New horizons in research of magnetic reconnection and particle acceleration opened by solar soft X-ray imaging-spectroscopy: demonstrated by a sounding rocket experiment for a future satellite mission

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18H03724
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 16:Astronomy and related fields
• Research Institution: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
• Principal Investigator: Narukage Noriyuki 国立天文台, 太陽観測科学プロジェクト, 助教 (50435806)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 粒子加速 / 磁気再結合 / X線撮像分光観測 / 観測ロケット実験 FOXSI-3 / 観測ロケット実験 FOXSI-4 / 衛星計画 PhoENiX / 太陽 / フレア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to realize two-dimensional focusing imaging-spectroscopy in the soft X-ray band for solar flares in order to understand magnetic reconnection and particle acceleration. The key to this observation is a camera system using a back-illuminated CMOS sensor, which is sensitive to soft X-rays and capable of high-speed continuous exposure of several hundred times per second or more.
In this study, we installed our CMOS camera system on NASA's sounding rocket (FOXSI-3) and succeeded in soft X-ray focusing imaging-spectroscopy of the solar corona for the first time in the world, although during non-flare condition.
On the other hand, we have developed CMOS detector and camera system for future solar flare observations using a satellite, and successfully obtained the necessary basic technologies.

Free Research Field

太陽物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

太陽は人類に最も身近な天体であり、そこで起きる現象の理解は知的価値だけに留まらない。例えば、太陽フレアによって生成される高エネルギー粒子（加速粒子）やＸ線などの電磁波は、地球周辺の宇宙環境に大きな影響を及ぼす。つまり、本研究が目指す粒子加速過程の理解は、太陽フレアによる宇宙天気変動の理解や、社会環境への影響の把握を通じて社会へ貢献し得る。
加えて本研究は、半導体検出器、高速データ処理回路などの最先端技術を活用しており、工学・産業分野との連携で成り立っている。本計画の推進において、現時点でも既に新たな技術の獲得がなされており、今後も更なる工学・産業分野への波及効果が期待できる。