55 research outputs found
Comparative Analysis of Super-Kamiokande and SNO Solar-Neutrino Data and the Photospheric Magnetic Field
We analyze Super-Kamiokande, SNO, and photospheric magnetic-field data for
the common time interval, namely the SNO D2O phase. Concerning rotational
modulation, the magnetic-field power spectrum shows the strongest peaks at the
second and sixth harmonics of the solar synodic rotation frequency [3 nu(rot)
and 7 nu(rot)]. The restricted Super-Kamiokande dataset shows strong modulation
at the second harmonic. The SNO D2O dataset shows weak modulation at that
frequency, but strong modulation in the sixth-harmonic frequency band. We
estimate the significance level of the correspondence of the Super-Kamiokande
second-harmonic peak with the corresponding magnetic-field peak to be 0.0004,
and the significance level of the correspondence of the SNO D2O sixth-harmonic
peak with the corresponding magnetic-field peak to be 0.009. By estimating the
amplitude of the modulation of the solar neutrino flux at the second harmonic
from the restricted Super-Kamiokande dataset, we find that the weak power at
that frequency in the SNO D2O power spectrum is not particularly surprising.
Concerning 9.43 yr-1, we find no peak at this frequency in the power spectrum
formed from the restricted Super-Kamiokande dataset, so it is no surprise that
this peak does not show up in the SNO D2O dataset, either.Comment: 32 pages, 8 tables, 16 figure
Evidence for large superhumps in TX Col and V4742 Sgr
Since the discovery of the largest positive superhump period in TV Col, we
have started a program to search for superhumps in CVs with large orbital
periods. Here, we summarize preliminary results of TX Col and V4742 Sgr. TX Col
is an intermediate polar with a 5.7-h orbital period. V4742 Sgr is a recent
nova with no known periods. CCD unfiltered continuous photometry of these 2
objects was carried out during 56 nights in 2002-3. In TX Col, in addition to
the orbital period of 5.7 h, we found peaks at 7.1 h and 5.0 h. These are
interpreted as positive and negative superhumps correspondingly, although the
effects of the quasi-periodic oscillations at about 2 h were not taken into
consideration. In the light curve of V4742 Sgr 2 long periods are detected --
6.1 and 5.4 h as well as a short-term period at 1.6 h. This result suggests
that V4742 Sgr is an intermediate polar candidate and a permanent superhump
system with a large orbital period (5.4 h) and a superhump period excess of 13
percent. If these results are confirmed, TX Col, V4742 Sgr and TV Col form a
group of intermediate polars with extremely large superhump periods. There
seems to be now growing evidence that superhumps can occur in intermediate
polars with long orbital periods, which is very likely inconsistent with the
theoretical prediction that superhumps can only occur in systems with mass
ratios below 0.33. Alternatively, if the mass ratio in these systems is
nevertheless below the theoretical limit, they should harbour undermassive
secondaries and massive white dwarfs, near the Chandrasekhar limit, which would
make them excellent candidates for progenitors of supernovae type Ia.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, 3 sty files, To appear in the proceedings of IAU
JD5, `White Dwarfs: Galactic and Cosmological Probes', eds. Ed Sion, Stephane
Vennes and Harry Shipman, Full abstract in pape
Statistical Models for Solar Flare Interval Distribution in Individual Active Regions
This article discusses statistical models for solar flare interval
distribution in individual active regions. We analyzed solar flare data in 55
active regions that are listed in the GOES soft X-ray flare catalog. We discuss
some problems with a conventional procedure to derive probability density
functions from any data set and propose a new procedure, which uses the maximum
likelihood method and Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) to objectively compare
some competing probability density functions. We found that lognormal and
inverse Gaussian models are more likely models than the exponential model for
solar flare interval distribution in individual active regions. The results
suggest that solar flares do not occur randomly in time; rather, solar flare
intervals appear to be regulated by solar flare mechanisms. We briefly mention
a probabilistic solar flare forecasting method as an application of a solar
flare interval distribution analysis.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, 3 tables, accepted for publication in Solar
Physic
Analysis of bimodality in histograms formed from GALLEX and GNO solar neutrino data
A histogram display of the solar neutrino capture-rate measurements made by
the GALLEX experiment appears to be bimodal, but that of the follow-on GNO
experiment does not. To assess the significance of these results, we introduce
a "bimodality index" based on the probability-transform procedure. This
confirms that the GALLEX measurements are indeed bimodal (at the 99.98 percent
confidence level), and that the GNO measurements are not. Tracking the
bimodality index as a function of time shows that the strongest contribution to
bimodality comes from runs 42 to 62, i.e. from the time interval 1995.1 to
1996.9. The bimodality index for the first half (runs 1 through 33) is 2.56,
whereas that for the second half (runs 33 through 65) is 7.05. Power-spectrum
analysis shows a similar distinction: the peaks in the power spectrum formed
from the second half are stronger than those in the power spectrum formed from
the first half, suggesting that bimodality and rotational modulation are
related.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure
Combined analysis of solar neutrino and solar irradiance data: further evidence for variability of the solar neutrino flux and its implications concerning the solar core
A search for any particular feature in any single solar neutrino dataset is
unlikely to establish variability of the solar neutrino flux since the count
rates are very low. It helps to combine datasets, and in this article we
examine data from both the Homestake and GALLEX experiments. These show
evidence of modulation with a frequency of 11.85 yr-1, which could be
indicative of rotational modulation originating in the solar core. We find that
precisely the same frequency is prominent in power spectrum analyses of the
ACRIM irradiance data for both the Homestake and GALLEX time intervals. These
results suggest that the solar core is inhomogeneous and rotates with sidereal
frequency 12.85 yr-1. We find, by Monte Carlo calculations, that the
probability that the neutrino data would by chance match the irradiance data in
this way is only 2 parts in 10,000. This rotation rate is significantly lower
than that of the inner radiative zone (13.97 yr-1) as recently inferred from
analysis of Super-Kamiokande data, suggesting that there may be a second, inner
tachocline separating the core from the radiative zone. This opens up the
possibility that there may be an inner dynamo that could produce a strong
internal magnetic field and a second solar cycle.Comment: 22 pages, 9 tables, 10 figure
Further Evidence Suggestive of a Solar Influence on Nuclear Decay Rates
Recent analyses of nuclear decay data show evidence of variations suggestive
of a solar influence. Analyses of datasets acquired at the Brookhaven National
Laboratory (BNL) and at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) both
show evidence of an annual periodicity and of periodicities with sidereal
frequencies in the neighborhood of 12.25 year^{-1} (at a significance level
that we have estimated to be 10^{-17}). It is notable that this implied
rotation rate is lower than that attributed to the solar radiative zone,
suggestive of a slowly rotating solar core. This leads us to hypothesize that
there may be an "inner tachocline" separating the core from the radiative zone,
analogous to the "outer tachocline" that separates the radiative zone from the
convection zone. The Rieger periodicity (which has a period of about 154 days,
corresponding to a frequency of 2.37 year^{-1}) may be attributed to an r-mode
oscillation with spherical-harmonic indices l=3, m=1, located in the outer
tachocline. This suggests that we may test the hypothesis of a solar influence
on nuclear decay rates by searching BNL and PTB data for evidence of a
"Rieger-like" r-mode oscillation, with l=3, m=1, in the inner tachocline. The
appropriate search band for such an oscillation is estimated to be 2.00-2.28
year^{-1}. We find, in both datasets, strong evidence of a periodicity at 2.11
year^{-1}. We estimate that the probability of obtaining these results by
chance is 10^{-12}.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, v2 has a color corrected Fig 6, a corrected
reference, and a corrected typ
Power Spectrum Analysis of Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Decay-Rate Data: Evidence for Solar Rotational Modulation
Evidence for an anomalous annual periodicity in certain nuclear decay data
has led to speculation concerning a possible solar influence on nuclear
processes. We have recently analyzed data concerning the decay rates of Cl-36
and Si-32, acquired at the Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), to search for
evidence that might be indicative of a process involving solar rotation.
Smoothing of the power spectrum by weighted-running-mean analysis leads to a
significant peak at frequency 11.18/yr, which is lower than the equatorial
synodic rotation rates of the convection and radiative zones. This article
concerns measurements of the decay rates of Ra-226 acquired at the
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Germany. We find that a similar
(but not identical) analysis yields a significant peak in the PTB dataset at
frequency 11.21/yr, and a peak in the BNL dataset at 11.25/yr. The change in
the BNL result is not significant since the uncertainties in the BNL and PTB
analyses are estimated to be 0.13/yr and 0.07/yr, respectively. Combining the
two running means by forming the joint power statistic leads to a highly
significant peak at frequency 11.23/yr. We comment briefly on the possible
implications of these results for solar physics and for particle physics.Comment: 15 pages, 13 figure
Time-dependent Stochastic Modeling of Solar Active Region Energy
A time-dependent model for the energy of a flaring solar active region is
presented based on a stochastic jump-transition model (Wheatland and Glukhov
1998; Wheatland 2008; Wheatland 2009). The magnetic free energy of the model
active region varies in time due to a prescribed (deterministic) rate of energy
input and prescribed (random) flare jumps downwards in energy. The model has
been shown to reproduce observed flare statistics, for specific
time-independent choices for the energy input and flare transition rates.
However, many solar active regions exhibit time variation in flare
productivity, as exemplified by NOAA active region AR 11029 (Wheatland 2010).
In this case a time-dependent model is needed. Time variation is incorporated
for two cases: 1. a step change in the rates of flare jumps; and 2. a step
change in the rate of energy supply to the system. Analytic arguments are
presented describing the qualitative behavior of the system in the two cases.
In each case the system adjusts by shifting to a new stationary state over a
relaxation time which is estimated analytically. The new model retains
flare-like event statistics. In each case the frequency-energy distribution is
a power law for flare energies less than a time-dependent rollover set by the
largest energy the system is likely to attain at a given time. For Case 1, the
model exhibits a double exponential waiting-time distribution, corresponding to
flaring at a constant mean rate during two intervals (before and after the step
change), if the average energy of the system is large. For Case 2 the
waiting-time distribution is a simple exponential, again provided the average
energy of the system is large. Monte Carlo simulations of Case~1 are presented
which confirm the analytic estimates. The simulation results provide a
qualitative model for observed flare statistics in active region AR 11029.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figure
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