Off-limb Solar Coronal Wavefronts From SDO/AIA EUV Observations - Implications For Particle Production

Abstract

We derive kinematic properties for two recent solar coronal transient waves observed off the western solar limb with the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission. The two waves occurred over $\sim 10$-min intervals on consecutive days - June 12 and 13, 2010. For the first time, off-limb waves are imaged with a high 12-sec cadence, making possible detailed analysis of these transients in the low corona between $\sim 1.1$-2.0 solar radii ($R_s$). We use observations in the 193 and 211 Å AIA channels to constrain the kinematics of both waves. We obtain initial velocities for the two fronts of $\sim 1287$ and $\sim 736$ km s${}^{-1}$, and accelerations of $-1170$ and $-800$ m s${}^{-2}$, respectively. Additionally, differential emission measure analysis shows the June 13 wave is consistent with a weak shock. EUV wave positions are correlated with positions from simultaneous type II radio burst observations. We find good temporal and height association between the two, suggesting that the waves may be the EUV signatures of coronal shocks. Furthermore, the events are associated with significant increases in proton fluxes at 1 AU, possibly related to how waves propagate through the coronal magnetic field. Characterizing these coronal transients will be key to connecting their properties with energetic particle production close to the Sun.

16 pages, 4 figures; Published in The Astrophysical Journal

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Advances in Observing Various Coronal EUV Waves in the SDO Era and Their Seismological Applications (Invited Review)
• Quasiperiodic acceleration of electrons by a plasmoid-driven shock in the solar atmosphere
• Global Numerical Modeling of Energetic Proton Acceleration in a Coronal Mass Ejection Traveling through the Solar Corona
• The Acceleration of Electrons at Collisionless Shocks Moving Through a Turbulent Magnetic Field
• Properties of a Coronal Shock Wave as A Driver of Early SEP Acceleration
• The Relation Between Large-Scale Coronal Propagating Fronts and Type II Radio Bursts
• Solar type II radio bursts associated with CME expansions as shown by EUV waves
• A Model for Radio Emission from Solar Coronal Shocks