82 research outputs found
Causes for the broadening of hydrogen lines in the solar spectrum
Broadening of H alpha and H beta lines due to intrinsic pressure and Stark effec
Comparison of the mean photospheric magnetic field and the interplanetary magnetic field
Polarity comparison of solar magnetic field and interplanetary magnetic fiel
Proper orthogonal decomposition of solar photospheric motions
The spatio-temporal dynamics of the solar photosphere is studied by
performing a Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) of line of sight velocity
fields computed from high resolution data coming from the MDI/SOHO instrument.
Using this technique, we are able to identify and characterize the different
dynamical regimes acting in the system. Low frequency oscillations, with
frequencies in the range 20-130 microHz, dominate the most energetic POD modes
(excluding solar rotation), and are characterized by spatial patterns with
typical scales of about 3 Mm. Patterns with larger typical scales of 10 Mm, are
associated to p-modes oscillations at frequencies of about 3000 microHz.Comment: 8 figures in jpg in press on PR
A Statistical Study on Photospheric Magnetic Nonpotentiality of Active Regions and Its Relationship with Flares during Solar Cycles 22-23
A statistical study is carried out on the photospheric magnetic
nonpotentiality in solar active regions and its relationship with associated
flares. We select 2173 photospheric vector magnetograms from 1106 active
regions observed by the Solar Magnetic Field Telescope at Huairou Solar
Observing Station, National Astronomical Observatories of China, in the period
of 1988-2008, which covers most of the 22nd and 23rd solar cycles. We have
computed the mean planar magnetic shear angle (\bar{\Delta\phi}), mean shear
angle of the vector magnetic field (\bar{\Delta\psi}), mean absolute vertical
current density (\bar{|J_{z}|}), mean absolute current helicity density
(\bar{|h_{c}|}), absolute twist parameter (|\alpha_{av}|), mean free magnetic
energy density (\bar{\rho_{free}}), effective distance of the longitudinal
magnetic field (d_{E}), and modified effective distance (d_{Em}) of each
photospheric vector magnetogram. Parameters \bar{|h_{c}|}, \bar{\rho_{free}},
and d_{Em} show higher correlation with the evolution of the solar cycle. The
Pearson linear correlation coefficients between these three parameters and the
yearly mean sunspot number are all larger than 0.59. Parameters
\bar{\Delta\phi}, \bar{\Delta\psi}, \bar{|J_{z}|}, |\alpha_{av}|, and d_{E}
show only weak correlations with the solar cycle, though the nonpotentiality
and the complexity of active regions are greater in the activity maximum
periods than in the minimum periods. All of the eight parameters show positive
correlations with the flare productivity of active regions, and the combination
of different nonpotentiality parameters may be effective in predicting the
flaring probability of active regions.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication in Solar
Physic
Svestka's Research: Then and Now
Zdenek Svestka's research work influenced many fields of solar physics,
especially in the area of flare research. In this article I take five of the
areas that particularly interested him and assess them in a "then and now"
style. His insights in each case were quite sound, although of course in the
modern era we have learned things that he could not readily have envisioned.
His own views about his research life have been published recently in this
journal, to which he contributed so much, and his memoir contains much
additional scientific and personal information (Svestka, 2010).Comment: Invited review for "Solar and Stellar Flares," a conference in honour
of Prof. Zden\v{e}k \v{S}vestka, Prague, June 23-27, 2014. This is a
contribution to a Topical Issue in Solar Physics, based on the presentations
at this meeting (Editors Lyndsay Fletcher and Petr Heinzel
IRIS Burst Spectra Co-Spatial To A Quiet-Sun Ellerman-Like Brightening
Ellerman bombs (EBs) have been widely studied over the past two decades; however, only recently have counterparts of these events been observed in the quiet-Sun. The aim of this article is to further understand small-scale quiet-Sun Ellerman-like brightenings (QSEBs) through research into their spectral signatures, including investigating whether the hot signatures associated with some EBs are also visible co-spatial to any QSEBs. We combine H and Ca II \AA\ line scans at the solar limb with spectral and imaging data sampled by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). Twenty one QSEBs were identified with average lifetimes, lengths, and widths measured to be around s, ", and ", respectively. Three of these QSEBs displayed clear repetitive flaring through their lifetimes, comparable to the behaviour of EBs in Active Regions (ARs). Two QSEBs in this sample occurred co-spatial with increased emission in SDO/AIA \AA\ and IRIS slit-jaw imager \AA\ data, however, these intensity increases were smaller than reported co-spatial to EBs. One QSEB was also sampled by the IRIS slit during its lifetime, displaying increases in intensity in the Si IV \AA\ and Si IV \AA\ cores as well as the C II and Mg II line wings, analogous to IRIS bursts (IBs). Using RADYN simulations, we are unable to reproduce the observed QSEB H and Ca II \AA\ line profiles leaving the question of the temperature stratification of QSEBs open. Our results imply that some QSEBs could be heated to Transition Region temperatures, suggesting that IB profiles should be observed throughout the quiet-Sun
Advances in Global and Local Helioseismology: an Introductory Review
Helioseismology studies the structure and dynamics of the Sun's interior by
observing oscillations on the surface. These studies provide information about
the physical processes that control the evolution and magnetic activity of the
Sun. In recent years, helioseismology has made substantial progress towards the
understanding of the physics of solar oscillations and the physical processes
inside the Sun, thanks to observational, theoretical and modeling efforts. In
addition to the global seismology of the Sun based on measurements of global
oscillation modes, a new field of local helioseismology, which studies
oscillation travel times and local frequency shifts, has been developed. It is
capable of providing 3D images of the subsurface structures and flows. The
basic principles, recent advances and perspectives of global and local
helioseismology are reviewed in this article.Comment: 86 pages, 46 figures; "Pulsation of the Sun and Stars", Lecture Notes
in Physics, Vol. 832, Rozelot, Jean-Pierre; Neiner, Coralie (Eds.), 201
An Observational Overview of Solar Flares
We present an overview of solar flares and associated phenomena, drawing upon
a wide range of observational data primarily from the RHESSI era. Following an
introductory discussion and overview of the status of observational
capabilities, the article is split into topical sections which deal with
different areas of flare phenomena (footpoints and ribbons, coronal sources,
relationship to coronal mass ejections) and their interconnections. We also
discuss flare soft X-ray spectroscopy and the energetics of the process. The
emphasis is to describe the observations from multiple points of view, while
bearing in mind the models that link them to each other and to theory. The
present theoretical and observational understanding of solar flares is far from
complete, so we conclude with a brief discussion of models, and a list of
missing but important observations.Comment: This is an article for a monograph on the physics of solar flares,
inspired by RHESSI observations. The individual articles are to appear in
Space Science Reviews (2011
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