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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

An estimate of solar wind velocity profiles in an coronal hole and a coronal streamer area (6-40 solar radius)

Using the total electron content data obtained by the Ulysses Solar Corona Experiment during the superior solar conjunction in summer 1991, we selected two data sets, one associated with a coronal hole and the other one with coronal streamer crossings. By doing this data splitting, we find two entirely different density profiles varying as r(exp -2.7) and r(exp -2.3) for the coronal hole and coronal streamers, respectively. Assuming mass flux conservation from the inner corona to one AU, an estimate for the velocity profiles or acceleration in these two different regions can be determined. The more negative exponent of the coronal hole density profile indicates a more extended heating and acceleration region or more flaring, or both. Various possible explanations will be discussed.

Paetzold, M.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Characteristics of the interplanetary shocks formed by a sudden increase in the velocity of the solar wind from a coronal hole

Coronal holes are the sources of the solar wind and, according to recent YOKOH observations, may undergo rapid changes which are associated with manifestations of explosive solar activity. Rapid changes in a hole's structure will produce rapid changes in the characteristics of the wind emerging from it and, in the particular c se of a sudden increase in wind velocity, this may lead to the formation of an interplanetary shock. We discuss the characteristics of shocks formed in such a way and compare them with interplanetary observations.

Bravo, S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Exploring the fine structure at the limb in coronal holes

The fine structure of the solar limb in coronal holes is explored at temperatures ranging from 10(exp 4) to 10(exp 6) K. An image enhancement algorithm orignally developed for solar eclipse observations is applied to a number of simultaneous multiwavelength observations made with the Harvard Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer experiment on Skylab. The enhanced images reveal the presence of filamentary structures above the limb with a characteristic separation of approximately 10 to 15 sec . Some of the structures extend from the solar limb into the corona to at least 4 min above the solar limb. The brightness of these structures changes as a function of height above the limb. The brightest emission is associated with spiculelike structures in the proximity of the limb. The emission characteristic of high-temperature plasma is not cospatial with the emission at lower temperatures, indicating the presence of different temperature plasmas in the field of view.

Karovska, Magarita↗
NASA NTRS1991

The phase mixing of Alfven waves, coordinated modes, and coronal heating

Phase mixing has been a popular theoretical mechanism invoked to dissipate the photospheric plane shear Alfven waves hypothesized to penetrate up into the coronal hole and solar wind, thereby maintaining the expanding coronal gas at 1.5 million K and serving as the principal energy source for the solar wind. However, phase mixing requires an ignorable coordinate, which is not available in the presumably filamentary coronal hole. The filamentary density and temperature of the coronal hole couple the waves into a coordinated mode with a unique phase velocity omega/k, which provides the other popular theoretical mechanism, viz, resonant absorption where the local Alfven speed C is equal to omega/k. This provides coronal heating at radial distances O(10 solar radii), where it serves to accelerate the solar wind to high velocity. But it does not provide the principal heat input in the first 1-2 solar radii, required by Withbroe's (1988) analysis of the observed structure of the coronal hole.

Parker, E. N.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Elemental and charge state composition of the fast solar wind observed with SMS instruments on WIND

The elemental composition and charge state distributions of heavy ions of the solar wind provide essential information about: (1) atom-ion separation processes in the solar atmosphere leading to the 'FIP effect' (the overabundance of low First Ionization potential (FIP) elements in the solar wind compared to the photosphere); and (2) coronal temperature profiles, as well as mechanisms which heat the corona and accelerate the solar wind. This information is required for solar wind acceleration models. The SWICS instrument on Ulysses measures for all solar wind flow conditions the relative abundance of about 8 elements and 20 charge states of the solar wind. Furthermore, the Ulysses high-latitude orbit provides an unprecedented look at the solar wind from the polar coronal holes near solar minimum conditions. The MASS instrument on the WIND spacecraft is a high-mass resolution solar wind ion mass spectrometer that will provide routinely not only the abundances and charge state of all elements easily measured with SWICS, but also of N, Mg, S. The MASS sensor was fully operational at the end of 1994 and has sampled the in-ecliptic solar wind composition in both the slow and the corotating fast streams. This unique combination of SWICS on Ulysses and MASS on WIND allows us to view for the first time the solar wind from two regions of the large coronal hole. Observations with SWICS in the coronal hole wind: (1) indicate that the FIP effect is small; and (2) allow us determine the altitude of the maximum in the electron temperature profile, and indicate a maximum temperature of approximately 1.5 MK. New results from the SMS instruments on Wind will be compared with results from SWICS on Ulysses.

Gloeckler, G.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Acceleration of solar wind in polar coronal holes by induction heating

The universal induction heating mechanism supplying with the energy all the processes of coronal heating and the solar wind acceleration is developed. The observed relative 'trembling' of photospheric super-large scale magnetic fields with quasi-periods of 1-4 days amounts 30-40 percent in amplitude. The inductive electric field appears in the corona. The electric currents cause the Joule dissipation. The uneven heating leads to the solar wind acceleration. A model is suggested in which high-speed streams in space are caused by the combination of the enhanced inductive energy flux from the solar coronal active regions; the work against the regular magnetic field; losses from coronal emission. The consideration is made in terms of the dissipative solar wind theory with the finite electrical conductivity of plasma. The leakage of plasma and the energy flux across the magnetic field, caused by the induction heating processes, are taken into account. The polar coronal holes (and the mid-latitude ones) are indicators of energy transfer balance but not direct sources of high-speed streams in the solar wind.

Chertkov, A. D.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Extreme ultraviolet observations of coronal holes. II - Association of holes with solar magnetic fields and a model for their formation during the solar cycle

Skylab and ground-based observations in the extreme UV range of the spectrum are used to analyze characteristics of coronal holes, and to correlate their development with variations in the solar cycle. The mergence of bipolar magnetic regions (BMR) during the declining phase of the cycle is held reponsible for the formation of large equatorial holes (M-regions, which cause recurring geomagnetic storms). The BMR mergence model can also be applied to polar cap holes.

Bohlin, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS2022

Solar Polar Flux Redistribution Based on Observed Coronal Holes

We explore the use of observed polar coronal holes (CHs) to constrain the flux distribution within the polar regions of global solar magnetic field maps in the absence of reliable quality polar field observations. Global magnetic maps, generated by the Air Force Data Assimilative Photospheric flux Transport (ADAPT) model, are modified to enforce field unipolarity thresholds both within and outside observed CH boundaries. The polar modified and unmodified maps are used to drive Wang–Sheeley–Arge (WSA) models of the corona and solar wind (SW). The WSA-predicted CHs are compared with the observations, and SW predictions at the WIND and Ulysses spacecraft are also used to provide context for the new polar modified maps. We find that modifications of the polar flux never worsen and typically improve both the CH and SW predictions. We also confirm the importance of the choice of the domain over which WSA generates the coronal magnetic field solution but find that solutions optimized for one location in the heliosphere can worsen predictions at other locations. Finally, we investigate the importance of low-latitude (i.e., active region) magnetic fields in setting the boundary of polar CHs, determining that they have at least as much impact as the polar fields themselves.

Solar coronal holes↗
NASA NTRS1977

Physical properties of a polar coronal hole from 2 to 5 solar radii

Observations with a white-light coronagraph aboard Skylab are used to determine the boundaries of a coronal hole in the northern polar region and the three-dimensional density structure within the hole between heights of 2 and 5 solar radii. The boundary of the hole is found to be essentially axisymmetric about the polar axis, nearly radial from 3 to 6 solar radii, and located near 25 deg latitude at these heights. The radiances arising from the hole are interpreted as resulting from an axisymmetric density distribution whose logarithmic radial gradient is independent of position within the hole and whose magnitude increases with angular distance away from the hole's axis. The velocity distribution within the hole is obtained from the continuity equation by assuming that the particle flux flowing outward in the hole is similar to that measured for high-speed solar-wind streams at 1 AU, and it is shown that the transition from subsonic to supersonic flow occurs between 2.2 and 3 solar radii.

Munro, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Electron heating by fast mode magnetohydrodynamic waves in the solar wind emanating from coronal holes

It is shown that fast mode magnetohydrodynamic waves, propagating outwards from the sun in coronal hole regions, will dissipate primarily through collisionless interaction with electrons rather than with protons. This dissipation can lead to higher electron than proton temperatures in the accelerating region of the solar wind, provided the waves carry a sufficiently large energy flux.

Habbal, S. R.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Polar Chromospheric Signatures of the Subdued Cycle 23/24 Solar Minimum

Coronal holes appear brighter than the quiet Sun in microwave images, with a brightness enhancement of 500 to 2000 K. The brightness enhancement corresponds to the upper chromosphere, where the plasma temperature is about 10000 K. We constructed a microwave butterfly diagram using the synoptic images obtained by the Nobeyama radioheliograph (NoRH) showing the evolution of the polar and low latitude brightness temperature. While the polar brightness reveals the chromospheric conditions, the low latitude brightness is attributed to active regions in the corona. When we compared the microwave butterfly diagram with the magnetic butterfly diagram, we found a good correlation between the microwave brightness enhancement and the polar field strength. The microwave butterfly diagram covers part of solar cycle 22, whole of cycle 23, and part of cycle 24, thus enabling comparison between the cycle 23/24 and cycle 22/23 minima. The microwave brightness during the cycle 23/24 minimum was found to be lower than that during the cycle 22/23 minimum by approximately 250 K. The reduced brightness temperature is consistent with the reduced polar field strength during the cycle 23/24 minimum seen in the magnetic butterfly diagram. We suggest that the microwave brightness at the solar poles is a good indicator of the speed of the solar wind sampled by Ulysses at high latitudes.

Gopalswamy, N.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Differential rotation of photospheric magnetic fields associated with coronal holes

An interesting aspect of solar rotation is the fact that coronal holes seem to exhibit little or no differential rotation. The question is investigated of whether or not the photospheric magnetic fields underlying coronal holes also exhibit reduced differential rotation. In order to accomplish this, the daily positions of filaments and plages surrounding a large coronal hole that lasted for several disk passages were measured. The resulting differential-rotation curve was considerably flatter than the standard curve for long-lived filaments and was in remarkably good agreement with the curve found for the overlying coronal hole itself.

Adams, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Elemental abundances in the upper solar atmosphere of quiet and coronal hole regions (Te is approximately equal to 4.3 x 10 exp 5 K)

Detailed examination of the sun's upper atmosphere reveals that elemental abundances vary between different solar regions. Some solar regions exhibit the well-established photospheric abundances, while in other regions the abundances of some elements diverge from photospheric by an order of magnitude, and perhaps even more. Elemental abundances in the solar wind (SW) are also different from elemental abundances in the photosphere. It is postulated that elemental abundances in the SW reflect the elemental abundances of their place of origin near the solar surface. The solar surface is covered, predominantly, by quiet and coronal hole regions. In this paper we measure the intensities of limb-brightening rings over quiet and coronal hole regions in lines of Mg VI and Ne VI (Te is approximately equal to 4.3 x 10 exp 5 K) and determine the relative elemental abundances of the features producing the rings. The rings are formed by a plasma component occupying only a small fraction of the immediate volume above the solar surface.

Feldman, U.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Measurement of systematic outflow from the solar transition region underlying a coronal hole

This letter presents measurements of small Doppler shifts in the line center position of 629A OV obtained with a new high-resolution EUV spectrometer flown aboard a sounding rocket. A major result is the detection of an apparent systematic outflow (relative to the quiet sun) of approximately 3 km/s average and 5 km/s maximum in the solar transition region underlying a well-defined low-latitude coronal hole. This is reminiscent of a similar apparent outflow observed by Cushman and Rense in the coronal line 303A Si XI. The hypothesis that this is evidence for acceleration of the high speed solar wind deep in the transition region and inner corona is explored briefly.

Rottman, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Critical Magnetic Field Strengths for Unipolar Solar Coronal Plumes In Quiet Regions and Coronal Holes?

Coronal plumes are bright magnetic funnels that are found in quiet regions and coronal holes that extend high into the solar corona whose lifetimes can last from hours to days. The heating processes that make plumes bright involve the magnetic field at the base of the plume, but their intricacies remain mysterious. Raouafi et al. (2014) infer from observation that plume heating is a consequence of magnetic reconnection at the base, whereas Wang et al. (2016) infer that plume heating is a result of convergence of the magnetic flux at the plume's base, or base flux. Both papers suggest that the base flux in their plumes is of mixed polarity, but do not quantitatively measure the base flux or consider whether a critical magnetic field strength is required for plume production. To investigate the magnetic origins of plume heating, we track plume luminosity in the 171 Å wavelength as well as the abundance and strength of the base flux over the lifetimes of six unipolar coronal plumes. Of these, three are in coronal holes and three are in quiet regions. For this sample, we find that plume heating is triggered when convergence of the base flux surpasses a field strength of approximately 300 − 500 Gauss, and that the luminosity of both quiet region and coronal hole plumes respond similarly to the strength of the magnetic field in the base.

Avallone, Ellis↗
NASA NTRS1997

Coronal hole structure and the high speed solar wind

The basic physical processes which are important in the acceleration of high speed wind from coronal holes are reviewed. The early works of Birkeland and Parker are discussed. The extension of Parker's work is included. It is shown that the greatest area of uncertainty is that of coronal heating. It is demonstrated that in modeling solar wind acceleration, it is important to carry out a study on the chromosphere-corona-wind system analysis.

Holzer, Thomas E.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Plume and interplume regions and solar wind acceleration in polar coronal holes between 1.5 and 3.5 R

The observations of the polar coronal hole regions, obtained with the ultraviolet coronagraph spectrometer (UVCS) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), are reported on. The O VI 1032 line profiles were found to be narrower within plumes. The difference in the line width increased with the distance from the center of the sun. The analysis of the O VI 1032, H I Lyman alpha 1216 line profiles, and the O VI 1032, 1037 doublet intensity ratio is summarized. The analysis showed that the O VI line width is enhanced in interplume regions, and increases with altitude both in plume and interplume regions. The H I Lyman alpha profiles are wider in the interplume regions. From the doublet intensity ratio data, it is shown that during the minimum of the solar cycle, the acceleration of the solar wind in polar regions reaches approximately 300 km/s at 3.5 solar radii.

Giordano, S.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Open magnetic structures on the sun

High-resolution harmonic analysis of the solar magnetic field has been used succesfully to calculate the geometry of open magnetic field lines in the solar corona. Comparison of the loci of open-field-line footpoints with solar X-ray photographs shows that all the coronal holes during two solar rotations are successfully represented, including details of their evolution. Some open magnetic configurations derived in the calculations precede by up to one solar rotation the manifestation of coincident dark areas on the X-ray photographs. The only other areas that contribute open field lines to the corona are separations between active-region loop systems. By varying the radius at which field lines are forced to be open in the calculation, it is possible to reproduce more closely the surface configuration of particular coronal holes. Comparison of the size of X-ray holes with the fraction of the solar surface covered by open field lines leads to the conclusion that a significant part of the area of coronal holes must contain closed magnetic fields. Comparison of open field lines which lie in the equatorial plane of the sun with solar-wind data indicates that eventual high-speed solar-wind streams are associated with those parts of open magnetic structures that diverge the least.

Levine, R. H.↗