Large-scale traveling planetary waves in the stratosphere and their response to solar activity
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Schwister, B.↗
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A study of the relationship between solar activity and terrestrial ozone fluctuations
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Brown, C. M.↗
SAROS: Solar Active Region Observations from Spacelab
A definition study of the SAROS investigation was conducted. An instrument design and mode of operation was established which was consistent with the capabilities of the Space Transportation System. Upon completion of the definition phase study the program was placed on hold for approximately five years before being terminated. Consequently, the promise which this investigation held for understanding the heating processes in coronal loops remains unfulfilled.
Krieger, A. S.↗
An investigation of the energy balance of solar active regions using the ACRIM irradiance data
The correlation between the irradiance (as measured by the Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor and the Earth Radiation Budget) as corrected for sunspot flux deficit (which is responsible for most of the variance of the uncorrected signal) and both the 205 nm flux (as measured by Nimbus 7) and a photometric facular index is discussed. The computer program which simulates two-dimensional convection in a compressible, stratified medium is described. Equipment which was acquired to perform high precision, white-light observations of sunspot areas, and procedures were tested. Analysis of observations of large scale convective heat inhomogeneities which were obtained in May 1985 was begun.
Petro, L. D.↗
Three dimensional structures of solar active regions
Three dimensional structure of an active region is determined from observations with the Very Large Array (VLA) at 2, 6, and 20 cm. This region exhibits a single magnetic loop of length approx. 10 to the 10th power cm. The 2 cm radiation is mostly thermal bremsstrahlung and originates from the footpoints of the loop. The 6 and 20 cm radiation is dominated by the low harmonic gyroresonance radiation and originates from the upper portion of the legs or the top of the loop. The loop broadens toward the apex. The top of the loop is not found to be the hottest point, but two temperature maxima on either side of the loop apex are observed, which is consistent with the model proposed for long loops. From 2 and 6 cm observations it can be concluded that the electron density and temperature cannot be uniform in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the loop; the density should decrease away from the axis of the loop.
Kundu, M. R.↗
Solar activity and heliosphere-wide cosmic ray modulation in mid-1982
A plausible candidate flare is identified for each of the four major Forbush-like decrease events that were observed in the outer heliosphere in mid-1982. The associations are as follows: (1) FD 1 at P10 - backside flare at W152 deg on June 3; (2) FD 1 at P11 - 2B flare at E25 deg on June 6; (3) FD2 at P11 - 3B flare at E36 deg on July 12; and (4) FD 2 at P10 - 1N limb flare at W100 deg on July 22. In each case, the identified flare was 35 deg or less in ecliptic longitude from the affected satellite. There is no compelling evidence from near-sun spacecraft observations that the shocks from any of the four identified flares encompassed both P10 and P11. A significant fraction of the major near-sun interplanetary disturbances during June and July of 1982 arose in the relatively narrow range of Carrington longitude from 275-320 deg.
Cliver, E. W.↗
Solar active region physical parameters inferred from a thermal cyclotron line and soft X-ray spectral lines
Simultaneous high-resolution observations of coronal loops were made at the 20-cm wavelength with the VLA and at soft X-ray wavelengths with the SMM FCS. The images obtained at both wavelengths have nearly identical sizes and ellipsoidal shapes, with the emission stretching between and across regions of opposite magnetic polarity in the underlying photosphere. The results indicate that the radiation at 20 cm and soft X-ray wavelengths originates from the same region, and that 20 cm maps can image X-ray coronal loops. The X-ray spectral lines were used to obtain values of electron temperature, T(e), of about 2.6 x 10 to the 6th K and electron density, N(e), of about 3.1 x 10 to the 9th/cu cm. These parameters were used to show that the layers emitting 20-cm radiation can be optically thick to either thermal bremsstrahlung or thermal gyroresonance radiation, depending upon unknown but plausible values of loop thickness, magnetic scale height, and magnetic field strength.
Lang, Kenneth R.↗
On the proposed associations of solar neutrino flux with solar particles, cosmic rays, and the solar activity cycle
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Wilson, Robert M.↗
The vertical ozone distribution during maximum and minimum solar activity
To study the latitude variation of ozone vertical distribution the complex experiment was carried out in February to July 1985 between 40 deg N to 70 deg S at the Pacific and the Indian Oceans. The great bulk of their data network were taken by the optical rocket ozonometers at the Southern Hemisphere. The results were compared with reference models containing the most extensive set of ozone observations from VS satellites between 1978 and 1982. To analyze latitude-season ozone variability at fixed altitude levels the experimental ozone concentration data were confirmed with model equatorial data. To compare the experimental data with reference model data, analogous model values were calculated. The results of calculation indicated a good agreement between experimental and reference model data of relative latitude-season variations of ozone concentration. Maximum variability is observed at 50 km in the equator and not exceeded 15 percent in the other regions at all altitude levels.
Kokin, G. A.↗
The 154-day and related periodicities of solar activity as subharmonics of a fundamental period
It is shown here that periodicities of 51, 78, 104, and 129 days in addition to the 154-day period found in 1984, can often be detected in flare and sunspot records. These periods are close to integral multiples of 25.8 days, suggesting that they are subharmonics of a fundamental period.
Bai, T.↗
VLA observations of solar active regions at 6 and 20 cm
High-resolution observations are presented of two active regions at 6 and 20 cm over a period of 5 days, together with H-alpha and photospheric magnetic fields. The large-scale emission at 20 cm is associated with the H-alpha plage. In one region the strongest source was over the neutral line, near the tip of an active-region filament, which indicates that the emission probably originated in small-scale coronal loops. In the second region the peak of the emission was near a well-developed sunspot. Neither region showed evidence of large-scale loops joining their preceding and following parts. Several other sources were observed at 20 cm; a source associated with an H-alpha plage region crossed by a filament and one associated with a small bipolar region are briefly discussed. The 6-cm emission from a well-developed spot showed clearly the characteristics expected from gyroresonance model computations.
Alissandrakis, C. E.↗
Observation of non-drifting radio emissions associated with the intense solar activity in March 1991
Three very unusual radio bursts, separated in time by 4 hours and 35 minute-intervals were observed on March 28, 1991 by the radio and plasma wave (URAP) experiment on the Ulysses spacecraft. Although they are preceded by drifting type III bursts at high frequencies, they show no frequency drift at frequencies from 52 kHz down to 16 kHz. In addition, they have extraordinary sawtooth-like profiles; they have a very rapid exponential rise of about 20 minutes independent of frequency and a much longer nonexponential decay which increases with decreasing frequency. The bursts are interpreted as due to synchrotron emission, which seems to fit many of their characteristics. This radio emission appears to be associated with an expanding source region. However, the observed intensity may be somewhat higher than expected and the possible role of the precursor type III radio bursts in triggering the low frequency non-drifting remains unanswered.
Reiner, M. J.↗
Coronal Magnetic Structures Observing Campaign. II - Magnetic and plasma properties of a solar active region
Simultaneous soft X-ray, microwave, and photospheric magnetic field observations were taken during the Coronal Magnetic Structures Observing Campaign. The plasma electron temperatures and emission measures determined from the X-ray data are used to predict the intensity and structure of the thermal bremsstrahlung emission at 20 and 6 cm. Comparing these predictions with the microwave observations, it is found that the 20 cm structure is very similar to that expected from the X-rays, but a substantial amount of the 6 cm emission was resolved out. The predicted 20 cm brightness temperatures are higher than the observed, requiring cool absorbing material (not greater than 500,000 K) between the hot X-ray plasma and the observer. The absorption mechanism in the cool plasma at 20 cm is most likely thermal bremsstrahlung, requiring coronal magnetic fields as high as 150 G. 'Coronal Magnetograms', made by extrapolating the photospheric longitudinal field using the Sakurai code, show that appropriate values of the total field are reached at heights of 6000-10,000 km above the photosphere (at many but not all locations).
Schmelz, J. T.↗
Normal incidence X-ray telescope power spectra of X-ray emission from solar active regions. I - Observations. II - Theory
Fourier analysis is applied to very high resolution image of coronal active regions obtained by the Normal Incidence X-Ray Telescope is used to find a broad isotropic power-law spectrum of the spatial distribution of soft X-ray intensities. Magnetic structures of all sizes are present down to the resolution limit of the instrument. Power spectra for the X-ray intensities of a sample of topologically different active regions are found which fall off with increasing wavenumber as 1/k-cubed. A model is presented that relates the basic features of coronal magnetic fluctuations to the subphotospheric hydrodynamic turbulence that generates them. The model is used to find a theoretical power spectrum for the X-ray intensity which falls off with increasing wavenumber as 1/k-cubed. The implications of a turbulent regime in active regions are discussed.
Gomez, Daniel O.↗
Transient microwave brightenings in solar active regions: Comparison between VLA and Yohkoh observations
We report observations of transient microwave (2 cm) brightenings and their relationship with brightenings in soft X-rays. The peak flux of the microwave brightenings observed by the Very Large Array (VLA) is smaller than the previously reported fluxes by two orders of magnitude. The microwave sources were highly polarized (up to 100%) and were situated on the periphery of a sunspot umbra. Among the many transients observed in X-rays by Yohkoh, two were observed simultaneously in microwaves. The microwave sources were found to be closer to the umbra of the sunspot than were the X-ray loops. It seems that the microwave sources are located at the footpoints of the looplike X-ray transients. Using the combined VLA, Yohkoh, and Mees data set, we determine the physical parameters of the loop in which the brightenings occur. We find that an increase in emission measure accompanied by small-scale heating can account for the X-ray brightening. The microwave emission can be interpreted as thermal gyroresonance or nonthermal gyrosynchrotron processes during the X-ray brightening. The magnetic field in the microwave-source region is found to be 1200-1800 G. The observations also provide evidence for temperature gradient in the coronal loops.
Gopalswamy, N.↗
Neutral-Line Magnetic Shear and Enhanced Coronal Heating in Solar Active Regions
By examining the magnetic structure at sites in the bright coronal interiors of active regions that are not flaring but exhibit persistent strong coronal heating, we establish some new characteristics of the magnetic origins of this heating. We have examined the magnetic structure of these sites in five active regions, each of which was well observed by both the Yohkoh SXT and the Marshall Space Flight Center Vector Magnetograph and showed strong shear in its magnetic field along part of at least one neutral line (polarity inversion). Thus, we can assess whether this form of nonpotential field structure in active regions is a characteristic of the enhanced coronal heating and vice versa. From 27 orbits' worth of Yohkoh SXT images of the five active regions, we have obtained a sample of 94 persistently bright coronal features (bright in all images from a given orbit), 40 long (greater than or approximately equals 20,000 km) neutral-line segments having strong magnetic shear throughout (shear angle greater than 45 deg), and 39 long neutral-line segments having weak magnetic shear throughout (shear angle less than 45 deg). From this sample, we find that: (1) all of our persistently bright coronal features are rooted in magnetic fields that are stronger than 150 G; (2) nearly all (95%) of these enhanced coronal features are rooted near neutral lines (closer than 10,000 km); (3) a great majority (80%) of the bright features are rooted near strong-shear portions of neutral lines; (4) a great majority (85%) of long strong-shear segments of neutral lines have persistently bright coronal features rooted near them; (5) a large minority (40%) of long weak-shear segments of neutral lines have persistently bright coronal features rooted near them; and (6) the brightness of a persistently bright Coronal feature often changes greatly over a few hours. From these results, we conclude that most persistent enhanced heating of coronal loops in active regions: (1) requires the presence of a polarity inversion in the magnetic field near at least one of the loop footpoints; (2) is greatly aided by the presence of strong shear in the core magnetic field along that neutral line; and (3) is controlled by some variable process that acts in this magnetic environment. We infer that this variable process is low-lying reconnection accompanying flux cancellation.
Falconer, D. A.↗
An Assessment of Magnetic Conditions for Strong Coronal Heating in Solar Active Regions by Comparing Observed Loops with Computed Potential Field Lines
We report further results on the magnetic origins of coronal heating found from combining coronal images with photospheric magnetograms. Here, for two complementary active regions, we compare the measured photospheric magnetic roots, extrapolated potential fields, and the distribution of bright coronal loops, to examine the global nonpotentiality of bright extended coronal loops and the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field at their feet and to assess the role of these magnetic conditions in the strong coronal heating in these loops.
Falconer, D. A.↗
An Assessment of Magnetic Conditions for Strong Coronal Heating in Solar Active Regions by Comparing Observed Loops with Computed Potential Field Lines
We report further results on the magnetic origins of coronal heating found from registering coronal images with photospheric vector magnetograms. For two complementary active regions, we use computed potential field lines to examine the global non-potentiality of bright extended coronal loops and the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic field at their feet, and assess the role of these magnetic conditions in the strong coronal heating in these loops. The two active regions are complementary, in that one is globally potential and the other is globally nonpotential, while each is predominantly bipolar, and each has an island of included polarity in its trailing polarity domain. We find the following: (1) The brightest main-arch loops of the globally potential active region are brighter than the brightest main- arch loops of the globally strongly nonpotential active region. (2) In each active region, only a few of the mainarch magnetic loops are strongly heated, and these are all rooted near the island. (3) The end of each main-arch bright loop apparently bifurcates above the island, so that it embraces the island and the magnetic null above the island. (4) At any one time, there are other main-arch magnetic loops that embrace the island in the same manner as do the bright loops but that are not selected for strong coronal heating. (5) There is continual microflaring in sheared core fields around the island, but the main-arch bright loops show little response to these microflares. From these observational and modeling results we draw the following conclusions: (1) The heating of the main-arch bright loops arises mainly from conditions at the island end of these loops and not from their global non-potentiality. (2) There is, at most, only a loose coupling between the coronal heating in the bright loops of the main arch and the coronal heating in the sheared core fields at their feet, although in both the heating is driven by conditions/events in and around the island. (3) The main-arch bright loops are likely to be heated via reconnection driven at the magnetic null over the island. The details of how and where (along the null line) the reconnection is driven determine which of the split-end loops are selected for strong heating. (4) The null does not appear to be directly involved in the heating of the sheared core fields or in the heating of an extended loop rooted in the island. Rather, these all appear to be heated by microflares in the sheared core field.
Gary, G. A.↗