Imaging Observations of Quasi-Periodic Pulsatory Non-Thermal Emission in Ribbon Solar Flares

TL;DR

This study investigates the spatial and temporal characteristics of non-thermal hard X-ray emissions in two-ribbon solar flares, revealing quasi-periodic pulsations linked to magnetic reconnection and electron acceleration, challenging MHD oscillation models.

Contribution

It provides detailed observations of QPPs in HXR and microwave emissions, showing source movements and spectral behaviors that support arcade loop firing scenarios over MHD oscillations.

Findings

Sources move mainly along magnetic inversion lines during QPPs

QPPs show soft-hard-soft spectral patterns indicating electron acceleration acts

Microwave and HXR sources are located near loop apexes and are non-stationary

Abstract

Using RHESSI and some auxiliary observations we examine possible connections between spatial and temporal morphology of the sources of non-thermal hard X-ray (HXR) emission which revealed minute quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) during the two-ribbon flares on 2003 May 29 and 2005 January 19. Microwave emission also reveals the same quasi-periodicity. The sources of non-thermal HXR emission are situated mainly inside the footpoints of the flare arcade loops observed by the TRACE and SOHO instruments. At least one of the sources moves systematically both during the QPP-phase and after it in each flare that allows to examine the sources velocities and the energy release rate via the process of magnetic reconnection. The sources move predominantly parallel to the magnetic inversion line or the appropriate flare ribbon during the QPP-phase whereas the movement slightly changes to more perpendicular regime after the QPPs. Each QPP is emitted from its own position. It is also seen that the velocity and the energy release rate don't correlate well with the flux of the HXR emission calculated from the sources. The sources of microwaves and thermal HXRs are situated near the apex of the loop arcade and are not stationary either. Almost all QPPs and some spikes of HXR emission during the post-QPP-phase reveal the soft-hard-soft spectral behavior indicating separate acts of electrons acceleration and injection, rather than modulation of emission flux by some kinds of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) oscillations of coronal loops. In all likelihood, the flare scenarios based on the successively firing arcade loops are more preferable to interpret the observations, although we can not conclude exactly what mechanism forces these loops to flare up.