Chromospheric magnetic field and density structure measurements using hard X-rays in a flaring coronal loop

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new X-ray based method to measure chromospheric magnetic fields and density variations with sub-arcsecond resolution, revealing detailed vertical structures in solar flare loops.

Contribution

The study develops a novel diagnostic technique using RHESSI X-ray data and forward fitting to map magnetic flux and density variations with unprecedented vertical resolution.

Findings

Density variations align with hydrostatic models with a 140 km scale height.

X-ray source sizes decrease with energy, indicating magnetic flux tube expansion.

Magnetic scale height is approximately 300 km, with strong horizontal fields at 900 km height.

Abstract

A novel method of using hard X-rays as a diagnostic for chromospheric density and magnetic structures is developed to infer sub-arcsecond vertical variation of magnetic flux tube size and neutral gas density.Using Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) X-ray data and the newly developed X-ray visibilities forward fitting technique we find the FWHM and centroid positions of hard X-ray sources with sub-arcsecond resolution ($\sim 0.2"$) for a solar limb flare. We show that the height variations of the chromospheric density and the magnetic flux densities can be found with unprecedented vertical resolution of $\sim$ 150 km by mapping 18-250 keV X-ray emission of energetic electrons propagating in the loop at chromospheric heights of 400-1500 km. Our observations suggest that the density of the neutral gas is in good agreement with hydrostatic models with a scale height of around $140\pm 30$ km. FWHM sizes of the X-ray sources decrease with energy suggesting the expansion (fanning out) of magnetic flux tube in the chromosphere with height. The magnetic scale height $B(z)(dB/dz)^{-1}$ is found to be of the order of 300 km and strong horizontal magnetic field is associated with noticeable flux tube expansion at a height of $\sim$ 900 km.