SMM/HXIS: Solar Flare X-ray Images from 1980

From February 14 to November 22, 1980, the Hard X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (HXIS) aboard the Solar Maximum Mission captured solar flare images in six X-ray energy bands. The data consist of photon counts from 432 square regions of the Sun, with time resolution varying from 1.5 to 7.5 seconds. The instrument was operated by NASA/GSFC, with archived data held at multiple international research centers.

Use Cases

• Analyzing solar flare evolution based on time-series data with 1.5 to 7.5-second resolution.
• Modeling X-ray energy spectra based on photon counts from six distinct energy bands (3.5-30 keV).
• Studying active region morphology based on images from 432 contiguous square regions of the Sun.
• Comparing flare and quiet-time solar activity based on observations made during both periods.

Strengths

• Data covers a specific 9-month operational period from February to November 1980.
• Images are captured across six defined X-ray energy bands with boundaries at 3.5, 5.5, 8.0, 11.5, 16, 22, and 30 keV.
• High temporal resolution of 1.5 seconds at flare onset allows for detailed event analysis.
• Spatial coverage includes both a coarse field of view (128 pixels) and a fine field of view (304 pixels).

Limitations

• Last updated 1980-11-22 23:59:59.999000; freshness should be verified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Solar Maximum Mission / Hard X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (SMM/HXIS), NASA/GSFC

Collection Method

Satellite-based instrument observations with data archived at the Solar Data Analysis Center.

Time Range

1980-02-14 to 1980-11-22

Freshness

1980-11-22 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Solar observations