Photospheric shear flows along the magnetic neutral line of Active Region 10486 prior to an X10 flare

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-20-2004

Abstract

We present high spatial resolution observations of proper motions in the solar NOAA Active Region 10486 using a high-order adaptive optics system, frame selection, and speckle-masking image reconstruction. The data were obtained with the Dunn Solar Telescope of the National Solar Observatory/Sacramento Peak on 2003 October 29. The resolution of the images approaches the diffraction-limited resolution of the Dunn Solar Telescope of about 0″14 at 527 nm. We analyzed a 2 hr time series with a 1 minute cadence prior to an X10 white-light flare. Local correlation tracking was used to measure the photospheric proper motions. We find specific evidence of strong shear flows along the magnetic neutral line; these shear flows are well defined and correlated with white-light flare kernels in the visible and infrared. The speed along the flow channels can reach up to 1.6 km s-1, and the separation of channels with head-on flows can be less than 1". Counterstreaming and complex flow patterns have been distinguishing characteristics of this extraordinarily flare-productive active region.

Identifier

13944274966 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Astrophysical Journal

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1086/427210

e-ISSN

15384357

ISSN

0004637X

First Page

L151

Last Page

L154

Issue

2 II

Volume

617

Grant

ATM 02-36945

Fund Ref

National Science Foundation

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