Summary
This paper presents a detailed spectroscopic analysis of an M7.6-class solar flare observed on 23 July 2016 using coordinated soft and hard X-ray instrumentation (MinXSS CubeSat and RHESSI spacecraft). By combining multi-temperature thermal component measurements with nonthermal electron emission data at high temporal resolution, the authors demonstrate that cool and hot plasma components increase dramatically following peak nonthermal emission, whilst a superhot plasma component emerges gradually. The findings link these plasma heating signatures to chromospheric evaporation driven by thermalised nonthermal electrons, providing constraints on flare energy release mechanisms.
Key measures
X-ray spectral emission measures across 1.5–100 keV energy range; thermal component temperatures (cool ~3 MK, hot ~15 MK, superhot ~30 MK); microwave gyrosynchrotron emission spectra; differential emission measure (DEM) analysis; temporal cadence 10 seconds
Outcomes reported
The study measured time evolution of thermal and nonthermal X-ray emission during an M7.6-class solar flare using combined soft and hard X-ray spectroscopy. The researchers identified three distinct thermal plasma temperature components and tracked their emission measure evolution with 10-second cadence, relating plasma heating to chromospheric evaporation and electron thermalisation processes.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.