Sun  ID: 2750

RHESSI Observes 2.2 MeV Line Emission from a Solar Flare

Visualizations by Tom Bridgman Released on September 2, 2003
The solar flare at Active Region 10039 on July 23, 2002 exhibits many exceptional high-energy phenomena including the 2.223 MeV neutron capture line and the 511 keV electron-positron (antimatter) annihilation line. In the animation, the RHESSI low-energy channels (12-25 keV) are represented in red and appears predominantly in coronal loops. The high-energy flux appears as blue at the footpoints of the coronal loops. Violet is used to indicate the location and relative intensity of the 2.2MeV emission.
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This movie zooms in to AR 10039 to reveal gamma-ray emission regions near the loop structures.
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Full-disk view of the Sun, July 22, 2002, from SOHO-MDI.
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Close-up view of AR 10039 from SOHO-MDI
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View of AR 10039 in the Hydrogen-Alpha line.
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RHESSI sees low energy emission near the loops.
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High energy emission appears at the loop footpoints.
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More high-energy emission at the base of the loops.
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The 2.2MeV gamma-ray emission is prominent.
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Emission persists.
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The 2.2MeV emission fades and the other footpoint appears.
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High energy emission drops with some low energy still visible.
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Still low-energy emission. Loops more visible in Hydrogen-Alpha.
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The coronal loops glow brightly in TRACE 195 angstrom band.
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The loops continue to fade in TRACE.
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Video slate image says, "RHESS Observes 2.2 MeV Line Emission from a Solar Flare

The solar flare at Active Region AR 10039 on July 23, 2002 exhibits many exceptional high-energy phenomena including the 2.223 MeV neutron capture line and the 511 keV electron-positron (antimatter) annihilation line. In the animation, the RHESSI low-energy channels (12-25 keV) are represented in red and appears predominantly in coronal loops. The high-energy flux appears as blue at the footpoints of the coronal loops. Violet is used to indicate the location and relative intensity of the 2.2MeV emission."

Visualization Credits

Tom Bridgman (Global Science and Technology, Inc.): Lead Animator
Marte Newcombe (GST): Animator
Robert Lin (University of California at Berkeley): Scientist
Sam Krucker (University of California at Berkeley): Scientist
Gordon J. Hurford (University of California at Berkeley): Scientist
Ronald J. Murphy (NRL): Scientist
G. H. Share (NRL): Scientist
X.-M. Hua (L-3 Communications Analytics Corporation): Scientist
David M. Smith (University of California at Berkeley): Scientist
Richard A. Schwartz (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Benzion Kozlovsky (Tel Aviv University): Scientist
William Steigerwald (NASA/GSFC): Writer
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/2750

Missions:
RHESSI
SOHO
TRACE

Data Used:
SOHO/Michelson Doppler Interferometer (MDI) also referred to as: SOHO/MDI
NASA and ESA - 2002/07/21T23:59:30-2002/07/23T17:35:30
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RHESSI/X-ray Imaging Spectrometer
2002/07/23T00:16:00-2002/07/23T01:14:53
The RHESSI instrument is an imaging spectrometer observing the Sun at X-ray to gamma-rays (photon energies of 3 keV to 17 MeV) at time resolutions of a few seconds. (eV stands for "electron volt" and is a unit of energy. Note that photons of visible light have energies of 2-3 eV. 1 keV is a thousand electron volts and 1 MeV is a million electron volts.
view all stories where this data set is used
TRACE
2002/07/23T00:00:59-2002/07/23T03:32:45
The TRACE satellite views the Sun at ultraviolet wavelengths with high temporal (approximately 1-12 seconds) and spatial (1 arcsecond per pixel) resolution. Launched on April 2, 1998, it orbits the Earth in a Sun-synchronous orbit.
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Big Bear Solar Observatory/H-alpha Telescope/H-alpha
Observed Data - BBSO - 2002/07/22T16:22:36-2002/07/23T01:21:45
Solar imagery in Hydrogen-alpha spectral line
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Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.

This item is part of these series:
Active Region 10039
Astrophysics Stills

Goddard TV Tapes:
G2003-040
G2003-050

Keywords:
SVS >> Active Region 10039
SVS >> Antimatter
SVS >> Coronal Loop
SVS >> Electron
SVS >> Positron
SVS >> SOHO
DLESE >> Space science
SVS >> X-ray
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Spectral/Engineering >> Gamma Ray
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Sun-earth Interactions >> Solar Activity >> Solar Flares
SVS >> Neutron
SVS >> RHESSI
SVS >> TRACE
NASA Science >> Sun
SVS >> X-ray Imaging

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0