathaiah, Kiran
Kushwaha, Ankur
Ramadevi, M. C.
Verma, Smrati
author_facet Sarwade, Abhilash R.
Sankarasubramanian, K.
Bug, Monoj
Sharan, Vaishali
Lakshmipathaiah, Kiran
Kushwaha, Ankur
Ramadevi, M. C.
Verma, Smrati
contents Iron fluorescence is produced by the irradiation of the solar photosphere by coronal X-rays during flares. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of iron K$α$ fluorescence characteristics in 47 X-class flares observed during the inaugural year of the Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) on board India's Aditya-L1 mission. Leveraging the capability of modern silicon drift detectors (SDDs) for simultaneous broadband continuum and line measurements, the Fe K$α$ flux and the exciting flux ($F_{>7.11 \text{ keV}}$) are quantified for each event, establishing a well-determined relationship between them across the sample. The derived fluorescence efficiencies exhibit a center-to-limb dependence consistent with theoretical models, offering a potential diagnostic to probe coronal source heights and viewing geometries. While statistical uncertainties currently limit the ability to track rapid height variations on short timescales, the mean fluorescence efficiency during the flare peak provides a potential constraint on the effective coronal source height. However, this derivation remains subject to a fundamental degeneracy, as the estimated source height cannot be uniquely determined without assuming a specific value for the photospheric iron abundance. These findings demonstrate that SDDs, despite having lower spectral resolution than traditional crystal spectrometers, provide a new diagnostic for the solar iron fluorescence observations.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_22573
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Iron Fluorescence in X-class Solar Flares: Aditya-L1/SoLEXS Observations
Sarwade, Abhilash R.
Sankarasubramanian, K.
Bug, Monoj
Sharan, Vaishali
Lakshmipathaiah, Kiran
Kushwaha, Ankur
Ramadevi, M. C.
Verma, Smrati
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
Iron fluorescence is produced by the irradiation of the solar photosphere by coronal X-rays during flares. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of iron K$α$ fluorescence characteristics in 47 X-class flares observed during the inaugural year of the Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS) on board India's Aditya-L1 mission. Leveraging the capability of modern silicon drift detectors (SDDs) for simultaneous broadband continuum and line measurements, the Fe K$α$ flux and the exciting flux ($F_{>7.11 \text{ keV}}$) are quantified for each event, establishing a well-determined relationship between them across the sample. The derived fluorescence efficiencies exhibit a center-to-limb dependence consistent with theoretical models, offering a potential diagnostic to probe coronal source heights and viewing geometries. While statistical uncertainties currently limit the ability to track rapid height variations on short timescales, the mean fluorescence efficiency during the flare peak provides a potential constraint on the effective coronal source height. However, this derivation remains subject to a fundamental degeneracy, as the estimated source height cannot be uniquely determined without assuming a specific value for the photospheric iron abundance. These findings demonstrate that SDDs, despite having lower spectral resolution than traditional crystal spectrometers, provide a new diagnostic for the solar iron fluorescence observations.
title Iron Fluorescence in X-class Solar Flares: Aditya-L1/SoLEXS Observations
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.22573