VALIDATION of the CORONAL THICK TARGET SOURCE MODEL

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-10-2016

Abstract

We present detailed 3D modeling of a dense, coronal thick-target X-ray flare using the GX Simulator tool, photospheric magnetic measurements, and microwave imaging and spectroscopy data. The developed model offers a remarkable agreement between the synthesized and observed spectra and images in both X-ray and microwave domains, which validates the entire model. The flaring loop parameters are chosen to reproduce the emission measure, temperature, and the nonthermal electron distribution at low energies derived from the X-ray spectral fit, while the remaining parameters, unconstrained by the X-ray data, are selected such as to match the microwave images and total power spectra. The modeling suggests that the accelerated electrons are trapped in the coronal part of the flaring loop, but away from where the magnetic field is minimal, and, thus, demonstrates that the data are clearly inconsistent with electron magnetic trapping in the weak diffusion regime mediated by the Coulomb collisions. Thus, the modeling supports the interpretation of the coronal thick-target sources as sites of electron acceleration in flares and supplies us with a realistic 3D model with physical parameters of the acceleration region and flaring loop.

Identifier

84955062755 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Astrophysical Journal

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-637X/816/2/62

e-ISSN

15384357

ISSN

0004637X

Issue

2

Volume

816

Grant

1250374

Fund Ref

National Science Foundation

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