Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Engvold, O..
Strong downflows and moderate upflows in the transition region over a sunspot have been observed with the Spacelab 2 HRTS in 1985. The flows are found to be persistent, and it is suggested that they are common. Data show that the downflows are supersonic and that there is more than one characteristic flow speed in the downflows. Evidence is provided for constant downflows in the 30,000-230,000-K temperature range.
Observations of the RS CVn binary Sigma Gem were obtained in 1984 with the IUE and Exosat satellites. The longitudes of two starspot regions relative to the cental meridian are derived from the photometric data using an improved value of the orbital period. The observations support the theory that large active regions associated with starspots are responsible for the enhanced line emission commonly seen in RS CVn systems.
UV spectra of the dwarf flare star binary AT Mic were obtained with the IUE spacecraft over the course of three days in September 1985. A high-resolution short-wavelength spectrum was exposed for 25 h. Line wavelengths, widths, and fluxes were derived from the observed high-resolution spectra, and the effects of the binary structure of AT Mic on the spectral lines were evaluated. The data show that the UV emission-line spectrum is similar in nature to that of flare regions on the sun and other stars. The width of the Mg II k-line shows a good fit with the Wilson-Bappu relation, which thus seems to extend over a very large range of absolute magnitudes.
Localized brightenings are found throughout the magnetic network in quiet sun image sequences obtained in the C IV 1548 A line by the SMM satellite's UV spectrometer and polarimeter. Some bright sites are short-lived, while others persist. Plots of the intensity fluctuations show that the enhancements at both short- and long-lived sites are the result of localized impulsive heating events that occur intermittently at the short-lived sites and in more rapid succession at the long-lived ones. The number of these events and their visibility in the wings of the C IV line are consistent with their identification as the explosive events seen in UV spectra.
The solar transition region in the neighborhood of prominences has been studied from observations with the Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter of NASA's Solar Maximum Mission satellite. Dopplergrams from observations of the transition-region lines C IV 1548 A and Si IV 1393 A, which are formed at about 100,000 K, give velocity amplitudes typically in the range + or - 15 km/s. Prominences are found to be located very close to dividing lines between areas of up- and down-drafts in the transition-region. The observed pattern suggests that the 100,000 K gas flows take place within arcades of magnetic loops, which most likely are part of the supporting magnetic structure for the prominence matter. An additional band of blue-ward Doppler shifts is frequently seen close to quiescent prominences. This may be the source of outward flowing matter along the helmet streamers above filament channels.
High-dispersion IUE spectra of six late-type stars exhibit small but statistically significant differential redshifts of high-temperature emission lines, like Si IV and C IV, with respect to low-temperature lines like S I and O I. A well-exposed, small-aperture spectrum of the active chromosphere binary Capella (Alpha Aurigae A: G6 II+F9 III) establishes that the high-temperature lines are redshifted in an absolute sense with respect to the accurately determined photospheric velocity of the system at single-line phase 0.50. Several possible explanations for the stellar redshifts are discused, including a warm wind (100,000 K) in which aparent redshifts are produced in optically thick lines by an accelerating outfow, and the downflowing component of a vertical circulation system for which the up-leg portion of the flow is too cool, too hot, or too tenuous to be visible in Si IV and C IV. If the second scenario is true, the stellar redshifts may provide an important phenomenological link to the downflows observed in 100,000 K species over magnetic active regions in the sun.
Recent far ultraviolet high dispersion spectra of two cool supergiant stars, Beta Dra (G2 Ib) and Alpha Ori (M2 Iab) are examined in the context of current questions regarding stellar chromospheres, coronae and mass loss. These stars show very different outer atmosphere structure. Beta Dra has a geometrically thin transition region with bright emission lines of 100,000 K plasma that are red-shifted, indicating downflow in magnetic flux tubes. By contrast, Alpha Ori has a cool extended chromosphere and circumstellar envelope with large mass loss.