Monday

In the years after the first reported sunquake observation (by Kosovichev and Zharkova in 1998) only a limited number of flares have been seen to be acoustically active – with some sunquakes being missed altogether.

In this work we present evidence for the detection of a seismic impact through the use of a new statistical approach to helioseismic holography and time-distance analysis for the X2.1 flare on the 6th September 2011. Helioseismic analysis indicates the presence of a statistically significant acoustic kernel, located close to the northern foot point of an erupting flux rope, which exceeds an egression power threshold of the local mean plus 5σ. Directional egression highlights the presence of the kernel in the arc range 0˚-90˚. Theoretical ray path fitting to time-distance diagrams result in a quake onset time of 22:18:37(±45s)UT, which is consistent with HXR and white light peak within the measurement uncertainties.

We then summarise the effects of energy and particle transport in flaring atmospheres from corona to solar interior using RHESSI and SDO instruments as well as high resolution H-alpha observations. Simulated Paschen continuum emission and Doppler shifts in hydrogen line profiles are compared against observations and local helioseismic responses (sunquakes). Matching the radiative responses to those for hydrodynamic simulations of flaring solar atmospheres heated by particle beams enables derivation of temperature, density and macro-velocity variations of the ambient atmospheres. We compare the flaring emission and seismic responses caused by atmospheric heating due to different particle beams, and their impact on the relevant transport models.