144 research outputs found
Solar type II radio bursts associated with CME expansions as shown by EUV waves
We investigate the physical conditions of the sources of two metric Type-II
bursts associated with CME expansions with the aim of verifying the
relationship between the shocks and the CMEs, comparing the heights of the
radio sources and the heights of the EUV waves associated with the CMEs. The
heights of the EUV waves associated with the events were determined in relation
to the wave fronts. The heights of the shocks were estimated by applying two
different density models to the frequencies of the Type-II emissions and
compared with the heights of the EUV waves. For the 13 June 2010 event, with
band-splitting, the shock speed was estimated from the frequency drifts of the
upper and lower branches of the harmonic lane, taking into account the H/F
frequency ratio fH/fF = 2. Exponential fits on the intensity maxima of the
branches revealed to be more consistent with the morphology of the spectrum of
this event. For the 6 June 2012 event, with no band-splitting and with a clear
fundamental lane on the spectrum, the shock speed was estimated directly from
the frequency drift of the fundamental emission, determined by linear fit on
the intensity maxima of the lane. For each event, the most appropriate density
model was adopted to estimate the physical parameters of the radio source. The
13 June 2010 event presented a shock speed of 664-719 km/s, consistent with the
average speed of the EUV wave fronts of 609 km/s. The 6 June 2012 event was
related to a shock of speed of 211-461 km/s, also consistent with the average
speed of the EUV wave fronts of 418 km/s. For both events, the heights of the
EUV wave revealed to be compatible with the heights of the radio source,
assuming a radial propagation of the shock.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic
The Solar Radius in the EUV during the Cycle XXIII
Aims. To determine the solar transition region and coronal radius at EUV
wavelengths and its time evolution during Solar Cycle XXIII.
Methods. We use daily 30.4 and 17.1 nm images obtained by the Extreme
Ultraviolet Imager (EIT) aboard the SoHO satellite and derive the solar radius
by fitting a circle to the limb brightness ring.
Results. The weighted mean of the temporal series gives (967''.56 +/- 0''.04)
and (969''.54 +/- 0''.02) at 30.4 and 17.1 nm respectively. No significant
correlation was found with the solar cycle at any of the two wavelengths.
Conclusions. Since the temperature formation of the 30.4 nm line is between
(60 - 80) 10^3 K (Transition Region), the obtained result is bigger than that
derived from present atmospheric models. On the contrary this height is
compatible with radio models.Comment: accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics minor changes
introduced during review proces
Comparison of solar radio and EUV synoptic limb charts during the present solar maximum
The present solar cycle is particular in many aspects: it had a delayed
rising phase, it is the weakest of the last 100 years, and it presents two
peaks separated by more than one year. To understand the impact of these
characteristics on the solar chromosphere and coronal dynamics, images from a
wide wavelength range are needed. In this work we use the 17~GHz radio
continuum, formed in the upper chromosphere and the EUV lines 304 and
171~{\AA}, that come from the transition region (He II) and the corona (Fe IX,
X), respectively. We analyze daily images at 304 and 171~{\AA} obtained by the
Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA). The 17~GHz maps were obtained by the
Nobeyama Radioheliograph (NoRH). To construct synoptic limb charts, we
calculated the mean emission of delimited limb areas with 100" wide and angular
separation of . At the equatorial region, the results show an
hemispheric asymmetry of the solar activity. The northern hemisphere dominance
is coincident with the first sunspot number peak, whereas the second peak
occurs concurrently with the increase in the activity at the south. The polar
emission reflects the presence of coronal holes at both EUV wavelengths,
moreover, the 17~GHz polar brightenings can be associated with the coronal
holes. Until 2013, both EUV coronal holes and radio polar brightenings were
more predominant at the south pole. Since then they have not been apparent in
the north, but thus appear in the beginning of 2015 in the south as observed in
the synoptic charts. This work strengthens the association between coronal
holes and the 17~GHz polar brightenings as it is evident in the synoptic limb
charts, in agreement with previous case study papers. The enhancement of the
radio brightness in coronal holes is explained by the presence of bright
patches closely associated with the presence of intense unipolar magnetic
fields.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. Acccepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Allen Telescope Array Multi-Frequency Observations of the Sun
We present the first observations of the Sun with the Allen Telescope Array
(ATA). We used up to six frequencies, from 1.43 to 6 GHz, and baselines from 6
to 300 m. To our knowledge, these are the first simultaneous multifrequency
full-Sun maps obtained at microwave frequencies without mosaicing. The
observations took place when the Sun was relatively quiet, although at least
one active region was present each time. We present multi-frequency flux
budgets for each sources on the Sun. Outside of active regions, assuming
optically thin bremsstrahlung (free--free) coronal emission on top of an
optically thick ~10 000 K chromosphere, the multi-frequency information can be
condensed into a single, frequency-independent, "coronal bremsstrahlung
contribution function" [EM/sqrt(T)] map. This technique allows the separation
of the physics of emission as well as a measurement of the density structure of
the corona. Deviations from this simple relationship usually indicate the
presence of an additional gyroresonance-emission component, as is typical in
active regions.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in Solar Physic
Association of radio polar cap brightening with bright patches and coronal holes
Radio-bright regions near the solar poles are frequently observed in Nobeyama
Radioheliograph (NoRH) maps at 17 GHz, and often in association with coronal
holes. However, the origin of these polar brightening has not been established
yet. We propose that small magnetic loops are the source of these bright
patches, and present modeling results that reproduce the main observational
characteristics of the polar brightening within coronal holes at 17 GHz. The
simulations were carried out by calculating the radio emission of the small
loops, with several temperature and density profiles, within a 2D coronal hole
atmospheric model. If located at high latitudes, the size of the simulated
bright patches are much smaller than the beam size and they present the
instrument beam size when observed. The larger bright patches can be generated
by a great number of small magnetic loops unresolved by the NoRH beam. Loop
models that reproduce bright patches contain denser and hotter plasma near the
upper chromosphere and lower corona. On the other hand, loops with increased
plasma density and temperature only in the corona do not contribute to the
emission at 17 GHz. This could explain the absence of a one-to-one association
between the 17 GHz bright patches and those observed in extreme ultraviolet.
Moreover, the emission arising from small magnetic loops located close to the
limb may merge with the usual limb brightening profile, increasing its
brightness temperature and width.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in The
Astrophysical Journa
Estimating the Coronal Supra-Arcade Downflow Radio Emission: From Centimeter Through Submillimeter Wavelengths
Supra-arcade downflows (SADs) are infrequent, wiggly, and low-emission structures observed to descend through the solar corona, mostly in EUV and soft X-ray frequencies. Based on their physical characteristics, SADs have been interpreted as low-density bubbles and are related to magnetic reconnection processes during long-term erupting flares. In this work, we use numerical MHD simulations to compute flux density maps, which are convolved with telescope beams to synthesize images with the aim to assess the expected SAD emission in radio wavelengths. We assume that the emission is thermal bremsstrahlung from a fully ionized plasma and without any appreciable gyroresonance contribution since magnetic fields are of the order of 10 G. We find that SAD emission should be optically thin in the frequency range of [10–1,000] GHz, and the spatially integrated flux should be larger than 1 Jy. We conclude, therefore, that SADs consistently are less bright than the surrounding fan and that observing SADs in radio frequencies between [0.5–1,000] GHz is feasible with present instrumentation. The observing strategies are proposed, including the instruments that can be used. Moreover, since the emission is, for the most part, optically thin, the flux density is proportional to temperature, density, and line-of-sight depth and when combined with EUV and soft X-ray images may allow a better density and temperature determination of SADs.Fil: Zurbriggen, Ernesto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; Argentina. Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie; BrasilFil: Giménez de Castro, C. Guillermo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; ArgentinaFil: Costa, Andrea. Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Cécere, Mariana Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba. Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Selhorst, Caius L.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin
ALMA small-scale features in the quiet Sun and active regions
Aims. The main aim of the present analysis is to decipher (i) the small-scale
bright features in solar images of the quiet Sun and active regions obtained
with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and (ii) the ALMA
correspondence of various known chromospheric structures visible in the H-alpha
images of the Sun. Methods. Small-scale ALMA bright features in the quiet Sun
region were analyzed using single-dish ALMA observations (1.21 mm, 248 GHz) and
in an active region using interferometric ALMA measurements (3 mm, 100 GHz).
With the single-dish observations, a full-disk solar image is produced, while
interferometric measurements enable the high-resolution reconstruction of part
of the solar disk, including the active region. The selected quiet Sun and
active regions are compared with the H-alpha (core and wing sum), EUV, and soft
X-ray images and with the magnetograms. Results. In the quiet Sun region,
enhanced emission seen in the ALMA is almost always associated with a strong
line-of-sight (LOS) magnetic field. Four coronal bright points were identified,
while other small-scale ALMA bright features are most likely associated with
magnetic network elements and plages. In the active region, in 14 small-scale
ALMA bright features randomly selected and compared with other images, we found
five good candidates for coronal bright points, two for plages, and five for
fibrils. Two unclear cases remain: a fibril or a jet, and a coronal bright
point or a plage. A comparison of the H-alpha core image and the 3 mm ALMA
image of the analyzed active region showed that the sunspot appears dark in
both images (with a local ALMA radiation enhancement in sunspot umbra), the
four plage areas are bright in both images and dark small H-alpha filaments are
clearly recognized as dark structures of the same shape also in ALMA.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Astronomy and Astrophysic
The Submillimeter Active Region Excess Brightness Temperature during Solar Cycles 23 and 24
We report the temporal evolution of the excess brightness temperature above
solar active regions (ARs) observed with the Solar Submillimeter Telescope
(SST) at 212 ({\lambda} = 1.4 mm) and 405 GHz ({\lambda} = 0.7 mm) during
Cycles 23 and 24. Comparison with the sunspot number (SSN) yields a Pearson's
correlation coefficient R = 0.88 and 0.74 for 212 and 405 GHz, respectively.
Moreover, when only Cycle 24 is taken into account the correlation coefficients
go to 0.93 and 0.81 for each frequency. We derive the spectral index {\alpha}
between SST frequencies and found a slight anti-correlation with the SSN (R =
-0.25); however, since the amplitude of the variation is lower than the
standard deviation we cannot draw a definite conclusion. Indeed, {\alpha}
remains almost constant within the uncertainties with a median value
approximate to 0 characteristic of an optically thick thermal source. Since the
origin of the AR submillimeter radiation is thermal continuum produced at
chromospheric heights, the strong correlation between the excess brightness
temperature and the magnetic cycle evolution could be related to the available
free magnetic energy to be released in reconnection events.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa
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