X-ray sources and magnetic reconnection in the X3.9 flare of 2003 November 3

Context. Recent RHESSI observations indicate an apparent altitude decrease of flare X-ray loop-top ( LT) sources before changing to the commonly observed upward growth of the flare loop system. Aims. We performed a detailed study of the LT altitude decrease for one well observed flare in order to find further hints on the physics of this phenomenon and how it is related to the magnetic reconnection process in solar flares. Methods. RHESSI X-ray source motions in the 2003 November 3, X3.9 flare are studied together with complementary data from SXI, EIT, and Kanzelhohe Ha. We particularly concentrate on the apparent altitude decrease of the RHESSI X-ray LT source early in the flare and combine kinematical and X-ray spectral analysis. Furthermore, we present simulations from a magnetic collapsing trap model embedded in a standard 2-D magnetic reconnection model of solar flares. Results. We find that at higher photon energies the LT source is located at higher altitudes and shows higher downward velocities than at lower energies. The mean downward velocities range from 14 km s(-1) in the RHESSI 10-15 keV energy band to 45 km s(-1) in the 25-30 keV band. For this flare, the LT altitude decrease was also observed by the SXI instrument with a mean speed of 12 km s(-1). RHESSI spectra indicate that during the time of LT altitude decrease the emission of the LT source is thermal bremsstrahlung from a superhot plasma with temperatures increasing from 35 MK to 45 MK and densities of the order of 10(10) cm(-3). The temperature does not significantly increase after this early (pre-impulsive superhot LT) phase, whereas the LT densities increase to a peak value of (3-4) x 10(11) cm(-3). Conclusions. Modeling of a collapsing magnetic trap embedded in a standard 2D magnetic reconnection model can reproduce the key observational findings in case that the observed emission is thermal bremsstrahlung from the hot LT plasma. This agrees with the evaluated RHESSI spectra for this flare.