W. Trzebiński

Soft X-ray variability over the present minimum of solar activity as observed by SphinX

Solar Photometer in X-rays (SphinX) is an instrument designed to observe the Sun in X-rays in the energy range 0.85–15.00 keV. SphinX is incorporated within the Russian TESIS X and EUV telescope complex aboard the CORONAS-Photon satellite which was launched on January 30, 2009 at 13:30 UT from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome, northern Russia. Since February, 2009 SphinX has been measuring solar X-ray radiation nearly continuously. The principle of SphinX operation and the content of the instrument data archives is studied. Issues related to dissemination of SphinX calibration, data, repository mirrors locations, types of data and metadata are discussed. Variability of soft X-ray solar flux is studied using data collected by SphinX over entire mission duration.

The Bragg solar x-ray spectrometer SolpeX

Detection of polarization and spectra measurement of X-ray solar flare emission are indispensable in improving our understanding of the processes releasing energy of these most energetic phenomena in the solar system. We shall present some details of the construction of SolpeX – an innovative Bragg soft X-ray flare polarimeter and spectrometer. The instrument is a part of KORTES – Russian instrument complex to be mounted aboard the science module to be attached to the International Space Station (2017/2018). The SolpeX will be composed of three individual measuring units: the soft X-ray polarimeter with 1-2% linear polarization detection threshold, a fast-rotating flat crystal X-ray spectrometer with a very high time resolution (0.1 s) and a simple pinhole soft X-ray imager-spectrometer with a moderate spatial (~20 arcsec), spectral (0.5 keV) and high time resolution (0.1 s). Having a fast rotating unit to be served with power, telemetry and “intelligence” poses a challenge for the designer. Some of the solutions to this will be provided and described.

Observations of Doppler Shifts of X-Ray Lines in Solar Flare Spectra Based on DIOGENESS Spectrometer Data

The idea of measurement of X-ray lines Doppler shifts in spectra of the Sun, applied in DIOGENESS spectrometer, was previously developed and verified in rocket experiment with RDR X-ray Dopplerometer (Vertical-11 Rocket, 1981). Upon the obtained results two X-ray DIOGENESS spectrometers have been manufactured; the first one was operated aboard the CORONAS-I satellite (launch in 1994), while the second was operated aboard the CORONAS-F.

Investigations of Physical Processes in Solar Flare Plasma on the Basis of RESIK Spectrometer Observations

Simultaneous registration of spectra of quickly varying sources may be obtained through the use of curved fixed crystals instead of the scanning flat crystals spectrometer. Illuminating such a curved crystal with parallel X-ray beam allows to obtain, after the reflection, the whole spectrum covering certain wavelengths range, as the incidence angle at curved crystal surface represents a monotonous function of incidence point position measured along the crystal. The RESIK bent crystal spectrometer was developed in Poland with the help from experts of Naval Research Laboratory (USA), Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (UK), and Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL, UK). The development work was also supported by scientists of Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Waves Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Unique RESIK spectra and the results obtained are presented and discussed.

Solar forced variations of terrestrial high energy particle environment as seen by RESIK PIN detectors on CORONAS-F

RESIK is the bent crystal spectrometer aboard the CORONAS-F satellite. It is equipped with four PIN diode detectors. These detectors were used in order to detect background counts due to energetic particle contamination present within polar regions and SAA belts. At altitudes above 300 km (Coronas-F altitude is about 500 km) the population of charged particles trapped by the Earth’s magnetic field consists of protons (energies between 100 keV and several hundred MeV) and electrons (energies between few tens of keV and 10 MeV). The construction of RESIK PIN diode detectors allows to sense particles with the energy above 1 MeV. We present diagrams illustrating the coupling of the Coronas-F particle environment and selected proxies of solar activity. The data shown have been collected during initial phase of mission.