171 research outputs found
Penumbra maps: approximate soft shadows in real-time
Journal ArticleGenerating soft shadows quickly is difficult. Few techniques have enough flexibility to interactively render soft shadows in scenes with arbitrarily complex occluders and receivers. This paper introduces the penumbra map, which extends current shadow map techniques to interactively approximate soft shadows. Using object silhouette edges, as seen from the center of an area light, a map is generated containing approximate penumbral regions. Rendering requires two lookups, one into each the penumbra and shadow maps. Penumbra maps allow arbitrary dynamic models to easily shadow themselves and other nearby complex objects with plausible penumbrae
Penumbra maps
technical reportGenerating soft shadows quickly is difficult. Few techniques have enough flexibility to interactively render soft shadows in scenes with arbitrarily complex occluders and receivers. This paper introduces the penumbra map, which extends current shadow map techniques to interactively approximate soft shadows. Using object silhouette edges, as seen from the center of an area light, a map is generated containing approximate penumbral regions. Rendering requires two lookups, one into each the penumbra and shadow maps. Penumbra maps allow arbitrary dynamic models to easily shadow themselves and other nearby complex objects with plausible penumbrae
Local Helioseismology of Sunspots: Current Status and Perspectives (Invited Review)
Mechanisms of the formation and stability of sunspots are among the
longest-standing and intriguing puzzles of solar physics and astrophysics.
Sunspots are controlled by subsurface dynamics hidden from direct observations.
Recently, substantial progress in our understanding of the physics of the
turbulent magnetized plasma in strong-field regions has been made by using
numerical simulations and local helioseismology. Both the simulations and
helioseismic measurements are extremely challenging, but it becomes clear that
the key to understanding the enigma of sunspots is a synergy between models and
observations. Recent observations and radiative MHD numerical models have
provided a convincing explanation to the Evershed flows in sunspot penumbrae.
Also, they lead to the understanding of sunspots as self-organized magnetic
structures in the turbulent plasma of the upper convection zone, which are
maintained by a large-scale dynamics. Local helioseismic diagnostics of
sunspots still have many uncertainties, some of which are discussed in this
review. However, there have been significant achievements in resolving these
uncertainties, verifying the basic results by new high-resolution observations,
testing the helioseismic techniques by numerical simulations, and comparing
results obtained by different methods. For instance, a recent analysis of
helioseismology data from the Hinode space mission has successfully resolved
several uncertainties and concerns (such as the inclined-field and phase-speed
filtering effects) that might affect the inferences of the subsurface
wave-speed structure of sunspots and the flow pattern. It becomes clear that
for the understanding of the phenomenon of sunspots it is important to further
improve the helioseismology methods and investigate the whole life cycle of
active regions, from magnetic-flux emergence to dissipation.Comment: 34 pages, 18 figures, submitted to Solar Physic
Statistical Analysis of Small Ellerman Bomb Events
The properties of Ellerman bombs (EBs), small-scale brightenings in the
H-alpha line wings, have proved difficult to establish due to their size being
close to the spatial resolution of even the most advanced telescopes. Here, we
aim to infer the size and lifetime of EBs using high-resolution data of an
emerging active region collected using the Interferometric BIdimensional
Spectrometer (IBIS) and Rapid Oscillations of the Solar Atmosphere (ROSA)
instruments as well as the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) onboard the
Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We develop an algorithm to track EBs through
their evolution, finding that EBs can often be much smaller (around 0.3") and
shorter lived (less than 1 minute) than previous estimates. A correlation
between G-band magnetic bright points and EBs is also found. Combining SDO/HMI
and G-band data gives a good proxy of the polarity for the vertical magnetic
field. It is found that EBs often occur both over regions of opposite polarity
flux and strong unipolar fields, possibly hinting at magnetic reconnection as a
driver of these events.The energetics of EB events is found to follow a
power-law distribution in the range of "nano-flare" (10^{22-25} ergs).Comment: 19 pages. 7 Figure
Solar science with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array - A new view of our Sun
The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is a new powerful
tool for observing the Sun at high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution.
These capabilities can address a broad range of fundamental scientific
questions in solar physics. The radiation observed by ALMA originates mostly
from the chromosphere - a complex and dynamic region between the photosphere
and corona, which plays a crucial role in the transport of energy and matter
and, ultimately, the heating of the outer layers of the solar atmosphere. Based
on first solar test observations, strategies for regular solar campaigns are
currently being developed. State-of-the-art numerical simulations of the solar
atmosphere and modeling of instrumental effects can help constrain and optimize
future observing modes for ALMA. Here we present a short technical description
of ALMA and an overview of past efforts and future possibilities for solar
observations at submillimeter and millimeter wavelengths. In addition, selected
numerical simulations and observations at other wavelengths demonstrate ALMA's
scientific potential for studying the Sun for a large range of science cases.Comment: 73 pages, 21 figures ; Space Science Reviews (accepted December 10th,
2015); accepted versio
The Current State-Of-The-Art In Active Region Seismology
Helioseismology is the study of the variations in the internal structure and
properties of the dynamics of the Sun from measurements of its surface
oscillations. With the 2010 launch of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) we
are undoubtedly approaching a new dawn for local helioseismology, as the extent
and quality of raw surface oscillation data has never been better. However,
advances in theory and modelling are still required to fully utilise these
data, especially in magnetic active regions and sunspots, where the physics is
poorly understood.Comment: 6 pages. Proceedings of ESF/HELAS-5/EAST-4 Conference (Obergurgl,
Austria, 20-25 May 2012), to appear in Astronomische Nachrichte
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