Deconstructing active region AR10961 using STEREO, Hinode, TRACE & SOHO

TL;DR

This study analyzes the evolution of active region AR10961 over five days using multi-instrument EUV, X-ray, and magnetic data, revealing temperature cooling, density increase, and magnetic field structure insights.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive multi-instrument analysis of AR10961's thermal and magnetic evolution, including temperature, density, and magnetic field structure over time.

Findings

Region cooled from 1.6-3.0 MK to 1.0-2.0 MK

Density increased by 27% during observation

Potential magnetic field model predicted hot loop structures

Abstract

Active region 10961 was observed over a five day period (2007 July 2-6) by instrumentation on-board STEREO, Hinode, TRACE and SOHO. As it progressed from Sun centre to the solar limb a comprehensive analysis of the EUV, X-ray and magnetic field data reveals clearly observable changes in the global nature of the region. Temperature analyses undertaken using STEREO EUVI double filter ratios and XRT single and combined filter ratios demonstrate an overall cooling of the region from between 1.6 - 3.0 MK to 1.0 - 2.0 MK over the five days. Similarly, Hinode EIS density measurements show a corresponding increase in density of 27%. Moss, cool (1 MK) outer loop areas and hotter core loop regions were examined and compared with potential magnetic field extrapolations from SOHO MDI magnetogram data. In particular it was found that the potential field model was able to predict the structure of the hotter X-ray loops and that the larger cool loops seen in 171 Angstrom images appeared to follow the separatrix surfaces. The reasons behind the high density moss regions only observed on one side of the active region are examined further.