The Solar Upper Transition Region Imager(SUTRI)Onboard the SATech-01 Satellite

The Solar Upper Transition Region Imager(SUTRI)onboard the Space Advanced Technology demonstration satellite(SATech-01),which was launched to a Sun-synchronous orbit at a height of~500 km in 2022 July,aims to test the on-orbit performance of our newly developed Sc/Si multi-layer reflecting mirror and the 2k×2k EUV CMOS imaging camera and to take full-disk solar images at the Ne VII 46.5 nm spectral line with a filter width of~3 nm.SUTRI employs a Ritchey-Chrétien optical system with an aperture of 18 cm.The on-orbit observations show that SUTRI images have a field of view of~416×416 and a moderate spatial resolution of~8″without an image stabilization system.The normal cadence of SUTRI images is 30 s and the solar observation time is about16 hr each day because the earth eclipse time accounts for about 1/3 of SATech-01's orbit period.Approximately15 GB data is acquired each day and made available online after processing.SUTRI images are valuable as the Ne VII 46.5 nm line is formed at a temperature regime of~0.5 MK in the solar atmosphere,which has rarely been sampled by existing solar imagers.SUTRI observations will establish connections between structures in the lower solar atmosphere and corona,and advance our understanding of various types of solar activity such as flares,filament eruptions,coronal jets and coronal mass ejections.

The Emission Heights of Transition Region Lines in an Equatorial Coronal Hole and the Surrounding Quiet Sun

Using the correlation between the radiance or Doppler velocity and the extrapolated magnetic field, we determined the emission heights of a set of solar transition region lines in an equatorial coronal hole and in the surrounding quiet Sun region. We found that for all of the six lower-transition-region lines, the emission height is about 4-5 Mm in the equatorial coronal hole, and around 2 Mm in the quiet Sun region. This result confirms the previous findings that plasma with different temperature can coexist at the same layer of transition region. In the quiet Sun region, the emission height of the upper-transition-region line Ne VIII is almost the same that of the lower-transition-region line, but in the coronal hole, it is twice as high. This difference reveals that the outflow of Ne VIII is a signature of solar wind in the coronal hole and is just a mass supply to the large loops in the quiet Sun.

Transition-region explosive events produced by plasmoid instability

Magnetic reconnection is thought to be a key process in most solar eruptions. Thanks to highresolution observations and simulations, the studied scale of the reconnection process has become smaller and smaller. Spectroscopic observations show that the reconnection site can be very small, which always exhibits a bright core and two extended wings with fast speeds, i.e., transition-region explosive events.In this paper, using the PLUTO code, we perform a 2-D magnetohydrodynamic simulation to investigate small-scale reconnection in double current sheets. Based on our simulation results, such as the line-of-sight velocity, number density and plasma temperature, we can synthesize the line profile of SiIV 1402.77? which is a well known emission line used to study transition-region explosive events on the Sun. The synthetic line profile of Si IV 1402.77? is complex with a bright core and two broad wings which can extend to nearly 200 km s^(-1). Our simulation results suggest that the transition-region explosive events on the Sun are produced by plasmoid instability during small-scale magnetic reconnection.

The heating of the solar transition region

The temperature curve in the solar chromosphere has puzzled astronomers for a long time. Referring to the structure of supergranular cells, we propose an inductive heating model. It mainly includes the following three steps. （1） A small-scale dynamo exists in the supergranulation and produces alternating small-scale magnetic fluxes; （2） The supergranular flow distributes these small-scale fluxes according to a regular pattern; （3） A skin effect occurs in the alternating and regularly-distributed magnetic fields. The induced current is concentrated near the transition region and heats it by resistive dissipation.

Probing the solar transition region： current status and future perspectives

The solar transition region （TR） is the temperature regime from roughly 0.02 MK to 0.8 MK in the solar atmosphere. It is the transition layer from the collisional and partially ionized chromosphere to the collisionless and fully ionized corona. The TR plays an important role in the mass and energy transport in both the quiet solar atmosphere and solar eruptions. Most of the TR emission lines fall into the spectral range of far ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet （~400/^-1600/~）. Imaging and spec- troscopic observations in this spectral range are the most important ways to obtain information about the physics of the TR. Static solar atmosphere models predict a very thin TR. However, recent high- resolution observations indicate that the TR is highly dynamic and inhomogeneous. I will summarize some major findings about the TR made through imaging and spectroscopic observations in the past 20 years. These existing observations have demonstrated that the TR may be the key to understanding coronal heating and origin of the solar wind. Future exploration of the solar TR may need to focus on the upper TR, since the plasma in this temperature regime （0.1 MK-0.8 MK） has not been routinely imaged before. High-resolution imaging and spectroscopic observations of the upper TR will not only allow us to track the mass and energy from the lower atmosphere to the corona, but also help us to understand the initiation and heating mechanisms of coronal mass ejections and solar flares.

Evolution of a Long-lived Sunspot Group and Its Associated Solar-terrestrial Events

A long-lived sunspot group (AR9604) on the south hemisphere that lasted five solar rotations and produced some strong bursts is analyzed. The focus is on its evolving features. Its whole life was successfully maintained by four Emerging Flux Regions (EFRs). Apart from the one that lasted only a short time and did not produce any bursts, the other three EFRs have the following common features: (1) A positive writhe of magnetic flux tubes and a twist of the field lines of the same sign, indicating kink instability. (2) A clockwise rotation and a high tilt because the writhe was right-handed. (3) A compact 'island δ' structure of the sunspot group indicating concentrated kink instability. Since magnetic reconnection easily occurs at the kinked point of a very kink-unstable flux tube, these features should be the inducement of the strong bursts.

Numerical simulation of superhalo electrons generated by magnetic reconnection in the solar wind source region

Superhalo electrons appear to be continuously present in the interplane- tary medium, even during very quiet times, with a power-law spectrum at energies above ～2 keV. Here we numerically investigate the generation of superhalo electrons by magnetic reconnection in the solar wind source region, using magnetohydrody- namics and test particle simulations for both single X-line reconnection and multiple X-line reconnection. We find that the direct current electric field, produced in the mag- netic reconnection region, can accelerate electrons from an initial thermal energy of T ～105 K up to hundreds of keV. After acceleration, some of the accelerated elec- trons, together with the nascent solar wind flow driven by the reconnection, propagate upwards along the newly-opened magnetic field lines into interplanetary space, while the rest move downwards into the lower atmosphere. Similar to the observed superhalo electrons at 1 AU, the flux of upward-traveling accelerated electrons versus energy dis- plays a power-law distribution at ～ 2-100 keV, f（E）～ E^-δ, with a 6 of ～1.5 - 2.4. For single （multiple） X-line reconnection, the spectrum becomes harder （softer） as the anomalous resistivity parameter a （uniform resistivity η） increases. These modeling results suggest that the acceleration in the solar wind source region may contribute to superhalo electrons.

Magnetic Field Strengths and Structures from Radio Observations of Solar Active Regions

Radio observations of some active regions (ARs) obtained with the Nobeyama radioheliograph at λ=1.76 cm are used for estimating the magnetic field strength in the upper chromosphere, based on thermal bremsstrahlung. The results are compared with the magnetic field strength in the photosphere from observations with the Solar Magnetic Field Telescope (SMFT) at Huairou Solar Observing Station of Beijing Astronomical Observatory. The difference in the magnetic field strength between the two layers seems reasonable. The solar radio maps of active regions obtained with the Nobeyama radioheliograph, both in total intensity (I-map) and in circular polarizations (V-map), are compared with the optical magnetograms obtained with the SMFT. The comparison between the radio map in circular polarization and the longitudinal photospheric magnetogram of a plage region suggests that the radio map in circular polarization is a kind of magnetogram of the upper chromosphere. The comparison of the radio map in total intensity with the photo-spheric vector magnetogram of an AR shows that the radio map in total intensity gives indications of magnetic loops in the corona, thus we have a method of defining the coronal magnetic structure from the radio I-maps at λ=1.76 cm. Analysing the I-maps, we identified three components: (a) a compact bright source; (b) a narrow elongated structure connecting two main magnetic islands of opposite polarities (observed in both the optical and radio magnetograms); (c) a wide, diffuse, weak component that corresponds to a wide structure in the solar active region which shows in most cases an S or a reversed S contour, which is probably due to the differential rotation of the Sun. The last two components suggest coronal loops on different spatial scales above the neutral line of the longitudinal photospheric magnetic field.

Location of energy source for coronal heating on the photosphere

It is reported that ultra-fine dynamic ejections along magnetic loops of an active region origi- nate from intergranular lanes and they are associated with subsequent heating in the corona. As continu- ing work, we analyze the same set of data but focus on a quiet region and the overlying EUV/UV emis- sion as observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly （AIA） on board Solar Dynamics Observatory （SDO）. We find that there appear to be dark patches scattered across the quiet region and the dark patches always stay along intergranular lanes. Over the dark patches, the average UV/EUV emission at 131, 17 1, 304 and 1600 A （middle temperature） is more intense than that of other regions and EUV brightness is negatively correlated with 10830A intensity, though, such a trend does not exist for high temperature lines at 94, 193, 211 and 335 A. For the same quiet region, where both TiO 7057 A broad band images and 10830A filtergrams are available, contours for the darkest lane areas on TiO images and clark patches on 10830A filtergrams frequently differ in space. The results suggest that the dark patches do not simply reflect the areas with the darkest lanes but are associated with a kind of enhanced absorption （EA） at 10830A,. A strict definition for EA with narrow band 10830A filtergrams is found to be difficult. In this paper, we define enhanced absorption patches （EAPs） of a quiet region as the areas where emission is less than ,-90% of the mean intensity of the region. The value is equivalent to the average intensity along thin dark loops connecting two moss regions of the active region. A more strict definition for EAPs, say 88%, gives even more intense UV/EUV emission over those in the middle temperature range. The results provide further observational evidence that energy for heating the upper solar atmosphere comes from the intergranular lane area where the magnetic field is constantly brought in by convection motion in granules.

太阳过渡区紫外光谱的观测与诊断

太阳过渡区是太阳色球层顶到日冕底部的大气薄层。厚度仅几百千米,但其间太阳等离子体参数变化剧烈。过渡区的辐射多为光学薄的远紫外、极紫外发射谱线和背景连续谱线。由于地球大气的吸收,过渡区紫外光谱需通过天基观测才能实现。近几十年来,星载仪器的成功发射为太阳过渡区的研究打开了新纪元。工作回顾了太阳过渡区紫外光谱的观测历史和各类星载仪器,特别介绍了近十几年几种重要的光谱仪器。详细阐述了过渡区紫外光谱的发生率、电子密度和电子温度的诊断原理。讨论了过渡区紫外谱线的形状,并以SOHO/SUMER光谱仪为例介绍了表征谱线的几种重要参量及其物理意义。

无碰撞阿尔文波加热在决定太阳过渡区模型中的作用

本文根据波与介质相互作用的一套全MHD方程组,计算了无碰撞阿尔文波波能密度W和波能耗散项E_m,在太阳过渡区和内冕大气中随高度的分布。 计算结果表明:对于温度、密度偏低的大气,在过渡区底部几十甚至几百公里范围内,无碰撞阿尔文波的耗散引起的对大气的加热可超过热传导的贡献。从而说明这种阿尔文波的加热似乎是引起温度、密度偏低的大气(例如冕洞大气)在过渡区中温度陡升的重要原因。

太阳紫外高分辨观测

对近年来的紫外空间观测仪器（包括在研项目）作了扼要介绍，并对一些关键问题如烃基污染致使仪器灵敏度迅速下降，镜面紫外反射率低下及改进，探测器换代的必要性和困难等作了评述。文中还介绍了目前已取得的紫外观测结果对宁静太阳及太阳活动区物理中的一些基本问题如色球和日冕加热，太阳风的加速，色球和过渡区中的物质流以及耀斑触发和能量传输方面所提供的有价值的诊断信息。

慢磁声波在黑子上方冕环中的传播

太阳动力学观测站(Solar Dynamics Observatory,SDO)装载的太阳大气成像系统(Atmospheric Imaging Assembly,AIA)通过3个极紫外波段(171 A、193 A和211(?))的观测资料展现了太阳活动区(AR 11092)扇形冕环微弱的扰动传播,这种波动现象普遍存在于活动区冕环.该扰动传播起源于明亮的环足处,其传播沿冕环方向.冕环中观测到的扰动传播速度随温度升高而减小,速度范围是40～121 km/s,其值接近且小于声速.考虑投影效应以及环与视线方向的倾角大小,这正好是慢波模型所预期的.冕环的扰动周期在不同波段(3个极紫外波段)没有明显的区别,都存在3 min以及10多分钟的周期.此外,不仅仅冕环扰动表现出3 min左右的周期,色球层的黑子区域同样存在相同的振荡周期.这个结果表明黑子振荡是可以穿过色球以及过渡区到达日冕的.

An Impulsive Heating Model for the Evolution of Coronal Loops

It was suggested by Parker that the solar corona is heated by many small energy release events generally called microflares or nanoflares. More and more observations showed flows and intensity variations in nonflaring loops. Both theories and observations have indicated that the heating of coronal loops should actually be unsteady. Using SOLFTM （Solar Flux Tube Model）, we investigate the hydrodynamics of coronal loops undergoing different manners of impulsive heating with the same total energy deposition. The half length of the loops is 110 Mm, a typical length of active region loops. We divide the loops into two categories： loops that experience catastrophic cooling and loops that do not. It is found that when the nanoflare heating sources are in the coronal part, the loops are in non-catastrophic-cooling state and their evolutions are similar. When the heating is localized below the transition region, the loops evolve in quite different ways. It is shown that with increasing number of heating pulses and inter-pulse time, the catastrophic cooling is weakened, delayed, or even disappears altogether.

Solar ultraviolet bursts in a coordinated observation of IRIS,Hinode and SDO

Solar ultraviolet（UV） bursts are small-scale compact brightenings in transition region images. The spectral profiles of transition region lines in these bursts are significantly enhanced and broadened, often with chromospheric absorption lines such as Ni ii 1335.203 and 1393.330 ? superimposed. We investigate the properties of several UV bursts using a coordinated observation of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph（IRIS）, Solar Dynamics Observatory（SDO）, and Hinode on February 7, 2015. We have identified 12 UV bursts, and 11 of them reveal small blueshifts of the Ni ii absorption lines. However, the Ni ii lines in one UV burst exhibit obvious redshifts of ～20 km s-1, which appear to be related to the cold plasma downflows observed in the IRIS slit-jaw images. We also examine the three-dimensional magnetic field topology using a magnetohydrostatic model, and find that some UV bursts are associated with magnetic null points or bald patches. In addition, we find that these UV bursts reveal no obvious coronal signatures from the observations of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly（AIA） on board SDO and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer（EIS） on board Hinode.