Imaging and Spectroscopic Observations of a Transient Coronal Loop: Evidence for the Non-Maxwellian $\kappa$-Distributions

Abstract

We report on the SDO/AIA and Hinode/EIS observations of a transient coronal loop. The loop brightens up in the same location after the disappearance of an arcade formed during a B8.9-class microflare three hours earlier. EIS captures this loop during its brightening phase as observed in most of the AIA filters. We use the AIA data to study the evolution of the loop, as well as to perform the DEM diagnostics as a function of $\kappa$. Fe XI--XIII lines observed by EIS are used to perform the diagnostics of electron density and subsequently the diagnostics of $\kappa$. Using ratios involving the Fe XI 257.772Åselfblend, we diagnose $\kappa$ $\lesssim$ 2, i.e., an extremely non-Maxwellian distribution. Using the predicted Fe line intensities derived from the DEMs as a function of $\kappa$, we show that, with decreasing $\kappa$, all combinations of ratios of line intensities converge to the observed values, confirming the diagnosed $\kappa$ $\lesssim$ 2. These results represent the first positive diagnostics of $\kappa$-distributions in the solar corona despite the limitations imposed by calibration uncertainties.

The Astrophysical Journal, accepted

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Cited by in corpus (2)

• Solar coronal lines in the visible and infrared. A rough guide
• Non-Equilibrium Processes in the Solar Corona, Transition Region, Flares, and Solar Wind \textit{(Invited Review)}