Spectroscopic Diagnostics of Solar Magnetic Flux Ropes Using Iron Forbidden Line

TL;DR

This study uses the Fe XXI 1354.08 Å forbidden line to spectroscopically diagnose solar magnetic flux ropes, revealing their thermal and dynamic properties during eruptions and indicating early magnetic reconnection activity.

Contribution

It is the first to observe Fe XXI forbidden line emission in magnetic flux ropes prior to eruption, providing new insights into their temperature, density, and reconnection processes.

Findings

Fe XXI emission appears in MFRs before eruption, indicating high-temperature plasma.

Line broadening and blueshift suggest early magnetic reconnection.

MFRs consist of threads with varying temperatures and densities.

Abstract

In this Letter, we present Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph Fe XXI 1354.08 A forbidden line emission of two magnetic flux ropes (MFRs) that caused two fast coronal mass ejections with velocities of $\ge$1000 km s$^{-1}$ and strong flares (X1.6 and M6.5) on 2014 September 10 and 2015 June 22, respectively. The EUV images at the 131 A and 94 A passbands provided by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board Solar Dynamics Observatory reveal that both MFRs initially appear as suspended hot channel-like structures. Interestingly, part of the MFRs is also visible in the Fe XXI 1354.08 forbidden line, even prior to the eruption, e.g., for the SOL2014-09-10 event. However, the line emission is very weak and that only appears at a few locations but not the whole structure of the MFRs. This implies that the MFRs could be comprised of different threads with different temperatures and densities, based on the fact that the formation of the Fe XXI forbidden line requires a critical temperature ($\sim$11.5 MK) and density. Moreover, the line shows a non-thermal broadening and a blueshift in the early phase. It suggests that magnetic reconnection at that time has initiated; it not only heats the MFR and, at the same time, produces a non-thermal broadening of the Fe XXI line but also produces the poloidal flux, leading to the ascending of the MFRs.