The Nature of CME-flare Associated Coronal Dimming

Abstract:

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are often accompanied by coronal dimming evident in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft X-ray observations. The locations of dimming are sometimes considered to map foot-points of the erupting flux rope. As emitting material expands in the corona, the decreased plasma density leads to reduced emission observed in spectral and irradiance measurements. Therefore, signatures of dimming may be used to diagnose initiation of CMEs. We analyze three events of flare, CME, and coronal dimming. Data from the Solar Dynamics Observatorys Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and EUV variability Experiment (EVE) are used for observations of the dimming, and the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatorys EUVI, COR1 and COR2 are used to obtain velocity for the associated CMEs. We also calculate the magnetic reconnection rate from the Helioseismic and Magnetic (HMI) combined with AIA 1600. The magnetic reconnection fluxes are correlated well with CME height profiles while the reconnection rate peaks at the CME acceleration maximum. In two events, the dimming light curve also shows good correlation with the CME height evolution. We model the dimming evolution based on several different assumptions of CME expansion: isothermal or adiabatic, self-similar or one-dimensional. The observed dimming light curves agree with the calculations based on one dimensional, isothermal CME expansion model. Dimming in the third event cannot be described by the above CME expansion models, and we speculate that the nature of dimming associated with the third CME event is different from the other two.