Constraining Nanoflare Frequency Through Observations and Models

Abstract

Nanoflares are considered prime candidates for heating the non-flaring solar corona. However, direct detection of individual nanoflares with present-generation instruments remains challenging. Understanding the frequency and magnitude of nanoflares is crucial for comprehending their role in coronal heating. In this study, we employ field-aligned hydrodynamic model to simulate the emission from a non-flaring X-ray bright point (XBP) observed by the Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS). The length and magnetic field strength of the coronal loops associated with this XBP are derived from magnetic field extrapolation of observed photospheric magnetograms by SDO/HMI. Each loop is assumed to be heated by random nanoflares, whose frequency and magnitude are determined by the loop length and their field strength. The simulation results are then compared and matched against the observation to determine the nanoflare heating frequency. We will discuss the findings of this study. Furthermore, we will discuss the evolution of nanoflare heating frequency during the formation and decay of an active region (AR) on the solar disk.