184 research outputs found
Temperatures of quiescent prominences measured from hydrogen Paschen and CaII IR lines
During 12 to 17 September 1983 a number of prominences were observed with the McMatch solar telescope of National Solar Observatories, using the Fourier transform spectrometer with a InSb detector (Brault 1979). The present study refers to three prominences observed 13 and 14 September. Prominence A: Large quiescent prominence at S28 E90 Prominence B. Stable prominence in weakly enhanced magnetic region at about NO8 E90 Prominence C: Quiescent prominence at N30 E90. Spectra were obtained at a total of 15 different locations in the three prominences in the wavelength range lambda, lambda 7740 to 14,000 Angstroms. The observed differences between T sub exc and T sub kin are hardly significant. Researchers conclude that the two methods for temperature determination when applied to optically thin lines give reasonably consistent results, i.e., the population of the excited levels of hydrogen is collisionally controlled. The well known increase in T and V towards the edge of equiescent prominences (Hirayama 1964) is not corroborated by the present data. One explanation for this could be that prominence A is atypical. The optical thickness of prominence emission lines tends to increase from center to edges as demonstrated by the case of He I lambda 10830 angstroms. If line opacity plays a significant role in earlier center to edge determinations of T and V, a smaller variation would be expected from measurements in optically thin lines, such as in the present case
Vertical motions in the quiescent prominences observed in the He I Lambda10830Angstrom line
The observations contain two-dimensional spectral scans of a total of 17 different prominences on the solar disk from the period 3 to 9 May 1981, using the main spectrograph of the solar vacuum telescope at Sacramento Peak. The following conclusions may be drawn from the data: (1) Blue shifts are much more common than red shifts. In many cases more than 90 per cent of the projected prominence area is associated with blue shifts. (2) The darkest prominence regions show the largest blue shift (v less than 3 km s-1). (3) Red shifts are most commonly seen at prominence edges. (4) The general pattern of prominence velocity persists for several hours. On the scale of about 10 arcsec and less, changes are detectable in the course of 2 to 5 minutes. The observed predominance of the blue shifts is largely in agreement with earlier results from H alpha (cf. Martres et al. 1981). It cannot, however, be concluded definitely that the observed shift really represents a net flow of matter. The situation could possibly be analogous to that of the solar transition region where lines such as C IV lambda 1548 angstroms seem to indicate a net inflow, which can hardly be true, at velocities greater than 4 km s(-1) in the quiet Sun (Athay et al. 1983; Gurman and Athay 1983). If the typical structure element of the prominence is sub-resolution, i.e., 2 to 3 arcsec or worse, as in the present case, an apparent net shift could result if the ascending and the decending elements have different temperature and/or pressure. Different lines could then indicate different flow velocities and even opposite directions
The Thermal Instability of Solar Prominence Threads
The fine structure of solar prominences and filaments appears as thin and
long threads in high-resolution images. In H-alpha observations of filaments,
some threads can be observed for only 5 - 20 minutes before they seem to fade
and eventually disappear, suggesting that these threads may have very short
lifetimes. The presence of an instability might be the cause of this quick
disappearance. Here, we study the thermal instability of prominence threads as
an explanation of their sudden disappearance from H-alpha observations. We
model a prominence thread as a magnetic tube with prominence conditions
embedded in a coronal environment. We assume a variation of the physical
properties in the transverse direction, so that the temperature and density
continuously change from internal to external values in an inhomogeneous
transitional layer representing the particular prominence-corona transition
region (PCTR) of the thread. We use the nonadiabatic and resistive
magnetohydrodynamic equations, which include terms due to thermal conduction
parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field, radiative losses, heating,
and magnetic diffusion. We combine both analytical and numerical methods to
study linear perturbations from the equilibrium state, focusing on unstable
thermal solutions. We find that thermal modes are unstable in the PCTR for
temperatures higher than 80,000 K, approximately. These modes are related to
temperature disturbances that can lead to changes in the equilibrium due to
rapid plasma heating or cooling. For typical prominence parameters, the
instability time scale is of the order of a few minutes and is independent of
the form of the temperature profile within the PCTR of the thread. This result
indicates that thermal instability may play an important role for the short
lifetimes of threads in the observations.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
Damping of Fast Magnetohydrodynamic Oscillations in Quiescent Filament Threads
High-resolution observations provide evidence about the existence of
small-amplitude transverse oscillations in solar filament fine structures.
These oscillations are believed to represent fast magnetohydrodynamic (MHD)
waves and the disturbances are seen to be damped in short timescales of the
order of 1 to 4 periods. In this Letter we propose that, due to the highly
inhomogeneous nature of the filament plasma at the fine structure spatial
scale, the phenomenon of resonant absorption is likely to operate in the
temporal attenuation of fast MHD oscillations. By considering transverse
inhomogeneity in a straight flux tube model we find that, for density
inhomogeneities typical of filament threads, the decay times are of a few
oscillatory periods only.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, ApJL accepte
On the use of empirical bolometric corrections for stars
When making use of tabulations of empirical bolometric corrections for stars
(BC_V), a commonly overlooked fact is that while the zero point is arbitrary,
the bolometric magnitude of the Sun (Mbol_Sun) that is used in combination with
such tables cannot be chosen arbitrarily. It must be consistent with the zero
point of BC_V so that the apparent brightness of the Sun is reproduced. The
latter is a measured quantity, for which we adopt the value V_Sun = -26.76 +/-
0.03. Inconsistent values of Mbol_Sun are listed in many of the most popular
sources of BC_V. We quantify errors that are introduced by not paying attention
to this detail. We also take the opportunity to reprint the BC_V coefficients
of the often used polynomial fits by Flower (1996), which were misprinted in
the original publication.Comment: 5 pages including 3 tables. To appear in The Astronomical Journa
Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in partially ionized compressible plasmas
The Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability (KHI) has been observed in the solar
atmosphere. Ion-neutral collisions may play a relevant role for the growth rate
and evolution of the KHI in solar partially ionized plasmas as in, e.g., solar
prominences. Here, we investigate the linear phase of the KHI at an interface
between two partially ionized magnetized plasmas in the presence of a shear
flow. The effects of ion-neutral collisions and compressibility are included in
the analysis. We obtain the dispersion relation of the linear modes and perform
parametric studies of the unstable solutions. We find that in the
incompressible case the KHI is present for any velocity shear regardless the
value of the collision frequency. In the compressible case, the domain of
instability depends strongly on the plasma parameters, specially the collision
frequency and the density contrast. For high collision frequencies and low
density contrasts the KHI is present for super-Alfvenic velocity shear only.
For high density contrasts the threshold velocity shear can be reduced to
sub-Alfvenic values. For the particular case of turbulent plumes in
prominences, we conclude that sub-Alfvenic flow velocities can trigger the KHI
thanks to the ion-neutral coupling.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap
Swaying threads of a solar filament
From recent high resolution observations obtained with the Swedish 1 m Solar
Telescope in La Palma, we detect swaying motions of individual filament threads
in the plane of the sky. The oscillatory character of these motions are
comparable with oscillatory Doppler signals obtained from corresponding
filament threads. Simultaneous recordings of motions in the line of sight and
in the plane of the sky give information about the orientation of the
oscillatory plane. These oscillations are interpreted in the context of the
magnetohydrodynamic theory. Kink magnetohydrodynamic waves supported by the
thread body are proposed as an explanation of the observed thread oscillations.
On the basis of this interpretation and by means of seismological arguments, we
give an estimation of the thread Alfv\'en speed and magnetic field strength by
means of seismological arguments.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
The Ly<alpha> and Ly<beta> profiles in solar prominences and prominence fine structure
We present the first combined Ly and Ly profiles in solar
prominences obtained by the SOHO/SUMER instrument and discuss their important
spatial variability with respect to predictions from 1D and multithread models.Comment: Accepted in Solar Physics, 14 pages with 9 figures and 3 Table
Modelling the incomplete Paschen-Back effect in the spectra of magnetic Ap stars
We present first results of a systematic investigation of the incomplete
Paschen-Back effect in magnetic Ap stars. A short overview of the theory is
followed by a demonstration of how level splittings and component strengths
change with magnetic field strength for some lines of special astrophysical
interest. Requirements are set out for a code which allows the calculation of
full Stokes spectra in the Paschen-Back regime and the behaviour of Stokes I
and V profiles of transitions in the multiplet 74 of FeII is discussed in some
detail. It is shown that the incomplete Paschen-Back effect can lead to
noticeable line shifts which strongly depend on total multiplet strength,
magnetic field strength and field direction. Ghost components (which violate
the normal selection rule on J) show up in strong magnetic fields but are
probably unobservable. Finally it is shown that measurements of the integrated
magnetic field modulus are not adversely affected by the Paschen-Back
effect, and that there is a potential problem in (magnetic) Doppler mapping if
lines in the Paschen-Back regime are treated in the Zeeman approximation.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figures, to appear in MNRA
A broken solar type II radio burst induced by a coronal shock propagating across the streamer boundary
We discuss an intriguing type II radio burst that occurred on 2011 March 27.
The dynamic spectrum was featured by a sudden break at about 43 MHz on the
well-observed harmonic branch. Before the break, the spectrum drifted gradually
with a mean rate of about -0.05 MHz/s. Following the break, the spectrum jumped
to lower frequencies. The post-break emission lasted for about three minutes.
It consisted of an overall slow drift which appeared to have a few fast drift
sub-bands. Simultaneous observations from the Solar TErrestrial RElations
Observatory (STEREO) and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) were also
available and are examined for this event. We suggest that the slow-drift
period before the break was generated inside a streamer by a coronal eruption
driven shock, and the spectral break as well as the relatively wide spectrum
after the break is a consequence of the shock crossing the streamer boundary
where density drops abruptly. It is suggested that this type of radio bursts
can be taken as a unique diagnostic tool for inferring the coronal density
structure, as well as the radio emitting source region.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, accepted by ApJ 201
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