Dark feature in EUV post-flare loops

Abstract

AbstractPost-flare loops (PFLs) usually appear in the late phase of eruptive flares as an arcade-like loop system. The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on-board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) delivers continuously high temporal and spatial resolution extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations, providing a unique chance to study the PFLs. In this work, we use SDO/AIA high-quality EUV images to study the dark loop-like features in post-flare loops (DPFLs) of an X5.4 flare. Our analysis shows that: 1) the DPFLs are darker than their surrounding and the bright loops, but are brighter than the EUV background; 2) the DPFLs appear in multiple EUV channels, which indicates that they are absorption features; 3) the DPFLs are associated with downflows that are caused by the thermal instability in the cooling process of the flare.