http://arxiv.org/abs/1512.03831
Extreme UV (EUV) and X-ray loops in the solar corona connect regions of enhanced magnetic activity, but usually they are not rooted in the dark umbrae of sunspots. This is because there the strong magnetic field suppresses convection and thus the Poynting flux of magnetic energy into the upper atmosphere is not significant within the umbra, as long as there are no light bridges, umbral dots. Here we report a rare observation of a coronal loop rooted in the dark umbra of a sunspot without any traces of light bridges or umbral dots. We used the slit-jaw images and spectroscopic data from the IRIS and concentrate on the line profiles of O IV and Si IV that show persistent strong redshifted components in the loop rooted in the umbra. Using the ratios of O IV, we can estimate the density and thus investigate the mass flux. The coronal context and temperature diagnostics of these observations is provided through the EUV channels of the AIA. The coronal loop, embedded within cooler downflows, is hosting supersonic downflows. The speed of more than 100 km s$^{-1}$ is of the same order of magnitude in the transition region lines of O IV and Si IV, and is even seen at comparable speed in the chromospheric Mg II lines. At a projected distance of within 1″ from the footpoint, we see a shock transition to smaller downflow speeds of about 15 km s$^{-1}$ being consistent with mass conservation across a stationary isothermal shock. We see no (direct) evidence for energy input into the loop because the loop is rooted in the dark uniform part of the umbra, with no light bridges or umbral dots around. Thus one might conclude that we see a siphon flow driven from the footpoint at the other end of the loop. However, for a final result one would need data of similar quality at the other footpoint, which is too far away to be covered by the field-of-view of IRIS.
L. Chitta, H. Peter and P. Young
Tue, 15 Dec 15
4/87
Comments: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics (abridged abstract)
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