Understanding solar flares from opticalobservations: How do particle beams affect the lower atmosphere? Original Research Article

During the impulsive phase of solar flares, both hard X-ray (HXR) and optical emissions exhibit fast temporal fluctuations detectable down to sub-second scales. This is usually ascribed to the propagation of beams of accelerated particles and to the dissipation of their energy in lower layers of the solar atmosphere. Although it is rather difficult to prove a temporal correlation between HXR and optical intensity variations, we discuss here some previous results and recent attempts. Namely in coordination with RHESSI observations, several ground-based observatories started to detect fast optical variations in the Hα line. In addition to this, we also mention a possibility of using some other diagnostically important lines. The proper interpretation of coordinated HXR and optical observations further requires robust tools for radiation-hydrodynamical (RHD) forward modeling. We briefly describe a new ‘hybrid’ code which consists of RHD part and particle-simulation part. Short-duration heating due to beam pulses is modeled which allows us to predict temporal fluctuations of HXR and selected optical and UV lines formed in chromospheric layers and in the transition region. Particularly the line asymmetries originating in a highly dynamical lower atmosphere of the flare can be used to diagnose the response of these layers to particle beams.