Three-dimensional mapping of coronal magnetic field and plasma parameters in a solar flare

TL;DR

This study combines microwave and X-ray imaging spectroscopy from multiple vantage points to reconstruct detailed three-dimensional maps of magnetic and plasma parameters in a solar flare, advancing understanding of energy release processes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method for 3D mapping of coronal magnetic fields and plasma parameters using combined microwave and X-ray stereoscopic data, providing detailed spatial diagnostics.

Findings

Reconstructed 3D magnetic field strength and plasma parameters in the flare.

Identified a magnetically dominated environment in the flaring volume.

Provided constraints for magnetic reconnection and flare models.

Abstract

Diagnosing solar flare conditions is essential for understanding coronal energy release. Using combined microwave and X-ray data, we reconstruct three-dimensional maps of the magnetic field and plasma parameters in the SOL2021-05-07 flare. We use imaging spectroscopy from the Expanded Owens Valley Solar Array (EOVSA) to derive spatial maps of the magnetic field strength, thermal and nonthermal electron densities, and the power-law index of nonthermal electrons through gyrosynchrotron modeling. Simultaneous X-ray observations from Hinode/XRT and Solar Orbiter/STIX, obtained from different vantage points, enable a stereoscopic reconstruction of the flaring loop. By correlating the positions of microwave and thermal X-ray sources, we associate the three-dimensional coordinates with the microwave-derived plasma parameters. We derive observational three-dimensional maps of magnetic field strength, Alfv\'en speed, and plasma beta in the flaring volume, revealing a magnetically dominated environment. These spatially resolved diagnostics provide valuable constraints for models of magnetic reconnection and flare dynamics and represent a step toward a realistic three-dimensional characterization of energy release in solar eruptive events.