Height and Energy Evolution of X-Ray Double Sources in a Solar Flare

Abstract In the standard model, magnetic reconnection at a vertical current sheet above the flare arcade is key to explaining many aspects of solar eruptions. The supra-arcade region is where the vertical current sheet is supposedly located, and X-ray/extreme-ultraviolet emission therein reflects underlying energy release and transport processes, therefore providing valuable insight into the structure and evolution of the current sheet. Previous studies have focused primarily on the impulsive phase of flares, but phenomena in the decay phase are also crucial for understanding the complete flaring scenario. In this paper, we investigated an M6.7-class limb flare that occurred on 2022 August 28, combining observations from the Solar Orbiter (SolO) and Solar Dynamics Observatory. Coronal X-ray sources are continually observed by the Spectrometer/Telescope for Imaging X-rays onboard SolO for over 2 hr, revealing a multiphase evolution with varying velocities and multiple substructures, with higher-energy components consistently appearing at higher altitudes. Such a height-energy relation is notably observed in a double coronal source during the decay phase, which is dominated by thermal emission. The energy distribution of the double source distinguishes itself from previous studies that showed a symmetric distribution, with the higher-energy components being closer to the center of the double source during the impulsive phase. Obtained from two opposite side-on perspectives on the supra-arcade region, these findings reveal the spatiotemporal complexity of the energy release process in the postflare current sheet during the decay phase.