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Global Energetics of Solar Flares and CMEs: V. Energy ClosureIn this study we synthesize the results of four previous studies on the global energetics of solar flares and associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which include magnetic, thermal, nonthermal, and CME energies in 399 solar M and X-class flare events observed during the first 3.5 years of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission. Our findings are: (1) The sum of the mean nonthermal energy of flare-accelerated particles (E(sub nt)), the energy of direct heating (E(sub dir)), and the energy in coronal mass ejections (E(sub CME)), which are the primary energy dissipation processes in a flare, is found to have a ratio of (E(sub nt)+E(sub dir)+E(sub CME))/E(sub mag) = 0.87±0.18, compared with the dissipated magnetic free energy E(sub mag), which confirms energy closure within the measurement uncertainties and corroborates the magnetic origin of flares and CMEs; (2) The energy partition of the dissipated magnetic free energy is: 0.51±0.17 in nonthermal energy of ≥ 6 keV electrons, 0.17± 0.17 in nonthermal ≥ 1 MeV ions, 0.07 ± 0.14 in CMEs, and 0.07 ± 0.17 in direct heating; (3) The thermal energy is almost always less than the nonthermal energy, which is consistent with the thick-target model; (4) The bolometric luminosity in white-light flares is comparable with the thermal energy in soft X-rays (SXR); (5) Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events carry a fraction ≈ 0.03 of the CME energy, which is consistent with CME-driven shock acceleration; and (6) The warm-target model predicts a lower limit of the low-energy cutoff at e(sub c) ≈ 6 keV, based on the mean differential emission measure (DEM) peak temperature of T(sub e) = 8.6 MK during flares. This work represents the first statistical study that establishes energy closure in solar flare/CME events.
Document ID
20230001877
Acquisition Source
2230 Support
Document Type
Accepted Manuscript (Version with final changes)
Authors
Markus J Aschwanden ORCID
(Lockheed Martin (United States) Bethesda, Maryland, United States)
Amir Caspi ORCID
(Southwest Research Institute Boulder, CO, United States)
Christina M S Cohen ORCID
(California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California, United States)
Gordon D Holman
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Ju Jing ORCID
(New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, New Jersey, United States)
Matthieu Kretzschmar ORCID
(French National Centre for Scientific Research Paris, France)
Eduard P Kontar ORCID
(University of Glasgow Glasgow, United Kingdom)
James M McTiernan ORCID
(University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California, United States)
Richard A Mewaldt ORCID
(California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California, United States)
Aidan O’Flannagain
(Trinity College Dublin Dublin, Dublin, Ireland)
Ian G Richardson
(University of Maryland, College Park College Park, Maryland, United States)
Daniel Ryan
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Harry P Warren ORCID
(United States Naval Research Laboratory Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States)
Yan Xu
(New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, New Jersey, United States)
Date Acquired
February 8, 2023
Publication Date
February 6, 2017
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal
Publisher: American Astronomical Society
Volume: 836
Issue: 1
Issue Publication Date: February 10, 2017
ISSN: 0004-637X
e-ISSN: 1538-4357
Subject Category
Solar Physics
Report/Patent Number
NIHMS868169
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX16AF92G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG04EA00C
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX15AK26G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX14AH54G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-90833
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX13A66G
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX15AG09G
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Portions of document may include copyright protected material.
Technical Review
Professional Review
Keywords
Solar activity
Solar flares
Coronal Mass Ejections
UV radiation
X-rays
Gamma rays
Particle emission
Magnetic fields
Thermal radiation mechanisms
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