Coronal magnetic fields inferred from IR wavelength and comparison with EUV observations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Liu

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Spectropolarimetry using IR wavelength of 1075 nm has been proved to be a powerful tool for directly mapping solar coronal magnetic fields including transverse component directions and line-of-sight component intensities. Solar tomography, or stereoscopy based on EUV observations, can supply 3-D information for some magnetic field lines in bright EUV loops. In a previous paper \\citep{liu08} the locations of the IR emission sources in the 3-D coordinate system were inferred from the comparison between the polarization data and the potential-field-source-surface (PFSS model, for one of five west limb regions in the corona (Lin et al., 2004. The paper shows that the region with the loop system in the active region over the photospheric area with strong magnetic field intensity is the region with a dominant contribution to the observed Stokes signals. So, the inversion of the measured Stokes parameters could be done assuming that most of the signals come from a relatively thin layer over the area with a large photospheric magnetic field strength. Here, the five limb coronal regions are studied together in order to study the spatial correlation between the bright EUV loop features and the inferred IR emission sources. It is found that, for the coronal regions above the stronger photospheric magnetic fields, the locations of the IR emission sources are closer to or more consistent with the bright EUV loop locations than those above weaker photospheric fields. This result suggests that the structures of the coronal magnetic fields observed at IR and EUV wavelengths may be different when weak magnetic fields present there.

Magnetic Field in the Gravitationally Stratified Coronal Loops B. N. ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

field for the longest (L = 406 Mm) coronal loops. The magnetic fields Bstr and Babs also increase with the number density, if the loop length does not vary much. The increment in the magnetic field due to gravitational stratification is small at the lower number densities, however, it is large at the higher number densities.

Future space missions and ground observatory for measurements of coronal magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Fineschi, Silvano; Gibson, Sarah; Bemporad, Alessandro; Zhukov, Andrei; Damé, Luc; Susino, Roberto; Larruquert, Juan

2016-07-01

This presentation gives an overview of the near-future perspectives for probing coronal magnetism from space missions (i.e., SCORE and ASPIICS) and ground-based observatory (ESCAPE). Spectro-polarimetric imaging of coronal emission-lines in the visible-light wavelength-band provides an important diagnostics tool of the coronal magnetism. The interpretation in terms of Hanle and Zeeman effect of the line-polarization in forbidden emission-lines yields information on the direction and strength of the coronal magnetic field. As study case, this presentation will describe the Torino Coronal Magnetograph (CorMag) for the spectro-polarimetric observation of the FeXIV, 530.3 nm, forbidden emission-line. CorMag - consisting of a Liquid Crystal (LC) Lyot filter and a LC linear polarimeter. The CorMag filter is part of the ESCAPE experiment to be based at the French-Italian Concordia base in Antarctica. The linear polarization by resonance scattering of coronal permitted line-emission in the ultraviolet (UV)can be modified by magnetic fields through the Hanle effect. Space-based UV spectro-polarimeters would provide an additional tool for the disgnostics of coronal magnetism. As a case study of space-borne UV spectro-polarimeters, this presentation will describe the future upgrade of the Sounding-rocket Coronagraphic Experiment (SCORE) to include new generation, high-efficiency UV polarizer with the capability of imaging polarimetry of the HI Lyman-α, 121.6 nm. SCORE is a multi-wavelength imager for the emission-lines, HeII 30.4 nm and HI 121.6 nm, and visible-light broad-band emission of the polarized K-corona. SCORE has flown successfully in 2009. The second lauch is scheduled in 2016. Proba-3 is the other future solar mission that would provide the opportunity of diagnosing the coronal magnetic field. Proba-3 is the first precision formation-flying mission to launched in 2019). A pair of satellites will fly together maintaining a fixed configuration as a 'large rigid

Filament shape versus coronal potential magnetic field structure

Science.gov (United States)

Filippov, B.

2016-01-01

Solar filament shape in projection on disc depends on the structure of the coronal magnetic field. We calculate the position of polarity inversion lines (PILs) of coronal potential magnetic field at different heights above the photosphere, which compose the magnetic neutral surface, and compare with them the distribution of the filament material in Hα chromospheric images. We found that the most of the filament material is enclosed between two PILs, one at a lower height close to the chromosphere and one at a higher level, which can be considered as a height of the filament spine. Observations of the same filament on the limb by the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory spacecraft confirm that the height of the spine is really very close to the value obtained from the PIL and filament border matching. Such matching can be used for filament height estimations in on-disc observations. Filament barbs are housed within protruding sections of the low-level PIL. On the base of simple model, we show that the similarity of the neutral surfaces in potential and non-potential fields with the same sub-photospheric sources is the reason for the found tendency for the filament material to gather near the potential-field neutral surface.

Image-optimized Coronal Magnetic Field Models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, Shaela I.; Uritsky, Vadim; Davila, Joseph M., E-mail: shaela.i.jones-mecholsky@nasa.gov, E-mail: shaela.i.jonesmecholsky@nasa.gov [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 670, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2017-08-01

We have reported previously on a new method we are developing for using image-based information to improve global coronal magnetic field models. In that work, we presented early tests of the method, which proved its capability to improve global models based on flawed synoptic magnetograms, given excellent constraints on the field in the model volume. In this follow-up paper, we present the results of similar tests given field constraints of a nature that could realistically be obtained from quality white-light coronagraph images of the lower corona. We pay particular attention to difficulties associated with the line-of-sight projection of features outside of the assumed coronagraph image plane and the effect on the outcome of the optimization of errors in the localization of constraints. We find that substantial improvement in the model field can be achieved with these types of constraints, even when magnetic features in the images are located outside of the image plane.

Image-Optimized Coronal Magnetic Field Models

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Shaela I.; Uritsky, Vadim; Davila, Joseph M.

2017-01-01

We have reported previously on a new method we are developing for using image-based information to improve global coronal magnetic field models. In that work we presented early tests of the method which proved its capability to improve global models based on flawed synoptic magnetograms, given excellent constraints on the field in the model volume. In this follow-up paper we present the results of similar tests given field constraints of a nature that could realistically be obtained from quality white-light coronagraph images of the lower corona. We pay particular attention to difficulties associated with the line-of-sight projection of features outside of the assumed coronagraph image plane, and the effect on the outcome of the optimization of errors in localization of constraints. We find that substantial improvement in the model field can be achieved with this type of constraints, even when magnetic features in the images are located outside of the image plane.

First Use of Synoptic Vector Magnetograms for Global Nonlinear, Force-Free Coronal Magnetic Field Models

Science.gov (United States)

Tadesse, T.; Wiegelmann, T.; Gosain, S.; MacNeice, P.; Pevtsov, A. A.

2014-01-01

Context. The magnetic field permeating the solar atmosphere is generally thought to provide the energy for much of the activity seen in the solar corona, such as flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), etc. To overcome the unavailability of coronal magnetic field measurements, photospheric magnetic field vector data can be used to reconstruct the coronal field. Currently, there are several modelling techniques being used to calculate three-dimensional field lines into the solar atmosphere. Aims. For the first time, synoptic maps of a photospheric-vector magnetic field synthesized from the vector spectromagnetograph (VSM) on Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS) are used to model the coronal magnetic field and estimate free magnetic energy in the global scale. The free energy (i.e., the energy in excess of the potential field energy) is one of the main indicators used in space weather forecasts to predict the eruptivity of active regions. Methods. We solve the nonlinear force-free field equations using an optimization principle in spherical geometry. The resulting threedimensional magnetic fields are used to estimate the magnetic free energy content E(sub free) = E(sub nlfff) - E(sub pot), which is the difference of the magnetic energies between the nonpotential field and the potential field in the global solar corona. For comparison, we overlay the extrapolated magnetic field lines with the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations by the atmospheric imaging assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Results. For a single Carrington rotation 2121, we find that the global nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) magnetic energy density is 10.3% higher than the potential one. Most of this free energy is located in active regions.

The correlation of fractal structures in the photospheric and the coronal magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Dimitropoulou, M.; Georgoulis, M.; Isliker, H.; Vlahos, L.; Anastasiadis, A.; Strintzi, D.; Moussas, X.

2009-10-01

Context: This work examines the relation between the fractal properties of the photospheric magnetic patterns and those of the coronal magnetic fields in solar active regions. Aims: We investigate whether there is any correlation between the fractal dimensions of the photospheric structures and the magnetic discontinuities formed in the corona. Methods: To investigate the connection between the photospheric and coronal complexity, we used a nonlinear force-free extrapolation method that reconstructs the 3d magnetic fields using 2d observed vector magnetograms as boundary conditions. We then located the magnetic discontinuities, which are considered as spatial proxies of reconnection-related instabilities. These discontinuities form well-defined volumes, called here unstable volumes. We calculated the fractal dimensions of these unstable volumes and compared them to the fractal dimensions of the boundary vector magnetograms. Results: Our results show no correlation between the fractal dimensions of the observed 2d photospheric structures and the extrapolated unstable volumes in the corona, when nonlinear force-free extrapolation is used. This result is independent of efforts to (1) bring the photospheric magnetic fields closer to a nonlinear force-free equilibrium and (2) omit the lower part of the modeled magnetic field volume that is almost completely filled by unstable volumes. A significant correlation between the fractal dimensions of the photospheric and coronal magnetic features is only observed at the zero level (lower limit) of approximation of a current-free (potential) magnetic field extrapolation. Conclusions: We conclude that the complicated transition from photospheric non-force-free fields to coronal force-free ones hampers any direct correlation between the fractal dimensions of the 2d photospheric patterns and their 3d counterparts in the corona at the nonlinear force-free limit, which can be considered as a second level of approximation in this

Testing a solar coronal magnetic field extrapolation code with the Titov–Démoulin magnetic flux rope model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Chao-Wei; Feng, Xue-Shang

2016-01-01

In the solar corona, the magnetic flux rope is believed to be a fundamental structure that accounts for magnetic free energy storage and solar eruptions. Up to the present, the extrapolation of the magnetic field from boundary data has been the primary way to obtain fully three-dimensional magnetic information about the corona. As a result, the ability to reliably recover the coronal magnetic flux rope is important for coronal field extrapolation. In this paper, our coronal field extrapolation code is examined with an analytical magnetic flux rope model proposed by Titov and Démoulin, which consists of a bipolar magnetic configuration holding a semi-circular line-tied flux rope in force-free equilibrium. By only using the vector field at the bottom boundary as input, we test our code with the model in a representative range of parameter space and find that the model field can be reconstructed with high accuracy. In particular, the magnetic topological interfaces formed between the flux rope and the surrounding arcade, i.e., the “hyperbolic flux tube” and “bald patch separatrix surface,” are also reliably reproduced. By this test, we demonstrate that our CESE–MHD–NLFFF code can be applied to recovering the magnetic flux rope in the solar corona as long as the vector magnetogram satisfies the force-free constraints. (paper)

TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP OF FLARE SIGNATURES AND THE FORCE-FREE CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thalmann, J. K.; Veronig, A.; Su, Y., E-mail: julia.thalmann@uni-graz.at [Institute of Physics/IGAM, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 5/II, A-8010 Graz (Austria)

2016-08-01

We investigate the plasma and magnetic environment of active region NOAA 11261 on 2011 August 2 around a GOES M1.4 flare/CME (SOL2011-08-02T06:19). We compare coronal emission at the (extreme) ultraviolet and X-ray wavelengths, using SDO AIA and RHESSI images, in order to identify the relative timing and locations of reconnection-related sources. We trace flare ribbon signatures at ultraviolet wavelengths in order to pin down the intersection of previously reconnected flaring loops in the lower solar atmosphere. These locations are used to calculate field lines from three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear force-free magnetic field models, established on the basis of SDO HMI photospheric vector magnetic field maps. Using this procedure, we analyze the quasi-static time evolution of the coronal model magnetic field previously involved in magnetic reconnection. This allows us, for the first time, to estimate the elevation speed of the current sheet’s lower tip during an on-disk observed flare as a few kilometers per second. A comparison to post-flare loops observed later above the limb in STEREO EUVI images supports this velocity estimate. Furthermore, we provide evidence for an implosion of parts of the flaring coronal model magnetic field, and identify the corresponding coronal sub-volumes associated with the loss of magnetic energy. Finally, we spatially relate the build up of magnetic energy in the 3D models to highly sheared fields, established due to the dynamic relative motions of polarity patches within the active region.

Coronal Magnetic Field Lines and Electrons Associated with Type III

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Coronal Magnetic Field Lines and Electrons Associated with Type III–V Radio Bursts in a Solar Flare ... velocities of the electron streams associated with the above two types of bursts indicate ... Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy | News ...

ARE DECAYING MAGNETIC FIELDS ABOVE ACTIVE REGIONS RELATED TO CORONAL MASS EJECTION ONSET?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, J.; Welsch, B. T.; Li, Y.

2012-01-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are powered by magnetic energy stored in non-potential (current-carrying) coronal magnetic fields, with the pre-CME field in balance between outward magnetic pressure of the proto-ejecta and inward magnetic tension from overlying fields that confine the proto-ejecta. In studies of global potential (current-free) models of coronal magnetic fields—Potential Field Source Surface (PFSS) models—it has been reported that model field strengths above flare sites tend to be weaker when CMEs occur than when eruptions fail to occur. This suggests that potential field models might be useful to quantify magnetic confinement. One straightforward implication of this idea is that a decrease in model field strength overlying a possible eruption site should correspond to diminished confinement, implying an eruption is more likely. We have searched for such an effect by post facto investigation of the time evolution of model field strengths above a sample of 10 eruption sites. To check if the strengths of overlying fields were relevant only in relatively slow CMEs, we included both slow and fast CMEs in our sample. In most events we study, we find no statistically significant evolution in either (1) the rate of magnetic field decay with height, (2) the strength of overlying magnetic fields near 50 Mm, or (3) the ratio of fluxes at low and high altitudes (below 1.1 R ☉ , and between 1.1 and 1.5 R ☉ , respectively). We did observe a tendency for overlying field strengths and overlying flux to increase slightly, and their rates of decay with height to become slightly more gradual, consistent with increased confinement. The fact that CMEs occur regardless of whether the parameters we use to quantify confinement are increasing or decreasing suggests that either (1) the parameters that we derive from PFSS models do not accurately characterize the actual large-scale field in CME source regions, (2) systematic evolution in the large-scale magnetic

SUNQUAKE GENERATION BY CORONAL MAGNETIC RESTRUCTURING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Russell, A. J. B.; Mooney, M. K. [School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN (United Kingdom); Leake, J. E. [Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Hudson, H. S. [Space Sciences Lab, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

2016-11-01

Sunquakes are the surface signatures of acoustic waves in the Sun’s interior that are produced by some but not all flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). This paper explores a mechanism for sunquake generation by the changes in magnetic field that occur during flares and CMEs, using MHD simulations with a semiempirical FAL-C atmosphere to demonstrate the generation of acoustic waves in the interior in response to changing magnetic tilt in the corona. We find that Alfvén–sound resonance combined with the ponderomotive force produces acoustic waves in the interior with sufficient energy to match sunquake observations when the magnetic field angle changes of the order of 10° in a region where the coronal field strength is a few hundred gauss or more. The most energetic sunquakes are produced when the coronal field is strong, while the variation of magnetic field strength with height and the timescale of the change in tilt are of secondary importance.

SUNQUAKE GENERATION BY CORONAL MAGNETIC RESTRUCTURING

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, A. J. B.; Mooney, M. K.; Leake, J. E.; Hudson, H. S.

2016-01-01

Sunquakes are the surface signatures of acoustic waves in the Sun’s interior that are produced by some but not all flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). This paper explores a mechanism for sunquake generation by the changes in magnetic field that occur during flares and CMEs, using MHD simulations with a semiempirical FAL-C atmosphere to demonstrate the generation of acoustic waves in the interior in response to changing magnetic tilt in the corona. We find that Alfvén–sound resonance combined with the ponderomotive force produces acoustic waves in the interior with sufficient energy to match sunquake observations when the magnetic field angle changes of the order of 10° in a region where the coronal field strength is a few hundred gauss or more. The most energetic sunquakes are produced when the coronal field is strong, while the variation of magnetic field strength with height and the timescale of the change in tilt are of secondary importance.

ROAM: A Radial-Basis-Function Optimization Approximation Method for Diagnosing the Three-Dimensional Coronal Magnetic Field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalmasse, Kevin; Nychka, Douglas W.; Gibson, Sarah E.; Fan, Yuhong; Flyer, Natasha

2016-01-01

The Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter (CoMP) routinely performs coronal polarimetric measurements using the Fe XIII 10747 and 10798 lines, which are sensitive to the coronal magnetic field. However, inverting such polarimetric measurements into magnetic field data is a difficult task because the corona is optically thin at these wavelengths and the observed signal is therefore the integrated emission of all the plasma along the line of sight. To overcome this difficulty, we take on a new approach that combines a parameterized 3D magnetic field model with forward modeling of the polarization signal. For that purpose, we develop a new, fast and efficient, optimization method for model-data fitting: the Radial-basis-functions Optimization Approximation Method (ROAM). Model-data fitting is achieved by optimizing a user-specified log-likelihood function that quantifies the differences between the observed polarization signal and its synthetic/predicted analog. Speed and efficiency are obtained by combining sparse evaluation of the magnetic model with radial-basis-function (RBF) decomposition of the log-likelihood function. The RBF decomposition provides an analytical expression for the log-likelihood function that is used to inexpensively estimate the set of parameter values optimizing it. We test and validate ROAM on a synthetic test bed of a coronal magnetic flux rope and show that it performs well with a significantly sparse sample of the parameter space. We conclude that our optimization method is well-suited for fast and efficient model-data fitting and can be exploited for converting coronal polarimetric measurements, such as the ones provided by CoMP, into coronal magnetic field data.

Coronal ``Wave'': Magnetic Footprint of a Coronal Mass Ejection?

Science.gov (United States)

Attrill, Gemma D. R.; Harra, Louise K.; van Driel-Gesztelyi, Lidia; Démoulin, Pascal

2007-02-01

We investigate the properties of two ``classical'' EUV Imaging Telescope (EIT) coronal waves. The two source regions of the associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) possess opposite helicities, and the coronal waves display rotations in opposite senses. We observe deep core dimmings near the flare site and also widespread diffuse dimming, accompanying the expansion of the EIT wave. We also report a new property of these EIT waves, namely, that they display dual brightenings: persistent ones at the outermost edge of the core dimming regions and simultaneously diffuse brightenings constituting the leading edge of the coronal wave, surrounding the expanding diffuse dimmings. We show that such behavior is consistent with a diffuse EIT wave being the magnetic footprint of a CME. We propose a new mechanism where driven magnetic reconnections between the skirt of the expanding CME magnetic field and quiet-Sun magnetic loops generate the observed bright diffuse front. The dual brightenings and the widespread diffuse dimming are identified as innate characteristics of this process.

Precipitation and Release of Solar Energetic Particles from the Solar Coronal Magnetic Field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Ming; Zhao, Lulu, E-mail: mzhang@fit.edu [Department of Physics and Space Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL 32901 (United States)

2017-09-10

Most solar energetic particles (SEPs) are produced in the corona. They propagate through complex coronal magnetic fields subject to scattering and diffusion across the averaged field lines by turbulence. We examine the behaviors of particle transport using a stochastic 3D focused transport simulation in a potential field source surface model of coronal magnetic field. The model is applied to an SEP event on 2010 February 7. We study three scenarios of particle injection at (i) the compact solar flare site, (ii) the coronal mass ejection (CME) shock, and (iii) the EUV wave near the surface. The majority of particles injected on open field lines are able to escape the corona. We found that none of our models can explain the observations of wide longitudinal SEP spread without perpendicular diffusion. If the perpendicular diffusion is about 10% of what is derived from the random walk of field lines at the rate of supergranular diffusion, particles injected at the compact solar flare site can spread to a wide range of longitude and latitude, very similar to the behavior of particles injected at a large CME shock. Stronger pitch-angle scattering results in a little more lateral spread by holding the particles in the corona for longer periods of time. Some injected particles eventually end up precipitating onto the solar surface. Even with a very small perpendicular diffusion, the pattern of the particle precipitation can be quite complicated depending on the detailed small-scale coronal magnetic field structures, which could be seen with future sensitive gamma-ray telescopes.

Precipitation and Release of Solar Energetic Particles from the Solar Coronal Magnetic Field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Ming; Zhao, Lulu

2017-01-01

Most solar energetic particles (SEPs) are produced in the corona. They propagate through complex coronal magnetic fields subject to scattering and diffusion across the averaged field lines by turbulence. We examine the behaviors of particle transport using a stochastic 3D focused transport simulation in a potential field source surface model of coronal magnetic field. The model is applied to an SEP event on 2010 February 7. We study three scenarios of particle injection at (i) the compact solar flare site, (ii) the coronal mass ejection (CME) shock, and (iii) the EUV wave near the surface. The majority of particles injected on open field lines are able to escape the corona. We found that none of our models can explain the observations of wide longitudinal SEP spread without perpendicular diffusion. If the perpendicular diffusion is about 10% of what is derived from the random walk of field lines at the rate of supergranular diffusion, particles injected at the compact solar flare site can spread to a wide range of longitude and latitude, very similar to the behavior of particles injected at a large CME shock. Stronger pitch-angle scattering results in a little more lateral spread by holding the particles in the corona for longer periods of time. Some injected particles eventually end up precipitating onto the solar surface. Even with a very small perpendicular diffusion, the pattern of the particle precipitation can be quite complicated depending on the detailed small-scale coronal magnetic field structures, which could be seen with future sensitive gamma-ray telescopes.

Precipitation and Release of Solar Energetic Particles from the Solar Coronal Magnetic Field

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ming; Zhao, Lulu

2017-09-01

Most solar energetic particles (SEPs) are produced in the corona. They propagate through complex coronal magnetic fields subject to scattering and diffusion across the averaged field lines by turbulence. We examine the behaviors of particle transport using a stochastic 3D focused transport simulation in a potential field source surface model of coronal magnetic field. The model is applied to an SEP event on 2010 February 7. We study three scenarios of particle injection at (I) the compact solar flare site, (II) the coronal mass ejection (CME) shock, and (III) the EUV wave near the surface. The majority of particles injected on open field lines are able to escape the corona. We found that none of our models can explain the observations of wide longitudinal SEP spread without perpendicular diffusion. If the perpendicular diffusion is about 10% of what is derived from the random walk of field lines at the rate of supergranular diffusion, particles injected at the compact solar flare site can spread to a wide range of longitude and latitude, very similar to the behavior of particles injected at a large CME shock. Stronger pitch-angle scattering results in a little more lateral spread by holding the particles in the corona for longer periods of time. Some injected particles eventually end up precipitating onto the solar surface. Even with a very small perpendicular diffusion, the pattern of the particle precipitation can be quite complicated depending on the detailed small-scale coronal magnetic field structures, which could be seen with future sensitive gamma-ray telescopes.

The dynamics of coronal magnetic structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, W.

1978-01-01

An analysis is made of the evolution of coronal magnetic fields due to the interaction with the solar wind. An analysis of the formation of coronal streamers, arising as a result of the stretching of bipolar fields, is given. Numerical simulations of the formation of coronal streamers are presented. Fast-mode shocks as triggers of microturbulence in the solar corona are discussed

Nonlinear Force-free Coronal Magnetic Stereoscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chifu, Iulia; Wiegelmann, Thomas; Inhester, Bernd, E-mail: chifu@mps.mpg.de [Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany)

2017-03-01

Insights into the 3D structure of the solar coronal magnetic field have been obtained in the past by two completely different approaches. The first approach are nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) extrapolations, which use photospheric vector magnetograms as boundary condition. The second approach uses stereoscopy of coronal magnetic loops observed in EUV coronal images from different vantage points. Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses. Extrapolation methods are sensitive to noise and inconsistencies in the boundary data, and the accuracy of stereoscopy is affected by the ability of identifying the same structure in different images and by the separation angle between the view directions. As a consequence, for the same observational data, the 3D coronal magnetic fields computed with the two methods do not necessarily coincide. In an earlier work (Paper I) we extended our NLFFF optimization code by including stereoscopic constrains. The method was successfully tested with synthetic data, and within this work, we apply the newly developed code to a combined data set from SDO /HMI, SDO /AIA, and the two STEREO spacecraft. The extended method (called S-NLFFF) contains an additional term that monitors and minimizes the angle between the local magnetic field direction and the orientation of the 3D coronal loops reconstructed by stereoscopy. We find that when we prescribe the shape of the 3D stereoscopically reconstructed loops, the S-NLFFF method leads to a much better agreement between the modeled field and the stereoscopically reconstructed loops. We also find an appreciable decrease by a factor of two in the angle between the current and the magnetic field. This indicates the improved quality of the force-free solution obtained by S-NLFFF.

Energy dissipation of Alfven wave packets deformed by irregular magnetic fields in solar-coronal arches

Science.gov (United States)

Similon, Philippe L.; Sudan, R. N.

1989-01-01

The importance of field line geometry for shear Alfven wave dissipation in coronal arches is demonstrated. An eikonal formulation makes it possible to account for the complicated magnetic geometry typical in coronal loops. An interpretation of Alfven wave resonance is given in terms of gradient steepening, and dissipation efficiencies are studied for two configurations: the well-known slab model with a straight magnetic field, and a new model with stochastic field lines. It is shown that a large fraction of the Alfven wave energy flux can be effectively dissipated in the corona.

Measuring Coronal Magnetic Fields with Remote Sensing Observations of Shock Waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bemporad, Alessandro; Susino, Roberto; Frassati, Federica; Fineschi, Silvano, E-mail: bemporad@oato.inaf.it [INAF, Turin Astrophysical Observatory, Pino Torinese (Italy)

2016-05-27

Our limited knowledge of the magnetic fields structuring in the solar corona represents today the main hurdle in our understanding of its structure and dynamic. Over the last decades significant efforts have been dedicated to measure these fields, by approaching the problem on many different sides and in particular: (i) by improving our theoretical understanding of the modification (via Zeeman and Hanle effects) induced by these fields on the polarization of coronal emission lines, (ii) by developing new instrumentation to measure directly with spectro-polarimeters these modifications, (iii) by improving the reliability of the extrapolated coronal fields starting from photospheric measurements, (iv) by developing new techniques to analyse existing remote sensing data and infer properties of these fields, or by combining all these different approaches (e.g., Chifu et al.,).

mxCSM: A 100-slit, 6-Wavelength Wide-Field Coronal Spectropolarimeter for the Study of the Dynamics and the Magnetic Fields of the Solar Corona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Haosheng, E-mail: lin@ifa.hawaii.edu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, Pukalani, HI (United States)

2016-03-30

Tremendous progress has been made in the field of observational coronal magnetometry in the first decade of the Twenty-First century. With the successful construction of the Coronal Multichannel Magnetometer (CoMP) instrument, observations of the linear polarization of the coronal emission lines (CELs), which carry information about the azimuthal direction of the coronal magnetic fields, are now routinely available. However, reliable and regular measurements of the circular polarization signals of the CELs remain illusive. The CEL circular polarization signals allow us to infer the magnetic field strength in the corona, and is critically important for our understanding of the solar corona. Current telescopes and instrument can only measure the coronal magnetic field strength over a small field of view. Furthermore, the observations require very long integration time that preclude the study of dynamic events even when only a small field of view is required. This paper describes a new instrument concept that employs large-scale multiplexing technology to enhance the efficiency of current coronal spectropolarimeter by more than two orders of magnitude. This will allow for the instrument to increase the integration time at each spatial location by the same factor, while also achieving a large field of view coverage. We will present the conceptual design of a 100-slit coronal spectropolarimeter that can observe six CELs simultaneously. Instruments based on this concept will allow us to study the evolution of the coronal magnetic field even with coronagraphs with modest aperture.

mxCSM: A 100-slit, 6-wavelength wide-field coronal spectropolarimeter for the study of the dynamics and the magnetic fields of the solar corona

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haosheng eLin

2016-03-01

Full Text Available remendous progress has been made in the field of observational coronal magnetometry in the first decade of the 21st century. With the successful construction of the Coronal Multichannel Magnetometer (CoMP instrument, observations of the linear polarization of the coronal emission lines (CELs, which carry information about the azimuthal direction of the coronal magnetic fields, are now routinely available. However, reliable and regular measurements of the circular polarization signals of the CELs remain illusive. The CEL circular polarization signals allow us to infer the magnetic field strength in the corona, and is critically important {bf of} our understanding of the solar corona. Current telescopes and instrument can only measure the coronal magnetic field strength over a small field of view. Furthermore, the observations require very long integration time that preclude the study of dynamic events even when only a small field of view is required. This paper describes a new instrument concept that employees large-scale multiplexing technology to enhance the efficiency of current coronal spectropolarimeter by more than two orders of magnitude. This will allow for the instrument to increase of the integration time at each spatial location by the same factor, while also achieving a large field of view coverage. We will present the conceptual design of a 100-slit coronal spectropolarimeter that can observe six coronal emission lines simultaneously. Instruments based on this concept will allow us to study the evolution of the coronal magnetic field even with coronagraphs with modest aperture.

A New Method for Coronal Magnetic Field Reconstruction

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Sibaek; Choe, Gwang-Son; Cho, Kyung-Suk; Kim, Kap-Sung

2017-08-01

A precise way of coronal magnetic field reconstruction (extrapolation) is an indispensable tool for understanding of various solar activities. A variety of reconstruction codes have been developed so far and are available to researchers nowadays, but they more or less bear this and that shortcoming. In this paper, a new efficient method for coronal magnetic field reconstruction is presented. The method imposes only the normal components of magnetic field and current density at the bottom boundary to avoid the overspecification of the reconstruction problem, and employs vector potentials to guarantee the divergence-freeness. In our method, the normal component of current density is imposed, not by adjusting the tangential components of A, but by adjusting its normal component. This allows us to avoid a possible numerical instability that on and off arises in codes using A. In real reconstruction problems, the information for the lateral and top boundaries is absent. The arbitrariness of the boundary conditions imposed there as well as various preprocessing brings about the diversity of resulting solutions. We impose the source surface condition at the top boundary to accommodate flux imbalance, which always shows up in magnetograms. To enhance the convergence rate, we equip our code with a gradient-method type accelerator. Our code is tested on two analytical force-free solutions. When the solution is given only at the bottom boundary, our result surpasses competitors in most figures of merits devised by Schrijver et al. (2006). We have also applied our code to a real active region NOAA 11974, in which two M-class flares and a halo CME took place. The EUV observation shows a sudden appearance of an erupting loop before the first flare. Our numerical solutions show that two entwining flux tubes exist before the flare and their shackling is released after the CME with one of them opened up. We suggest that the erupting loop is created by magnetic reconnection between

Solar magnetic field - 1976 through 1985: an atlas of photospheric magnetic field observations and computed coronal magnetic fields from the John M. Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford, 1976-1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeksema, J.T.; Scherrer, P.H.

1986-01-01

Daily magnetogram observations of the large-scale photospheric magnetic field have been made at the John M. Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford since May of 1976. These measurements provide a homogeneous record of the changing solar field through most of Solar Cycle 21. Using the photospheric data, the configuration of the coronal and heliospheric fields can be calculated using a Potential Field -- Source Surface model. This provides a 3-dimensional picture of the heliospheric field-evolution during the solar cycle. In this report the authors present the complete set of synoptic charts of the measured photospheric magnetic field, the computed field at the source surface, and the coefficients of the multipole expansion of the coronal field. The general underlying structure of the solar and heliospheric fields, which determine the environment for solar - terrestrial relations and provide the context within which solar-activity-related events occur, can be approximated from these data

A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR THE PHOTOSPHERIC DRIVING OF NON-POTENTIAL SOLAR CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELD SIMULATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weinzierl, Marion; Yeates, Anthony R. [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Mackay, Duncan H. [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Henney, Carl J.; Arge, C. Nick, E-mail: marion.weinzierl@durham.ac.uk [Air Force Research Lab/Space Vehicles Directorate, 3550 Aberdeen Avenue SE, Kirtland AFB, NM (United States)

2016-05-20

In this paper, we develop a new technique for driving global non-potential simulations of the Sun’s coronal magnetic field solely from sequences of radial magnetic maps of the solar photosphere. A primary challenge to driving such global simulations is that the required horizontal electric field cannot be uniquely determined from such maps. We show that an “inductive” electric field solution similar to that used by previous authors successfully reproduces specific features of the coronal field evolution in both single and multiple bipole simulations. For these cases, the true solution is known because the electric field was generated from a surface flux-transport model. The match for these cases is further improved by including the non-inductive electric field contribution from surface differential rotation. Then, using this reconstruction method for the electric field, we show that a coronal non-potential simulation can be successfully driven from a sequence of ADAPT maps of the photospheric radial field, without including additional physical observations which are not routinely available.

Recent perspectives in solar physics - Elemental composition, coronal structure and magnetic fields, solar activity

Science.gov (United States)

Newkirk, G., Jr.

1975-01-01

Elemental abundances in the solar corona are studied. Abundances in the corona, solar wind and solar cosmic rays are compared to those in the photosphere. The variation in silicon and iron abundance in the solar wind as compared to helium is studied. The coronal small and large scale structure is investigated, emphasizing magnetic field activity and examining cosmic ray generation mechanisms. The corona is observed in the X-ray and EUV regions. The nature of coronal transients is discussed with emphasis on solar-wind modulation of galactic cosmic rays. A schematic plan view of the interplanetary magnetic field during sunspot minimum is given showing the presence of magnetic bubbles and their concentration in the region around 4-5 AU by a fast solar wind stream.

The acceleration of electrons at a spherical coronal shock in a streamer-like coronal field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kong, Xiangliang, E-mail: kongx@sdu.edu.cn; Chen, Yao, E-mail: yaochen@sdu.edu.cn [Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, and Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209 (China); Guo, Fan, E-mail: guofan.ustc@gmail.com [Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States)

2016-03-25

We study the effect of large-scale coronal magnetic field on the electron acceleration at a spherical coronal shock using a test-particle method. The coronal field is approximated by an analytical solution with a streamer-like magnetic field featured by partially open magnetic field and a current sheet at the equator atop the closed region. It shows that the closed field plays the role of a trapping agency of shock-accelerated electrons, allowing for repetitive reflection and acceleration, therefore can greatly enhance the shock-electron acceleration efficiency. It is found that, with an ad hoc pitch-angle scattering, electron injected in the open field at the shock flank can be accelerated to high energies as well. In addition, if the shock is faster or stronger, a relatively harder electron energy spectrum and a larger maximum energy can be achieved.

Solar Magnetic Carpet III: Coronal Modelling of Synthetic Magnetograms

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, K. A.; Mackay, D. H.; van Ballegooijen, A. A.; Parnell, C. E.

2013-09-01

This article is the third in a series working towards the construction of a realistic, evolving, non-linear force-free coronal-field model for the solar magnetic carpet. Here, we present preliminary results of 3D time-dependent simulations of the small-scale coronal field of the magnetic carpet. Four simulations are considered, each with the same evolving photospheric boundary condition: a 48-hour time series of synthetic magnetograms produced from the model of Meyer et al. ( Solar Phys. 272, 29, 2011). Three simulations include a uniform, overlying coronal magnetic field of differing strength, the fourth simulation includes no overlying field. The build-up, storage, and dissipation of magnetic energy within the simulations is studied. In particular, we study their dependence upon the evolution of the photospheric magnetic field and the strength of the overlying coronal field. We also consider where energy is stored and dissipated within the coronal field. The free magnetic energy built up is found to be more than sufficient to power small-scale, transient phenomena such as nanoflares and X-ray bright points, with the bulk of the free energy found to be stored low down, between 0.5 - 0.8 Mm. The energy dissipated is currently found to be too small to account for the heating of the entire quiet-Sun corona. However, the form and location of energy-dissipation regions qualitatively agree with what is observed on small scales on the Sun. Future MHD modelling using the same synthetic magnetograms may lead to a higher energy release.

Free Magnetic Energy and Coronal Heating

Science.gov (United States)

Winebarger, Amy; Moore, Ron; Falconer, David

2012-01-01

Previous work has shown that the coronal X-ray luminosity of an active region increases roughly in direct proportion to the total photospheric flux of the active region's magnetic field (Fisher et al. 1998). It is also observed, however, that the coronal luminosity of active regions of nearly the same flux content can differ by an order of magnitude. In this presentation, we analyze 10 active regions with roughly the same total magnetic flux. We first determine several coronal properties, such as X-ray luminosity (calculated using Hinode XRT), peak temperature (calculated using Hinode EIS), and total Fe XVIII emission (calculated using SDO AIA). We present the dependence of these properties on a proxy of the free magnetic energy of the active region

Shear-induced opening of the coronal magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfson, Richard

1995-01-01

This work describes the evolution of a model solar corona in response to motions of the footpoints of its magnetic field. The mathematics involved is semianalytic, with the only numerical solution being that of an ordinary differential equation. This approach, while lacking the flexibility and physical details of full MHD simulations, allows for very rapid computation along with complete and rigorous exploration of the model's implications. We find that the model coronal field bulges upward, at first slowly and then more dramatically, in response to footpoint displacements. The energy in the field rises monotonically from that of the initial potential state, and the field configuration and energy appraoch asymptotically that of a fully open field. Concurrently, electric currents develop and concentrate into a current sheet as the limiting case of the open field is approached. Examination of the equations shows rigorously that in the asymptotic limit of the fully open field, the current layer becomes a true ideal MHD singularity.

Statistical Study of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections with Strong Magnetic Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Matthew E.

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) with strong magnetic fields (B ) are typically associated with significant Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events, high solar wind speed and solar flare events. Successful prediction of the arrival time of a CME at Earth is required to maximize the time available for satellite, infrastructure, and space travel programs to take protective action against the coming flux of high-energy particles. It is known that the magnetic field strength of a CME is linked to the strength of a geomagnetic storm on Earth. Unfortunately, the correlations between strong magnetic field CMEs from the entire sun (especially from the far side or non-Earth facing side of the sun) to SEP and flare events, solar source regions and other relevant solar variables are not well known. New correlation studies using an artificial intelligence engine (Eureqa) were performed to study CME events with magnetic field strength readings over 30 nanoteslas (nT) from January 2010 to October 17, 2014. This thesis presents the results of this study, validates Eureqa to obtain previously published results, and presents previously unknown functional relationships between solar source magnetic field data, CME initial speed and the CME magnetic field. These new results enable the development of more accurate CME magnetic field predictions and should help scientists develop better forecasts thereby helping to prevent damage to humanity's space and Earth assets.

Coronal Magnetism and Forward Solarsoft Idl Package

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, S. E.

2014-12-01

The FORWARD suite of Solar Soft IDL codes is a community resource for model-data comparison, with a particular emphasis on analyzing coronal magnetic fields. FORWARD may be used both to synthesize a broad range of coronal observables, and to access and compare to existing data. FORWARD works with numerical model datacubes, interfaces with the web-served Predictive Science Inc MAS simulation datacubes and the Solar Soft IDL Potential Field Source Surface (PFSS) package, and also includes several analytic models (more can be added). It connects to the Virtual Solar Observatory and other web-served observations to download data in a format directly comparable to model predictions. It utilizes the CHIANTI database in modeling UV/EUV lines, and links to the CLE polarimetry synthesis code for forbidden coronal lines. FORWARD enables "forward-fitting" of specific observations, and helps to build intuition into how the physical properties of coronal magnetic structures translate to observable properties.

Using coronal loops to reconstruct the magnetic field of an active region before and after a major flare

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malanushenko, A. [Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT (United States); Schrijver, C. J.; DeRosa, M. L. [Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA (United States); Wheatland, M. S. [Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney, Redfern, NSW (Australia)

2014-03-10

The shapes of solar coronal loops are sensitive to the presence of electrical currents that are the carriers of the non-potential energy available for impulsive activity. We use this information in a new method for modeling the coronal magnetic field of active region (AR) 11158 as a nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF). The observations used are coronal images around the time of major flare activity on 2011 February 15, together with the surface line-of-sight magnetic field measurements. The data are from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager and Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The model fields are constrained to approximate the coronal loop configurations as closely as possible, while also being subject to the force-free constraints. The method does not use transverse photospheric magnetic field components as input and is thereby distinct from methods for modeling NLFFFs based on photospheric vector magnetograms. We validate the method using observations of AR 11158 at a time well before major flaring and subsequently review the field evolution just prior to and following an X2.2 flare and associated eruption. The models indicate that the energy released during the instability is about 1 × 10{sup 32} erg, consistent with what is needed to power such a large eruptive flare. Immediately prior to the eruption, the model field contains a compact sigmoid bundle of twisted flux that is not present in the post-eruption models, which is consistent with the observations. The core of that model structure is twisted by ≈0.9 full turns about its axis.

Casting the Coronal Magnetic Field Reconstruction Tools in 3D Using the MHD Bifrost Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fleishman, Gregory D.; Loukitcheva, Maria [Physics Department, Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research, New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ, 07102-1982 (United States); Anfinogentov, Sergey; Mysh’yakov, Ivan [Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISZF), Lermontov st., 126a, Irkutsk, 664033 (Russian Federation); Stupishin, Alexey [Saint Petersburg State University, 7/9 Universitetskaya nab., St. Petersburg, 199034 (Russian Federation)

2017-04-10

Quantifying the coronal magnetic field remains a central problem in solar physics. Nowadays, the coronal magnetic field is often modeled using nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) reconstructions, whose accuracy has not yet been comprehensively assessed. Here we perform a detailed casting of the NLFFF reconstruction tools, such as π -disambiguation, photospheric field preprocessing, and volume reconstruction methods, using a 3D snapshot of the publicly available full-fledged radiative MHD model. Specifically, from the MHD model, we know the magnetic field vector in the entire 3D domain, which enables us to perform a “voxel-by-voxel” comparison of the restored and the true magnetic fields in the 3D model volume. Our tests show that the available π -disambiguation methods often fail in the quiet-Sun areas dominated by small-scale magnetic elements, while they work well in the active region (AR) photosphere and (even better) chromosphere. The preprocessing of the photospheric magnetic field, although it does produce a more force-free boundary condition, also results in some effective “elevation” of the magnetic field components. This “elevation” height is different for the longitudinal and transverse components, which results in a systematic error in absolute heights in the reconstructed magnetic data cube. The extrapolations performed starting from the actual AR photospheric magnetogram are free from this systematic error, while other metrics are comparable with those for extrapolations from the preprocessed magnetograms. This finding favors the use of extrapolations from the original photospheric magnetogram without preprocessing. Our tests further suggest that extrapolations from a force-free chromospheric boundary produce measurably better results than those from a photospheric boundary.

Measurements of EUV coronal holes and open magnetic flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowder, C.; Qiu, J.; Leamon, R.; Liu, Y.

2014-01-01

Coronal holes are regions on the Sun's surface that map the footprints of open magnetic field lines. We have developed an automated routine to detect and track boundaries of long-lived coronal holes using full-disk extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) images obtained by SOHO/EIT, SDO/AIA, and STEREO/EUVI. We measure coronal hole areas and magnetic flux in these holes, and compare the measurements with calculations by the potential field source surface (PFSS) model. It is shown that, from 1996 through 2010, the total area of coronal holes measured with EIT images varies between 5% and 17% of the total solar surface area, and the total unsigned open flux varies between (2-5)× 10 22 Mx. The solar cycle dependence of these measurements is similar to the PFSS results, but the model yields larger hole areas and greater open flux than observed by EIT. The AIA/EUVI measurements from 2010-2013 show coronal hole area coverage of 5%-10% of the total surface area, with significant contribution from low latitudes, which is under-represented by EIT. AIA/EUVI have measured much enhanced open magnetic flux in the range of (2-4)× 10 22 Mx, which is about twice the flux measured by EIT, and matches with the PFSS calculated open flux, with discrepancies in the location and strength of coronal holes. A detailed comparison between the three measurements (by EIT, AIA-EUVI, and PFSS) indicates that coronal holes in low latitudes contribute significantly to the total open magnetic flux. These low-latitude coronal holes are not well measured with either the He I 10830 line in previous studies, or EIT EUV images; neither are they well captured by the static PFSS model. The enhanced observations from AIA/EUVI allow a more accurate measure of these low-latitude coronal holes and their contribution to open magnetic flux.

MAGNETIC FIELD STRUCTURES TRIGGERING SOLAR FLARES AND CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusano, K.; Bamba, Y.; Yamamoto, T. T.; Iida, Y.; Toriumi, S.; Asai, A.

2012-01-01

Solar flares and coronal mass ejections, the most catastrophic eruptions in our solar system, have been known to affect terrestrial environments and infrastructure. However, because their triggering mechanism is still not sufficiently understood, our capacity to predict the occurrence of solar eruptions and to forecast space weather is substantially hindered. Even though various models have been proposed to determine the onset of solar eruptions, the types of magnetic structures capable of triggering these eruptions are still unclear. In this study, we solved this problem by systematically surveying the nonlinear dynamics caused by a wide variety of magnetic structures in terms of three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations. As a result, we determined that two different types of small magnetic structures favor the onset of solar eruptions. These structures, which should appear near the magnetic polarity inversion line (PIL), include magnetic fluxes reversed to the potential component or the nonpotential component of major field on the PIL. In addition, we analyzed two large flares, the X-class flare on 2006 December 13 and the M-class flare on 2011 February 13, using imaging data provided by the Hinode satellite, and we demonstrated that they conform to the simulation predictions. These results suggest that forecasting of solar eruptions is possible with sophisticated observation of a solar magnetic field, although the lead time must be limited by the timescale of changes in the small magnetic structures.

The COronal Solar Magnetism Observatory (COSMO) Large Aperture Coronagraph

Science.gov (United States)

Tomczyk, Steve; Gallagher, Dennis; Wu, Zhen; Zhang, Haiying; Nelson, Pete; Burkepile, Joan; Kolinksi, Don; Sutherland, Lee

2013-04-01

The COSMO is a facility dedicated to observing coronal and chromospheric magnetic fields. It will be located on a mountaintop in the Hawaiian Islands and will replace the current Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO). COSMO will provide unique observations of the global coronal magnetic fields and its environment to enhance the value of data collected by other observatories on the ground (e.g. SOLIS, BBO NST, Gregor, ATST, EST, Chinese Giant Solar Telescope, NLST, FASR) and in space (e.g. SDO, Hinode, SOHO, GOES, STEREO, Solar-C, Solar Probe+, Solar Orbiter). COSMO will employ a fleet of instruments to cover many aspects of measuring magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere. The dynamics and energy flow in the corona are dominated by magnetic fields. To understand the formation of CMEs, their relation to other forms of solar activity, and their progression out into the solar wind requires measurements of coronal magnetic fields. The large aperture coronagraph, the Chromospheric and Prominence Magnetometer and the K-Coronagraph form the COSMO instrument suite to measure magnetic fields and the polarization brightness of the low corona used to infer electron density. The large aperture coronagraph will employ a 1.5 meter fuse silica singlet lens, birefringent filters, and a spectropolarimeter to cover fields of view of up to 1 degree. It will observe the corona over a wide range of emission lines from 530.3 nm through 1083.0 nm allowing for magnetic field measurements over a wide range of coronal temperatures (e.g. FeXIV at 530.3 nm, Fe X at 637.4 nm, Fe XIII at 1074.7 and 1079.8 nm. These lines are faint and require the very large aperture. NCAR and NSF have provided funding to bring the large aperture coronagraph to a preliminary design review state by the end of 2013. As with all data from Mauna Loa, the data products from COSMO will be available to the community via the Mauna Loa website: http://mlso.hao.ucar.edu

Measurements of EUV coronal holes and open magnetic flux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lowder, C.; Qiu, J.; Leamon, R. [Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717 (United States); Liu, Y., E-mail: clowder@solar.physics.montana.edu [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States)

2014-03-10

Coronal holes are regions on the Sun's surface that map the footprints of open magnetic field lines. We have developed an automated routine to detect and track boundaries of long-lived coronal holes using full-disk extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) images obtained by SOHO/EIT, SDO/AIA, and STEREO/EUVI. We measure coronal hole areas and magnetic flux in these holes, and compare the measurements with calculations by the potential field source surface (PFSS) model. It is shown that, from 1996 through 2010, the total area of coronal holes measured with EIT images varies between 5% and 17% of the total solar surface area, and the total unsigned open flux varies between (2-5)× 10{sup 22} Mx. The solar cycle dependence of these measurements is similar to the PFSS results, but the model yields larger hole areas and greater open flux than observed by EIT. The AIA/EUVI measurements from 2010-2013 show coronal hole area coverage of 5%-10% of the total surface area, with significant contribution from low latitudes, which is under-represented by EIT. AIA/EUVI have measured much enhanced open magnetic flux in the range of (2-4)× 10{sup 22} Mx, which is about twice the flux measured by EIT, and matches with the PFSS calculated open flux, with discrepancies in the location and strength of coronal holes. A detailed comparison between the three measurements (by EIT, AIA-EUVI, and PFSS) indicates that coronal holes in low latitudes contribute significantly to the total open magnetic flux. These low-latitude coronal holes are not well measured with either the He I 10830 line in previous studies, or EIT EUV images; neither are they well captured by the static PFSS model. The enhanced observations from AIA/EUVI allow a more accurate measure of these low-latitude coronal holes and their contribution to open magnetic flux.

Energy of Force-Free Magnetic Fields in Relation to Coronal Mass Ejections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choe, G.S.; Cheng, C.Z.

2002-01-01

In typical observations of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), a magnetic structure of a helmet-shaped closed configuration bulges out and eventually opens up. However, a spontaneous transition between these field configurations has been regarded to be energetically impossible in force-free fields according to the Aly-Sturrock theorem. The theorem states that the maximum energy state of force-free fields with a given boundary normal field distribution is the open field. The theorem implicitly assumes the existence of the maximum energy state, which may not be taken for granted. In this study, we have constructed force-free fields containing tangential discontinuities in multiple flux systems. These force-free fields can be generated from a potential field by footpoint motions that do not conserve the boundary normal field distribution. Some of these force-free fields are found to have more magnetic energy than the corresponding open fields. The constructed force-free configurations are compared with observational features of CME-bearing active regions. Possible mechanisms of CMEs are also discussed

The Effect of a Twisted Magnetic Field on the Phase Mixing of the Kink Magnetohydrodynamic Waves in Coronal Loops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ebrahimi, Zanyar; Karami, Kayoomars [Department of Physics, University of Kurdistan, Pasdaran Street, P.O. Box 66177-15175, Sanandaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Soler, Roberto, E-mail: z.ebrahimi@uok.ac.ir [Departament de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122, Palma de Mallorca (Spain)

2017-08-10

There is observational evidence for the existence of a twisted magnetic field in the solar corona. This inspires us to investigate the effect of a twisted magnetic field on the evolution of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) kink waves in coronal loops. With this aim, we solve the incompressible linearized MHD equations in a magnetically twisted nonuniform coronal flux tube in the limit of long wavelengths. Our results show that a twisted magnetic field can enhance or diminish the rate of phase mixing of the Alfvén continuum modes and the decay rate of the global kink oscillation depending on the twist model and the sign of the longitudinal ( k{sub z} ) and azimuthal ( m ) wavenumbers. Also, our results confirm that in the presence of a twisted magnetic field, when the sign of one of the two wavenumbers m and k {sub z} is changed, the symmetry with respect to the propagation direction is broken. Even a small amount of twist can have an important impact on the process of energy cascading to small scales.

Correlation of Coronal Plasma Properties and Solar Magnetic Field in a Decaying Active Region

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Yuan-Kuen; Young, Peter R.; Muglach, Karin; Warren, Harry P.; Ugarte-Urra, Ignacio

2016-01-01

We present the analysis of a decaying active region observed by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on Hinode during 2009 December 7-11. We investigated the temporal evolution of its structure exhibited by plasma at temperatures from 300,000 to 2.8 million degrees, and derived the electron density, differential emission measure, effective electron temperature, and elemental abundance ratios of Si/S and Fe/S (as a measure of the First Ionization Potential (FIP) Effect). We compared these coronal properties to the temporal evolution of the photospheric magnetic field strength obtained from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms. We find that, while these coronal properties all decreased with time during this decay phase, the largest change was at plasma above 1.5 million degrees. The photospheric magnetic field strength also decreased with time but mainly for field strengths lower than about 70 Gauss. The effective electron temperature and the FIP bias seem to reach a basal state (at 1.5 x 10(exp 6) K and 1.5, respectively) into the quiet Sun when the mean photospheric magnetic field (excluding all areas correlated with each other and the correlation is the strongest in the high-temperature plasma. Such correlation properties should be considered in the quest for our understanding of how the corona is heated. The variations in the elemental abundance should especially be considered together with the electron temperature and density.

Correlation of Coronal Plasma Properties and Solar Magnetic Field in a Decaying Active Region

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Yuan-Kuen; Young, Peter R.; Muglach, Karin; Warren, Harry P.; Ugarte-Urra, Ignacio

2016-01-01

We present the analysis of a decaying active region observed by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on Hinode during 2009 December 7-11. We investigated the temporal evolution of its structure exhibited by plasma at temperatures from 300,000 to 2.8 million degrees, and derived the electron density, differential emission measure, effective electron temperature, and elemental abundance ratios of Si/S and Fe/S (as a measure of the First Ionization Potential (FIP) Effect). We compared these coronal properties to the temporal evolution of the photospheric magnetic field strength obtained from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms. We find that, while these coronal properties all decreased with time during this decay phase, the largest change was at plasma above 1.5 million degrees. The photospheric magnetic field strength also decreased with time but mainly for field strengths lower than about 70 Gauss. The effective electron temperature and the FIP bias seem to reach a basal state (at 1.5 x 10(exp 6) K and 1.5, respectively) into the quiet Sun when the mean photospheric magnetic field (excluding all areas <10 G) weakened to below 35 G, while the electron density continued to decrease with the weakening field. These physical properties are all positively correlated with each other and the correlation is the strongest in the high-temperature plasma. Such correlation properties should be considered in the quest for our understanding of how the corona is heated. The variations in the elemental abundance should especially be considered together with the electron temperature and density.

Energy of Force-Free Magnetic Fields in Relation to Coronal Mass Ejections; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

G.S. Choe; C.Z. Cheng

2002-01-01

In typical observations of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), a magnetic structure of a helmet-shaped closed configuration bulges out and eventually opens up. However, a spontaneous transition between these field configurations has been regarded to be energetically impossible in force-free fields according to the Aly-Sturrock theorem. The theorem states that the maximum energy state of force-free fields with a given boundary normal field distribution is the open field. The theorem implicitly assumes the existence of the maximum energy state, which may not be taken for granted. In this study, we have constructed force-free fields containing tangential discontinuities in multiple flux systems. These force-free fields can be generated from a potential field by footpoint motions that do not conserve the boundary normal field distribution. Some of these force-free fields are found to have more magnetic energy than the corresponding open fields. The constructed force-free configurations are compared with observational features of CME-bearing active regions. Possible mechanisms of CMEs are also discussed

Three-dimensional structure of the coronal magnetic field and the solar wind speed distribution projected on the photosphere in 1974

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakamada, K.

1987-01-01

Since the solar wind and coronal holes were relatively steady in 1974, the average distribution of the solar wind speed on the source surface and that of the line-of-sight component of the photospheric magnetic fields (B 1 ) can be constructed, with fair accuracy, by the superposed epoch analysis. The three-dimensional structure of the coronal magnetic fields is then computed from this average map of B 1 based on the potential model. The average distribution of the solar wind speed on the source surface, obtained from interplanetary scintillation observations, is then projected onto the photosphere along the open field lines in the corona. The high-speed regions thus projected are compared with the He I (1083 nm) coronal holes and are found to have a similar geometry. The results are also suggestive that the solar wind does not blow out uniformly from the vicinity of a coronal hole and that the speed is higher at the east side in that region than at the west side. The slower speed regions on the source surface have a sinusoidal structure in heliographic latitude-longitude coordinates and are similar to the brightness distribution of the K corona and the structure of closed field line regions projected onto the photosphere. copyrightAmerican Geophysical Union 1987

Formation of coronal cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, C.H.; Suess, S.T.; Tandberg-Hanssen, E.; Steinolfson, R.S.

1986-01-01

A theoretical study of the formation of a coronal cavity and its relation to a quiescent prominence is presented. It is argued that the formation of a cavity is initiated by the condensation of plasma which is trapped by the coronal magnetic field in a closed streamer and which then flows down to the chromosphere along the field lines due to lack of stable magnetic support against gravity. The existence of a coronal cavity depends on the coronal magnetic field strength; with low strength, the plasma density is not high enough for condensation to occur. Furthermore, we suggest that prominence and cavity material is supplied from the chromospheric level. Whether a coronal cavity and a prominence coexist depends on the magnetic field configuration; a prominence requires stable magnetic support

Theoretical scaling law of coronal magnetic field and electron power-law index in solar microwave burst sources

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Y.; Song, Q. W.; Tan, B. L.

2018-04-01

It is first proposed a theoretical scaling law respectively for the coronal magnetic field strength B and electron power-law index δ versus frequency and coronal height in solar microwave burst sources. Based on the non-thermal gyro-synchrotron radiation model (Ramaty in Astrophys. J. 158:753, 1969), B and δ are uniquely solved by the observable optically-thin spectral index and turnover (peak) frequency, the other parameters (plasma density, temperature, view angle, low and high energy cutoffs, etc.) are relatively insensitive to the calculations, thus taken as some typical values. Both of B and δ increase with increasing of radio frequency but with decreasing of coronal height above photosphere, and well satisfy a square or cubic logarithmic fitting.

The magnetic field of active region 11158 during the 2011 February 12-17 flares: Differences between photospheric extrapolation and coronal forward-fitting methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aschwanden, Markus J.; Sun, Xudong; Liu, Yang

2014-01-01

We developed a coronal nonlinear force-free field (COR-NLFFF) forward-fitting code that fits an approximate nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) solution to the observed geometry of automatically traced coronal loops. In contrast to photospheric NLFFF codes, which calculate a magnetic field solution from the constraints of the transverse photospheric field, this new code uses coronal constraints instead, and this way provides important information on systematic errors of each magnetic field calculation method, as well as on the non-force-freeness in the lower chromosphere. In this study we applied the COR-NLFFF code to NOAA Active Region 11158, during the time interval of 2011 February 12-17, which includes an X2.2 GOES-class flare plus 35 M- and C-class flares. We calculated the free magnetic energy with a 6 minute cadence over 5 days. We find good agreement between the two types of codes for the total nonpotential E N and potential energy E P but find up to a factor of 4 discrepancy in the free energy E free = E N – E P and up to a factor of 10 discrepancy in the decrease of the free energy ΔE free during flares. The coronal NLFFF code exhibits a larger time variability and yields a decrease of free energy during the flare that is sufficient to satisfy the flare energy budget, while the photospheric NLFFF code shows much less time variability and an order of magnitude less free-energy decrease during flares. The discrepancy may partly be due to the preprocessing of photospheric vector data but more likely is due to the non-force-freeness in the lower chromosphere. We conclude that the coronal field cannot be correctly calculated on the basis of photospheric data alone and requires additional information on coronal loop geometries.

Magnetic Topology of Coronal Hole Linkages

Science.gov (United States)

Titov, V. S.; Mikic, Z.; Linker, J. A.; Lionello, R.; Antiochos, S. K.

2010-01-01

In recent work, Antiochos and coworkers argued that the boundary between the open and closed field regions on the Sun can be extremely complex with narrow corridors of open ux connecting seemingly disconnected coronal holes from the main polar holes, and that these corridors may be the sources of the slow solar wind. We examine, in detail, the topology of such magnetic configurations using an analytical source surface model that allows for analysis of the eld with arbitrary resolution. Our analysis reveals three important new results: First, a coronal hole boundary can join stably to the separatrix boundary of a parasitic polarity region. Second, a single parasitic polarity region can produce multiple null points in the corona and, more important, separator lines connecting these points. Such topologies are extremely favorable for magnetic reconnection, because it can now occur over the entire length of the separators rather than being con ned to a small region around the nulls. Finally, the coronal holes are not connected by an open- eld corridor of finite width, but instead are linked by a singular line that coincides with the separatrix footprint of the parasitic polarity. We investigate how the topological features described above evolve in response to motion of the parasitic polarity region. The implications of our results for the sources of the slow solar wind and for coronal and heliospheric observations are discussed.

FIELD TOPOLOGY ANALYSIS OF A LONG-LASTING CORONAL SIGMOID

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savcheva, A. S.; Van Ballegooijen, A. A.; DeLuca, E. E.

2012-01-01

We present the first field topology analysis based on nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) models of a long-lasting coronal sigmoid observed in 2007 February with the X-Ray Telescope on Hinode. The NLFFF models are built with the flux rope insertion method and give the three-dimensional coronal magnetic field as constrained by observed coronal loop structures and photospheric magnetograms. Based on these models, we have computed horizontal maps of the current and the squashing factor Q for 25 different heights in the corona for all six days of the evolution of the region. We use the squashing factor to quantify the degree of change of the field line linkage and to identify prominent quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs). We discuss the major properties of these QSL maps and devise a way to pick out important QSLs since our calculation cannot reach high values of Q. The complexity in the QSL maps reflects the high degree of fragmentation of the photospheric field. We find main QSLs and current concentrations that outline the flux rope cavity and that become characteristically S-shaped during the evolution of the sigmoid. We note that, although intermittent bald patches exist along the length of the sigmoid during its whole evolution, the flux rope remains stable for several days. However, shortly after the topology of the field exhibits hyperbolic flux tubes (HFT) on February 7 and February 12 the sigmoid loses equilibrium and produces two B-class flares and associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The location of the most elevated part of the HFT in our model coincides with the inferred locations of the two flares. Therefore, we suggest that the presence of an HFT in a coronal magnetic configuration may be an indication that the system is ready to erupt. We offer a scenario in which magnetic reconnection at the HFT drives the system toward the marginally stable state. Once this state is reached, loss of equilibrium occurs via the torus instability, producing a CME.

NONLINEAR FORCE-FREE MAGNETIC FIELD FITTING TO CORONAL LOOPS WITH AND WITHOUT STEREOSCOPY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aschwanden, Markus J.

2013-01-01

We developed a new nonlinear force-free magnetic field (NLFFF) forward-fitting algorithm based on an analytical approximation of force-free and divergence-free NLFFF solutions, which requires as input a line-of-sight magnetogram and traced two-dimensional (2D) loop coordinates of coronal loops only, in contrast to stereoscopically triangulated three-dimensional loop coordinates used in previous studies. Test results of simulated magnetic configurations and from four active regions observed with STEREO demonstrate that NLFFF solutions can be fitted with equal accuracy with or without stereoscopy, which relinquishes the necessity of STEREO data for magnetic modeling of active regions (on the solar disk). The 2D loop tracing method achieves a 2D misalignment of μ 2 = 2.°7 ± 1.°3 between the model field lines and observed loops, and an accuracy of ≈1.0% for the magnetic energy or free magnetic energy ratio. The three times higher spatial resolution of TRACE or SDO/AIA (compared with STEREO) also yields a proportionally smaller misalignment angle between model fit and observations. Visual/manual loop tracings are found to produce more accurate magnetic model fits than automated tracing algorithms. The computation time of the new forward-fitting code amounts to a few minutes per active region.

MEASURING THE MAGNETIC FIELD OF CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS NEAR THE SUN USING PULSARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howard, T. A. [Southwest Research Institute, 1050 Walnut Street, Suite 300, Boulder, CO 80302 (United States); Stovall, K.; Dowell, J.; Taylor, G. B. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States); White, S. M., E-mail: howard@boulder.swri.edu [Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-11-10

The utility of Faraday rotation to measure the magnetic field of the solar corona and large-scale transients within is a small, yet growing field in solar physics. This is largely because it has been recognized as a potentially valuable frontier in space weather studies, because the ability to measure the intrinsic magnetic field within coronal mass ejections (CMEs) when they are close to the Sun is of great interest for understanding a key element of space weather. Such measurements have been attempted over the last few decades using radio signals from artificial sources (i.e., spacecraft on the far side of the Sun), but studies involving natural radio sources are scarce in the literature. We report on a preliminary study involving an attempt to detect the Faraday rotation of a CME that passed in front of a pulsar (PSR B0950+08) in 2015 August. We combine radio measurements with those from a broadband visible light coronagraph, to estimate the upper limit of the magnetic field of the CME when it was in the corona. We find agreement between different approaches for obtaining its density, and values that are consistent with those predicted from prior studies of CME density close to the Sun.

Magnetohydrodynamic Modeling of Solar Coronal Dynamics with an Initial Non-force-free Magnetic Field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prasad, A.; Bhattacharyya, R.; Kumar, Sanjay [Udaipur Solar Observatory, Physical Research Laboratory, Dewali, Bari Road, Udaipur-313001 (India)

2017-05-01

The magnetic fields in the solar corona are generally neither force-free nor axisymmetric and have complex dynamics that are difficult to characterize. Here we simulate the topological evolution of solar coronal magnetic field lines (MFLs) using a magnetohydrodynamic model. The simulation is initialized with a non-axisymmetric non-force-free magnetic field that best correlates with the observed vector magnetograms of solar active regions (ARs). To focus on these ideas, simulations are performed for the flaring AR 11283 noted for its complexity and well-documented dynamics. The simulated dynamics develops as the initial Lorentz force pushes the plasma and facilitates successive magnetic reconnections at the two X-type null lines present in the initial field. Importantly, the simulation allows for the spontaneous development of mass flow, unique among contemporary works, that preferentially reconnects field lines at one of the X-type null lines. Consequently, a flux rope consisting of low-lying twisted MFLs, which approximately traces the major polarity inversion line, undergoes an asymmetric monotonic rise. The rise is attributed to a reduction in the magnetic tension force at the region overlying the rope, resulting from the reconnection. A monotonic rise of the rope is in conformity with the standard scenario of flares. Importantly, the simulated dynamics leads to bifurcations of the flux rope, which, being akin to the observed filament bifurcation in AR 11283, establishes the appropriateness of the initial field in describing ARs.

CONSTRAINING THE SOLAR CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELD STRENGTH USING SPLIT-BAND TYPE II RADIO BURST OBSERVATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kishore, P.; Ramesh, R.; Hariharan, K.; Kathiravan, C. [Indian Institute of Astrophysics, 2nd Block, Koramangala, Bangalore—560034 (India); Gopalswamy, N., E-mail: kishore@iiap.res.in [Code 671, Solar Physics Laboratory, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2016-11-20

We report on low-frequency radio (85–35 MHz) spectral observations of four different type II radio bursts, which exhibited fundamental-harmonic emission and split-band structure. Each of the bursts was found to be closely associated with a whitelight coronal mass ejection (CME) close to the Sun. We estimated the coronal magnetic field strength from the split-band characteristics of the bursts, by assuming a model for the coronal electron density distribution. The choice of the model was constrained, based on the following criteria: (1) when the radio burst is observed simultaneously in the upper and lower bands of the fundamental component, the location of the plasma level corresponding to the frequency of the burst in the lower band should be consistent with the deprojected location of the leading edge (LE) of the associated CME; (2) the drift speed of the type II bursts derived from such a model should agree closely with the deprojected speed of the LE of the corresponding CMEs. With the above conditions, we find that: (1) the estimated field strengths are unique to each type II burst, and (2) the radial variation of the field strength in the different events indicate a pattern. It is steepest for the case where the heliocentric distance range over which the associated burst is observed is closest to the Sun, and vice versa.

THE POSSIBLE IMPACT OF L5 MAGNETOGRAMS ON NON-POTENTIAL SOLAR CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELD SIMULATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weinzierl, Marion; Yeates, Anthony R. [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University South Road, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Mackay, Duncan H. [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Pevtsov, Alexei A., E-mail: marion.weinzierl@durham.ac.uk [National Solar Observatory 3010 Coronal Loop, sunspot NM 88349 (United States)

2016-09-10

The proposed Carrington-L5 mission would bring instruments to the L5 Lagrange point to provide us with crucial data for space weather prediction. To assess the importance of including a magnetograph, we consider the possible differences in non-potential solar coronal magnetic field simulations when magnetograph observations are available from the L5 point, compared with an L1-based field of view (FOV). A timeseries of synoptic radial magnetic field maps is constructed to capture the emergence of two active regions from the L5 FOV. These regions are initially absent in the L1 magnetic field maps, but are included once they rotate into the L1 FOV. Non-potential simulations for these two sets of input data are compared in detail. Within the bipolar active regions themselves, differences in the magnetic field structure can exist between the two simulations once the active regions are included in both. These differences tend to reduce within 5 days of the active region being included in L1. The delayed emergence in L1 can, however, lead to significant persistent differences in long-range connectivity between the active regions and the surrounding fields, and also in the global magnetic energy. In particular, the open magnetic flux and the location of open magnetic footpoints, are sensitive to capturing the real-time of emergence. These results suggest that a magnetograph at L5 could significantly improve predictions of the non-potential corona, the interplanetary magnetic field, and of solar wind source regions on the Sun.

Direct Observations of Magnetic Flux Rope Formation during a Solar Coronal Mass Ejection

Science.gov (United States)

Song, H.; Zhang, J.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, X.

2014-12-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the most spectacular eruptive phenomena in the solar atmosphere. It is generally accepted that CMEs are results of eruptions of magnetic flux ropes (MFRs). However, a heated debate is on whether MFRs pre-exist before the eruptions or they are formed during the eruptions. Several coronal signatures, e.g., filaments, coronal cavities, sigmoid structures and hot channels (or hot blobs), are proposed as MFRs and observed before the eruption, which support the pre existing MFR scenario. There is almost no reported observation about MFR formation during the eruption. In this presentation, we present an intriguing observation of a solar eruptive event with the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory, which shows a detailed formation process of the MFR during the eruption. The process started with the expansion of a low lying coronal arcade, possibly caused by the flare magnetic reconnection underneath. The newly-formed ascending loops from below further pushed the arcade upward, stretching the surrounding magnetic field. The arcade and stretched magnetic field lines then curved-in just below the arcade vertex, forming an X-point. The field lines near the X-point continued to approach each other and a second magnetic reconnection was induced. It is this high-lying magnetic reconnection that led to the formation and eruption of a hot blob (~ 10 MK), presumably a MFR, producing a CME. We suggest that two spatially-separated magnetic reconnections occurred in this event, responsible for producing the flare and the hot blob (CME), respectively.

THE TOPOLOGICAL CHANGES OF SOLAR CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELDS. II. THE RECLOSING OF AN OPENED FIELD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Low, B. C.; Janse, A. M.

2009-01-01

This is a study of the spontaneous formation of current sheets responding to the closing of an opened magnetic field by resistive reconnection in an electrically, highly conducting atmosphere outside a unit sphere. Pairs of initial-final equilibrium states are calculated explicitly, taking the field to be composed of three systems of untwisted flux in both states. In the initial state, two of the three flux systems are closed potential fields whereas the third system contains an equilibrium current sheet that keeps the potential fields on its two sides globally open. The final state is an everywhere potential field, with all three flux systems closed, produced by the resistive dissipation of the current sheet in the initial state. The unit sphere is taken to be a rigid, perfectly conducting wall during reconnection, so that the normal flux distribution is unchanged on the unit sphere. Field solutions subject to this unchanging boundary condition are obtained with and without the assumption of axisymmetry. The mathematical model has been designed to show that the topological changes produced by the current-sheet dissipation are simple under axisymmetry but radically different in the absence of axisymmetry, a fundamental point established in the first paper of this series. In the general case, the topological changes imply that other current sheets must have formed. Some of these current sheets form on the separatrix flux surfaces of the multipolar field. Others form throughout the closed-flux systems induced by volumetric changes. The opening and reclosing of magnetic fields during a solar coronal mass ejection may produce a multitude of current sheets not previously anticipated in the current understanding of this phenomenon. Basic to this study is a general topological property of magnetic flux tubes treated separately in the Appendix.

DIRECT OBSERVATIONS OF MAGNETIC FLUX ROPE FORMATION DURING A SOLAR CORONAL MASS EJECTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, H. Q.; Chen, Y.; Zhang, J.; Cheng, X.

2014-01-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the most spectacular eruptive phenomena in the solar atmosphere. It is generally accepted that CMEs are the results of eruptions of magnetic flux ropes (MFRs). However, there is heated debate on whether MFRs exist prior to the eruptions or if they are formed during the eruptions. Several coronal signatures, e.g., filaments, coronal cavities, sigmoid structures, and hot channels (or hot blobs), are proposed as MFRs and observed before the eruption, which support the pre-existing MFR scenario. There is almost no reported observation of MFR formation during the eruption. In this Letter, we present an intriguing observation of a solar eruptive event that occurred on 2013 November 21 with the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory, which shows the formation process of the MFR during the eruption in detail. The process began with the expansion of a low-lying coronal arcade, possibly caused by the flare magnetic reconnection underneath. The newly formed ascending loops from below further pushed the arcade upward, stretching the surrounding magnetic field. The arcade and stretched magnetic field lines then curved in just below the arcade vertex, forming an X-point. The field lines near the X-point continued to approach each other and a second magnetic reconnection was induced. It is this high-lying magnetic reconnection that led to the formation and eruption of a hot blob (∼10 MK), presumably an MFR, producing a CME. We suggest that two spatially separated magnetic reconnections occurred in this event, which were responsible for producing the flare and the hot blob (CME)

DIRECT OBSERVATIONS OF MAGNETIC FLUX ROPE FORMATION DURING A SOLAR CORONAL MASS EJECTION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, H. Q.; Chen, Y. [Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment and Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209 (China); Zhang, J. [School of Physics, Astronomy and Computational Sciences, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030 (United States); Cheng, X., E-mail: hqsong@sdu.edu.cn [School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093 (China)

2014-09-10

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the most spectacular eruptive phenomena in the solar atmosphere. It is generally accepted that CMEs are the results of eruptions of magnetic flux ropes (MFRs). However, there is heated debate on whether MFRs exist prior to the eruptions or if they are formed during the eruptions. Several coronal signatures, e.g., filaments, coronal cavities, sigmoid structures, and hot channels (or hot blobs), are proposed as MFRs and observed before the eruption, which support the pre-existing MFR scenario. There is almost no reported observation of MFR formation during the eruption. In this Letter, we present an intriguing observation of a solar eruptive event that occurred on 2013 November 21 with the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory, which shows the formation process of the MFR during the eruption in detail. The process began with the expansion of a low-lying coronal arcade, possibly caused by the flare magnetic reconnection underneath. The newly formed ascending loops from below further pushed the arcade upward, stretching the surrounding magnetic field. The arcade and stretched magnetic field lines then curved in just below the arcade vertex, forming an X-point. The field lines near the X-point continued to approach each other and a second magnetic reconnection was induced. It is this high-lying magnetic reconnection that led to the formation and eruption of a hot blob (∼10 MK), presumably an MFR, producing a CME. We suggest that two spatially separated magnetic reconnections occurred in this event, which were responsible for producing the flare and the hot blob (CME)

MAGNETIC FLUX CANCELATION AS THE TRIGGER OF SOLAR QUIET-REGION CORONAL JETS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Panesar, Navdeep K.; Sterling, Alphonse C.; Moore, Ronald L. [Heliophysics and Planetary Science Office, ZP13, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States); Chakrapani, Prithi, E-mail: navdeep.k.panesar@nasa.gov [Hunter College High School, New York, NY (United States)

2016-11-20

We report observations of 10 random on-disk solar quiet-region coronal jets found in high-resolution extreme ultraviolet (EUV) images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory ( SDO )/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly and having good coverage in magnetograms from the SDO /Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI). Recent studies show that coronal jets are driven by the eruption of a small-scale filament (called a minifilament ). However, the trigger of these eruptions is still unknown. In the present study, we address the question: what leads to the jet-driving minifilament eruptions? The EUV observations show that there is a cool-transition-region-plasma minifilament present prior to each jet event and the minifilament eruption drives the jet. By examining pre-jet evolutionary changes in the line of sight photospheric magnetic field, we observe that each pre-jet minifilament resides over the neutral line between majority-polarity and minority-polarity patches of magnetic flux. In each of the 10 cases, the opposite-polarity patches approach and merge with each other (flux reduction between 21% and 57%). After several hours, continuous flux cancelation at the neutral line apparently destabilizes the field holding the cool-plasma minifilament to erupt and undergo internal reconnection, and external reconnection with the surrounding coronal field. The external reconnection opens the minifilament field allowing the minifilament material to escape outward, forming part of the jet spire. Thus, we found that each of the 10 jets resulted from eruption of a minifilament following flux cancelation at the neutral line under the minifilament. These observations establish that magnetic flux cancelation is usually the trigger of quiet-region coronal jet eruptions.

COMPARING CORONAL AND HELIOSPHERIC MAGNETIC FIELDS OVER SEVERAL SOLAR CYCLES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koskela, J. S.; Virtanen, I. I.; Mursula, K., E-mail: jennimari.koskela@oulu.fi [University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FI-90014 Oulu (Finland)

2017-01-20

Here we use the PFSS model and photospheric data from Wilcox Solar Observatory, SOHO /MDI, SDO/HMI, and SOLIS to compare the coronal field with heliospheric magnetic field measured at 1 au, compiled in the NASA/NSSDC OMNI 2 data set. We calculate their mutual polarity match and the power of the radial decay, p , of the radial field using different source surface distances and different number of harmonic multipoles. We find the average polarity match of 82% for the declining phase, 78%–79% for maxima, 76%–78% for the ascending phase, and 74%–76% for minima. On an average, the source surface of 3.25 R{sub S} gives the best polarity match. We also find strong evidence for solar cycle variation of the optimal source surface distance, with highest values (3.3 R{sub S}) during solar minima and lowest values (2.6 R{sub S}–2.7 R{sub S}) during the other three solar cycle phases. Raising the number of harmonic terms beyond 2 rarely improves the polarity match, showing that the structure of the HMF at 1 au is most of the time rather simple. All four data sets yield fairly similar polarity matches. Thus, polarity comparison is not affected by photospheric field scaling, unlike comparisons of the field intensity.

Latitude dependence of the solar wind speed: Influence of the coronal magnetic field geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pneuman, G.W.

1976-01-01

The dependence of solar wind speed on latitude as influenced by the magnetic field configuration of the inner corona is studied. It is found that in general, a dipolelike field geometry characteristic of a minimum-type corona tends to produce a solar wind speed distribution which increases with heliographic latitude, in accordance with observations. At very high coronal base densities and temperatures, however, this effect is minimal or even inverted. Physically, the field affects the wind speed through its area divergence, a larger divergence resulting in correspondingly lower speeds. During solar minimum, eclipse photographs suggest that the field divergence increases from pole to equator, a characteristic not apparent during solar maximum. Hence we expect the latitudinal increase in speed to be most pronounced at the minimum phase of solar activity

Guided flows in coronal magnetic flux tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Petralia, A.; Reale, F.; Testa, P.

2018-01-01

Context. There is evidence that coronal plasma flows break down into fragments and become laminar. Aims: We investigate this effect by modelling flows confined along magnetic channels. Methods: We consider a full magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model of a solar atmosphere box with a dipole magnetic field. We compare the propagation of a cylindrical flow perfectly aligned with the field to that of another flow with a slight misalignment. We assume a flow speed of 200 km s-1 and an ambient magnetic field of 30 G. Results: We find that although the aligned flow maintains its cylindrical symmetry while it travels along the magnetic tube, the misaligned one is rapidly squashed on one side, becoming laminar and eventually fragmented because of the interaction and back-reaction of the magnetic field. This model could explain an observation made by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory of erupted fragments that fall back onto the solar surface as thin and elongated strands and end up in a hedge-like configuration. Conclusions: The initial alignment of plasma flow plays an important role in determining the possible laminar structure and fragmentation of flows while they travel along magnetic channels. Movies are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Coronal emission-line polarization from the statistical equilibrium of magnetic sublevels. I. Fe XII

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

House, L.L.

1977-01-01

A general formulation for the polarization of coronal emission lines is presented, and the physics is illustrated through application of the formulation to the lines of Fe XIII at 10747 and 10798 A. The goal is to present a foundation for the determination of the orientation of coronal magnetic fields from emission-line polarization measurements. The physics of emission-line polarization is discussed using the statistical equilibrium equations for the magnetic sublevels of a coronal ion. The formulation of these equations, which describe the polarization of the radiation field in terms of Stokes parameters, is presented; and the various rate parameters: both radiative and collisional: are considered. The emission Stokes vector is constructed from the solution of the equilibrium equations for a point in the corona where the magnetic field has an arbitrary orientation. On the basis of a model, a computer code for the calculation of emission-line polarization is briefly described and illustrated with a number of sample calculations for Fe XIII. Calculations are carried out for three-dimensional models that demonstrate the physics of the formation of emission-line polarization and illustrate how the degree of polarization and angle of polarization and their variations over the corona are related to the density and magnetic field structure. The models considered range from simple cases in which the density distribution with height is spherically symmetric and the field is radial or dipole to a complex case in which both the density and magnetic field distributions are derived from realistic three-dimensional distributions for the 1973 eclipse on the basis of K-coronameter measurements for the density and potential-field extrapolation of surface magnetic fields in the corona

Origin of coronal mass ejection and magnetic cloud: Thermal or magnetic driven?

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Gong-Liang; Wang, Chi; He, Shuang-Hua

1995-01-01

A fundamental problem in Solar-Terrestrial Physics is the origin of the solar transient plasma output, which includes the coronal mass ejection and its interplanetary manifestation, e.g. the magnetic cloud. The traditional blast wave model resulted from solar thermal pressure impulse has faced with challenge during recent years. In the MHD numerical simulation study of CME, the authors find that the basic feature of the asymmetrical event on 18 August 1980 can be reproduced neither by a thermal pressure nor by a speed increment. Also, the thermal pressure model fails in simulating the interplanetary structure with low thermal pressure and strong magnetic field strength, representative of a typical magnetic cloud. Instead, the numerical simulation results are in favor of the magnetic field expansion as the likely mechanism for both the asymmetrical CME event and magnetic cloud.

Evidence linking coronal mass ejections with interplanetary magnetic clouds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, R.M.; Hildner, E.

1983-12-01

Using proxy data for the occurrence of those mass ejections from the solar corona which are directed earthward, we investigate the association between the post-1970 interplanetary magnetic clouds of Klein and Burlaga and coronal mass ejections. The evidence linking magnetic clouds following shocks with coronal mass ejections is striking. Six of nine clouds observed at Earth were preceded an appropriate time earlier by meter-wave type II radio bursts indicative of coronal shock waves and coronal mass ejections occurring near central meridian. During the selected periods when no clouds were detected near Earth, the only type II bursts reported were associated with solar activity near the limbs. Where the proxy solar data to be sought are not so clearly suggested, that is, for clouds preceding interaction regions and clouds within cold magnetic enhancements, the evidence linking the clouds and coronal mass ejections is not as clear proxy data usually suggest many candidate mass-ejection events for each cloud. Overall, the data are consistent with and support the hypothesis suggested by Klein and Burlaga that magnetic clouds observed with spacecraft at 1 AU are manifestations of solar coronal mass ejection transients

Characteristics of Low-latitude Coronal Holes near the Maximum of Solar Cycle 24

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hofmeister, Stefan J.; Veronig, Astrid; Reiss, Martin A.; Temmer, Manuela [University of Graz, Institute of Physics, IGAM-Kanzelhöhe Observatory, Graz (Austria); Vennerstrom, Susanne [National Space Institute, DTU Space (Denmark); Vršnak, Bojan [Hvar Observatory, Faculty of Geodesy, Zagreb (Croatia); Heber, Bernd, E-mail: stefan.hofmeister@uni-graz.at [Universität Kiel, Institut für Experimentelle und Angewandte Physik, Kiel (Germany)

2017-02-01

We investigate the statistics of 288 low-latitude coronal holes extracted from SDO /AIA-193 filtergrams over the time range of 2011 January 01–2013 December 31. We analyze the distribution of characteristic coronal hole properties, such as the areas, mean AIA-193 intensities, and mean magnetic field densities, the local distribution of the SDO /AIA-193 intensity and the magnetic field within the coronal holes, and the distribution of magnetic flux tubes in coronal holes. We find that the mean magnetic field density of all coronal holes under study is 3.0 ± 1.6 G, and the percentaged unbalanced magnetic flux is 49 ± 16%. The mean magnetic field density, the mean unsigned magnetic field density, and the percentaged unbalanced magnetic flux of coronal holes depend strongly pairwise on each other, with correlation coefficients cc > 0.92. Furthermore, we find that the unbalanced magnetic flux of the coronal holes is predominantly concentrated in magnetic flux tubes: 38% (81%) of the unbalanced magnetic flux of coronal holes arises from only 1% (10%) of the coronal hole area, clustered in magnetic flux tubes with field strengths >50 G (10 G). The average magnetic field density and the unbalanced magnetic flux derived from the magnetic flux tubes correlate with the mean magnetic field density and the unbalanced magnetic flux of the overall coronal hole (cc>0.93). These findings give evidence that the overall magnetic characteristics of coronal holes are governed by the characteristics of the magnetic flux tubes.

TIME EVOLUTION OF CORONAL MAGNETIC HELICITY IN THE FLARING ACTIVE REGION NOAA 10930

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sung-Hong; Jing, Ju; Wang Haimin; Chae, Jongchul; Tan, Changyi

2010-01-01

To study the three-dimensional (3D) magnetic field topology and its long-term evolution associated with the X3.4 flare of 2006 December 13, we investigate the coronal relative magnetic helicity in the flaring active region (AR) NOAA 10930 during the time period of December 8-14. The coronal helicity is calculated based on the 3D nonlinear force-free magnetic fields reconstructed by the weighted optimization method of Wiegelmann, and is compared with the amount of helicity injected through the photospheric surface of the AR. The helicity injection is determined from the magnetic helicity flux density proposed by Pariat et al. using Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms. The major findings of this study are the following. (1) The time profile of the coronal helicity shows a good correlation with that of the helicity accumulation by injection through the surface. (2) The coronal helicity of the AR is estimated to be -4.3 x 10 43 Mx 2 just before the X3.4 flare. (3) This flare is preceded not only by a large increase of negative helicity, -3.2 x 10 43 Mx 2 , in the corona over ∼1.5 days but also by noticeable injections of positive helicity through the photospheric surface around the flaring magnetic polarity inversion line during the time period of the channel structure development. We conjecture that the occurrence of the X3.4 flare is involved with the positive helicity injection into an existing system of negative helicity.

Using the Coronal Evolution to Successfully Forward Model CMEs' In Situ Magnetic Profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Kay, C.; Gopalswamy, N.

2017-12-01

Predicting the effects of a coronal mass ejection (CME) impact requires knowing if impact will occur, which part of the CME impacts, and its magnetic properties. We explore the relation between CME deflections and rotations, which change the position and orientation of a CME, and the resulting magnetic profiles at 1 AU. For 45 STEREO-era, Earth-impacting CMEs, we determine the solar source of each CME, reconstruct its coronal position and orientation, and perform a ForeCAT (Forecasting a CME's Altered Trajectory) simulation of the coronal deflection and rotation. From the reconstructed and modeled CME deflections and rotations, we determine the solar cycle variation and correlations with CME properties. We assume no evolution between the outer corona and 1 AU and use the ForeCAT results to drive the ForeCAT In situ Data Observer (FIDO) in situ magnetic field model, allowing for comparisons with ACE and Wind observations. We do not attempt to reproduce the arrival time. On average FIDO reproduces the in situ magnetic field for each vector component with an error equivalent to 35% of the average total magnetic field strength when the total modeled magnetic field is scaled to match the average observed value. Random walk best fits distinguish between ForeCAT's ability to determine FIDO's input parameters and the limitations of the simple flux rope model. These best fits reduce the average error to 30%. The FIDO results are sensitive to changes of order a degree in the CME latitude, longitude, and tilt, suggesting that accurate space weather predictions require accurate measurements of a CME's position and orientation.

ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CORONAL MAGNETIC DECAY INDEX AND CORONAL MASS EJECTION SPEED

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu Yan; Liu Chang; Jing Ju; Wang Haimin, E-mail: yx2@njit.edu [Space Weather Research Lab, Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Newark, NJ 07102-1982 (United States)

2012-12-10

Numerical simulations suggest that kink and torus instabilities are two potential contributors to the initiation and prorogation of eruptive events. A magnetic parameter called the decay index (i.e., the coronal magnetic gradient of the overlying fields above the eruptive flux ropes) could play an important role in controlling the kinematics of eruptions. Previous studies have identified a threshold range of the decay index that distinguishes between eruptive and confined configurations. Here we advance the study by investigating if there is a clear correlation between the decay index and coronal mass ejection (CME) speed. Thirty-eight CMEs associated with filament eruptions and/or two-ribbon flares are selected using the H{alpha} data from the Global H{alpha} Network. The filaments and flare ribbons observed in H{alpha} associated with the CMEs help to locate the magnetic polarity inversion line, along which the decay index is calculated based on the potential field extrapolation using Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms as boundary conditions. The speeds of CMEs are obtained from the LASCO C2 CME catalog available online. We find that the mean decay index increases with CME speed for those CMEs with a speed below 1000 km s{sup -1} and stays flat around 2.2 for the CMEs with higher speeds. In addition, we present a case study of a partial filament eruption, in which the decay indices show different values above the erupted/non-erupted part.

Evidence for the Magnetic Breakout Model in an Equatorial Coronal-hole Jet

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Pankaj; Karpen, Judith T.; Antiochos, Spiro K.; Wyper, Peter F.; DeVore, C. Richard; DeForest, Craig E.

2018-02-01

Small, impulsive jets commonly occur throughout the solar corona, but are especially visible in coronal holes. Evidence is mounting that jets are part of a continuum of eruptions that extends to much larger coronal mass ejections and eruptive flares. Because coronal-hole jets originate in relatively simple magnetic structures, they offer an ideal testbed for theories of energy buildup and release in the full range of solar eruptions. We analyzed an equatorial coronal-hole jet observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/AIA on 2014 January 9 in which the magnetic-field structure was consistent with the embedded-bipole topology that we identified and modeled previously as an origin of coronal jets. In addition, this event contained a mini-filament, which led to important insights into the energy storage and release mechanisms. SDO/HMI magnetograms revealed footpoint motions in the primary minority-polarity region at the eruption site, but show negligible flux emergence or cancellation for at least 16 hr before the eruption. Therefore, the free energy powering this jet probably came from magnetic shear concentrated at the polarity inversion line within the embedded bipole. We find that the observed activity sequence and its interpretation closely match the predictions of the breakout jet model, strongly supporting the hypothesis that the breakout model can explain solar eruptions on a wide range of scales.

Identifying open magnetic field regions of the Sun and their heliospheric counterparts

Science.gov (United States)

Krista, L. D.; Reinard, A.

2017-12-01

Open magnetic regions on the Sun are either long-lived (coronal holes) or transient (dimmings) in nature. Both phenomena are fundamental to our understanding of the solar behavior as a whole. Coronal holes are the sources of high-speed solar wind streams that cause recurrent geomagnetic storms. Furthermore, the variation of coronal hole properties (area, location, magnetic field strength) over the solar activity cycle is an important marker of the global evolution of the solar magnetic field. Dimming regions, on the other hand, are short-lived coronal holes that often emerge in the wake of solar eruptions. By analyzing their physical properties and their temporal evolution, we aim to understand their connection with their eruptive counterparts (flares and coronal mass ejections) and predict the possibility of a geomagnetic storm. The author developed the Coronal Hole Automated Recognition and Monitoring (CHARM) and the Coronal Dimming Tracker (CoDiT) algorithms. These tools not only identify but track the evolution of open magnetic field regions. CHARM also provides daily coronal hole maps, that are used for forecasts at the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. Our goal is to better understand the processes that give rise to eruptive and non-eruptive open field regions and investigate how these regions evolve over time and influence space weather.

Are interplanetary magnetic clouds manifestations of coronal transients at 1 AU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, R.M.; Hildner, E.

1984-01-01

Using proxy data for the occurrence of those mass ejections from the solar corona which are directed earthward, we investigate the association between the post-1970 interplanetary magnetic clouds of Klein and Burlaga (1982) and coronal mass ejections. The evidence linking magnetic clouds following shocks with coronal mass ejections is striking; six of nine clouds observed at Earth were preceded an appropriate time earlier by meter-wave type II radio bursts indicative of coronal shock waves and coronal mass ejections occurring near central meridian. During the selected control periods when no clouds were detected near Earth, the only type II bursts reported were associated with solar activity near the limbs. Where the proxy solar data to be sought are not so clearly suggested, that is, for clouds preceding interaction regions and clouds within cold magnetic enhancements, the evidence linking the clouds and coronal mass ejections is not as clear; proxy data usually suggest many candidate mass-ejection events for each cloud. Overall, the data are consistent with and support the hypothesis suggested by Klein and Burlaga that magnetic clouds observed with spacecraft at 1 AU are manifestations of solar coronal mass ejection transients. (orig.)

Magnetic Flux Rope Identification and Characterization from Observationally Driven Solar Coronal Models

Science.gov (United States)

Lowder, Chris; Yeates, Anthony

2017-09-01

Formed through magnetic field shearing and reconnection in the solar corona, magnetic flux ropes are structures of twisted magnetic field, threaded along an axis. Their evolution and potential eruption are of great importance for space weather. Here we describe a new methodology for the automated detection of flux ropes in simulated magnetic fields, utilizing field-line helicity. Our Flux Rope Detection and Organization (FRoDO) code, which measures the magnetic flux and helicity content of pre-erupting flux ropes over time, as well as detecting eruptions, is publicly available. As a first demonstration, the code is applied to the output from a time-dependent magnetofrictional model, spanning 1996 June 15-2014 February 10. Over this period, 1561 erupting and 2099 non-erupting magnetic flux ropes are detected, tracked, and characterized. For this particular model data, erupting flux ropes have a mean net helicity magnitude of 2.66× {10}43 Mx2, while non-erupting flux ropes have a significantly lower mean of 4.04× {10}42 Mx2, although there is overlap between the two distributions. Similarly, the mean unsigned magnetic flux for erupting flux ropes is 4.04× {10}21 Mx, significantly higher than the mean value of 7.05× {10}20 Mx for non-erupting ropes. These values for erupting flux ropes are within the broad range expected from observational and theoretical estimates, although the eruption rate in this particular model is lower than that of observed coronal mass ejections. In the future, the FRoDO code will prove to be a valuable tool for assessing the performance of different non-potential coronal simulations and comparing them with observations.

Polarization of Coronal Forbidden Lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Hao; Qu, Zhongquan [Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650011 (China); Landi Degl’Innocenti, Egidio, E-mail: sayahoro@ynao.ac.cn [Dipartimento di Astronomia e Scienza dello Spazio, Università di Firenze, Largo E. Fermi 2, I-50125 Firenze (Italy)

2017-03-20

Since the magnetic field is responsible for most manifestations of solar activity, one of the most challenging problems in solar physics is the diagnostics of solar magnetic fields, particularly in the outer atmosphere. To this end, it is important to develop rigorous diagnostic tools to interpret polarimetric observations in suitable spectral lines. This paper is devoted to analyzing the diagnostic content of linear polarization imaging observations in coronal forbidden lines. Although this technique is restricted to off-limb observations, it represents a significant tool to diagnose the magnetic field structure in the solar corona, where the magnetic field is intrinsically weak and still poorly known. We adopt the quantum theory of polarized line formation developed in the framework of the density matrix formalism, and synthesize images of the emergent linear polarization signal in coronal forbidden lines using potential-field source-surface magnetic field models. The influence of electronic collisions, active regions, and Thomson scattering on the linear polarization of coronal forbidden lines is also examined. It is found that active regions and Thomson scattering are capable of conspicuously influencing the orientation of the linear polarization. These effects have to be carefully taken into account to increase the accuracy of the field diagnostics. We also found that linear polarization observation in suitable lines can give valuable information on the long-term evolution of the magnetic field in the solar corona.

Coronal Heating: Testing Models of Coronal Heating by Forward-Modeling the AIA Emission of the Ansample of Coronal Loops

Science.gov (United States)

Malanushenko, A. V.

2015-12-01

We present a systemic exploration of the properties of coronal heating, by forward-modeling the emission of the ensemble of 1D quasi-steady loops. This approximations were used in many theoretical models of the coronal heating. The latter is described in many such models in the form of power laws, relating heat flux through the photosphere or volumetric heating to the strength of the magnetic field and length of a given field line. We perform a large search in the parameter space of these power laws, amongst other variables, and compare the resulting emission of the active region to that observed by AIA. We use a recently developed magnetic field model which uses shapes of coronal loops to guide the magnetic model; the result closely resembles observed structures by design. We take advantage of this, by comparing, in individual sub-regions of the active region, the emission of the active region and its synthetic model. This study allows us to rule out many theoretical models and formulate predictions for the heating models to come.

The free energies of partially open coronal magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Low, B. C.; Smith, D. F.

1993-01-01

A simple model of the low corona is examined in terms of a static polytropic atmosphere in equilibrium with a global magnetic field. The question posed is whether magnetostatic states with partially open magnetic fields may contain magnetic energies in excess of those in fully open magnetic fields. Based on the analysis presented here, it is concluded that the cross-field electric currents in the pre-eruption corona are a viable source of the bulk of the energies in a mass ejection and its associated flare.

ULYSSES OBSERVATIONS OF THE MAGNETIC CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN CORONAL, MASS EJECTIONS AND THE SUN

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Pete; Goslin, J. T.; Crooker, . U.

2004-01-01

We have investigated the magnetic connectivity of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) to the Sun using Ulysses observations of suprathermal electrons at various distances between 1 and 5.2 AU. Drawing on ideas concerning the eruption and evolution of CMEs, we had anticipated that there might be a tendency for CMEs to contain progressively more open field lines, as reconnection back at the Sun either opened or completely disconnected previously closed field lines threading the CMEs. Our results, however, did not yield any discernible trend. By combining the potential contribution of CMEs to the heliospheric flux with the observed buildup of flux during the course of the solar cycle, we also derive a lower limit for the reconnection rate of CMEs that is sufficient to avoid the "flux catastrophe" paradox. This rate is well below our threshold of detectability. Subject headings: solar wind - Sun: activity - Sun: corona - Sun: coronal mass ejections (CMEs) - On-line material: color figure Sun: magnetic fields

New Evidence that Magnetoconvection Drives Solar–Stellar Coronal Heating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tiwari, Sanjiv K.; Panesar, Navdeep K.; Moore, Ronald L.; Winebarger, Amy R. [NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Mail Code ST 13, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States); Thalmann, Julia K., E-mail: sanjivtiwari80@gmail.com [Institute of Physics/IGAM, University of Graz, Universittsplatz 5/II, A-8010 Graz (Austria)

2017-07-10

How magnetic energy is injected and released in the solar corona, keeping it heated to several million degrees, remains elusive. Coronal heating generally increases with increasing magnetic field strength. From a comparison of a nonlinear force-free model of the three-dimensional active region coronal field to observed extreme-ultraviolet loops, we find that (1) umbra-to-umbra coronal loops, despite being rooted in the strongest magnetic flux, are invisible, and (2) the brightest loops have one foot in an umbra or penumbra and the other foot in another sunspot’s penumbra or in unipolar or mixed-polarity plage. The invisibility of umbra-to-umbra loops is new evidence that magnetoconvection drives solar-stellar coronal heating: evidently, the strong umbral field at both ends quenches the magnetoconvection and hence the heating. Broadly, our results indicate that depending on the field strength in both feet, the photospheric feet of a coronal loop on any convective star can either engender or quench coronal heating in the loop’s body.

PONDEROMOTIVE ACCELERATION IN CORONAL LOOPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahlburg, R. B.; Obenschain, K.; Laming, J. M.; Taylor, B. D.

2016-01-01

Ponderomotive acceleration has been asserted to be a cause of the first ionization potential (FIP) effect, the well-known enhancement in abundance by a factor of 3–4 over photospheric values of elements in the solar corona with FIP less than about 10 eV. It is shown here by means of numerical simulations that ponderomotive acceleration occurs in solar coronal loops, with the appropriate magnitude and direction, as a “by-product” of coronal heating. The numerical simulations are performed with the HYPERION code, which solves the fully compressible three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equations including nonlinear thermal conduction and optically thin radiation. Numerical simulations of coronal loops with an axial magnetic field from 0.005 to 0.02 T and lengths from 25,000 to 75,000 km are presented. In the simulations the footpoints of the axial loop magnetic field are convected by random, large-scale motions. There is a continuous formation and dissipation of field-aligned current sheets, which act to heat the loop. As a consequence of coronal magnetic reconnection, small-scale, high-speed jets form. The familiar vortex quadrupoles form at reconnection sites. Between the magnetic footpoints and the corona the reconnection flow merges with the boundary flow. It is in this region that the ponderomotive acceleration occurs. Mirroring the character of the coronal reconnection, the ponderomotive acceleration is also found to be intermittent.

PONDEROMOTIVE ACCELERATION IN CORONAL LOOPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dahlburg, R. B.; Obenschain, K. [LCP and FD, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Laming, J. M. [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Taylor, B. D. [AFRL Eglin AFB, Pensacola, FL 32542 (United States)

2016-11-10

Ponderomotive acceleration has been asserted to be a cause of the first ionization potential (FIP) effect, the well-known enhancement in abundance by a factor of 3–4 over photospheric values of elements in the solar corona with FIP less than about 10 eV. It is shown here by means of numerical simulations that ponderomotive acceleration occurs in solar coronal loops, with the appropriate magnitude and direction, as a “by-product” of coronal heating. The numerical simulations are performed with the HYPERION code, which solves the fully compressible three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equations including nonlinear thermal conduction and optically thin radiation. Numerical simulations of coronal loops with an axial magnetic field from 0.005 to 0.02 T and lengths from 25,000 to 75,000 km are presented. In the simulations the footpoints of the axial loop magnetic field are convected by random, large-scale motions. There is a continuous formation and dissipation of field-aligned current sheets, which act to heat the loop. As a consequence of coronal magnetic reconnection, small-scale, high-speed jets form. The familiar vortex quadrupoles form at reconnection sites. Between the magnetic footpoints and the corona the reconnection flow merges with the boundary flow. It is in this region that the ponderomotive acceleration occurs. Mirroring the character of the coronal reconnection, the ponderomotive acceleration is also found to be intermittent.

Nonlinear Force-free Field Extrapolation of a Coronal Magnetic Flux Rope Supporting a Large-scale Solar Filament from a Photospheric Vector Magnetogram

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Chaowei; Wu, S. T.; Feng, Xueshang; Hu, Qiang

2014-05-01

Solar filaments are commonly thought to be supported in magnetic dips, in particular, in those of magnetic flux ropes (FRs). In this Letter, based on the observed photospheric vector magnetogram, we implement a nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) extrapolation of a coronal magnetic FR that supports a large-scale intermediate filament between an active region and a weak polarity region. This result is a first, in the sense that current NLFFF extrapolations including the presence of FRs are limited to relatively small-scale filaments that are close to sunspots and along main polarity inversion lines (PILs) with strong transverse field and magnetic shear, and the existence of an FR is usually predictable. In contrast, the present filament lies along the weak-field region (photospheric field strength barbs very well, which strongly supports the FR-dip model for filaments. The filament is stably sustained because the FR is weakly twisted and strongly confined by the overlying closed arcades.

Dynamics of Coronal Hole Boundaries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Higginson, A. K.; Zurbuchen, T. H. [Department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States); Antiochos, S. K.; DeVore, C. R. [Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Wyper, P. F. [Universities Space Research Association, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2017-03-10

Remote and in situ observations strongly imply that the slow solar wind consists of plasma from the hot, closed-field corona that is released onto open magnetic field lines. The Separatrix Web theory for the slow wind proposes that photospheric motions at the scale of supergranules are responsible for generating dynamics at coronal-hole boundaries, which result in the closed plasma release. We use three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations to determine the effect of photospheric flows on the open and closed magnetic flux of a model corona with a dipole magnetic field and an isothermal solar wind. A rotational surface motion is used to approximate photospheric supergranular driving and is applied at the boundary between the coronal hole and helmet streamer. The resulting dynamics consist primarily of prolific and efficient interchange reconnection between open and closed flux. The magnetic flux near the coronal-hole boundary experiences multiple interchange events, with some flux interchanging over 50 times in one day. Additionally, we find that the interchange reconnection occurs all along the coronal-hole boundary and even produces a lasting change in magnetic-field connectivity in regions that were not driven by the applied motions. Our results show that these dynamics should be ubiquitous in the Sun and heliosphere. We discuss the implications of our simulations for understanding the observed properties of the slow solar wind, with particular focus on the global-scale consequences of interchange reconnection.

Magnetic Untwisting in Jets that Go into the Outer Solar Corona in Polar Coronal Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Ronald L.; Sterling, Alphonse C.; Falconer, David

2014-06-01

We present results from a study of 14 jets that were observed in SDO/AIA EUV movies to erupt in the Sun’s polar coronal holes. These jets were similar to the many other jets that erupt in coronal holes, but reached higher than the vast majority, high enough to be observed in the outer corona beyond 2 solar radii from Sun center by the SOHO/LASCO/C2 coronagraph. We illustrate the characteristic structure and motion of these high-reaching jets by showing observations of two representative jets. We find that (1) the speed of the jet front from the base of the corona out to 2-3 solar radii is typically several times the sound speed in jets in coronal holes, (2) each high-reaching jet displays unusually large rotation about its axis (spin) as it erupts, and (3) in the outer corona, many jets display lateral swaying and bending of the jet axis with an amplitude of a few degrees and a period of order 1 hour. From these observations we infer that these jets are magnetically driven, propose that the driver is a magnetic-untwisting wave that is basically a large-amplitude (non-linear) torsional Alfven wave that is put into the open magnetic field in the jet by interchange reconnection as the jet erupts, and estimate that the magnetic-untwisting wave loses most of its energy before reaching the outer corona. These observations of high-reaching coronal jets suggest that the torsional magnetic waves observed in Type-II spicules can similarly dissipate in the corona and thereby power much of the coronal heating in coronal holes and quiet regions. This work is funded by the NASA/SMD Heliophysics Division’s Living With a Star Targeted Research & Technology Program.

LONG-TERM TREND OF SOLAR CORONAL HOLE DISTRIBUTION FROM 1975 TO 2014

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujiki, K.; Tokumaru, M.; Hayashi, K.; Satonaka, D. [Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research (ISEE), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa, Nagoya Aichi 464-8601 (Japan); Hakamada, K., E-mail: fujiki@isee.nagoya-u.ac.jp [Department of Natural Science and Mathematics, Chubu University, 1200 Matsumoto-cho, Kasugai, Aichi 487-8501 (Japan)

2016-08-20

We developed an automated prediction technique for coronal holes using potential magnetic field extrapolation in the solar corona to construct a database of coronal holes appearing from 1975 February to 2015 July (Carrington rotations from 1625 to 2165). Coronal holes are labeled with the location, size, and average magnetic field of each coronal hole on the photosphere and source surface. As a result, we identified 3335 coronal holes and found that the long-term distribution of coronal holes shows a similar pattern known as the magnetic butterfly diagram, and polar/low-latitude coronal holes tend to decrease/increase in the last solar minimum relative to the previous two minima.

Two-zone model of coronal hole structure in the high corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Z.; Kundu, M.R.; Yoshimura, H.

1988-01-01

The two-zone coronal hole structure model presently proposed for the high corona at 1.5-1.7 solar radii emerges from a comparison of computation results for the potential magnetic fields of the corona and meter-decameter radio observations. The two zones of a coronal hole are defined by the configuration of magnetic field lines around a coronal hole: (1) the central hole of an open diverging magnetic field line system; and (2) the boundary zone between the central zone of the open field line system and the closed field line system or systems surrounding the open field line system. 19 references

Open and disconnected magnetic field lines within coronal mass ejections in the solar wind: Evidence for 3-dimensional reconnection

Science.gov (United States)

Gosling, J. T.; Birn, J.; McComas, D. J.; Phillips, J. L.; Hesse, M.

1995-01-01

Measurements of suprathermal electron fluxes in the solar wind at energies greater than approximatley 80 eV indicate that magnetic field lines within coronal mass ejections. CMEs, near and beyond 1 AU are normally connected to the Sun at both ends. However, a preliminary reexamination of events previously identified as CMEs in the ISEE 3 data reveals that about 1/4 of all such events contain limited regions where field lines appear to be either connected to the Sun at only one end or connected to the outer heliosphere at both ends. Similar intervals of open and disconnected field lines within CMEs have been identified in the Ulysses observations. We believe that these anomalous field topologies within CMEs are most naturally interpreted in terms of 3-dimensional reconnection behind CMEs close to the Sun. Such reconnection also provides a natural explanation both for the flux rope topology of many CMEs as well as the coronal loops formed during long-duration solar soft X ray events. Although detailed numerical simulations of 3-dimensional reconnection behind CMEs are not yet available, such simulations have been done for the qualitatively similar geometry that prevails within the geomagnetic tail. Those simulations of plasmoid formation in the geomagnetic tail do produce the mixture of field topologies within plasmoids discussed here for CMEs.

Coronal holes and high-speed wind streams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zirker, J.B.

1977-01-01

Coronal holes low have been identified as Bartel's M regions, i.e., sources of high-speed wind streams that produce recurrent geomagnetic variations. Throughout the Skylab period the polar caps of the Sun were coronal holes, and at lower latitudes the most persistent and recurrent holes were equatorial extensions of the polar caps. The holes rotated 'rigidly' at the equatorial synodic rate. They formed in regions of unipolar photospheric magnetic field, and their internal magnetic fields diverged rapidly with increasing distance from the sun. The geometry of the magnetic field in the inner corona seems to control both the physical properties of the holes and the global distribution of high-speed wind streams in the heliosphere. The latitude variation of the divergence of the coronal magnetic field lines produces corresponding variations in wind speed.During the years of declining solar activity the global field of the corona approximates a perturbed dipole. The divergence of field lines in each hemisphere produces a high-speed wind near the poles and low-speed wind in a narrow belt that coincides with the magnetic neutral sheet. The analysis of electron density measurements within a polar hole indicates that solar wind is accelerated principally in the region between 2 and 5 R/sub s/ and that mechanical wave pressure (possibly Alfven wave) may be responsible for the accleration of the wind. Phenomenological models for the birth and decay of coronal holes have been proposed. Attempts to explain the birth and rigid rotation of holes through dynamo action have been only partially successful. The 11-year variation of cosmic ray intensities at the earth may result from cyclic variation of open field regions associated with coronal holes

Magnetic Untwisting in Solar Jets that Go into the Outer Corona in Polar Coronal Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Ronald L.; Sterling, Alphonse C.; Falconer, David A.

2014-01-01

We present results from 14 exceptionally high-reaching large solar jets observed in the polar coronal holes. EUV movies from SDO/AIA show that each jet is similar to many other similar-size and smaller jets that erupt in coronal holes, but each is exceptional in that it goes higher than most other jets, so high that it is observed in the outer corona beyond 2.2 R(sub Sun) in images from the SOHO/LASCO/C2 coronagraph. For these high-reaching jets, we find: (1) the front of the jet transits the corona below 2.2 R(sub Sun) at a speed typically several times the sound speed; (2) each jet displays an exceptionally large amount of spin as it erupts; (3) in the outer corona, most jets display oscillatory swaying having an amplitude of a few degrees and a period of order 1 hour. We conclude that these jets are magnetically driven, propose that the driver is a magnetic-untwisting wave that is grossly a large-amplitude (i.e., nonlinear) torsional Alfven wave that is put into the reconnected open magnetic field in the jet by interchange reconnection as the jet erupts, and estimate from the measured spinning and swaying that the magnetic-untwisting wave loses most of its energy in the inner corona below 2.2 R(sub Sun). From these results for these big jets, we reason that the torsional magnetic waves observed in Type-II spicules should dissipate in the corona in the same way and could thereby power much of the coronal heating in coronal holes.

Relativistic jets without large-scale magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Parfrey, K.; Giannios, D.; Beloborodov, A.

2014-07-01

The canonical model of relativistic jets from black holes requires a large-scale ordered magnetic field to provide a significant magnetic flux through the ergosphere--in the Blandford-Znajek process, the jet power scales with the square of the magnetic flux. In many jet systems the presence of the required flux in the environment of the central engine is questionable. I will describe an alternative scenario, in which jets are produced by the continuous sequential accretion of small magnetic loops. The magnetic energy stored in these coronal flux systems is amplified by the differential rotation of the accretion disc and by the rotating spacetime of the black hole, leading to runaway field line inflation, magnetic reconnection in thin current layers, and the ejection of discrete bubbles of Poynting-flux-dominated plasma. For illustration I will show the results of general-relativistic force-free electrodynamic simulations of rotating black hole coronae, performed using a new resistivity model. The dissipation of magnetic energy by coronal reconnection events, as demonstrated in these simulations, is a potential source of the observed high-energy emission from accreting compact objects.

INTERCHANGE RECONNECTION AND CORONAL HOLE DYNAMICS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edmondson, J. K.; Antiochos, S. K.; DeVore, C. R.; Lynch, B. J.; Zurbuchen, T. H.

2010-01-01

We investigate the effect of magnetic reconnection between open and closed fields, often referred to as 'interchange' reconnection, on the dynamics and topology of coronal hole boundaries. The most important and most prevalent three-dimensional topology of the interchange process is that of a small-scale bipolar magnetic field interacting with a large-scale background field. We determine the evolution of such a magnetic topology by numerical solution of the fully three-dimensional MHD equations in spherical coordinates. First, we calculate the evolution of a small-scale bipole that initially is completely inside an open field region and then is driven across a coronal hole boundary by photospheric motions. Next the reverse situation is calculated in which the bipole is initially inside the closed region and driven toward the coronal hole boundary. In both cases, we find that the stress imparted by the photospheric motions results in deformation of the separatrix surface between the closed field of the bipole and the background field, leading to rapid current sheet formation and to efficient reconnection. When the bipole is inside the open field region, the reconnection is of the interchange type in that it exchanges open and closed fields. We examine, in detail, the topology of the field as the bipole moves across the coronal hole boundary and find that the field remains well connected throughout this process. Our results, therefore, provide essential support for the quasi-steady models of the open field, because in these models the open and closed flux are assumed to remain topologically distinct as the photosphere evolves. Our results also support the uniqueness hypothesis for open field regions as postulated by Antiochos et al. On the other hand, the results argue against models in which open flux is assumed to diffusively penetrate deeply inside the closed field region under a helmet streamer. We discuss the implications of this work for coronal observations.

Space weather and coronal mass ejections

CERN Document Server

Howard, Tim

2013-01-01

Space weather has attracted a lot of attention in recent times. Severe space weather can disrupt spacecraft, and on Earth can be the cause of power outages and power station failure. It also presents a radiation hazard for airline passengers and astronauts. These ""magnetic storms"" are most commonly caused by coronal mass ejections, or CMES, which are large eruptions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun that can reach speeds of several thousand km/s. In this SpringerBrief, Space Weather and Coronal Mass Ejections, author Timothy Howard briefly introduces the coronal mass ejection, its sc

Solar Open Flux Migration from Pole to Pole: Magnetic Field Reversal.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, G-H; Lin, C-H; Lee, L C

2017-08-25

Coronal holes are solar regions with low soft X-ray or low extreme ultraviolet intensities. The magnetic fields from coronal holes extend far away from the Sun, and thus they are identified as regions with open magnetic field lines. Coronal holes are concentrated in the polar regions during the sunspot minimum phase, and spread to lower latitude during the rising phase of solar activity. In this work, we identify coronal holes with outward and inward open magnetic fluxes being in the opposite poles during solar quiet period. We find that during the sunspot rising phase, the outward and inward open fluxes perform pole-to-pole trans-equatorial migrations in opposite directions. The migration of the open fluxes consists of three parts: open flux areas migrating across the equator, new open flux areas generated in the low latitude and migrating poleward, and new open flux areas locally generated in the polar region. All three components contribute to the reversal of magnetic polarity. The percentage of contribution from each component is different for different solar cycle. Our results also show that the sunspot number is positively correlated with the lower-latitude open magnetic flux area, but negatively correlated with the total open flux area.

GUIDING NONLINEAR FORCE-FREE MODELING USING CORONAL OBSERVATIONS: FIRST RESULTS USING A QUASI-GRAD-RUBIN SCHEME

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malanushenko, A. [Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT (United States); Schrijver, C. J.; DeRosa, M. L. [Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, CA (United States); Wheatland, M. S.; Gilchrist, S. A. [Sydney Institute for Astronomy, School of Physics, University of Sydney (Australia)

2012-09-10

At present, many models of the coronal magnetic field rely on photospheric vector magnetograms, but these data have been shown to be problematic as the sole boundary information for nonlinear force-free field extrapolations. Magnetic fields in the corona manifest themselves in high-energy images (X-rays and EUV) in the shapes of coronal loops, providing an additional constraint that is not at present used as constraints in the computational domain, directly influencing the evolution of the model. This is in part due to the mathematical complications of incorporating such input into numerical models. Projection effects, confusion due to overlapping loops (the coronal plasma is optically thin), and the limited number of usable loops further complicate the use of information from coronal images. We develop and test a new algorithm to use images of coronal loops in the modeling of the solar coronal magnetic field. We first fit projected field lines with those of constant-{alpha} force-free fields to approximate the three-dimensional distribution of currents in the corona along a sparse set of trajectories. We then apply a Grad-Rubin-like iterative technique, which uses these trajectories as volume constraints on the values of {alpha}, to obtain a volume-filling nonlinear force-free model of the magnetic field, modifying a code and method presented by Wheatland. We thoroughly test the technique on known analytical and solar-like model magnetic fields previously used for comparing different extrapolation techniques and compare the results with those obtained by currently available methods relying only on the photospheric data. We conclude that we have developed a functioning method of modeling the coronal magnetic field by combining the line-of-sight component of the photospheric magnetic field with information from coronal images. Whereas we focus on the use of coronal loop information in combination with line-of-sight magnetograms, the method is readily extended to

GUIDING NONLINEAR FORCE-FREE MODELING USING CORONAL OBSERVATIONS: FIRST RESULTS USING A QUASI-GRAD-RUBIN SCHEME

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malanushenko, A.; Schrijver, C. J.; DeRosa, M. L.; Wheatland, M. S.; Gilchrist, S. A.

2012-01-01

At present, many models of the coronal magnetic field rely on photospheric vector magnetograms, but these data have been shown to be problematic as the sole boundary information for nonlinear force-free field extrapolations. Magnetic fields in the corona manifest themselves in high-energy images (X-rays and EUV) in the shapes of coronal loops, providing an additional constraint that is not at present used as constraints in the computational domain, directly influencing the evolution of the model. This is in part due to the mathematical complications of incorporating such input into numerical models. Projection effects, confusion due to overlapping loops (the coronal plasma is optically thin), and the limited number of usable loops further complicate the use of information from coronal images. We develop and test a new algorithm to use images of coronal loops in the modeling of the solar coronal magnetic field. We first fit projected field lines with those of constant-α force-free fields to approximate the three-dimensional distribution of currents in the corona along a sparse set of trajectories. We then apply a Grad-Rubin-like iterative technique, which uses these trajectories as volume constraints on the values of α, to obtain a volume-filling nonlinear force-free model of the magnetic field, modifying a code and method presented by Wheatland. We thoroughly test the technique on known analytical and solar-like model magnetic fields previously used for comparing different extrapolation techniques and compare the results with those obtained by currently available methods relying only on the photospheric data. We conclude that we have developed a functioning method of modeling the coronal magnetic field by combining the line-of-sight component of the photospheric magnetic field with information from coronal images. Whereas we focus on the use of coronal loop information in combination with line-of-sight magnetograms, the method is readily extended to incorporate

Macrospicule Jets in On-Disk Coronal Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, M. L.; Sterling, A. C.; Moore, R. L.

2014-01-01

We examine the magnetic structure and dynamics of multiple jets found in coronal holes close to or on disk center. All data are from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We report on observations of six jets in an equatorial coronal hole spanning 2011 February 27 and 28. We show the evolution of these jets in AIA 193 A, examine the magnetic field configuration, and postulate the probable trigger mechanism of these events. We recently reported on another jet in the same coronal hole on 2011 February 27, approximately 13:04 Universal Time (Adams et al 2014, Astrophysical Journal, 783: 11); this jet is a previously-unrecognized variety of blowout jet. In this variety, the reconnection bright point is not made by interchange reconnection of initially-closed erupting field in the base of the jet with ambient open field. Instead, there is a miniature filament-eruption flare arcade made by internal reconnection of the legs of the erupting field.

Space- and Ground-based Coronal Spectro-Polarimetry

Science.gov (United States)

Fineschi, Silvano; Bemporad, Alessandro; Rybak, Jan; Capobianco, Gerardo

This presentation gives an overview of the near-future perspectives of ultraviolet and visible-light spectro-polarimetric instrumentation for probing coronal magnetism from space-based and ground-based observatories. Spectro-polarimetric imaging of coronal emission-lines in the visible-light wavelength-band provides an important diagnostics tool of the coronal magnetism. The interpretation in terms of Hanle and Zeeman effect of the line-polarization in forbidden emission-lines yields information on the direction and strength of the coronal magnetic field. As study case, this presentation will describe the Torino Coronal Magnetograph (CorMag) for the spectro-polarimetric observation of the FeXIV, 530.3 nm, forbidden emission-line. CorMag - consisting of a Liquid Crystal (LC) Lyot filter and a LC linear polarimeter - has been recently installed on the Lomnicky Peak Observatory 20cm Zeiss coronagraph. The preliminary results from CorMag will be presented. The linear polarization by resonance scattering of coronal permitted line-emission in the ultraviolet (UV)can be modified by magnetic fields through the Hanle effect. Space-based UV spectro-polarimeters would provide an additional tool for the disgnostics of coronal magnetism. As a case study of space-borne UV spectro-polarimeters, this presentation will describe the future upgrade of the Sounding-rocket Coronagraphic Experiment (SCORE) to include the capability of imaging polarimetry of the HI Lyman-alpha, 121.6 nm. SCORE is a multi-wavelength imager for the emission-lines, HeII 30.4 nm and HI 121.6 nm, and visible-light broad-band emission of the polarized K-corona. SCORE has flown successfully in 2009. This presentation will describe how in future re-flights SCORE could observe the expected Hanle effect in corona with a HI Lyman-alpha polarimeter.

An equatorial coronal hole at solar minimum

Science.gov (United States)

Bromage, B. J. I.; DelZanna, G.; DeForest, C.; Thompson, B.; Clegg, J. R.

1997-01-01

The large transequatorial coronal hole that was observed in the solar corona at the end of August 1996 is presented. It consists of a north polar coronal hole called the 'elephant's trunk or tusk'. The observations of this coronal hole were carried out with the coronal diagnostic spectrometer onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The magnetic field associated with the equatorial coronal hole is strongly connected to that of the active region at its base, resulting in the two features rotating at almost the same rate.

Examining the Properties of Jets in Coronal Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Gaulle, Owen; Adams, Mitzi L.; Tennant, A. F.

2012-01-01

We examined both X-ray and Magnetic field data in order to determine if there is a correlation between emerging magnetic flux and the production of Coronal jets. It was proposed that emerging flux can be a trigger to a coronal jet. The jet is thought to be caused when local bipoles reconnect or when a region of magnetic polarity emerges through a uniform field. In total we studied 15 different jets that occurred over a two day period starting 2011-02-27 00:00:00 UTC and ending 2011-02-28 23:59:55 UTC. All of the jets were contained within a coronal hole that was centered on the disk. Of the 15 that we studied 6 were shown to have an increase of magnetic flux within one hour prior to the creation of the jet and 10 were within 3 hours before the event.

MODELING THE SUN’S SMALL-SCALE GLOBAL PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC FIELD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, K. A. [Division of Computing and Mathematics, Abertay University, Kydd Building, Dundee, Bell Street, DD1 1HG, Scotland (United Kingdom); Mackay, D. H., E-mail: k.meyer@abertay.ac.uk [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, KY16 9SS, Scotland (United Kingdom)

2016-10-20

We present a new model for the Sun’s global photospheric magnetic field during a deep minimum of activity, in which no active regions emerge. The emergence and subsequent evolution of small-scale magnetic features across the full solar surface is simulated, subject to the influence of a global supergranular flow pattern. Visually, the resulting simulated magnetograms reproduce the typical structure and scale observed in quiet Sun magnetograms. Quantitatively, the simulation quickly reaches a steady state, resulting in a mean field and flux distribution that are in good agreement with those determined from observations. A potential coronal magnetic field is extrapolated from the simulated full Sun magnetograms to consider the implications of such a quiet photospheric magnetic field on the corona and inner heliosphere. The bulk of the coronal magnetic field closes very low down, in short connections between small-scale features in the simulated magnetic network. Just 0.1% of the photospheric magnetic flux is found to be open at 2.5 R {sub ⊙}, around 10–100 times less than that determined for typical Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager synoptic map observations. If such conditions were to exist on the Sun, this would lead to a significantly weaker interplanetary magnetic field than is currently observed, and hence a much higher cosmic ray flux at Earth.

NONLINEAR FORCE-FREE FIELD EXTRAPOLATION OF A CORONAL MAGNETIC FLUX ROPE SUPPORTING A LARGE-SCALE SOLAR FILAMENT FROM A PHOTOSPHERIC VECTOR MAGNETOGRAM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Chaowei; Wu, S. T.; Hu, Qiang [Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States); Feng, Xueshang, E-mail: cwjiang@spaceweather.ac.cn, E-mail: wus@uah.edu, E-mail: qh0001@uah.edu, E-mail: fengx@spaceweather.ac.cn [SIGMA Weather Group, State Key Laboratory for Space Weather, Center for Space Science and Applied Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2014-05-10

Solar filaments are commonly thought to be supported in magnetic dips, in particular, in those of magnetic flux ropes (FRs). In this Letter, based on the observed photospheric vector magnetogram, we implement a nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) extrapolation of a coronal magnetic FR that supports a large-scale intermediate filament between an active region and a weak polarity region. This result is a first, in the sense that current NLFFF extrapolations including the presence of FRs are limited to relatively small-scale filaments that are close to sunspots and along main polarity inversion lines (PILs) with strong transverse field and magnetic shear, and the existence of an FR is usually predictable. In contrast, the present filament lies along the weak-field region (photospheric field strength ≲ 100 G), where the PIL is very fragmented due to small parasitic polarities on both sides of the PIL and the transverse field has a low signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, extrapolating a large-scale FR in such a case represents a far more difficult challenge. We demonstrate that our CESE-MHD-NLFFF code is sufficient for the challenge. The numerically reproduced magnetic dips of the extrapolated FR match observations of the filament and its barbs very well, which strongly supports the FR-dip model for filaments. The filament is stably sustained because the FR is weakly twisted and strongly confined by the overlying closed arcades.

Analysis of Solar Coronal Holes with Synoptic Magnetogram Data

Science.gov (United States)

Canner, A.; Kim, T. K.; Pogorelov, N.; Yalim, M. S.

2017-12-01

Coronal holes are regions in which the magnetic field of the Sun is open with high magnetic flux and low plasma density. Because of the low plasma beta in these regions, the open field lines transport plasma from the Sun throughout the heliosphere. Coronal hole area is closely related to the expansion factor of the magnetic flux tube, as demonstrated by Tokumaru et al. (2017). Following the approach of Tokumaru et al. (2017), we employ a potential field source surface model to identify the open field regions on the photosphere and estimate the area and expansion factor for each coronal hole. While Tokumaru et al. (2017) analyzed synoptic maps from Kitt Peak National Observatory for the period 1995-2011, we use different magnetograph observations with higher spatial resolution (e.g., SOHO-MDI) for the same time period. We compare the coronal hole area - expansion factor relationship with the original results of Tokumaru et al (2017). This work was supported by the NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates program "Solar and Heliospheric Physics at UAH and MSFC" run by the University of Alabama in Huntsville in partnership with the Marshall Space Flight Center through grant AGS-1460767.

Observable Signatures of Energy Release in Braided Coronal Loops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pontin, D. I. [University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN (United Kingdom); Janvier, M. [Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Bât. 121, F-91405, Orsay Cedex (France); Tiwari, S. K.; Winebarger, A. R.; Cirtain, J. W. [NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, ZP 13, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States); Galsgaard, K. [Niels Bohr Institute, Geological Museum Østervoldgade 5-7, DK-1350, Copenhagen K (Denmark)

2017-03-10

We examine the turbulent relaxation of solar coronal loops containing non-trivial field line braiding. Such field line tangling in the corona has long been postulated in the context of coronal heating models. We focus on the observational signatures of energy release in such braided magnetic structures using MHD simulations and forward modeling tools. The aim is to answer the following question: if energy release occurs in a coronal loop containing braided magnetic flux, should we expect a clearly observable signature in emissions? We demonstrate that the presence of braided magnetic field lines does not guarantee a braided appearance to the observed intensities. Observed intensities may—but need not necessarily—reveal the underlying braided nature of the magnetic field, depending on the degree and pattern of the field line tangling within the loop. However, in all cases considered, the evolution of the braided loop is accompanied by localized heating regions as the loop relaxes. Factors that may influence the observational signatures are discussed. Recent high-resolution observations from Hi-C have claimed the first direct evidence of braided magnetic fields in the corona. Here we show that both the Hi-C data and some of our simulations give the appearance of braiding at a range of scales.

Prominence Bubbles and Plumes: Thermo-magnetic Buoyancy in Coronal Cavity Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Thomas; Hurlburt, N.

2009-05-01

The Hinode/Solar Optical Telescope continues to produce high spatial and temporal resolution images of solar prominences in both the Ca II 396.8 nm H-line and the H-alpha 656.3 nm line. Time series of these images show that many quiescent prominences produce large scale (50 Mm) dark "bubbles" that "inflate" into, and sometimes burst through, the prominence material. In addition, small-scale (2--5 Mm) dark plumes are seen rising into many quiescent prominences. We show typical examples of both phenomena and argue that they originate from the same mechanism: concentrated and heated magnetic flux that rises due to thermal and magnetic buoyancy to equilibrium heights in the prominence/coronal-cavity system. More generally, these bubbles and upflows offer a source of both magnetic flux and mass to the overlying coronal cavity, supporting B.C. Low's theory of CME initiation via steadily increasing magnetic buoyancy breaking through the overlying helmut streamer tension forces. Quiescent prominences are thus seen as the lowermost parts of the larger coronal cavity system, revealing through thermal effects both the cooled downflowing "drainage" from the cavity and the heated upflowing magnetic "plasmoids" supplying the cavity. We compare SOT movies to new 3D compressible MHD simulations that reproduce the dark turbulent plume dynamics to establish the magnetic and thermal character of these buoyancy-driven flows into the corona.

The Earth's passage of the April 11, 1997 coronal ejecta: geomagnetic field fluctuations at high and low latitude during northward interplanetary magnetic field conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Lepidi

1999-10-01

Full Text Available An analysis of the low frequency geomagnetic field fluctuations at an Antarctic (Terra Nova Bay and a low latitude (L'Aquila, Italy station during the Earth's passage of a coronal ejecta on April 11, 1997 shows that major solar wind pressure variations were followed at both stations by a high fluctuation level. During northward interplanetary magnetic field conditions and when Terra Nova Bay is close to the local geomagnetic noon, coherent fluctuations, at the same frequency (3.6 mHz and with polarization characteristics indicating an antisunward propagation, were observed simultaneously at the two stations. An analysis of simultaneous measurements from geosynchronous satellites shows evidence for pulsations at approximately the same frequencies also in the magnetospheric field. The observed waves might then be interpreted as oscillation modes, triggered by an external stimulation, extending to a major portion of the Earth's magnetosphere. Key words. Magnetospheric physics (MHD waves and instabilities; solar wind-magnetosphere interactions

More Macrospicule Jets in On-Disk Coronal Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, M. L.; Sterling, A. C.; Moore, R. L.

2015-01-01

We examine the magnetic structure and dynamics of multiple jets found in coronal holes close to or on disk center. All data are from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We report on observations of about ten jets in an equatorial coronal hole spanning 2011 February 27 and 28. We show the evolution of these jets in AIA 193 A, examine the magnetic field configuration and flux changes in the jet area, and discuss the probable trigger mechanism of these events. We reported on another jet in this same coronal hole on 2011 February 27, (is) approximately 13:04 UT (Adams et al 2014, ApJ, 783: 11). That jet is a previously-unrecognized variety of blowout jet, in which the base-edge bright point is a miniature filament-eruption flare arcade made by internal reconnection of the legs of the erupting field. In contrast, in the presently-accepted 'standard' picture for blowout jets, the base-edge bright point is made by interchange reconnection of initially-closed erupting jet-base field with ambient open field. This poster presents further evidence of the production of the base-edge bright point in blowout jets by internal reconnection. Our observations suggest that most of the bigger and brighter EUV jets in coronal holes are blowout jets of the new-found variety.

Evaluation of the Minifilament-Eruption Scenario for Solar Coronal Jets in Polar Coronal Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Baikie, Tomi K.; Sterling, Alphonse C.; Falconer, David; Moore, Ronald L.; Savage, Sabrina L.

2016-01-01

Solar coronal jets are suspected to result from magnetic reconnection low in the Sun's atmosphere. Sterling et al. (2015) looked as 20 jets in polar coronal holes, using X-ray images from the Hinode/X-Ray Telescope (XRT) and EUV images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA). They suggested that each jet was driven by the eruption of twisted closed magnetic field carrying a small-scale filament, which they call a 'minifilament', and that the jet was produced by reconnection of the erupting field with surrounding open field. In this study, we carry out a more extensive examination of polar coronal jets. From 180 hours of XRT polar coronal hole observations spread over two years (2014-2016), we identified 130 clearly-identifiable X-ray jet events and thus determined an event rate of over 17 jets per day per in the Hinode/XRT field of view. From the broader set, we selected 25 of the largest and brightest events for further study in AIA 171, 193, 211, and 304 Angstrom images. We find that at least the majority of the jets follow the minifilament-eruption scenario, although for some cases the evolution of the minifilament in the onset of its eruption is more complex than presented in the simplified schematic of Sterling et al. (2015). For all cases in which we could make a clear determination, the spire of the X-ray jet drifted laterally away from the jet-base-edge bright point; this spire drift away from the bright point is consistent with expectations of the minifilament-eruption scenario for coronal-jet production. This work was supported with funding from the NASA/MSFC Hinode Project Office, and from the NASA HGI program.

Coronal Waves and Oscillations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nakariakov Valery M.

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Wave and oscillatory activity of the solar corona is confidently observed with modern imaging and spectral instruments in the visible light, EUV, X-ray and radio bands, and interpreted in terms of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD wave theory. The review reflects the current trends in the observational study of coronal waves and oscillations (standing kink, sausage and longitudinal modes, propagating slow waves and fast wave trains, the search for torsional waves, theoretical modelling of interaction of MHD waves with plasma structures, and implementation of the theoretical results for the mode identification. Also the use of MHD waves for remote diagnostics of coronal plasma - MHD coronal seismology - is discussed and the applicability of this method for the estimation of coronal magnetic field, transport coefficients, fine structuring and heating function is demonstrated.

Coronal Polarization of Pseudostreamers and the Solar Polar Field Reversal

Science.gov (United States)

Rachmeler, L. A.; Guennou, C.; Seaton, D. B.; Gibson, S. E.; Auchere, F.

2016-01-01

The reversal of the solar polar magnetic field is notoriously hard to pin down due to the extreme viewing angle of the pole. In Cycle 24, the southern polar field reversal can be pinpointed with high accuracy due to a large-scale pseudostreamer that formed over the pole and persisted for approximately a year. We tracked the size and shape of this structure with multiple observations and analysis techniques including PROBA2/SWAP EUV images, AIA EUV images, CoMP polarization data, and 3D tomographic reconstructions. We find that the heliospheric field reversed polarity in February 2014, whereas in the photosphere, the last vestiges of the previous polar field polarity remained until March 2015. We present here the evolution of the structure and describe its identification in the Fe XII 1074nm coronal emission line, sensitive to the Hanle effect in the corona.

Magnetic topology of coronal mass ejection events out of the ecliptic: Ulysses/HI-SCALE energetic particle observations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. E. Malandraki

2003-06-01

Full Text Available Solar energetic particle fluxes (Ee > 38 keV observed by the ULYSSES/HI-SCALE experiment are utilized as diagnostic tracers of the large-scale structure and topology of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF embedded within two well-identified Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICMEs detected at 56° and 62° south heliolatitudes by ULYSSES during the solar maximum southern high-latitude pass. On the basis of the energetic solar particle observations it is concluded that: (A the high-latitude ICME magnetic structure observed in May 2000 causes a depression in the solar energetic electron intensities which can be accounted for by either a detached or an attached magnetic field topology for the ICME; (B during the traversal of the out-of-ecliptic ICME event observed in July 2000 energetic electrons injected at the Sun are channeled by the ICME and propagate freely along the ICME magnetic field lines to 62° S heliolatitude.Key words. Interplanetary physics (energetic particles; interplanetary magnetic fields

Radial distributions of magnetic field strength in the solar corona as derived from data on fast halo CMEs

Science.gov (United States)

Fainshtein, Victor; Egorov, Yaroslav

2018-03-01

In recent years, information about the distance between the body of rapid coronal mass ejection (CME) and the associated shock wave has been used to measure the magnetic field in the solar corona. In all cases, this technique allows us to find coronal magnetic field radial profiles B(R) applied to the directions almost perpendicular to the line of sight. We have determined radial distributions of magnetic field strength along the directions close to the Sun-Earth axis. For this purpose, using the "ice-cream cone" model and SOHO/LASCO data, we found 3D characteristics for fast halo coronal mass ejections (HCMEs) and for HCME-related shocks. With these data, we managed to obtain the B(R) distributions as far as ≈43 solar radii from the Sun's center, which is approximately twice as far as those in other studies based on LASCO data. We have concluded that to improve the accuracy of this method for finding the coronal magnetic field we should develop a technique for detecting CME sites moving in the slow and fast solar wind. We propose a technique for selecting CMEs whose central (paraxial) part actually moves in the slow wind.

The nature of micro CMEs within coronal holes

Science.gov (United States)

Bothmer, Volker; Nistico, Giuseppe; Zimbardo, Gaetano; Patsourakos, Spiros; Bosman, Eckhard

Whilst investigating the origin and characteristics of coronal jets and large-scale CMEs identi-fied in data from the SECCHI (Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation) instrument suites on board the two STEREO satellites, we discovered transient events that originated in the low corona with a morphology resembling that of typical three-part struc-tured coronal mass ejections (CMEs). However, the CMEs occurred on considerably smaller spatial scales. In this presentation we show evidence for the existence of small-scale CMEs from inside coronal holes and present quantitative estimates of their speeds and masses. We interprete the origin and evolution of micro CMEs as a natural consequence of the emergence of small-scale magnetic bipoles related to the Sun's ever changing photospheric magnetic flux on various scales and their interactions with the ambient plasma and magnetic field. The analysis of CMEs is performed within the framework of the EU Erasmus and FP7 SOTERIA projects.

Coronal Mass Ejections An Introduction

CERN Document Server

Howard, Timothy

2011-01-01

In times of growing technological sophistication and of our dependence on electronic technology, we are all affected by space weather. In its most extreme form, space weather can disrupt communications, damage and destroy spacecraft and power stations, and increase radiation exposure to astronauts and airline passengers. Major space weather events, called geomagnetic storms, are large disruptions in the Earth’s magnetic field brought about by the arrival of enormous magnetized plasma clouds from the Sun. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) contain billions of tons of plasma and hurtle through space at speeds of several million miles per hour. Understanding coronal mass ejections and their impact on the Earth is of great interest to both the scientific and technological communities. This book provides an introduction to coronal mass ejections, including a history of their observation and scientific revelations, instruments and theory behind their detection and measurement, and the status quo of theories describing...

Coronal Magnetic Field Lines and Electrons Associated with Type III ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

P. Kishore

2017-06-19

Jun 19, 2017 ... of the electron streams that generate type V bursts, spread in the velocity spectrum, and the curvature of the magnetic field lines along which they travel. Keywords. Sun—corona—magnetic field—flares—radio bursts—polarization. 1. Introduction. Type V bursts are relatively unusual solar radio tran- sients.

Thermal instabilities in magnetically confined plasmas: Solar coronal loops

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habbal, S.R.; Rosner, R.

1979-01-01

The thermal stability of confined solar coronal structures (''loops'') is investigated, following both normal mode and a new, global instability analysis. We demonstrate that: (a) normal mode analysis shows modes with size scales comparable to that of loops to be unstable, but to be strongly affected by the loop boundary conditions; (b) a global analysis, based upon variation of the total loop energy losses and gains, yields loop stability conditions for global modes dependent upon the coronal loop heating process, with magnetically coupled heating processes giving marginal stability. The connection between the present analysis and the minimum flux corona of Hearn is also discussed

Diagnostics of Coronal Heating in Solar Active Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Fludra, Andrzej; Hornsey, Christopher; Nakariakov, Valery

2015-04-01

We aim to develop a diagnostic method for the coronal heating mechanism in active region loops. Observational constraints on coronal heating models have been sought using measurements in the X-ray and EUV wavelengths. Statistical analysis, using EUV emission from many active regions, was done by Fludra and Ireland (2008) who studied power-law relationships between active region integrated magnetic flux and emission line intensities. A subsequent study by Fludra and Warren (2010) for the first time compared fully resolved images in an EUV spectral line of OV 63.0 nm with the photospheric magnetic field, leading to the identification of a dominant, ubiquitous variable component of the transition region EUV emission and a discovery of a steady basal heating, and deriving the dependence of the basal heating rate on the photospheric magnetic flux density. In this study, we compare models of single coronal loops with EUV observations. We assess to what degree observations of individual coronal loops made in the EUV range are capable of providing constraints on the heating mechanism. We model the coronal magnetic field in an active region using an NLFF extrapolation code applied to a photospheric vector magnetogram from SDO/HMI and select several loops that match an SDO/AIA 171 image of the same active region. We then model the plasma in these loops using a 1D hydrostatic code capable of applying an arbitrary heating rate as a function of magnetic field strength along the loop. From the plasma parameters derived from this model, we calculate the EUV emission along the loop in AIA 171 and 335 bands, and in pure spectral lines of Fe IX 17.1 nm and Fe XVI 33.5 nm. We use different spatial distributions of the heating function: concentrated near the loop top, uniform and concentrated near the footpoints, and investigate their effect on the modelled EUV intensities. We find a diagnostics based on the dependence of the total loop intensity on the shape of the heating function

Radial distributions of magnetic field strength in the solar corona as derived from data on fast halo CMEs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fainshtein V.G.

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In recent years, information about the distance between the body of rapid coronal mass ejection (CME and the associated shock wave has been used to measure the magnetic field in the solar corona. In all cases, this technique allows us to find coronal magnetic field radial profiles B(R applied to the directions almost perpendicular to the line of sight. We have determined radial distributions of magnetic field strength along the directions close to the Sun–Earth axis. For this purpose, using the “ice-cream cone” model and SOHO/LASCO data, we found 3D characteristics for fast halo coronal mass ejections (HCMEs and for HCME-related shocks. With these data we managed to obtain the B(R distributions as far as ≈43 solar radii from the Sun's center, which is approximately twice as far as those in other studies based on LASCO data. We have concluded that to improve the accuracy of this method for finding the coronal magnetic field we should develop a technique for detecting CME parts moving in the slow and fast solar wind. We propose a technique for selecting CMEs whose central (paraxial part actually moves in the slow wind.

Magnetic fields and flows between 1 and 0.3 AU during the primary mission of Helios 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burlaga, L.F.; Ness, N.F.; Mariani, F.; Bavassano, B.; Villante, U.; Rosenbauer, H.; Schwenn, R.; Harvey, J.

1978-01-01

Helios 1 moved from 1 AU on December 10, 1974, to 0.31 AU on March 15, 1975, and the sun rotated beneath the spacecraft nearly 4 times during the interval. Recurrent high-speed streams with uniform magnetic polarity were observed, and they were associated with coronal holes of the same polarity. Although they were recurrent, the streams and their magnetic field patterns were not stationary, because the coronal holes which produced them changed in shape and latitude from one rotation to the next. We estimated that the magnetic field intensity of open field lines in some of these holes was of the order 10--20 G. Recurrent slow flows were also observed. The magnetic field polarity and intensity in these flows were irregular, and they changed from one rotation to the next. Cold magnetic enhancements (CME's) characterized by a twofold to threefold enhancement of magnetic field intensity and a fivefold to sevenfold depression of proton temperature relative to conditions ahead of the CME's were observed in some slow flows. Some of these CME's were contiguous with interaction regions of streams. At perihelion, Helios observed a recurrent stream which was associated with a lobe of the south polar coronal hole. The longitudinal width of the stream was three times that of the hole. We estimate that the width of the eastern and western boundaries of the streams at the coronal holes was only 2.5 0 +- 1.5 0 , and we infer that the width at the northern boundary of the stream was 0 . We conclude that between the sun and 0.3 AU there was a diverging stream surrounded by a thin boundary layer in which there was a large velocity shear. There is evidence for compression of the magnetic field in the western boundary layer (interaction region), presumably due to steepening of the stream within 0.31 AU

Magnetic topology of coronal mass ejection events out of the ecliptic: Ulysses/HI-SCALE energetic particle observations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. E. Malandraki

Full Text Available Solar energetic particle fluxes (E_e > 38 keV observed by the ULYSSES/HI-SCALE experiment are utilized as diagnostic tracers of the large-scale structure and topology of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF embedded within two well-identified Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICMEs detected at 56° and 62° south heliolatitudes by ULYSSES during the solar maximum southern high-latitude pass. On the basis of the energetic solar particle observations it is concluded that: (A the high-latitude ICME magnetic structure observed in May 2000 causes a depression in the solar energetic electron intensities which can be accounted for by either a detached or an attached magnetic field topology for the ICME; (B during the traversal of the out-of-ecliptic ICME event observed in July 2000 energetic electrons injected at the Sun are channeled by the ICME and propagate freely along the ICME magnetic field lines to 62° S heliolatitude.

Key words. Interplanetary physics (energetic particles; interplanetary magnetic fields

About the Las Acacias, Trelew and Vassouras Magnetic Observatories Monitoring the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly Region Response to an Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection

Science.gov (United States)

Gianibelli, J. C.; Quaglino, N. M.

2007-05-01

The South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly (SAMA) Region presents evolutive characteristics very important as were observed by a variety of satelital sensors. Important Magnetic Observatories with digital record monitor the effects of the Sun-Earth interaction, such as San Juan de Puerto Rico (SJG), Kourou (KOU), Vassouras (VSS), Las Acacias (LAS), Trelew (TRW), Vernadsky (AIA), Hermanus (HER) and Huancayo (HUA). In the present work we present the features registered during the geomagnetic storm in January 21, 2005, produced by a geoeffective Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) whose Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection (ICME) was detected by the instrumental onboard the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) Sonde. We analize how the Magnetic Total Intensity records at VSS, TRW and LAS Observatories shows the effect of the entering particles to ionospherical dephts producing a field enhancement following the first Interplanetary Shock (IP) arrival of the ICME. This process manifest in the digital record as an increment over the magnetospheric Ring Current field effect and superinpossed effects over the Antarctic Auroral Electrojet. The analysis and comparison of the records demonstrate that the Ring Current effects are important in SJG and KOU but not in VSS, LAS and TRW observatories, concluding that SAMA region shows a enhancement of the ionospherical currents oposed to those generated at magnetospheric heighs. Moreover in TRW, 5 hours after the ICME shock arrival, shows the effect of the Antarctic Auroral Electrojet counteracting to fields generated by the Ring Current.

Energy buildup in sheared force-free magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfson, Richard; Low, Boon C.

1992-01-01

Photospheric displacement of the footpoints of solar magnetic field lines results in shearing and twisting of the field, and consequently in the buildup of electric currents and magnetic free energy in the corona. The sudden release of this free energy may be the origin of eruptive events like coronal mass ejections, prominence eruptions, and flares. An important question is whether such an energy release may be accompanied by the opening of magnetic field lines that were previously closed, for such open field lines can provide a route for matter frozen into the field to escape the sun altogether. This paper presents the results of numerical calculations showing that opening of the magnetic field is permitted energetically, in that it is possible to build up more free energy in a sheared, closed, force-free magnetic field than is in a related magnetic configuration having both closed and open field lines. Whether or not the closed force-free field attains enough energy to become partially open depends on the form of the shear profile; the results presented compare the energy buildup for different shear profiles. Implications for solar activity are discussed briefly.

RECONNECTION-DRIVEN CORONAL-HOLE JETS WITH GRAVITY AND SOLAR WIND

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karpen, J. T.; DeVore, C. R.; Antiochos, S. K. [Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD 20771 (United States); Pariat, E. [LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 5 place Jules Janssen, F-92195 Meudon (France)

2017-01-01

Coronal-hole jets occur ubiquitously in the Sun's coronal holes, at EUV and X-ray bright points associated with intrusions of minority magnetic polarity. The embedded-bipole model for these jets posits that they are driven by explosive, fast reconnection between the stressed closed field of the embedded bipole and the open field of the surrounding coronal hole. Previous numerical studies in Cartesian geometry, assuming uniform ambient magnetic field and plasma while neglecting gravity and solar wind, demonstrated that the model is robust and can produce jet-like events in simple configurations. We have extended these investigations by including spherical geometry, gravity, and solar wind in a nonuniform, coronal hole-like ambient atmosphere. Our simulations confirm that the jet is initiated by the onset of a kink-like instability of the internal closed field, which induces a burst of reconnection between the closed and external open field, launching a helical jet. Our new results demonstrate that the jet propagation is sustained through the outer corona, in the form of a traveling nonlinear Alfvén wave front trailed by slower-moving plasma density enhancements that are compressed and accelerated by the wave. This finding agrees well with observations of white-light coronal-hole jets, and can explain microstreams and torsional Alfvén waves detected in situ in the solar wind. We also use our numerical results to deduce scaling relationships between properties of the coronal source region and the characteristics of the resulting jet, which can be tested against observations.

Efficient Analysis of Simulations of the Sun's Magnetic Field

Science.gov (United States)

Scarborough, C. W.; Martínez-Sykora, J.

2014-12-01

Dynamics in the solar atmosphere, including solar flares, coronal mass ejections, micro-flares and different types of jets, are powered by the evolution of the sun's intense magnetic field. 3D Radiative Magnetohydrodnamics (MHD) computer simulations have furthered our understanding of the processes involved: When non aligned magnetic field lines reconnect, the alteration of the magnetic topology causes stored magnetic energy to be converted into thermal and kinetic energy. Detailed analysis of this evolution entails tracing magnetic field lines, an operation which is not time-efficient on a single processor. By utilizing a graphics card (GPU) to trace lines in parallel, conducting such analysis is made feasible. We applied our GPU implementation to the most advanced 3D Radiative-MHD simulations (Bifrost, Gudicksen et al. 2011) of the solar atmosphere in order to better understand the evolution of the modeled field lines.

Can Polar Fields Explain Missing Open Flux?

Science.gov (United States)

Linker, J.; Downs, C.; Caplan, R. M.; Riley, P.; Mikic, Z.; Lionello, R.

2017-12-01

The "open" magnetic field is the portion of the Sun's magnetic field that extends out into the heliosphere and becomes the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Both the IMF and the Sun's magnetic field in the photosphere have been measured for many years. In the standard paradigm of coronal structure, the open magnetic field originates primarily in coronal holes. The regions that are magnetically closed trap the coronal plasma and give rise to the streamer belt. This basic picture is qualitatively reproduced by models of coronal structure using photospheric magnetic fields as input. If this paradigm is correct, there are two primary observational constraints on the models: (1) The open field regions in the model should approximately correspond to coronal holes observed in emission, and (2) the magnitude of the open magnetic flux in the model should match that inferred from in situ spacecraft measurements. Linker et al. (2017, ApJ, submitted) investigated the July 2010 time period for a range of observatory maps and both PFSS and MHD models. We found that all of the model/map combinations underestimated the interplanetary magnetic flux, unless the modeled open field regions were larger than observed coronal holes. An estimate of the open magnetic flux made entirely from solar observations (combining detected coronal hole boundaries with observatory synoptic magnetic maps) also underestimated the interplanetary magnetic flux. The magnetic field near the Sun's poles is poorly observed and may not be well represented in observatory maps. In this paper, we explore whether an underestimate of the polar magnetic flux during this time period could account for the overall underestimate of open magnetic flux. Research supported by NASA, AFOSR, and NSF.

Coronal Heating Topology: The Interplay of Current Sheets and Magnetic Field Lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rappazzo, A. F.; Velli, M. [Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Matthaeus, W. H. [Bartol Research Institute, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (United States); Ruffolo, D. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400 (Thailand); Servidio, S., E-mail: rappazzo@ucla.edu [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università della Calabria, Cosenza I-87036 (Italy)

2017-07-20

The magnetic topology and field line random walk (FLRW) properties of a nanoflare-heated and magnetically confined corona are investigated in the reduced magnetohydrodynamic regime. Field lines originating from current sheets form coherent structures, called current sheet connected (CSC) regions, which extend around them. CSC FLRW is strongly anisotropic, with preferential diffusion along the current sheets’ in-plane length. CSC FLRW properties remain similar to those of the entire ensemble but exhibit enhanced mean square displacements and separations due to the stronger magnetic field intensities in CSC regions. The implications for particle acceleration and heat transport in the solar corona and wind, and for solar moss formation are discussed.

Forward Modeling of Coronal Mass Ejection Flux Ropes in the Inner Heliosphere with 3DCORE

Science.gov (United States)

Möstl, C.; Amerstorfer, T.; Palmerio, E.; Isavnin, A.; Farrugia, C. J.; Lowder, C.; Winslow, R. M.; Donnerer, J. M.; Kilpua, E. K. J.; Boakes, P. D.

2018-03-01

Forecasting the geomagnetic effects of solar storms, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), is currently severely limited by our inability to predict the magnetic field configuration in the CME magnetic core and by observational effects of a single spacecraft trajectory through its 3-D structure. CME magnetic flux ropes can lead to continuous forcing of the energy input to the Earth's magnetosphere by strong and steady southward-pointing magnetic fields. Here we demonstrate in a proof-of-concept way a new approach to predict the southward field Bz in a CME flux rope. It combines a novel semiempirical model of CME flux rope magnetic fields (Three-Dimensional Coronal ROpe Ejection) with solar observations and in situ magnetic field data from along the Sun-Earth line. These are provided here by the MESSENGER spacecraft for a CME event on 9-13 July 2013. Three-Dimensional Coronal ROpe Ejection is the first such model that contains the interplanetary propagation and evolution of a 3-D flux rope magnetic field, the observation by a synthetic spacecraft, and the prediction of an index of geomagnetic activity. A counterclockwise rotation of the left-handed erupting CME flux rope in the corona of 30° and a deflection angle of 20° is evident from comparison of solar and coronal observations. The calculated Dst matches reasonably the observed Dst minimum and its time evolution, but the results are highly sensitive to the CME axis orientation. We discuss assumptions and limitations of the method prototype and its potential for real time space weather forecasting and heliospheric data interpretation.

Why fast solar wind originates from slowly expanding coronal flux tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.M.; Sheeley, N.R. Jr.

1991-01-01

Empirical studies indicate that the solar wind speed at earth is inversely correlated with the divergence rate of the coronal magnetic field. It is shown that this result is consistent with simple wind acceleration models involving Alfven waves, provided that the wave energy flux at the coronal base is taken to be roughly constant within open field regions. 9 refs

Magnetic Source Regions of Coronal Mass Ejections Brigitte ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2003) or two rows of opposite polarity field extending to ... sional Alfvén waves which bring up helicity from the sub-photospheric part of the flux tube ... Figure 1. Loss of equilibrium model: sketches of coronal field lines showing ... lines of the quadrupolar reconnection before the flare, (bottom left): TRACE observations of the.

CME Interaction with Coronal Holes and Their Interplanetary Consequences

Science.gov (United States)

Gopalswamy, N.; Makela, P.; Xie, H.; Akiyama, S.; Yashiro, S.

2008-01-01

A significant number of interplanetary (IP) shocks (-17%) during cycle 23 were not followed by drivers. The number of such "driverless" shocks steadily increased with the solar cycle with 15%, 33%, and 52% occurring in the rise, maximum, and declining phase of the solar cycle. The solar sources of 15% of the driverless shocks were very close the central meridian of the Sun (within approx.15deg), which is quite unexpected. More interestingly, all the driverless shocks with their solar sources near the solar disk center occurred during the declining phase of solar cycle 23. When we investigated the coronal environment of the source regions of driverless shocks, we found that in each case there was at least one coronal hole nearby suggesting that the coronal holes might have deflected the associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) away from the Sun-Earth line. The presence of abundant low-latitude coronal holes during the declining phase further explains why CMEs originating close to the disk center mimic the limb CMEs, which normally lead to driverless shocks due to purely geometrical reasons. We also examined the solar source regions of shocks with drivers. For these, the coronal holes were located such that they either had no influence on the CME trajectories. or they deflected the CMEs towards the Sun-Earth line. We also obtained the open magnetic field distribution on the Sun by performing a potential field source surface extrapolation to the corona. It was found that the CMEs generally move away from the open magnetic field regions. The CME-coronal hole interaction must be widespread in the declining phase, and may have a significant impact on the geoeffectiveness of CMEs.

A regularization method for extrapolation of solar potential magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Gary, G. A.; Musielak, Z. E.

1992-01-01

The mathematical basis of a Tikhonov regularization method for extrapolating the chromospheric-coronal magnetic field using photospheric vector magnetograms is discussed. The basic techniques show that the Cauchy initial value problem can be formulated for potential magnetic fields. The potential field analysis considers a set of linear, elliptic partial differential equations. It is found that, by introducing an appropriate smoothing of the initial data of the Cauchy potential problem, an approximate Fourier integral solution is found, and an upper bound to the error in the solution is derived. This specific regularization technique, which is a function of magnetograph measurement sensitivities, provides a method to extrapolate the potential magnetic field above an active region into the chromosphere and low corona.

2010 August 1-2 Sympathetic Eruptions. II. Magnetic Topology of the MHD Background Field

Science.gov (United States)

Titov, Viacheslav S.; Mikić, Zoran; Török, Tibor; Linker, Jon A.; Panasenco, Olga

2017-08-01

Using a potential field source-surface (PFSS) model, we recently analyzed the global topology of the background coronal magnetic field for a sequence of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that occurred on 2010 August 1-2. Here we repeat this analysis for the background field reproduced by a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model that incorporates plasma thermodynamics. As for the PFSS model, we find that all three CME source regions contain a coronal hole (CH) that is separated from neighboring CHs by topologically very similar pseudo-streamer structures. However, the two models yield very different results for the size, shape, and flux of the CHs. We find that the helmet-streamer cusp line, which corresponds to a source-surface null line in the PFSS model, is structurally unstable and does not form in the MHD model. Our analysis indicates that, generally, in MHD configurations, this line instead consists of a multiple-null separator passing along the edge of disconnected-flux regions. Some of these regions are transient and may be the origin of the so-called streamer blobs. We show that the core topological structure of such blobs is a three-dimensional “plasmoid” consisting of two conjoined flux ropes of opposite handedness, which connect at a spiral null point of the magnetic field. Our analysis reveals that such plasmoids also appear in pseudo-streamers on much smaller scales. These new insights into the coronal magnetic topology provide some intriguing implications for solar energetic particle events and for the properties of the slow solar wind.

TANGLED MAGNETIC FIELDS IN SOLAR PROMINENCES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Ballegooijen, A. A.; Cranmer, S. R.

2010-01-01

Solar prominences are an important tool for studying the structure and evolution of the coronal magnetic field. Here we consider so-called hedgerow prominences, which consist of thin vertical threads. We explore the possibility that such prominences are supported by tangled magnetic fields. A variety of different approaches are used. First, the dynamics of plasma within a tangled field is considered. We find that the contorted shape of the flux tubes significantly reduces the flow velocity compared to the supersonic free fall that would occur in a straight vertical tube. Second, linear force-free models of tangled fields are developed, and the elastic response of such fields to gravitational forces is considered. We demonstrate that the prominence plasma can be supported by the magnetic pressure of a tangled field that pervades not only the observed dense threads but also their local surroundings. Tangled fields with field strengths of about 10 G are able to support prominence threads with observed hydrogen density of the order of 10 11 cm -3 . Finally, we suggest that the observed vertical threads are the result of Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Simulations of the density distribution within a prominence thread indicate that the peak density is much larger than the average density. We conclude that tangled fields provide a viable mechanism for magnetic support of hedgerow prominences.

Simulating coronal condensation dynamics in 3D

Science.gov (United States)

Moschou, S. P.; Keppens, R.; Xia, C.; Fang, X.

2015-12-01

We present numerical simulations in 3D settings where coronal rain phenomena take place in a magnetic configuration of a quadrupolar arcade system. Our simulation is a magnetohydrodynamic simulation including anisotropic thermal conduction, optically thin radiative losses, and parametrised heating as main thermodynamical features to construct a realistic arcade configuration from chromospheric to coronal heights. The plasma evaporation from chromospheric and transition region heights eventually causes localised runaway condensation events and we witness the formation of plasma blobs due to thermal instability, that evolve dynamically in the heated arcade part and move gradually downwards due to interchange type dynamics. Unlike earlier 2.5D simulations, in this case there is no large scale prominence formation observed, but a continuous coronal rain develops which shows clear indications of Rayleigh-Taylor or interchange instability, that causes the denser plasma located above the transition region to fall down, as the system moves towards a more stable state. Linear stability analysis is used in the non-linear regime for gaining insight and giving a prediction of the system's evolution. After the plasma blobs descend through interchange, they follow the magnetic field topology more closely in the lower coronal regions, where they are guided by the magnetic dips.

OBSERVATIONAL SIGNATURES OF CORONAL LOOP HEATING AND COOLING DRIVEN BY FOOTPOINT SHUFFLING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dahlburg, R. B.; Taylor, B. D. [LCP and FD, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Einaudi, G. [Berkeley Research Associates, Inc., Beltsville, MD 20705 (United States); Ugarte-Urra, I. [College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030 (United States); Warren, H. P. [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States); Rappazzo, A. F. [Advanced Heliophysics, Pasadena, CA 91106 (United States); Velli, M., E-mail: rdahlbur@lcp.nrl.navy.mil [EPSS, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States)

2016-01-20

The evolution of a coronal loop is studied by means of numerical simulations of the fully compressible three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equations using the HYPERION code. The footpoints of the loop magnetic field are advected by random motions. As a consequence, the magnetic field in the loop is energized and develops turbulent nonlinear dynamics characterized by the continuous formation and dissipation of field-aligned current sheets: energy is deposited at small scales where heating occurs. Dissipation is nonuniformly distributed so that only a fraction of the coronal mass and volume gets heated at any time. Temperature and density are highly structured at scales that, in the solar corona, remain observationally unresolved: the plasma of our simulated loop is multithermal, where highly dynamical hotter and cooler plasma strands are scattered throughout the loop at sub-observational scales. Numerical simulations of coronal loops of 50,000 km length and axial magnetic field intensities ranging from 0.01 to 0.04 T are presented. To connect these simulations to observations, we use the computed number densities and temperatures to synthesize the intensities expected in emission lines typically observed with the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer on Hinode. These intensities are used to compute differential emission measure distributions using the Monte Carlo Markov Chain code, which are very similar to those derived from observations of solar active regions. We conclude that coronal heating is found to be strongly intermittent in space and time, with only small portions of the coronal loop being heated: in fact, at any given time, most of the corona is cooling down.

CHROMOSPHERIC AND CORONAL WAVE GENERATION IN A MAGNETIC FLUX SHEATH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Yoshiaki; Hansteen, Viggo; Gudiksen, Boris; Wedemeyer, Sven; Carlsson, Mats; Steiner, Oskar

2016-01-01

Using radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the solar atmospheric layers from the upper convection zone to the lower corona, we investigate the self-consistent excitation of slow magneto-acoustic body waves (slow modes) in a magnetic flux concentration. We find that the convective downdrafts in the close surroundings of a two-dimensional flux slab “pump” the plasma inside it in the downward direction. This action produces a downflow inside the flux slab, which encompasses ever higher layers, causing an upwardly propagating rarefaction wave. The slow mode, excited by the adiabatic compression of the downflow near the optical surface, travels along the magnetic field in the upward direction at the tube speed. It develops into a shock wave at chromospheric heights, where it dissipates, lifts the transition region, and produces an offspring in the form of a compressive wave that propagates further into the corona. In the wake of downflows and propagating shock waves, the atmosphere inside the flux slab in the chromosphere and higher tends to oscillate with a period of ν ≈ 4 mHz. We conclude that this process of “magnetic pumping” is a most plausible mechanism for the direct generation of longitudinal chromospheric and coronal compressive waves within magnetic flux concentrations, and it may provide an important heat source in the chromosphere. It may also be responsible for certain types of dynamic fibrils.

CHROMOSPHERIC AND CORONAL WAVE GENERATION IN A MAGNETIC FLUX SHEATH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kato, Yoshiaki; Hansteen, Viggo; Gudiksen, Boris; Wedemeyer, Sven; Carlsson, Mats [Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1029 Blindern, NO-0315 Oslo (Norway); Steiner, Oskar, E-mail: yoshiaki.kato@astro.uio.no [Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik, Schöneckstrasse 6, D-79104 Freiburg (Germany)

2016-08-10

Using radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the solar atmospheric layers from the upper convection zone to the lower corona, we investigate the self-consistent excitation of slow magneto-acoustic body waves (slow modes) in a magnetic flux concentration. We find that the convective downdrafts in the close surroundings of a two-dimensional flux slab “pump” the plasma inside it in the downward direction. This action produces a downflow inside the flux slab, which encompasses ever higher layers, causing an upwardly propagating rarefaction wave. The slow mode, excited by the adiabatic compression of the downflow near the optical surface, travels along the magnetic field in the upward direction at the tube speed. It develops into a shock wave at chromospheric heights, where it dissipates, lifts the transition region, and produces an offspring in the form of a compressive wave that propagates further into the corona. In the wake of downflows and propagating shock waves, the atmosphere inside the flux slab in the chromosphere and higher tends to oscillate with a period of ν ≈ 4 mHz. We conclude that this process of “magnetic pumping” is a most plausible mechanism for the direct generation of longitudinal chromospheric and coronal compressive waves within magnetic flux concentrations, and it may provide an important heat source in the chromosphere. It may also be responsible for certain types of dynamic fibrils.

Influence of coronal holes on CMEs in causing SEP events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Chenglong; Yao Jia; Wang Yuming; Ye Pinzhong; Wang Shui; Zhao Xuepu

2010-01-01

The issue of the influence of coronal holes (CHs) on coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in causing solar energetic particle (SEP) events is revisited. It is a continuation and extension of our previous work, in which no evident effects of CHs on CMEs in generating SEPs were found by statistically investigating 56 CME events. This result is consistent with the conclusion obtained by Kahler in 2004. We extrapolate the coronal magnetic field, define CHs as the regions consisting of only open magnetic field lines and perform a similar analysis on this issue for 76 events in total by extending the study interval to the end of 2008. Three key parameters, CH proximity, CH area and CH relative position, are involved in the analysis. The new result confirms the previous conclusion that CHs did not show any evident effect on CMEs in causing SEP events. (research papers)

Self consistent MHD modeling of the solar wind from polar coronal holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, G. A.; Bravo, S.

1996-01-01

We have developed a 2D self consistent MHD model for solar wind flow from antisymmetric magnetic geometries. We present results in the case of a photospheric magnetic field which has a dipolar configuration, in order to investigate some of the general characteristics of the wind at solar minimum. As in previous studies, we find that the magnetic configuration is that of a closed field region (a coronal helmet belt) around the solar equator, extending up to about 1.6 R · , and two large open field regions centred over the poles (polar coronal holes), whose magnetic and plasma fluxes expand to fill both hemispheres in interplanetary space. In addition, we find that the different geometries of the magnetic field lines across each hole (from the almost radial central polar lines to the highly curved border equatorial lines) cause the solar wind to have greatly different properties depending on which region it flows from. We find that, even though our simplified model cannot produce realistic wind values, we can obtain a polar wind that is faster, less dense and hotter than equatorial wind, and found that, close to the Sun, there exists a sharp transition between the two wind types. As these characteristics coincide with observations we conclude that both fast and slow solar wind can originate from coronal holes, fast wind from the centre, slow wind from the border

Examining the Properties of Jets in Coronal Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Gaulle, Owen; Adams, Mitzi L.; Tennant, A. F.

2012-01-01

Data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) were used to look for triggers of jets in a coronal hole. It has been proposed that bright points affiliated with the jets are caused by either random collisions between magnetic elements or by magnetic flux emerging from the photosphere; either of which can give rise to magnetic reconnection. Images from the 193AA filter of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) were searched to identify and locate jets. Changes in the line-of-sight magnetic field prior to the time of the jet were sought in data from the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI). In total we studied 15 different jets that occurred over a two day period starting 2011-02-27 00:00:00 UTC and ending 2011-02-28 23:59:55 UTC. All of the jets were contained within a coronal hole that was close to disk center. Of the 15 that we studied 6 were shown to have an increase of the parameter B2 (where B is the line-of-sight component of the magnetic field), within one hour prior to the creation of the jet and 10 were within 3 hours before the event.

2010 August 1–2 Sympathetic Eruptions. II. Magnetic Topology of the MHD Background Field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Titov, Viacheslav S.; Mikić, Zoran; Török, Tibor; Linker, Jon A. [Predictive Science Inc., 9990 Mesa Rim Road, Suite 170, San Diego, CA 92121 (United States); Panasenco, Olga, E-mail: titovv@predsci.com [Advanced Heliophysics, 1127 E Del Mar Blvd, Suite 425, Pasadena, CA 91106 (United States)

2017-08-20

Using a potential field source-surface (PFSS) model, we recently analyzed the global topology of the background coronal magnetic field for a sequence of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that occurred on 2010 August 1–2. Here we repeat this analysis for the background field reproduced by a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model that incorporates plasma thermodynamics. As for the PFSS model, we find that all three CME source regions contain a coronal hole (CH) that is separated from neighboring CHs by topologically very similar pseudo-streamer structures. However, the two models yield very different results for the size, shape, and flux of the CHs. We find that the helmet-streamer cusp line, which corresponds to a source-surface null line in the PFSS model, is structurally unstable and does not form in the MHD model. Our analysis indicates that, generally, in MHD configurations, this line instead consists of a multiple-null separator passing along the edge of disconnected-flux regions. Some of these regions are transient and may be the origin of the so-called streamer blobs. We show that the core topological structure of such blobs is a three-dimensional “plasmoid” consisting of two conjoined flux ropes of opposite handedness, which connect at a spiral null point of the magnetic field. Our analysis reveals that such plasmoids also appear in pseudo-streamers on much smaller scales. These new insights into the coronal magnetic topology provide some intriguing implications for solar energetic particle events and for the properties of the slow solar wind.

2010 August 1–2 Sympathetic Eruptions. II. Magnetic Topology of the MHD Background Field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Titov, Viacheslav S.; Mikić, Zoran; Török, Tibor; Linker, Jon A.; Panasenco, Olga

2017-01-01

Using a potential field source-surface (PFSS) model, we recently analyzed the global topology of the background coronal magnetic field for a sequence of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that occurred on 2010 August 1–2. Here we repeat this analysis for the background field reproduced by a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model that incorporates plasma thermodynamics. As for the PFSS model, we find that all three CME source regions contain a coronal hole (CH) that is separated from neighboring CHs by topologically very similar pseudo-streamer structures. However, the two models yield very different results for the size, shape, and flux of the CHs. We find that the helmet-streamer cusp line, which corresponds to a source-surface null line in the PFSS model, is structurally unstable and does not form in the MHD model. Our analysis indicates that, generally, in MHD configurations, this line instead consists of a multiple-null separator passing along the edge of disconnected-flux regions. Some of these regions are transient and may be the origin of the so-called streamer blobs. We show that the core topological structure of such blobs is a three-dimensional “plasmoid” consisting of two conjoined flux ropes of opposite handedness, which connect at a spiral null point of the magnetic field. Our analysis reveals that such plasmoids also appear in pseudo-streamers on much smaller scales. These new insights into the coronal magnetic topology provide some intriguing implications for solar energetic particle events and for the properties of the slow solar wind.

MINI-FILAMENT ERUPTION AS THE INITIATION OF A JET ALONG CORONAL LOOPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Junchao; Jiang, Yunchun; Yang, Jiayan; Yang, Bo; Xu, Zhe; Xiang, Yongyuan

2016-01-01

Minifilament eruptions (MFEs) and coronal jets are different types of solar small-scale explosive events. We report an MFE observed at the New Vacuum Solar Telescope (NVST). As seen in the NVST H α images, during the rising phase, the minifilament erupts outward orthogonally to its length, accompanied with a flare-like brightening at the bottom. Afterward, dark materials are found to possibly extend along the axis of the expanded filament body. The MFE is analogous to large filament eruptions. However, a simultaneous observation of the Solar Dynamics Observatory shows that a jet is initiated and flows out along nearby coronal loops during the rising phase of the MFE. Meanwhile, small hot loops, which connect the original eruptive site of the minifilament to the footpoints of the coronal loops, are formed successively. A differential emission measure analysis demonstrates that, on the top of the new small loops, a hot cusp structure exists. We conjecture that the magnetic fields of the MFE interact with magnetic fields of the coronal loops. This interaction is interpreted as magnetic reconnection that produces the jet and the small hot loops.

MINI-FILAMENT ERUPTION AS THE INITIATION OF A JET ALONG CORONAL LOOPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, Junchao; Jiang, Yunchun; Yang, Jiayan; Yang, Bo; Xu, Zhe; Xiang, Yongyuan, E-mail: hjcsolar@ynao.ac.cn [Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650011 (China)

2016-10-20

Minifilament eruptions (MFEs) and coronal jets are different types of solar small-scale explosive events. We report an MFE observed at the New Vacuum Solar Telescope (NVST). As seen in the NVST H α images, during the rising phase, the minifilament erupts outward orthogonally to its length, accompanied with a flare-like brightening at the bottom. Afterward, dark materials are found to possibly extend along the axis of the expanded filament body. The MFE is analogous to large filament eruptions. However, a simultaneous observation of the Solar Dynamics Observatory shows that a jet is initiated and flows out along nearby coronal loops during the rising phase of the MFE. Meanwhile, small hot loops, which connect the original eruptive site of the minifilament to the footpoints of the coronal loops, are formed successively. A differential emission measure analysis demonstrates that, on the top of the new small loops, a hot cusp structure exists. We conjecture that the magnetic fields of the MFE interact with magnetic fields of the coronal loops. This interaction is interpreted as magnetic reconnection that produces the jet and the small hot loops.

Coronal heating driven by a magnetic gradient pumping mechanism in solar plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tan, Baolin, E-mail: bltan@nao.cas.cn [Key Laboratory of Solar Activity, National Astronomical Observatories of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China)

2014-11-10

The heating of the solar corona is a longstanding mystery in astrophysics. Considering that the solar magnetic field is spatially inhomogeneous with a considerable magnetic gradient from the solar surface to the corona, this work proposes a magnetic gradient pumping (MGP) mechanism to try to explain the formation of hot plasma upflows, such as hot type II spicules and hot plasma ejections. In the MGP mechanism, the magnetic gradient may drive the energetic particles to move upward from the underlying solar atmosphere and form hot upflows. These upflow energetic particles are deposited in the corona, causing it to become very hot. Rough estimations indicate that the solar corona can be heated to above 1 million degrees, and the upflow velocity is about 40 km s{sup –1} in the chromosphere and about 130 km s{sup –1} in the corona. The solar magnetic flux tubes act as pumpers to extract energetic particles from the underlying thermal photosphere, convey them, and deposit them in the corona. The deposit of these energetic particles causes the corona to become hot, and the escape of such particles from the photosphere leaves it a bit cold. This mechanism can present a natural explanation to the mystery of solar coronal heating.

Potential Magnetic Field around a Helical Flux-rope Current Structure in the Solar Corona

OpenAIRE

Petrie, G. J. D.

2007-01-01

We consider the potential magnetic field associated with a helical electric line current flow, idealizing the near-potential coronal field within which a highly localized twisted current structure is embedded. It is found that this field has a significant axial component off the helical magnetic axis where there is no current flow, such that the flux winds around the axis. The helical line current field, in including the effects of flux rope writhe, is therefore more topologically complex tha...

An MHD simulation model of time-dependent global solar corona with temporally varying solar-surface magnetic field maps

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, K.

2013-11-01

We present a model of a time-dependent three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulation of the sub-Alfvenic solar corona and super-Alfvenic solar wind with temporally varying solar-surface boundary magnetic field data. To (i) accommodate observational data with a somewhat arbitrarily evolving solar photospheric magnetic field as the boundary value and (ii) keep the divergence-free condition, we developed a boundary model, here named Confined Differential Potential Field model, that calculates the horizontal components of the magnetic field, from changes in the vertical component, as a potential field confined in a thin shell. The projected normal characteristic method robustly simulates the solar corona and solar wind, in response to the temporal variation of the boundary Br. We conduct test MHD simulations for two periods, from Carrington Rotation number 2009 to 2010 and from Carrington Rotation 2074 to 2075 at solar maximum and minimum of Cycle 23, respectively. We obtained several coronal features that a fixed boundary condition cannot yield, such as twisted magnetic field lines at the lower corona and the transition from an open-field coronal hole to a closed-field streamer. We also obtained slight improvements of the interplanetary magnetic field, including the latitudinal component, at Earth.

Extreme ultraviolet observations of coronal holes. II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohlin, J.D.; Sheeley, N.R. Jr.

1978-01-01

Extreme-ultraviolet Skylab and ground-based solar magnetic field data have been combined to study the origin and evolution of coronal holes. It is shown that holes exist only within the large-scale unipolar magnetic cells into which the solar surface is divided at any given time. A well-defined boundary zone usually exists between the edge of a hole and the neutral line which marks the edge of its magnetic cell. This boundary zone is the region across which a cell is connected by magnetic arcades with adjacent cells of opposite polarity. Three pieces of observational evidence are offered to support the hypothesis that the magnetic lines of force from a hole are open. Kitt Peak magnetograms are used to show that, at least on a relative scale, the average field strengths within holes are quite variable, but indistinguishable from the field strengths in other quiet parts of the Sun's surface. Finally it is shown that the large, equatorial holes characteristic of the declining phase of the last solar cycle during Skylab (1973-74) were all formed as a result of the mergence of bipolar magnetic regions (BMR's), confirming an earlier hypothesis by Timothy et al. (1975). Systematic application of this model to the different aspects of the solar cycle correctly predicts the occurrence of both large, equatorial coronal holes (the 'M-regions' which cause recurrent geomagnetic storms) and the polar cap holes. (Auth.)

CLOSED-FIELD CORONAL HEATING DRIVEN BY WAVE TURBULENCE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Downs, Cooper; Lionello, Roberto; Mikić, Zoran; Linker, Jon A [Predictive Science Incorporated, 9990 Mesa Rim Rd. Suite 170, San Diego, CA 92121 (United States); Velli, Marco, E-mail: cdowns@predsci.com [EPSS, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States)

2016-12-01

To simulate the energy balance of coronal plasmas on macroscopic scales, we often require the specification of the coronal heating mechanism in some functional form. To go beyond empirical formulations and to build a more physically motivated heating function, we investigate the wave-turbulence-driven (WTD) phenomenology for the heating of closed coronal loops. Our implementation is designed to capture the large-scale propagation, reflection, and dissipation of wave turbulence along a loop. The parameter space of this model is explored by solving the coupled WTD and hydrodynamic evolution in 1D for an idealized loop. The relevance to a range of solar conditions is also established by computing solutions for over one hundred loops extracted from a realistic 3D coronal field. Due to the implicit dependence of the WTD heating model on loop geometry and plasma properties along the loop and at the footpoints, we find that this model can significantly reduce the number of free parameters when compared to traditional empirical heating models, and still robustly describe a broad range of quiet-Sun and active region conditions. The importance of the self-reflection term in producing relatively short heating scale heights and thermal nonequilibrium cycles is also discussed.

Sparse Reconstruction of Electric Fields from Radial Magnetic Data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeates, Anthony R.

2017-01-01

Accurate estimates of the horizontal electric field on the Sun’s visible surface are important not only for estimating the Poynting flux of magnetic energy into the corona but also for driving time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic models of the corona. In this paper, a method is developed for estimating the horizontal electric field from a sequence of radial-component magnetic field maps. This problem of inverting Faraday’s law has no unique solution. Unfortunately, the simplest solution (a divergence-free electric field) is not realistically localized in regions of nonzero magnetic field, as would be expected from Ohm’s law. Our new method generates instead a localized solution, using a basis pursuit algorithm to find a sparse solution for the electric field. The method is shown to perform well on test cases where the input magnetic maps are flux balanced in both Cartesian and spherical geometries. However, we show that if the input maps have a significant imbalance of flux—usually arising from data assimilation—then it is not possible to find a localized, realistic, electric field solution. This is the main obstacle to driving coronal models from time sequences of solar surface magnetic maps.

Sparse Reconstruction of Electric Fields from Radial Magnetic Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yeates, Anthony R. [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE (United Kingdom)

2017-02-10

Accurate estimates of the horizontal electric field on the Sun’s visible surface are important not only for estimating the Poynting flux of magnetic energy into the corona but also for driving time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic models of the corona. In this paper, a method is developed for estimating the horizontal electric field from a sequence of radial-component magnetic field maps. This problem of inverting Faraday’s law has no unique solution. Unfortunately, the simplest solution (a divergence-free electric field) is not realistically localized in regions of nonzero magnetic field, as would be expected from Ohm’s law. Our new method generates instead a localized solution, using a basis pursuit algorithm to find a sparse solution for the electric field. The method is shown to perform well on test cases where the input magnetic maps are flux balanced in both Cartesian and spherical geometries. However, we show that if the input maps have a significant imbalance of flux—usually arising from data assimilation—then it is not possible to find a localized, realistic, electric field solution. This is the main obstacle to driving coronal models from time sequences of solar surface magnetic maps.

Compact solar UV burst triggered in a magnetic field with a fan-spine topology

Science.gov (United States)

Chitta, L. P.; Peter, H.; Young, P. R.; Huang, Y.-M.

2017-09-01

Context. Solar ultraviolet (UV) bursts are small-scale features that exhibit intermittent brightenings that are thought to be due to magnetic reconnection. They are observed abundantly in the chromosphere and transition region, in particular in active regions. Aims: We investigate in detail a UV burst related to a magnetic feature that is advected by the moat flow from a sunspot towards a pore. The moving feature is parasitic in that its magnetic polarity is opposite to that of the spot and the pore. This comparably simple photospheric magnetic field distribution allows for an unambiguous interpretation of the magnetic geometry leading to the onset of the observed UV burst. Methods: We used UV spectroscopic and slit-jaw observations from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) to identify and study chromospheric and transition region spectral signatures of said UV burst. To investigate the magnetic topology surrounding the UV burst, we used a two-hour-long time sequence of simultaneous line-of-sight magnetograms from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) and performed data-driven 3D magnetic field extrapolations by means of a magnetofrictional relaxation technique. We can connect UV burst signatures to the overlying extreme UV (EUV) coronal loops observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA). Results: The UV burst shows a variety of extremely broad line profiles indicating plasma flows in excess of ±200 km s-1 at times. The whole structure is divided into two spatially distinct zones of predominantly up- and downflows. The magnetic field extrapolations show a persistent fan-spine magnetic topology at the UV burst. The associated 3D magnetic null point exists at a height of about 500 km above the photosphere and evolves co-spatially with the observed UV burst. The EUV emission at the footpoints of coronal loops is correlated with the evolution of the underlying UV burst. Conclusions: The magnetic field around the null point is sheared by

PHYSICAL CONDITIONS OF CORONAL PLASMA AT THE TRANSIT OF A SHOCK DRIVEN BY A CORONAL MASS EJECTION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Susino, R.; Bemporad, A.; Mancuso, S., E-mail: susino@oato.inaf.it [INAF–Turin Astrophysical Observatory, via Osservatorio 20, I-10025 Pino Torinese (Italy)

2015-10-20

We report here on the determination of plasma physical parameters across a shock driven by a coronal mass ejection using white light (WL) coronagraphic images and radio dynamic spectra (RDS). The event analyzed here is the spectacular eruption that occurred on 2011 June 7, a fast CME followed by the ejection of columns of chromospheric plasma, part of them falling back to the solar surface, associated with a M2.5 flare and a type-II radio burst. Images acquired by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/LASCO coronagraphs (C2 and C3) were employed to track the CME-driven shock in the corona between 2–12 R{sub ⊙} in an angular interval of about 110°. In this interval we derived two-dimensional (2D) maps of electron density, shock velocity, and shock compression ratio, and we measured the shock inclination angle with respect to the radial direction. Under plausible assumptions, these quantities were used to infer 2D maps of shock Mach number M{sub A} and strength of coronal magnetic fields at the shock's heights. We found that in the early phases (2–4 R{sub ⊙}) the whole shock surface is super-Alfvénic, while later on (i.e., higher up) it becomes super-Alfvénic only at the nose. This is in agreement with the location for the source of the observed type-II burst, as inferred from RDS combined with the shock kinematic and coronal densities derived from WL. For the first time, a coronal shock is used to derive a 2D map of the coronal magnetic field strength over intervals of 10 R{sub ⊙} altitude and ∼110° latitude.

Study of magnetic helicity injection in the active region NOAA 9236 producing multiple flare-associated coronal mass ejection events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Sung-Hong; Cho, Kyung-Suk; Bong, Su-Chan; Kumar, Pankaj; Kim, Yeon-Han; Park, Young-Deuk; Kusano, Kanya; Chae, Jongchul; Park, So-Young

2013-01-01

To better understand a preferred magnetic field configuration and its evolution during coronal mass ejection (CME) events, we investigated the spatial and temporal evolution of photospheric magnetic fields in the active region NOAA 9236 that produced eight flare-associated CMEs during the time period of 2000 November 23-26. The time variations of the total magnetic helicity injection rate and the total unsigned magnetic flux are determined and examined not only in the entire active region but also in some local regions such as the main sunspots and the CME-associated flaring regions using SOHO/MDI magnetogram data. As a result, we found that (1) in the sunspots, a large amount of positive (right-handed) magnetic helicity was injected during most of the examined time period, (2) in the flare region, there was a continuous injection of negative (left-handed) magnetic helicity during the entire period, accompanied by a large increase of the unsigned magnetic flux, and (3) the flaring regions were mainly composed of emerging bipoles of magnetic fragments in which magnetic field lines have substantially favorable conditions for making reconnection with large-scale, overlying, and oppositely directed magnetic field lines connecting the main sunspots. These observational findings can also be well explained by some MHD numerical simulations for CME initiation (e.g., reconnection-favored emerging flux models). We therefore conclude that reconnection-favored magnetic fields in the flaring emerging flux regions play a crucial role in producing the multiple flare-associated CMEs in NOAA 9236.

Inferring Lower Boundary Driving Conditions Using Vector Magnetic Field Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Schuck, Peter W.; Linton, Mark; Leake, James; MacNeice, Peter; Allred, Joel

2012-01-01

Low-beta coronal MHD simulations of realistic CME events require the detailed specification of the magnetic fields, velocities, densities, temperatures, etc., in the low corona. Presently, the most accurate estimates of solar vector magnetic fields are made in the high-beta photosphere. Several techniques have been developed that provide accurate estimates of the associated photospheric plasma velocities such as the Differential Affine Velocity Estimator for Vector Magnetograms and the Poloidal/Toroidal Decomposition. Nominally, these velocities are consistent with the evolution of the radial magnetic field. To evolve the tangential magnetic field radial gradients must be specified. In addition to estimating the photospheric vector magnetic and velocity fields, a further challenge involves incorporating these fields into an MHD simulation. The simulation boundary must be driven, consistent with the numerical boundary equations, with the goal of accurately reproducing the observed magnetic fields and estimated velocities at some height within the simulation. Even if this goal is achieved, many unanswered questions remain. How can the photospheric magnetic fields and velocities be propagated to the low corona through the transition region? At what cadence must we observe the photosphere to realistically simulate the corona? How do we model the magnetic fields and plasma velocities in the quiet Sun? How sensitive are the solutions to other unknowns that must be specified, such as the global solar magnetic field, and the photospheric temperature and density?

Evolution of open magnetic structures on the sun: the Skylab period

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levine, R.H.

1977-01-01

High-resolution harmonic analysis of the measured photospheric magnetic field of the Sun is used to construct models of open magnetic structures over a period of 11 solar rotations. The models successfully reproduce the surface location and topology of all coronal holes during the Skylab period. In addition, there is persistent evidence in the models that open field lines are associated with active regions in a systematic way. These associations are listed for the period studied; they suggest that open field lines are a basic feature of solar magnetism. Specific examples of the evolution of coronal holes and of calculated open structures are presented. Quantitative study of the measured field strength within and neighboring a hole confirms the fact that coronal hole regions are indistinguishable by local magnetic properties. However, the calculated field strengths at the footpoints of open field lines within coronal holes show distinct evolutionary patterns and may indicate that, at least in young coronal holes, a significant amount of magnetic flux is closed. Problems of studying magnetic field divergence by using these models are discussed

Do coronal holes influence cosmic ray daily harmonics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahluwalia, H.S.

1977-01-01

Coronal holes are identified by their low emissivity in either EUV (Munro and Withrobe, 1973) or in X-rays (Krieger et al, 1973). They are seats of unidirectional magnetic fields. Also, high speed solar wind streams originate in them. Also, high speed solar wind streams originate in then (Krieger et al, 1973; Neupert and Pizzo, 1974; Nolte et al, 1976). Coronal holes often extend over a wide range of heliolatitudes (Timothy et al, 1975). Elsewhere in the Proceedings we have presented results on the long term changes observed in the amplitudes and the times of maximum of the diurnal, the semidiurnal and the tridiurnal variations of cosmic rays, at low (neutrons) and at high (underground muons) primary rigidities (Ahluwalia, 1977). We have shown that a dramatic shift to early hours is noticeable in the times of maxima of the harmonics during 1971-72 period. In this paper we examine the nature of the contributions of off-ecliptic cosmic rays of high enough rigidity, streaming under the influence of large scale ordered interplanetary magnetic field set up by the coronal holes, to the cosmic ray daily harmonics. Some models are presented and discussed in a preliminary fashion. (author)

DERIVING THE PROPERTIES OF CORONAL PRESSURE FRONTS IN 3D: APPLICATION TO THE 2012 MAY 17 GROUND LEVEL ENHANCEMENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rouillard, A. P.; Plotnikov, I.; Pinto, R. F.; Tirole, M.; Lavarra, M. [Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, Université de Toulouse III (UPS) (France); Zucca, P. [LESIA-UMR 8109—Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, Univ. Paris 6 and 7, F-92190, Meudon (France); Vainio, R. [University of Turku, Turku (Finland); Tylka, A. J. [Emeritus, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland (United States); Vourlidas, A. [Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland (United States); Rosa, M. L. De [Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory, Palo Alto, California (United States); Linker, J. [Predictive Sciences Inc., San Diego, California (United States); Warmuth, A.; Mann, G. [Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP), Potsdam (Germany); Cohen, C. M. S.; Mewaldt, R. A., E-mail: arouillard@irap.omp.eu [California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California (United States)

2016-12-10

We study the link between an expanding coronal shock and the energetic particles measured near Earth during the ground level enhancement of 2012 May 17. We developed a new technique based on multipoint imaging to triangulate the three-dimensional (3D) expansion of the shock forming in the corona. It uses images from three vantage points by mapping the outermost extent of the coronal region perturbed by the pressure front. We derive for the first time the 3D velocity vector and the distribution of Mach numbers, M {sub FM}, of the entire front as a function of time. Our approach uses magnetic field reconstructions of the coronal field, full magnetohydrodynamic simulations and imaging inversion techniques. We find that the highest M {sub FM} values appear near the coronal neutral line within a few minutes of the coronal mass ejection onset; this neutral line is usually associated with the source of the heliospheric current and plasma sheet. We illustrate the variability of the shock speed, shock geometry, and Mach number along different modeled magnetic field lines. Despite the level of uncertainty in deriving the shock Mach numbers, all employed reconstruction techniques show that the release time of GeV particles occurs when the coronal shock becomes super-critical ( M {sub FM} > 3). Combining in situ measurements with heliospheric imagery, we also demonstrate that magnetic connectivity between the accelerator (the coronal shock of 2012 May 17) and the near-Earth environment is established via a magnetic cloud that erupted from the same active region roughly five days earlier.

DERIVING THE PROPERTIES OF CORONAL PRESSURE FRONTS IN 3D: APPLICATION TO THE 2012 MAY 17 GROUND LEVEL ENHANCEMENT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rouillard, A. P.; Plotnikov, I.; Pinto, R. F.; Tirole, M.; Lavarra, M.; Zucca, P.; Vainio, R.; Tylka, A. J.; Vourlidas, A.; Rosa, M. L. De; Linker, J.; Warmuth, A.; Mann, G.; Cohen, C. M. S.; Mewaldt, R. A.

2016-01-01

We study the link between an expanding coronal shock and the energetic particles measured near Earth during the ground level enhancement of 2012 May 17. We developed a new technique based on multipoint imaging to triangulate the three-dimensional (3D) expansion of the shock forming in the corona. It uses images from three vantage points by mapping the outermost extent of the coronal region perturbed by the pressure front. We derive for the first time the 3D velocity vector and the distribution of Mach numbers, M FM , of the entire front as a function of time. Our approach uses magnetic field reconstructions of the coronal field, full magnetohydrodynamic simulations and imaging inversion techniques. We find that the highest M FM values appear near the coronal neutral line within a few minutes of the coronal mass ejection onset; this neutral line is usually associated with the source of the heliospheric current and plasma sheet. We illustrate the variability of the shock speed, shock geometry, and Mach number along different modeled magnetic field lines. Despite the level of uncertainty in deriving the shock Mach numbers, all employed reconstruction techniques show that the release time of GeV particles occurs when the coronal shock becomes super-critical ( M FM > 3). Combining in situ measurements with heliospheric imagery, we also demonstrate that magnetic connectivity between the accelerator (the coronal shock of 2012 May 17) and the near-Earth environment is established via a magnetic cloud that erupted from the same active region roughly five days earlier.

THE POSSIBLE ROLE OF CORONAL STREAMERS AS MAGNETICALLY CLOSED STRUCTURES IN SHOCK-INDUCED ENERGETIC ELECTRONS AND METRIC TYPE II RADIO BURSTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kong, Xiangliang; Chen, Yao; Feng, Shiwei; Wang, Bing; Du, Guohui [Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, and Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209 (China); Guo, Fan [Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Li, Gang, E-mail: yaochen@sdu.edu.cn [Department of Space Science and CSPAR, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899 (United States)

2015-01-10

Two solar type II radio bursts, separated by ∼24 hr in time, are examined together. Both events are associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs) erupting from the same active region (NOAA 11176) beneath a well-observed helmet streamer. We find that the type II emissions in both events ended once the CME/shock fronts passed the white-light streamer tip, which is presumably the magnetic cusp of the streamer. This leads us to conjecture that the closed magnetic arcades of the streamer may play a role in electron acceleration and type II excitation at coronal shocks. To examine such a conjecture, we conduct a test-particle simulation for electron dynamics within a large-scale partially closed streamer magnetic configuration swept by a coronal shock. We find that the closed field lines play the role of an electron trap via which the electrons are sent back to the shock front multiple times and therefore accelerated to high energies by the shock. Electrons with an initial energy of 300 eV can be accelerated to tens of keV concentrating at the loop apex close to the shock front with a counter-streaming distribution at most locations. These electrons are energetic enough to excite Langmuir waves and radio bursts. Considering the fact that most solar eruptions originate from closed field regions, we suggest that the scenario may be important for the generation of more metric type IIs. This study also provides an explanation of the general ending frequencies of metric type IIs at or above 20-30 MHz and the disconnection issue between metric and interplanetary type IIs.

Observations of photospheric magnetic fields and shear flows in flaring active regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarbell, T.; Ferguson, S.; Frank, Z.; Title, A.; Topka, K.

1988-01-01

Horizontal flows in the photosphere and subsurface convection zone move the footpoints of coronal magnetic field lines. Magnetic energy to power flares can be stored in the corona if the flows drive the fields far from the potential configuration. Videodisk movies were shown with 0.5 to 1 arcsecond resolution of the following simultaneous observations: green continuum, longitudinal magnetogram, Fe I 5576 A line center (mid-photosphere), H alpha wings, and H alpha line center. The movies show a 90 x 90 arcsecond field of view of an active region at S29, W11. When viewed at speeds of a few thousand times real-time, the photospheric movies clearly show the active region fields being distorted by a remarkable combination of systematic flows and small eruptions of new flux. Magnetic bipoles are emerging over a large area, and the polarities are systematically flowing apart. The horizontal flows were mapped in detail from the continuum movies, and these may be used to predict the future evolution of the region. The horizontal flows are not discernable in H alpha. The H alpha movies strongly suggest reconnection processes in the fibrils joining opposite polarities. When viewed in combination with the magnetic movies, the cause for this evolution is apparent: opposite polarity fields collide and partially cancel, and the fibrils reconnect above the surface. This type of reconnection, driven by subphotospheric flows, complicates the chromospheric and coronal fields, causing visible braiding and twisting of the fibrils. Some of the transient emission events in the fibrils and adjacent plage may also be related

The magnetic connectivity of coronal shocks from behind-the-limb flares to the visible solar surface during γ-ray events

Science.gov (United States)

Plotnikov, I.; Rouillard, A. P.; Share, G. H.

2017-12-01

Context. The observation of >100 MeV γ-rays in the minutes to hours following solar flares suggests that high-energy particles interacting in the solar atmosphere can be stored and/or accelerated for long time periods. The occasions when γ-rays are detected even when the solar eruptions occurred beyond the solar limb as viewed from Earth provide favorable viewing conditions for studying the role of coronal shocks driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the acceleration of these particles. Aims: In this paper, we investigate the spatial and temporal evolution of the coronal shocks inferred from stereoscopic observations of behind-the-limb flares to determine if they could be the source of the particles producing the γ-rays. Methods: We analyzed the CMEs and early formation of coronal shocks associated with γ-ray events measured by the Fermi-Large Area Telescope (LAT) from three eruptions behind the solar limb as viewed from Earth on 2013 Oct. 11, 2014 Jan. 06 and Sep. 01. We used a 3D triangulation technique, based on remote-sensing observations to model the expansion of the CME shocks from above the solar surface to the upper corona. Coupling the expansion model to various models of the coronal magnetic field allowed us to derive the time-dependent distribution of shock Mach numbers and the magnetic connection of particles produced by the shock to the solar surface visible from Earth. Results: The reconstructed shock fronts for the three events became magnetically connected to the visible solar surface after the start of the flare and just before the onset of the >100 MeV γ-ray emission. The shock surface at these connections also exhibited supercritical Mach numbers required for significant particle energization. The strongest γ-ray emissions occurred when the flanks of the shocks were connected in a quasi-perpendicular geometry to the field lines reaching the visible surface. Multipoint, in situ, measurements of solar energetic particles (SEPs) were

Expansion and broadening of coronal loop transients: A theoretical explanation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mouschovias, T.C.; Poland, A.I.

1978-01-01

We explore the consequences of the assumption that a coronal loop transient (observed by the white-light coronagraph aboard Skylab) is a twisted rope of magnetic field lines expanding and broadening in the background coronal plasma and magnetic field. We show that the expansion (i.e., the outward motion of the loop top) can be accounted for by the azimuthal component of the field, B/sub az/; the observed broadening of the loop as it moves outward can be accounted for by the longitudinal component of the field, B/sub l/. In order to have a net outward force and at the same time avoid a classicial pinch (sausage) instability, the two components of the field must satisfy the inequality 1.41 B/sub l/>B/sub az/>B/sub l/.We predict that, as the loop rises, the width (h) of its top portion should vary proportionally with the distance (R) from the Sun's center. This is in good agreement with measurements that show hproportionalR/sup 0.8/. Our prediction, that the radius of curvature (R/sub c/) of the top portion of the loop should be proportional to R, differs from the measured variation R/sub c/proportionalR/sup 1.6/. The difference could be accounted for by a drag due to the background coronal field that flattens the loop's top. A statistical study that can test this possibility is suggested. We also calculate the magnetic field within the top section of the loop. It is approximately equal to 1 gauss at R=2 R/sub sun/ and varies somewhat more slowly than R -2 during expansion

Coronal magnetometry

CERN Document Server

Zhang, Jie; Bastian, Timothy

2014-01-01

This volume is a collection of research articles on the subject of the solar corona, and particularly, coronal magnetism. The book was motivated by the Workshop on Coronal Magnetism: Connecting Models to Data and the Corona to the Earth, which was held 21 - 23 May 2012 in Boulder, Colorado, USA. This workshop was attended by approximately 60 researchers. Articles from this meeting are contained in this topical issue, but the topical issue also contains contributions from researchers not present at the workshop. This volume is aimed at researchers and graduate students active in solar physics. Originally published in Solar Physics, Vol. 288, Issue 2, 2013 and Vol. 289, Issue 8, 2014.

Magnetic Helicity Estimations in Models and Observations of the Solar Magnetic Field. III. Twist Number Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Y. [School of Astronomy and Space Science and Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics in Ministry of Education, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Pariat, E.; Moraitis, K. [LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, Univ. Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-92190 Meudon (France); Valori, G. [University College London, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT (United Kingdom); Anfinogentov, S. [Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics SB RAS 664033, Irkutsk, P.O. box 291, Lermontov Street, 126a (Russian Federation); Chen, F. [Max-Plank-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany); Georgoulis, M. K. [Research Center for Astronomy and Applied Mathematics of the Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou Street, 11527 Athens (Greece); Liu, Y. [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Thalmann, J. K. [Institute of Physics, Univeristy of Graz, Universitätsplatz 5/II, A-8010 Graz (Austria); Yang, S., E-mail: guoyang@nju.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Solar Activity, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China)

2017-05-01

We study the writhe, twist, and magnetic helicity of different magnetic flux ropes, based on models of the solar coronal magnetic field structure. These include an analytical force-free Titov–Démoulin equilibrium solution, non-force-free magnetohydrodynamic simulations, and nonlinear force-free magnetic field models. The geometrical boundary of the magnetic flux rope is determined by the quasi-separatrix layer and the bottom surface, and the axis curve of the flux rope is determined by its overall orientation. The twist is computed by the Berger–Prior formula, which is suitable for arbitrary geometry and both force-free and non-force-free models. The magnetic helicity is estimated by the twist multiplied by the square of the axial magnetic flux. We compare the obtained values with those derived by a finite volume helicity estimation method. We find that the magnetic helicity obtained with the twist method agrees with the helicity carried by the purely current-carrying part of the field within uncertainties for most test cases. It is also found that the current-carrying part of the model field is relatively significant at the very location of the magnetic flux rope. This qualitatively explains the agreement between the magnetic helicity computed by the twist method and the helicity contributed purely by the current-carrying magnetic field.

Magnetic field re-arrangement after prominence eruption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kopp, R.A.; Poletto, G.

1986-01-01

It has long been known that magnetic reconnection plays a fundamental role in a variety of solar events. Although mainly invoked in flare problems, large-scale loops interconnecting active regions, evolving coronal hole boundaries, the solar magnetic cycle itself, provide different evidence of phenomena which involve magnetic reconnection. A further example might be given by the magnetic field rearrangement which occurs after the eruption of a prominence. Since most often a prominence reforms after its disappearance and may be observed at about the same position it occupied before erupting, the magnetic field has to undergo a temporary disruption to relax back, via reconnection, to a configuration similar to the previous one. The above sequence of events is best observable in the case of two-ribbon (2-R) flares but most probably is associated with all filament eruptions. Even if the explanation of the magnetic field rearrangement after 2-R flares in terms of reconnection is generally accepted, the lack of a three-dimensional model capable of describing the field reconfiguration, has prevented, up to now, a thorough analysis of its topology as traced by Hα/x-ray loops. The purpose of the present work is to present a numerical technique which enables one to predict and visualize the reconnected configuration, at any time t, and therefore allows one to make a significant comparison of observations and model predictions throughout the whole process. 5 refs., 3 figs

Waves and Magnetism in the Solar Atmosphere (WAMIS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ko, Yuan-Kuen [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC (United States); Moses, John D. [Heliophysics Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA, Washington, DC (United States); Laming, John M.; Strachan, Leonard; Tun Beltran, Samuel [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC (United States); Tomczyk, Steven; Gibson, Sarah E. [High Altitude Observatory, Boulder, CO (United States); Auchère, Frédéric [Institut d' Astrophysique Spatiale, CNRS Université Paris-Sud, Orsay (France); Casini, Roberto [High Altitude Observatory, Boulder, CO (United States); Fineschi, Silvano [INAF - National Institute for Astrophysics, Astrophysical Observatory of Torino, Pino Torinese (Italy); Knoelker, Michael [High Altitude Observatory, Boulder, CO (United States); Korendyke, Clarence [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC (United States); McIntosh, Scott W. [High Altitude Observatory, Boulder, CO (United States); Romoli, Marco [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Florence, Florence (Italy); Rybak, Jan [Astronomical Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Tatranska Lomnica (Slovakia); Socker, Dennis G. [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC (United States); Vourlidas, Angelos [Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD (United States); Wu, Qian, E-mail: yuan-kuen.ko@nrl.navy.mil [High Altitude Observatory, Boulder, CO (United States)

2016-02-16

Comprehensive measurements of magnetic fields in the solar corona have a long history as an important scientific goal. Besides being crucial to understanding coronal structures and the Sun's generation of space weather, direct measurements of their strength and direction are also crucial steps in understanding observed wave motions. In this regard, the remote sensing instrumentation used to make coronal magnetic field measurements is well suited to measuring the Doppler signature of waves in the solar structures. In this paper, we describe the design and scientific values of the Waves and Magnetism in the Solar Atmosphere (WAMIS) investigation. WAMIS, taking advantage of greatly improved infrared filters and detectors, forward models, advanced diagnostic tools and inversion codes, is a long-duration high-altitude balloon payload designed to obtain a breakthrough in the measurement of coronal magnetic fields and in advancing the understanding of the interaction of these fields with space plasmas. It consists of a 20 cm aperture coronagraph with a visible-IR spectro-polarimeter focal plane assembly. The balloon altitude would provide minimum sky background and atmospheric scattering at the wavelengths in which these observations are made. It would also enable continuous measurements of the strength and direction of coronal magnetic fields without interruptions from the day–night cycle and weather. These measurements will be made over a large field-of-view allowing one to distinguish the magnetic signatures of different coronal structures, and at the spatial and temporal resolutions required to address outstanding problems in coronal physics. Additionally, WAMIS could obtain near simultaneous observations of the electron scattered K-corona for context and to obtain the electron density. These comprehensive observations are not provided by any current single ground-based or space observatory. The fundamental advancements achieved by the near-space observations

Waves and Magnetism in the Solar Atmosphere (WAMIS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, Yuan-Kuen; Moses, John D.; Laming, John M.; Strachan, Leonard; Tun Beltran, Samuel; Tomczyk, Steven; Gibson, Sarah E.; Auchère, Frédéric; Casini, Roberto; Fineschi, Silvano; Knoelker, Michael; Korendyke, Clarence; McIntosh, Scott W.; Romoli, Marco; Rybak, Jan; Socker, Dennis G.; Vourlidas, Angelos; Wu, Qian

2016-01-01

Comprehensive measurements of magnetic fields in the solar corona have a long history as an important scientific goal. Besides being crucial to understanding coronal structures and the Sun's generation of space weather, direct measurements of their strength and direction are also crucial steps in understanding observed wave motions. In this regard, the remote sensing instrumentation used to make coronal magnetic field measurements is well suited to measuring the Doppler signature of waves in the solar structures. In this paper, we describe the design and scientific values of the Waves and Magnetism in the Solar Atmosphere (WAMIS) investigation. WAMIS, taking advantage of greatly improved infrared filters and detectors, forward models, advanced diagnostic tools and inversion codes, is a long-duration high-altitude balloon payload designed to obtain a breakthrough in the measurement of coronal magnetic fields and in advancing the understanding of the interaction of these fields with space plasmas. It consists of a 20 cm aperture coronagraph with a visible-IR spectro-polarimeter focal plane assembly. The balloon altitude would provide minimum sky background and atmospheric scattering at the wavelengths in which these observations are made. It would also enable continuous measurements of the strength and direction of coronal magnetic fields without interruptions from the day–night cycle and weather. These measurements will be made over a large field-of-view allowing one to distinguish the magnetic signatures of different coronal structures, and at the spatial and temporal resolutions required to address outstanding problems in coronal physics. Additionally, WAMIS could obtain near simultaneous observations of the electron scattered K-corona for context and to obtain the electron density. These comprehensive observations are not provided by any current single ground-based or space observatory. The fundamental advancements achieved by the near-space observations

The physical structure of coronal holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pneuman, G.W.

1978-11-01

The longitudinal geometrical structure of solar wind streams as observed at the orbit of earth is governed by two mechanisms - solar rotation and, most importantly, the geometry of the inner coronal magnetic fields. Here, we study the influence of the latter for the polar coronal hole observed by Skylab in 1973 and modeled by Munro and Jackson (1977). The influence of coronal heating on the properties of the solar wind in this geometry is also investigated. To do this, a crude exponentially damped heating function similar to that used by Kopp and Orrall (1976) is introduced into the solar wind equations. We find that increased heating produces higher temperatures in the inner corona but has little effect upon the temperature at 1 A.U. However, the density at 1 A.U. is increased significantly due to the increase in scale height. The most surprising consequence of coronal heating is its effect on the solar wind velocity, being that the velocity at 1 A.U. is actually decreased by heating in the inner corona. Physical reasons for this effect are discussed. (orig./WL) [de

THE NATURE OF FLARE RIBBONS IN CORONAL NULL-POINT TOPOLOGY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masson, S.; Aulanier, G.; Pariat, E.; Schrijver, C. J.

2009-01-01

Flare ribbons are commonly attributed to the low-altitude impact, along the footprints of separatrices or quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs), of particle beams accelerated through magnetic reconnection. If reconnection occurs at a three-dimensional coronal magnetic null point, the footprint of the dome-shaped fan surface would map a closed circular ribbon. This paper addresses the following issues: does the entire circular ribbon brighten simultaneously, as expected because all fan field lines pass through the null point? And since the spine separatrices are singular field lines, do spine-related ribbons look like compact kernels? What can we learn from these observations about current sheet formation and magnetic reconnection in a null-point topology? The present study addresses these questions by analyzing Transition Region and Coronal Explorer and Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Michelson Doppler Imager observations of a confined flare presenting a circular ribbon. Using a potential field extrapolation, we linked the circular shape of the ribbon with the photospheric mapping of the fan field lines originating from a coronal null point. Observations show that the flare ribbon outlining the fan lines brightens sequentially along the counterclockwise direction and that the spine-related ribbons are elongated. Using the potential field extrapolation as initial condition, we conduct a low-β resistive magnetohydrodynamics simulation of this observed event. We drive the coronal evolution by line-tied diverging boundary motions, so as to emulate the observed photospheric flow pattern associated with some magnetic flux emergence. The numerical analysis allows us to explain several observed features of the confined flare. The vorticity induced in the fan by the prescribed motions causes the spines to tear apart along the fan. This leads to formation of a thin current sheet and induces null-point reconnection. We also find that the null point and its associated topological

Radio and white-light observations of coronal transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dulk, G.A.

1980-01-01

Optical, radio and X-ray evidence of violent mass motions in the corona has existed for some years but only recently have the form, nature, frequency and implication of the transients become obvious. The author reviews the observed properties of coronal transients, concentrating on the white-light and radio manifestations. The classification according to speeds seems to be meaningful, with the slow transients having thermal emissions at radio wavelengths and the fast ones non-thermal. The possible mechanisms involved in the radio bursts are discussed and the estimates of various forms of energy are reviewed. It appears that the magnetic energy transported from the Sun by the transient exceeds that of any other form, and that magnetic forces dominate in the dynamics of the motions. The conversion of magnetic energy into mechanical energy, by expansion of the fields, provides a possible driving force for the coronal and interplanetary shock waves. (Auth.)

The Large-scale Coronal Structure of the 2017 August 21 Great American Eclipse: An Assessment of Solar Surface Flux Transport Model Enabled Predictions and Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Nandy, Dibyendu; Bhowmik, Prantika; Yeates, Anthony R.; Panda, Suman; Tarafder, Rajashik; Dash, Soumyaranjan

2018-01-01

On 2017 August 21, a total solar eclipse swept across the contiguous United States, providing excellent opportunities for diagnostics of the Sun’s corona. The Sun’s coronal structure is notoriously difficult to observe except during solar eclipses; thus, theoretical models must be relied upon for inferring the underlying magnetic structure of the Sun’s outer atmosphere. These models are necessary for understanding the role of magnetic fields in the heating of the corona to a million degrees and the generation of severe space weather. Here we present a methodology for predicting the structure of the coronal field based on model forward runs of a solar surface flux transport model, whose predicted surface field is utilized to extrapolate future coronal magnetic field structures. This prescription was applied to the 2017 August 21 solar eclipse. A post-eclipse analysis shows good agreement between model simulated and observed coronal structures and their locations on the limb. We demonstrate that slow changes in the Sun’s surface magnetic field distribution driven by long-term flux emergence and its evolution governs large-scale coronal structures with a (plausibly cycle-phase dependent) dynamical memory timescale on the order of a few solar rotations, opening up the possibility for large-scale, global corona predictions at least a month in advance.

Signature of open magnetic field lines in the extended solar corona and of solar wind acceleration

Science.gov (United States)

Antonucci, E.; Giordano, S.; Benna, C.; Kohl, J. L.; Noci, G.; Michels, J.; Fineschi, S.

1997-01-01

The observations carried out with the ultraviolet coronagraph spectrometer onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) are discussed. The purpose of the observations was to determine the line of sight and radial velocity fields in coronal regions with different magnetic topology. The results showed that the regions where the high speed solar wind flows along open field lines are characterized by O VI 1032 and HI Lyman alpha 1216 lines. The global coronal maps of the line of sight velocity were reconstructed. The corona height, where the solar wind reaches 100 km/s, was determined.

Orientation of coronal bright points and small-scale magnetic bipoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MINENKO, E.P.; SHERDANOV, CH.T.; SATTAROV, I.; KARACHIK, N.V.

2014-01-01

Using the observations from Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) on the SOHO board and longitudinal full-disk magnetograms (vector spectromagnetograph - VSM) from the Synoptic Optical Long-Term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS), we explore the orientation and relationship between the coronal bright points at 195 A o (hereafter CBPs) and magnetic bipoles (only for the central zone of solar disk). The magnetic bipoles are identified as a pair of streams of positive and negative polarities with a shortest distance between them. This paper presents a study of the structure and orientation (angles) of magnetic bipoles to the solar equator and two types of CBPs: 'dim' CBPs in the quiet regions of the Sun and 'bright' CBPs associated with active regions. For these magnetic bipoles associated with 'bright' CBPs, we find that their orientation angles are distributed randomly along the equator. (authors)

TRANSITION-REGION/CORONAL SIGNATURES AND MAGNETIC SETTING OF SUNSPOT PENUMBRAL JETS: HINODE (SOT/FG), Hi-C, AND SDO/AIA OBSERVATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiwari, Sanjiv K.; Moore, Ronald L.; Winebarger, Amy R.; Alpert, Shane E.

2016-01-01

Penumbral microjets (PJs) are transient narrow bright features in the chromosphere of sunspot penumbrae, first characterized by Katsukawa et al. using the Ca ii H-line filter on Hinode's Solar Optical Telescope (SOT). It was proposed that the PJs form as a result of reconnection between two magnetic components of penumbrae (spines and interspines), and that they could contribute to the transition region (TR) and coronal heating above sunspot penumbrae. We propose a modified picture of formation of PJs based on recent results on the internal structure of sunspot penumbral filaments. Using data of a sunspot from Hinode/SOT, High Resolution Coronal Imager, and different passbands of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we examine whether PJs have signatures in the TR and corona. We find hardly any discernible signature of normal PJs in any AIA passbands, except for a few of them showing up in the 1600 Å images. However, we discovered exceptionally stronger jets with similar lifetimes but bigger sizes (up to 600 km wide) occurring repeatedly in a few locations in the penumbra, where evidence of patches of opposite-polarity fields in the tails of some penumbral filaments is seen in Stokes-V images. These tail PJs do display signatures in the TR. Whether they have any coronal-temperature plasma is unclear. We infer that none of the PJs, including the tail PJs, directly heat the corona in active regions significantly, but any penumbral jet might drive some coronal heating indirectly via the generation of Alfvén waves and/or braiding of the coronal field

Automated coronal hole identification via multi-thermal intensity segmentation

Science.gov (United States)

Garton, Tadhg M.; Gallagher, Peter T.; Murray, Sophie A.

2018-01-01

Coronal holes (CH) are regions of open magnetic fields that appear as dark areas in the solar corona due to their low density and temperature compared to the surrounding quiet corona. To date, accurate identification and segmentation of CHs has been a difficult task due to their comparable intensity to local quiet Sun regions. Current segmentation methods typically rely on the use of single Extreme Ultra-Violet passband and magnetogram images to extract CH information. Here, the coronal hole identification via multi-thermal emission recognition algorithm (CHIMERA) is described, which analyses multi-thermal images from the atmospheric image assembly (AIA) onboard the solar dynamics observatory (SDO) to segment coronal hole boundaries by their intensity ratio across three passbands (171 Å, 193 Å, and 211 Å). The algorithm allows accurate extraction of CH boundaries and many of their properties, such as area, position, latitudinal and longitudinal width, and magnetic polarity of segmented CHs. From these properties, a clear linear relationship was identified between the duration of geomagnetic storms and coronal hole areas. CHIMERA can therefore form the basis of more accurate forecasting of the start and duration of geomagnetic storms.

Coronal mass ejections and disturbances in solar wind plasma parameters in relation with geomagnetic storms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, P L; Singh, Puspraj; Singh, Preetam

2014-01-01

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are the drastic solar events in which huge amount of solar plasma materials are ejected into the heliosphere from the sun and are mainly responsible to generate large disturbances in solar wind plasma parameters and geomagnetic storms in geomagnetic field. We have studied geomagnetic storms, (Dst ≤-75 nT) observed during the period of 1997-2007 with Coronal Mass Ejections and disturbances in solar wind plasma parameters (solar wind temperature, velocity, density and interplanetary magnetic field) .We have inferred that most of the geomagnetic storms are associated with halo and partial halo Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs).The association rate of halo and partial halo coronal mass ejections are found 72.37 % and 27.63 % respectively. Further we have concluded that geomagnetic storms are closely associated with the disturbances in solar wind plasma parameters. We have determined positive co-relation between magnitudes of geomagnetic storms and magnitude of jump in solar wind plasma temperature, jump in solar wind plasma density, jump in solar wind plasma velocity and jump in average interplanetary magnetic field with co-relation co-efficient 0 .35 between magnitude of geomagnetic storms and magnitude of jump in solar wind plasma temperature, 0.19 between magnitude of geomagnetic storms and magnitude of jump in solar wind density, 0.34 between magnitude of geomagnetic storms and magnitude of jump in solar wind plasma velocity, 0.66 between magnitude of geomagnetic storms and magnitude of jump in average interplanetary magnetic field respectively. We have concluded that geomagnetic storms are mainly caused by Coronal Mass Ejections and disturbances in solar wind plasma parameters that they generate.

Evaluation of the SLAP lesion using a low-field (0.2T) magnetic resonance system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Yong Soo; Back, Chang Hee; Lee, Kyung Rae; Shin, Yun Hack

2007-01-01

To evaluate the diagnostic capabilities of the low-field (0.2T) magnetic resonance (MR) system in the detection of the superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesion. One hundred fifty patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the shoulder over a 7-month period. Forty-six patients underwent arthroscopic surgery, and the surgical results were correlated with the findings of the MR imaging. Arthroscopic procedures were performed within a mean of 8 days after MR imaging. MR imaging of the shoulder was conducted as follows: shoulder coil; T1-weighted spin echo, coronal-oblique images; T2-weighted gradient echo, coronal-oblique and axial images; and T2-weighted spin echo, coronal oblique and sagittal-oblique images. Prospectively, one radiologist interpreted the MR images. The results of surgery were as follow: SLAP II in 26 shoulders, SLAP III in 1 shoulder, SLAP IV in 1 shoulder, normal labrum in 6 shoulder. For SLAP lesions with a higher grade than type 2, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the low-field MRI were 85.7%, 55.5%. 75%, 71%, and 74%, respectively. There was relatively good agreement for the comparison of the MR results obtained using a low-field MR system with the surgical findings for identifying SLAP lesions

The Onset of Magnetic Reconnection: Tearing Instability in Current Sheets with a Guide Field

Science.gov (United States)

Daldorff, L. K. S.; Klimchuk, J. A.; Knizhnik, K. J.

2016-12-01

Magnetic reconnection is fundamental to many solar phenomena, ranging from coronal heating, to jets, to flares and CMEs. A poorly understood yet crucial aspect of reconnection is that it does not occur until magnetic stresses have built to sufficiently high levels for significant energy release. If reconnection were to happen too soon, coronal heating would be weak and flares would be small. As part of our program to study the onset conditions for magnetic reconnection, we have investigated the instability of current sheets to tearing. Surprisingly little work has been done on this problem for sheets that include a guide field, i.e., for which the field rotates by less than 180 degrees. This is the most common situation on the Sun. We present numerical 3D resistive MHD simulations of several sheets and show how the behaviour depends on the shear angle (rotation). We compare our results to the predictions of linear theory and discuss the nonlinear evolution in terms of plasmoid formation and the interaction of different oblique tearing modes. The relevance to the Sun is explained.

Assessment of T2-Weighted Coronal Magnetic Resonance Images in the Investigation of Pituitary Lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuksekkaya, Ruken; Aggunlu, Levent; Oner, Yusuf; Celik, Halil; Akpek, Sergin; Celikyay, Fatih

2014-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging is the most important diagnostic method in the investigation of the pituitary lesions. Our aim is to determine whether T2-weighted coronal images may be helpful in the evaluation of the pituitary gland with suspected pituitary adenomas. One hundred and sixty-seven patients were examined prospectively with T2-weighted coronal and T1-weighted coronal images enhanced with intravenous contrast material. The images were evaluated for the presence, the size, the location, and the ancillary signs including sellar floor erosion or ballooning, infindibulary deviation, convexity of the superior border of the gland, diffuse enlargement of the gland, and the invasion of the cavenous sinuses on both images. In forty-six (28%) patients lesions were revealed on both sequences. In twenty-one (12%) patients the lesions that were revealed on the T1-weighted images were not detected on the T2-weighted images. Positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy rates of T2-weighted coronal images on the detection of the presence of lesions were 100%, 17.4%, 68.7%, 100%, and 87.4%, respectively. Both T2-weighted coronal and T1-weighted coronal images enhanced with intravenous gadolinium-based contrast material are important in the diagnosis of pituitary adenomas. T2-weighted coronal images could be used as a screening tool for the primary evaluation of the pituitary gland

Simulation study of solar plasma eruptions caused by interactions between emerging flux and coronal arcade fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneko, Takafumi; Yokoyama, Takaaki

2014-01-01

We investigate the triggering mechanisms of plasma eruptions in the solar atmosphere due to interactions between emerging flux and coronal arcade fields by using two-dimensional MHD simulations. We perform parameter surveys with respect to arcade field height, magnetic field strength, and emerging flux location. Our results show that two possible mechanisms exist, and which mechanism is dominant depends mostly on emerging flux location. One mechanism appears when the location of emerging flux is close to the polarity inversion line (PIL) of an arcade field. This mechanism requires reconnection between the emerging flux and the arcade field, as pointed out by previous studies. The other mechanism appears when the location of emerging flux is around the edge of an arcade field. This mechanism does not require reconnection between the emerging flux and the arcade field but does demand reconnection in the arcade field above the PIL. Furthermore, we found that the eruptive condition for this mechanism can be represented by a simple formula.

Formation of Magnetic Flux Ropes during a Confined Flaring Well before the Onset of a Pair of Major Coronal Mass Ejections

Science.gov (United States)

Chintzoglou, Georgios; Patsourakos, Spiros; Vourlidas, Angelos

2015-08-01

NOAA active region (AR) 11429 was the source of twin super-fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The CMEs took place within an hour from each other, with the onset of the first taking place in the beginning of 2012 March 7. This AR fulfills all the requirements for a “super active region” namely, Hale's law incompatibility and a δ-spot magnetic configuration. One of the biggest storms of Solar Cycle 24 to date ({D}{st}=-143 nT) was associated with one of these events. Magnetic flux ropes (MFRs) are twisted magnetic structures in the corona, best seen in ˜10 MK hot plasma emission and are often considered the core of erupting structures. However, their “dormant” existence in the solar atmosphere (i.e., prior to eruptions), is an open question. Aided by multi-wavelength observations by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and by the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) and a nonlinear force-free model for the coronal magnetic field, our work uncovers two separate, weakly twisted magnetic flux systems which suggest the existence of pre-eruption MFRs that eventually became the seeds of the two CMEs. The MFRs could have been formed during confined (i.e., not leading to major CMEs) flaring and sub-flaring events which took place the day before the two CMEs in the host AR 11429.

Radio and white-light observations of coronal transients

Science.gov (United States)

Dulk, G. A.

1980-01-01

Optical, radio and X-ray evidence of violent mass motions in the corona has existed for some years but only recently have the form, nature, frequency and implication of the transients become obvious. In this paper the observed properties of coronal transients are reviewed, with concentration on the white-light and radio manifestations. The classification according to speeds seems to be meaningful, with the slow transients having thermal emissions at radio wavelengths and the fast ones nonthermal. The possible mechanisms involved in the radio bursts are then discussed and estimates of various forms of energy are reviewed. It appears that the magnetic energy transported from the sun by the transient exceeds that of any other form, and that magnetic forces dominate in the dynamics of the motions. The conversion of magnetic energy into mechanical energy, by expansion of the field, provides a possible driving force for the coronal and interplanetary shock waves.

Magnetic Field Effects on Plasma Plumes

Science.gov (United States)

Ebersohn, F.; Shebalin, J.; Girimaji, S.; Staack, D.

2012-01-01

Here, we will discuss our numerical studies of plasma jets and loops, of basic interest for plasma propulsion and plasma astrophysics. Space plasma propulsion systems require strong guiding magnetic fields known as magnetic nozzles to control plasma flow and produce thrust. Propulsion methods currently being developed that require magnetic nozzles include the VAriable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) [1] and magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters. Magnetic nozzles are functionally similar to de Laval nozzles, but are inherently more complex due to electromagnetic field interactions. The two crucial physical phenomenon are thrust production and plasma detachment. Thrust production encompasses the energy conversion within the nozzle and momentum transfer to a spacecraft. Plasma detachment through magnetic reconnection addresses the problem of the fluid separating efficiently from the magnetic field lines to produce maximum thrust. Plasma jets similar to those of VASIMR will be studied with particular interest in dual jet configurations, which begin as a plasma loops between two nozzles. This research strives to fulfill a need for computational study of these systems and should culminate with a greater understanding of the crucial physics of magnetic nozzles with dual jet plasma thrusters, as well as astrophysics problems such as magnetic reconnection and dynamics of coronal loops.[2] To study this problem a novel, hybrid kinetic theory and single fluid magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) solver known as the Magneto-Gas Kinetic Method is used.[3] The solver is comprised of a "hydrodynamic" portion based on the Gas Kinetic Method and a "magnetic" portion that accounts for the electromagnetic behaviour of the fluid through source terms based on the resistive MHD equations. This method is being further developed to include additional physics such as the Hall effect. Here, we will discuss the current level of code development, as well as numerical simulation results

ON THE OBSERVATION AND SIMULATION OF SOLAR CORONAL TWIN JETS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jiajia; Wang, Yuming; Zhang, Quanhao [CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, School of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, NO. 96, Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Fang, Fang [Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado at Boulder, 1234 Innovation Drive, Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); McIntosh, Scott W.; Fan, Yuhong [High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307 (United States)

2016-02-01

We present the first observation, analysis, and modeling of solar coronal twin jets, which occurred after a preceding jet. Detailed analysis on the kinetics of the preceding jet reveals its blowout-jet nature, which resembles the one studied in Liu et al. However, the erupting process and kinetics of the twin jets appear to be different from the preceding one. Lacking detailed information on the magnetic fields in the twin jet region, we instead use a numerical simulation using a three-dimensional (3D) MHD model as described in Fang et al., and find that in the simulation a pair of twin jets form due to reconnection between the ambient open fields and a highly twisted sigmoidal magnetic flux, which is the outcome of the further evolution of the magnetic fields following the preceding blowout jet. Based on the similarity between the synthesized and observed emission, we propose this mechanism as a possible explanation for the observed twin jets. Combining our observation and simulation, we suggest that with continuous energy transport from the subsurface convection zone into the corona, solar coronal twin jets could be generated in the same fashion addressed above.

On the Observation and Simulation of Solar Coronal Twin Jets

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jiajia; Fang, Fang; Wang, Yuming; McIntosh, Scott W.; Fan, Yuhong; Zhang, Quanhao

2016-02-01

We present the first observation, analysis, and modeling of solar coronal twin jets, which occurred after a preceding jet. Detailed analysis on the kinetics of the preceding jet reveals its blowout-jet nature, which resembles the one studied in Liu et al. However, the erupting process and kinetics of the twin jets appear to be different from the preceding one. Lacking detailed information on the magnetic fields in the twin jet region, we instead use a numerical simulation using a three-dimensional (3D) MHD model as described in Fang et al., and find that in the simulation a pair of twin jets form due to reconnection between the ambient open fields and a highly twisted sigmoidal magnetic flux, which is the outcome of the further evolution of the magnetic fields following the preceding blowout jet. Based on the similarity between the synthesized and observed emission, we propose this mechanism as a possible explanation for the observed twin jets. Combining our observation and simulation, we suggest that with continuous energy transport from the subsurface convection zone into the corona, solar coronal twin jets could be generated in the same fashion addressed above.

Electron acceleration and radiation signatures in loop coronal transients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vlahos, L.; Gergely, T.E.; Papadopoulos, K.

1982-01-01

A model for electron aceleration in loop coronal transients is suggested. We propose that in these transients an erupting loop moves away from the solar surface, with a velocity greater than the local Alfven speed, pushing against the overlying magnetic fields and driving a shock in the front of the moving part of the loop. We suggest that lower hybrid waves are excited at the shock front and propagate radially toward the center of the loop with phase velocity along the magnetic field which exceeds the thermal velocity. The lower hybrid waves stochastically accelerate the tail of the electron distribution inside the loop. We discuss how the accelerated electrons are trapped in the moving loop and give a rough estimate of their radiation signature. We find that plasma radiation can explain the power observed in stationary and moving type IV bursts. We discuss some of the conditions under which moving or stationary type IV bursts are expected to be associated with loop coronal transients

A contemporary view of coronal heating.

Science.gov (United States)

Parnell, Clare E; De Moortel, Ineke

2012-07-13

Determining the heating mechanism (or mechanisms) that causes the outer atmosphere of the Sun, and many other stars, to reach temperatures orders of magnitude higher than their surface temperatures has long been a key problem. For decades, the problem has been known as the coronal heating problem, but it is now clear that 'coronal heating' cannot be treated or explained in isolation and that the heating of the whole solar atmosphere must be studied as a highly coupled system. The magnetic field of the star is known to play a key role, but, despite significant advancements in solar telescopes, computing power and much greater understanding of theoretical mechanisms, the question of which mechanism or mechanisms are the dominant supplier of energy to the chromosphere and corona is still open. Following substantial recent progress, we consider the most likely contenders and discuss the key factors that have made, and still make, determining the actual (coronal) heating mechanism (or mechanisms) so difficult.

Open magnetic fields in active regions

Science.gov (United States)

Svestka, Z.; Solodyna, C. V.; Howard, R.; Levine, R. H.

1977-01-01

Soft X-ray images and magnetograms of several active regions and coronal holes are examined which support the interpretation that some of the dark X-ray gaps seen between interconnecting loops and inner cores of active regions are foot points of open field lines inside the active regions. Characteristics of the investigated dark gaps are summarized. All the active regions with dark X-ray gaps at the proper place and with the correct polarity predicted by global potential extrapolation of photospheric magnetic fields are shown to be old active regions, indicating that field opening is accomplished only in a late phase of active-region development. It is noted that some of the observed dark gaps probably have nothing in common with open fields, but are either due to the decreased temperature in low-lying portions of interconnecting loops or are the roots of higher and less dense or cooler loops.

Radio wave propagation in the inhomogeneous magnetic field of the solar corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheleznyakov, V.V.; Zlotnik, E.Ya.

1977-01-01

Various types of linear coupling between ordinary and extra-ordinary waves in the coronal plasma with the inhomogeneous magnetic field and the effect of this phenomenon upon the polarization characteristics of solar radio emission are considered. A qualitative analysis of the wave equation indicates that in a rarefied plasma the coupling effects can be displayed in a sufficiently weak magnetic field or at the angles between the magnetic field and the direction of wave propagation close enough to zero or π/2. The wave coupling parameter are found for these three cases. The radio wave propagation through the region with a quasi-transverse magnetic field and through the neutral current sheet is discussed more in detail. A qualitative picture of coupling in such a layer is supported by a numerical solution of the ''quasi-isotropic approximation'' equations. The role of the coupling effects in formation of polarization characteristics of different components of solar radio emission has been investigated. For cm wave range, the polarization is essentially dependent on the conditions in the region of the transverse magnetic field

A model for a stable coronal loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoven, G.V.; Chiuderi, C.; Giachetti, R.

1977-01-01

We present here a new plasma-physics model of a stable active-region arch which corresponds to the structure observed in the EUV. Pressure gradients are seen, so that the equilibrium magnetic field must depart from the force-free form valid in the surrounding corona. We take advantage of the data and of the approximate cylindrical symmetry to develop a modified form of the commonly assumed sheared-spiral structure. The dynamic MHD behavior of this new pressure/field model is then evaluated by the Newcomb criterion, taken from controlled-fusion physics, and the results show short-wavelength stability in a specific parameter range. Thus we demonstrate the possibility, for pressure profiles with widths of the order of the magnetic-field scale, that such arches can persist for reasonable periods. Finally, the spatial proportions and magnetic fields of a characteristic stable coronal loop are described

Optimization of Photospheric Electric Field Estimates for Accurate Retrieval of Total Magnetic Energy Injection

Science.gov (United States)

Lumme, E.; Pomoell, J.; Kilpua, E. K. J.

2017-12-01

Estimates of the photospheric magnetic, electric, and plasma velocity fields are essential for studying the dynamics of the solar atmosphere, for example through the derivative quantities of Poynting and relative helicity flux and using the fields to obtain the lower boundary condition for data-driven coronal simulations. In this paper we study the performance of a data processing and electric field inversion approach that requires only high-resolution and high-cadence line-of-sight or vector magnetograms, which we obtain from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) onboard Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The approach does not require any photospheric velocity estimates, and the lacking velocity information is compensated for using ad hoc assumptions. We show that the free parameters of these assumptions can be optimized to reproduce the time evolution of the total magnetic energy injection through the photosphere in NOAA AR 11158, when compared to recent state-of-the-art estimates for this active region. However, we find that the relative magnetic helicity injection is reproduced poorly, reaching at best a modest underestimation. We also discuss the effect of some of the data processing details on the results, including the masking of the noise-dominated pixels and the tracking method of the active region, neither of which has received much attention in the literature so far. In most cases the effect of these details is small, but when the optimization of the free parameters of the ad hoc assumptions is considered, a consistent use of the noise mask is required. The results found in this paper imply that the data processing and electric field inversion approach that uses only the photospheric magnetic field information offers a flexible and straightforward way to obtain photospheric magnetic and electric field estimates suitable for practical applications such as coronal modeling studies.

Waves and Magnetism in the Solar Atmosphere (WAMIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan-Kuen eKo

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Comprehensive measurements of magnetic fields in the solar corona have a long history as an important scientific goal. Besides being crucial to understanding coronal structures and the Sun’s generation of space weather, direct measurements of their strength and direction are also crucial steps in understanding observed wave motions. In this regard, the remote sensing instrumentation used to make coronal magnetic field measurements is well suited to measuring the Doppler signature of waves in the solar structures. In this paper, we describe the design and scientific values of the Waves and Magnetism in the Solar Atmosphere (WAMIS investigation. WAMIS, taking advantage of greatly improved infrared filters and detectors, forward models, advanced diagnostic tools and inversion codes, is a long-duration high-altitude balloon payload designed to obtain a breakthrough in the measurement of coronal magnetic fields and in advancing the understanding of the interaction of these fields with space plasmas. It consists of a 20 cm aperture coronagraph with a visible-IR spectro-polarimeter focal plane assembly. The balloon altitude would provide minimum sky background and atmospheric scattering at the wavelengths in which these observations are made. It would also enable continuous measurements of the strength and direction of coronal magnetic fields without interruptions from the day-night cycle and weather. These measurements will be made over a large field-of-view allowing one to distinguish the magnetic signatures of different coronal structures, and at the spatial and temporal resolutions required to address outstanding problems in coronal physics. Additionally, WAMIS could obtain near simultaneous observations of the electron scattered K-corona for context and to obtain the electron density. These comprehensive observations are not provided by any current single ground-based or space observatory. The fundamental advancements achieved by the near

Endogenous Magnetic Reconnection in Solar Coronal Loops

Science.gov (United States)

Asgari-Targhi, M.; Coppi, B.; Basu, B.; Fletcher, A.; Golub, L.

2017-12-01

We propose that a magneto-thermal reconnection process occurring in coronal loops be the source of the heating of the Solar Corona [1]. In the adopted model, magnetic reconnection is associated with electron temperature gradients, anisotropic electron temperature fluctuations and plasma current density gradients [2]. The input parameters for our theoretical model are derived from the most recent observations of the Solar Corona. In addition, the relevant (endogenous) collective modes can produce high energy particle populations. An endogenous reconnection process is defined as being driven by factors internal to the region where reconnection takes place. *Sponsored in part by the U.S. D.O.E. and the Kavli Foundation* [1] Beafume, P., Coppi, B. and Golub, L., (1992) Ap. J. 393, 396. [2] Coppi, B. and Basu, B. (2017) MIT-LNS Report HEP 17/01.

Geomagnetic response of interplanetary coronal mass ejections in the Earth's magnetosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Badruddin; Mustajab, F.; Derouich, M.

2018-05-01

A coronal mass ejections (CME) is the huge mass of plasma with embedded magnetic field ejected abruptly from the Sun. These CMEs propagate into interplanetary space with different speed. Some of them hit the Earth's magnetosphere and create many types of disturbances; one of them is the disturbance in the geomagnetic field. Individual geomagnetic disturbances differ not only in their magnitudes, but the nature of disturbance is also different. It is, therefore, desirable to understand these differences not only to understand the physics of geomagnetic disturbances but also to understand the properties of solar/interplanetary structures producing these disturbances of different magnitude and nature. In this work, we use the spacecraft measurements of CMEs with distinct magnetic properties propagating in the interplanetary space and generating disturbances of different levels and nature. We utilize their distinct plasma and field properties to search for the interplanetary parameter(s) playing important role in influencing the geomagnetic response of different coronal mass ejections.

General methods for determining the linear stability of coronal magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, I. J. D.; Sneyd, A. D.; Mcclymont, A. N.

1988-01-01

A time integration of a linearized plasma equation of motion has been performed to calculate the ideal linear stability of arbitrary three-dimensional magnetic fields. The convergence rates of the explicit and implicit power methods employed are speeded up by using sequences of cyclic shifts. Growth rates are obtained for Gold-Hoyle force-free equilibria, and the corkscrew-kink instability is found to be very weak.

The Evolution of Open Magnetic Flux Driven by Photospheric Dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Linker, Jon A.; Lionello, Roberto; Mikic, Zoran; Titov, Viacheslav S.; Antiochos, Spiro K.

2010-01-01

The coronal magnetic field is of paramount importance in solar and heliospheric physics. Two profoundly different views of the coronal magnetic field have emerged. In quasi-steady models, the predominant source of open magnetic field is in coronal holes. In contrast, in the interchange model, the open magnetic flux is conserved, and the coronal magnetic field can only respond to the photospheric evolution via interchange reconnection. In this view the open magnetic flux diffuses through the closed, streamer belt fields, and substantial open flux is present in the streamer belt during solar minimum. However, Antiochos and co-workers, in the form of a conjecture, argued that truly isolated open flux cannot exist in a configuration with one heliospheric current sheet (HCS) - it will connect via narrow corridors to the polar coronal hole of the same polarity. This contradicts the requirements of the interchange model. We have performed an MHD simulation of the solar corona up to 20R solar to test both the interchange model and the Antiochos conjecture. We use a synoptic map for Carrington Rotation 1913 as the boundary condition for the model, with two small bipoles introduced into the region where a positive polarity extended coronal hole forms. We introduce flows at the photospheric boundary surface to see if open flux associated with the bipoles can be moved into the closed-field region. Interchange reconnection does occur in response to these motions. However, we find that the open magnetic flux cannot be simply injected into closed-field regions - the flux eventually closes down and disconnected flux is created. Flux either opens or closes, as required, to maintain topologically distinct open and closed field regions, with no indiscriminate mixing of the two. The early evolution conforms to the Antiochos conjecture in that a narrow corridor of open flux connects the portion of the coronal hole that is nearly detached by one of the bipoles. In the later evolution, a

THE EVOLUTION OF OPEN MAGNETIC FLUX DRIVEN BY PHOTOSPHERIC DYNAMICS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linker, Jon A.; Lionello, Roberto; Mikic, Zoran; Titov, Viacheslav S.; Antiochos, Spiro K.

2011-01-01

The coronal magnetic field is of paramount importance in solar and heliospheric physics. Two profoundly different views of the coronal magnetic field have emerged. In quasi-steady models, the predominant source of open magnetic field is in coronal holes. In contrast, in the interchange model, the open magnetic flux is conserved, and the coronal magnetic field can only respond to the photospheric evolution via interchange reconnection. In this view, the open magnetic flux diffuses through the closed, streamer belt fields, and substantial open flux is present in the streamer belt during solar minimum. However, Antiochos and coworkers, in the form of a conjecture, argued that truly isolated open flux cannot exist in a configuration with one heliospheric current sheet-it will connect via narrow corridors to the polar coronal hole of the same polarity. This contradicts the requirements of the interchange model. We have performed an MHD simulation of the solar corona up to 20 R sun to test both the interchange model and the Antiochos conjecture. We use a synoptic map for Carrington rotation 1913 as the boundary condition for the model, with two small bipoles introduced into the region where a positive polarity extended coronal hole forms. We introduce flows at the photospheric boundary surface to see if open flux associated with the bipoles can be moved into the closed-field region. Interchange reconnection does occur in response to these motions. However, we find that the open magnetic flux cannot be simply injected into closed-field regions-the flux eventually closes down and disconnected flux is created. Flux either opens or closes, as required, to maintain topologically distinct open- and closed-field regions, with no indiscriminate mixing of the two. The early evolution conforms to the Antiochos conjecture in that a narrow corridor of open flux connects the portion of the coronal hole that is nearly detached by one of the bipoles. In the later evolution, a detached

Latitudinal Dependence of the Radial IMF Component: Coronal Imprint

Science.gov (United States)

Suess, S. T.; Smith, E. J.

1996-01-01

Measurements by Ulysses have confirmed that there is no significant gradient with respect to heliomagnetic latitude in the radial component, B(sub r,) of the interplanetary magnetic field. In the corona, the plasma, beta is much less than 1, except directly above streamers, so longitudinal and latitudinal gradients in field strength will relax due to the transverse magnetic pressure gradient force as the solar wind carries magnetic flux away from the Sun. This happens quickly enough so that the field is essentially uniform by 5 - 10 solar radius, apparently remaining so as it is carried to beyond 1 AU. Here, we illustrate the coronal relaxation with a qualitative physical argument and by reference to a detailed Magneto HydroDynamics (MHD) simulation.

On interplanetary coronal mass ejection identification at 1 AU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulligan, T.; Russell, C.T.; Gosling, J.T.

1999-01-01

Coronal mass ejections are believed to be produced in the corona from closed magnetic regions not previously participating in the solar wind expansion. At 1 AU their interplanetary counterparts (ICMEs) generally have a number of distinct plasma and field signatures that distinguish them from the ambient solar wind. These include heat flux dropouts, bi-directional streaming, enhanced alpha particle events, times of depressed proton temperatures, intervals of distorted or enhanced magnetic field, and times of large magnetic field rotations characteristic of magnetic clouds. The first three of these signatures are phenomena that occur at some point within the ICME, but do not necessarily persist throughout the entire ICME. The large scale magnetic field rotations, distortions and enhancements, and the proton temperature depressions tend to mark more accurately the beginning and end of the ICME proper. We examine herein the reliability with which each of these markers identifies ICMEs utilizing ISEE-3 data from 1978 - 1980. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

Strong geomagnetic activity forecast by neural networks under dominant southern orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Valach, F.; Bochníček, Josef; Hejda, Pavel; Revallo, M.

2014-01-01

Roč. 53, č. 4 (2014), s. 589-598 ISSN 0273-1177 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA300120608; GA MŠk OC09070 Institutional support: RVO:67985530 Keywords : geomagnetic activity * interplanetary magnetic field * artificial neural network * ejection of coronal mass * X-ray flares Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography Impact factor: 1.358, year: 2014

The reversal of the Sun’s magnetic field in cycle 24

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mordvinov A.V.

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Analysis of synoptic data from the Vector Spectromagnetograph (VSM of the Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun (SOLIS and the NASA/NSO Spectromagnetograph (SPM at the NSO/Kitt Peak Vacuum Telescope facility shows that the reversals of solar polar magnetic fields exhibit elements of a stochastic process, which may include the development of specific patterns of emerging magnetic flux, and the asymmetry in activity between Northern and Southern hemispheres. The presence of such irregularities makes the modeling and prediction of polar field reversals extremely hard if possible. In a classical model of solar activity cycle, the unipolar magnetic regions (UMRs of predominantly following polarity fields are transported polewards due to meridional flows and diffusion. The UMRs gradually cancel out the polar magnetic field of the previous cycle, and rebuild the polar field of opposite polarity setting the stage for the next cycle. We show, however, that this deterministic picture can be easily altered by the developing of a strong center of activity, or by the emergence of an extremely large active region, or by a ‘strategically placed’ coronal hole. We demonstrate that the activity occurring during the current cycle 24 may be the result of this randomness in the evolution of the solar surface magnetic field.

The topology of intrasector reversals of the interplanetary magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Kahler, S. W.; Crooker, N. U.; Gosling, J. T.

1996-11-01

A technique has been developed recently to determine the polarities of interplanetary magnetic fields relative to their origins at the Sun by comparing energetic electron flow directions with local magnetic field directions. Here we use heat flux electrons from the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) plasma detector on the ISEE 3 spacecraft to determine the field polarities. We examine periods within well-defined magnetic sectors when the field directions appear to be reversed from the normal spiral direction of the sector. About half of these intrasector field reversals (IFRs) are cases in which the polarities match those of the surrounding sectors, indicating that those fields have been folded back toward the Sun. The more interesting cases are those with polarity reversals. We find no clear cases of isolated reverse polarity fields, which suggests that islands of reverse polarity in the solar source dipole field probably do not exist. The IFRs with polarity reversals are strongly associated with periods of bidirectional electron flows, suggesting that those fields occur only in conjunction with closed fields. We propose that both those IFRs and the bidirectional flows are signatures of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). In that case, many interplanetary CMEs are larger and more complex than previously thought, consisting of both open and closed field components.

The transition region and coronal explorer (TRACE)

Science.gov (United States)

Title, Alan; Bruner, M.; Jurcevich, B.; Lemen, J.; Strong, K.; Tarbell, Ted; Wolfson, C. Jacob; Golub, L.; Bookbinder, J.; Fisher, R.

1995-01-01

The transition region and coronal explorer (TRACE) NASA small explorer mission and instrument are presented. The TRACE scientific investigation explores the relationships between fine-scale magnetic fields and the associated solar plasma structures. The instrument collects images of solar plasmas at temperatures from 10(exp 4) to 10(exp 7) K with one arcsec spatial resolution. The design specifications of the trace instrument are presented.

Simulation of small-scale coronal explosives due to magnetic reconnections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan Quanlin; Feng Xueshang; Xiang Changqing; Zhong Dingkun

2003-01-01

The dynamics of small-scale explosive phenomena in the lower corona have been simulated by solving the compressible magnetohydrodynamic equations. Numerical results show that the magnetic reconnections in a long coronal current sheet consist of a series of discrete small reconnection events, coalescence of magnetic islands, and plasmoid ejections, corresponding to the explosive events occurring intermittently and as bursts in a mentioned observational case. The generation of magnetic islands via multiple-X-point reconnection and their coalescence processes, to some extent, are qualitatively similar to the sequence of brightenings in the active region NOAA 8668. The strong ejections are possibly related to the recorded extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emitting structures. Morphological comparison and quantitative check of the plasma parameters support this candidate mechanism, and the idea that explosive events that appear to last long may not be single events, but a succession of explosive events either resolved or unresolved. The temporal energy conversion process is also examined

More than a solar cycle of synoptic solar and coronal data - a video presentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoeksema, J.T.; Scherrer, P.H.; Herant, M.; Title, A.M.

1988-01-01

Color video movies of synoptic observations of the sun and corona can now be created. Individual analog frames on laser disks can be referenced digitally and played back at any speed. We have brought together photospheric magnetic field data from the Wilcox Solar Observatory at Stanford and the National Solar Observatory, model computations of the coronal magnetic field, and coronal data from the Sacramento Peak coronagraph and the Mauna Loa K-coronameter and made a series of movies presenting the data sets individually and in comparison with one another. This paper presents a description of each of the data sets and movies developed thus far and briefly outlines some of the more interesting and obvious features observed when viewing the movies

MHD Simulations of the Eruption of Coronal Flux Ropes under Coronal Streamers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Yuhong, E-mail: yfan@ucar.edu [High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 3080 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States)

2017-07-20

Using three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations, we investigate the eruption of coronal flux ropes underlying coronal streamers and the development of a prominence eruption. We initialize a quasi-steady solution of a coronal helmet streamer, into which we impose at the lower boundary the slow emergence of a part of a twisted magnetic torus. As a result, a quasi-equilibrium flux rope is built up under the streamer. With varying streamer sizes and different lengths and total twists of the flux rope that emerges, we found different scenarios for the evolution from quasi-equilibrium to eruption. In the cases with a broad streamer, the flux rope remains well confined until there is sufficient twist such that it first develops the kink instability and evolves through a sequence of kinked, confined states with increasing height until it eventually develops a “hernia-like” ejective eruption. For significantly twisted flux ropes, prominence condensations form in the dips of the twisted field lines due to runaway radiative cooling. Once formed, the prominence-carrying field becomes significantly non-force-free due to the weight of the prominence, despite having low plasma β . As the flux rope erupts, the prominence erupts, showing substantial draining along the legs of the erupting flux rope. The prominence may not show a kinked morphology even though the flux rope becomes kinked. On the other hand, in the case with a narrow streamer, the flux rope with less than one wind of twist can erupt via the onset of the torus instability.

Open magnetic fields and the solar cycle. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levine, R.H.

1982-01-01

Models of open magnetic structures on the Sun are presented for periods near solar minimum (CR 1626-1634) and near solar maximum (CR 1668-1678). Together with previous models of open magnetic structures during the declining phase (CR 1601-1611) these calculations provide clues to the relations between open structures, coronal holes, and active regions at different times of the solar cycle. Near solar minimum the close relation between active regions and open structures does not exist. It is suggested that near solar minimum the systematic emergence of new flux with the proper polarity imbalance to maintain open magnetic structures may occur primarily at very small spatial scales. Near solar maximum the role of active regions in maintaining open structures and coronal holes is strong, with large active regions emerging in the proper location and orientation to maintain open structures longer than typical active region lifetimes. Although the use of He I 10830 A spectroheliograms as a coronal hole indicator is shown to be subject to significant ambiguity, the agreement between calculated open structures and coronal holes determined from He I 10830 A spectroheliograms is very good. The rotation properties of calculated open structures near solar maximum strongly suggest two classes of features: one that rotates differentially similar to sunspots and active regions and a separate class that rotates more rigidly, as was the case for single large coronal holes during Skylab. (orig.)

Do Solar Coronal Holes Affect the Properties of Solar Energetic Particle Events?

Science.gov (United States)

Kahler, S. W.; Arge, C. N.; Akiyama, S.; Gopalswamy, N.

2013-01-01

The intensities and timescales of gradual solar energetic particle (SEP) events at 1 AU may depend not only on the characteristics of shocks driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), but also on large-scale coronal and interplanetary structures. It has long been suspected that the presence of coronal holes (CHs) near the CMEs or near the 1-AU magnetic footpoints may be an important factor in SEP events. We used a group of 41 E (is) approx. 20 MeV SEP events with origins near the solar central meridian to search for such effects. First we investigated whether the presence of a CH directly between the sources of the CME and of the magnetic connection at 1 AU is an important factor. Then we searched for variations of the SEP events among different solar wind (SW) stream types: slow, fast, and transient. Finally, we considered the separations between CME sources and CH footpoint connections from 1 AU determined from four-day forecast maps based on Mount Wilson Observatory and the National Solar Observatory synoptic magnetic-field maps and the Wang-Sheeley-Arge model of SW propagation. The observed in-situ magnetic-field polarities and SW speeds at SEP event onsets tested the forecast accuracies employed to select the best SEP/CH connection events for that analysis. Within our limited sample and the three analytical treatments, we found no statistical evidence for an effect of CHs on SEP event peak intensities, onset times, or rise times. The only exception is a possible enhancement of SEP peak intensities in magnetic clouds.

The Relation between Coronal Holes and Coronal Mass Ejections during the Rise, Maximum, and Declining Phases of Solar Cycle 23

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, A. A.; Gopalswamy, N; Yashiro, S.; Akiyama, S.; Makela, P.; Xie, H.; Jung, H.

2012-01-01

We study the interaction between coronal holes (CHs) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) using a resultant force exerted by all the coronal holes present on the disk and is defined as the coronal hole influence parameter (CHIP). The CHIP magnitude for each CH depends on the CH area, the distance between the CH centroid and the eruption region, and the average magnetic field within the CH at the photospheric level. The CHIP direction for each CH points from the CH centroid to the eruption region. We focus on Solar Cycle 23 CMEs originating from the disk center of the Sun (central meridian distance =15deg) and resulting in magnetic clouds (MCs) and non-MCs in the solar wind. The CHIP is found to be the smallest during the rise phase for MCs and non-MCs. The maximum phase has the largest CHIP value (2.9 G) for non-MCs. The CHIP is the largest (5.8 G) for driverless (DL) shocks, which are shocks at 1 AU with no discernible MC or non-MC. These results suggest that the behavior of non-MCs is similar to that of the DL shocks and different from that of MCs. In other words, the CHs may deflect the CMEs away from the Sun-Earth line and force them to behave like limb CMEs with DL shocks. This finding supports the idea that all CMEs may be flux ropes if viewed from an appropriate vantage point.

The impact of coronal mass ejection on the horizontal geomagnetic fields and the induced geoelectric fields

Science.gov (United States)

Falayi, E. O.; Adebesin, B. O.; Bolaji, O. S.

2018-02-01

This work investigates the influence of coronal mass ejection (CME) on the time derivatives of horizontal geomagnetic and geoelectric fields, proxy parameters for identifying GICs. 16 events were identified for the year 2003 from the CORONAS-PHOTON spacecraft. Five of the events (May 29, June 9, October 28, October 29, and November 4) were extensively discussed over four magnetic observatories, were analyzed using the time derivatives of the horizontal geomagnetic (dH/dt) and geoelectric (EH) fields obtained from data of the INTERMAGNET network. It was observed that energy distributions of the wavelet power spectrum of the horizontal geoelectric field are noticed at the nighttime on both 29 May and 9 June 2003 across the stations. Daytime and nighttime intensification of energy distribution of the wavelet power spectrum of the horizontal geoelectric field are observed on both 28 and 29 October 2003 due to strong westward electrojet. The 4 November 2003 event depicts daytime amplification of energy distributions of the wavelet power spectrum across the stations. The highest correlation magnitude is obtained in the event of 4 November 2003 between dH/dt and EH relationships during the intense solar flare of class X 17.4. We observed that the correlation magnitude between dH/dt and EH increases with increase in CME activity. We concluded that the response of the surface impedance model for different stations plays a key role in determining the surface electric field strength, due to large electric field changes at different stations.

Comparison between two models of energy balance in coronal loops

Science.gov (United States)

Mac Cormack, C.; López Fuentes, M.; Vásquez, A. M.; Nuevo, F. A.; Frazin, R. A.; Landi, E.

2017-10-01

In this work we compare two models to analyze the energy balance along coronal magnetic loops. For the first stationary model we deduce an expression of the energy balance along the loops expressed in terms of quantities provided by the combination of differential emission measure tomography (DEMT) applied to EUV images time series and potential extrapolations of the coronal magnetic field. The second applied model is a 0D hydrodynamic model that provides the evolution of the average properties of the coronal plasma along the loops, using as input parameters the loop length and the heating rate obtained with the first model. We compare the models for two Carrington rotations (CR) corresponding to different periods of activity: CR 2081, corresponding to a period of minimum activity observed with the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUVI) on board of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), and CR 2099, corresponding to a period of activity increase observed with the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The results of the models are consistent for both rotations.

Micro Coronal Bright Points Observed in the Quiet Magnetic Network by SOHO/EIT

Science.gov (United States)

Falconer, D. A.; Moore, R. L.; Porter, J. G.

1997-01-01

When one looks at SOHO/EIT Fe XII images of quiet regions, one can see the conventional coronal bright points (> 10 arcsec in diameter), but one will also notice many smaller faint enhancements in brightness (Figure 1). Do these micro coronal bright points belong to the same family as the conventional bright points? To investigate this question we compared SOHO/EIT Fe XII images with Kitt Peak magnetograms to determine whether the micro bright points are in the magnetic network and mark magnetic bipoles within the network. To identify the coronal bright points, we applied a picture frame filter to the Fe XII images; this brings out the Fe XII network and bright points (Figure 2) and allows us to study the bright points down to the resolution limit of the SOHO/EIT instrument. This picture frame filter is a square smoothing function (hlargelyalf a network cell wide) with a central square (quarter of a network cell wide) removed so that a bright point's intensity does not effect its own background. This smoothing function is applied to the full disk image. Then we divide the original image by the smoothed image to obtain our filtered image. A bright point is defined as any contiguous set of pixels (including diagonally) which have enhancements of 30% or more above the background; a micro bright point is any bright point 16 pixels or smaller in size. We then analyzed the bright points that were fully within quiet regions (0.6 x 0.6 solar radius) centered on disk center on six different days.

An observationally-driven kinetic approach to coronal heating

Science.gov (United States)

Moraitis, K.; Toutountzi, A.; Isliker, H.; Georgoulis, M.; Vlahos, L.; Chintzoglou, G.

2016-11-01

Aims: Coronal heating through the explosive release of magnetic energy remains an open problem in solar physics. Recent hydrodynamical models attempt an investigation by placing swarms of "nanoflares" at random sites and times in modeled one-dimensional coronal loops. We investigate the problem in three dimensions, using extrapolated coronal magnetic fields of observed solar active regions. Methods: We applied a nonlinear force-free field extrapolation above an observed photospheric magnetogram of NOAA active region (AR) 11 158. We then determined the locations, energy contents, and volumes of "unstable" areas, namely areas prone to releasing magnetic energy due to locally accumulated electric current density. Statistical distributions of these volumes and their fractal dimension are inferred, investigating also their dependence on spatial resolution. Further adopting a simple resistivity model, we inferred the properties of the fractally distributed electric fields in these volumes. Next, we monitored the evolution of 105 particles (electrons and ions) obeying an initial Maxwellian distribution with a temperature of 10 eV, by following their trajectories and energization when subjected to the resulting electric fields. For computational convenience, the length element of the magnetic-field extrapolation is 1 arcsec, or 725 km, much coarser than the particles' collisional mean free path in the low corona (0.1-1 km). Results: The presence of collisions traps the bulk of the plasma around the unstable volumes, or current sheets (UCS), with only a tail of the distribution gaining substantial energy. Assuming that the distance between UCS is similar to the collisional mean free path we find that the low active-region corona is heated to 100-200 eV, corresponding to temperatures exceeding 2 MK, within tens of seconds for electrons and thousands of seconds for ions. Conclusions: Fractally distributed, nanoflare-triggening fragmented UCS in the active-region corona can

Hanle-Zeeman Scattering Matrix for Magnetic Dipole Transitions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Megha, A.; Sampoorna, M.; Nagendra, K. N.; Sankarasubramanian, K., E-mail: megha@iiap.res.in, E-mail: sampoorna@iiap.res.in, E-mail: knn@iiap.res.in, E-mail: sankar@iiap.res.in [Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Koramangala, Bengaluru 560 034 (India)

2017-06-01

The polarization of the light that is scattered by the coronal ions is influenced by the anisotropic illumination from the photosphere and the magnetic field structuring in the solar corona. The properties of the coronal magnetic fields can be well studied by understanding the polarization properties of coronal forbidden emission lines that arise from magnetic dipole ( M 1) transitions in the highly ionized atoms that are present in the corona. We present the classical scattering theory of the forbidden lines for a more general case of arbitrary-strength magnetic fields. We derive the scattering matrix for M 1 transitions using the classical magnetic dipole model of Casini and Lin and applying the scattering matrix approach of Stenflo. We consider a two-level atom model and neglect collisional effects. The scattering matrix so derived is used to study the Stokes profiles formed in coronal conditions in those regions where the radiative excitations dominate collisional excitations. To this end, we take into account the integration over a cone of an unpolarized radiation from the solar disk incident on the scattering atoms. Furthermore, we also integrate along the line of sight to calculate the emerging polarized line profiles. We consider radial and dipole magnetic field configurations and spherically symmetric density distributions. For our studies we adopt the atomic parameters corresponding to the [Fe xiii] 10747 Å coronal forbidden line. We also discuss the nature of the scattering matrix for M 1 transitions and compare it with that for the electric dipole ( E 1) transitions.

Coronal Seismology: The Search for Propagating Waves in Coronal Loops

Science.gov (United States)

Schad, Thomas A.; Seeley, D.; Keil, S. L.; Tomczyk, S.

2007-05-01

We report on Doppler observations of the solar corona obtained in the Fe XeXIII 1074.7nm coronal emission line with the HAO Coronal Multi-Channel Polarimeter (CoMP) mounted on the NSO Coronal One Shot coronagraph located in the Hilltop Facility of NSO/Sacramento Peak. The COMP is a tunable filtergraph instrument that records the entire corona from the edge of the occulting disk at approximately 1.03 Rsun out to 1.4 Rsun with a spatial resolution of about 4” x 4”. COMP can be rapidly scanned through the spectral line while recording orthogonal states of linear and circular polarization. The two dimensional spatial resolution allows us to correlate temporal fluctuations observed in one part of the corona with those seen at other locations, in particular along coronal loops. Using cross spectral analysis we find that the observations reveal upward propagating waves that are characterized by Doppler shifts with rms velocities of 0.3 km/s, peak wave power in the 3-5 mHz frequency range, and phase speeds 1-3 Mm/s. The wave trajectories are consistent with the direction of the magnetic field inferred from the linear polarization measurements. We discuss the phase and coherence of these waves as a function of height in the corona and relate our findings to previous observations. The observed waves appear to be Alfvenic in character. "Thomas Schad was supported through the National Solar Observatory Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) site program, which is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the National Science Foundation REU Program." Daniel Seeley was supported through the National Solar Observatory Research Experience for Teachers (RET) site program, which is funded by the National Science Foundation RET program.

Well-observed dynamics of flaring and peripheral coronal magnetic loops during an M-class limb flare

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Jinhua; Zhou, Tuanhui; Ji, Haisheng; Feng, Li; Wiegelmann, Thomas; Inhester, Bernd

2014-01-01

In this paper, we present a variety of well-observed dynamic behaviors for the flaring and peripheral magnetic loops of the M6.6 class extreme limb flare that occurred on 2011 February 24 (SOL2011-02-24T07:20) from EUV observations by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on the Solar Dynamics Observatory and X-ray observations by RHESSI. The flaring loop motion confirms the earlier contraction-expansion picture. We find that the U-shaped trajectory delineated by the X-ray corona source of the flare roughly follows the direction of a filament eruption associated with the flare. Different temperature structures of the coronal source during the contraction and expansion phases strongly suggest different kinds of magnetic reconnection processes. For some peripheral loops, we discover that their dynamics are closely correlated with the filament eruption. During the slow rising to abrupt, fast rising of the filament, overlying peripheral magnetic loops display different responses. Two magnetic loops on the elbow of the active region had a slow descending motion followed by an abrupt successive fast contraction, while magnetic loops on the top of the filament were pushed outward, slowly being inflated for a while and then erupting as a moving front. We show that the filament activation and eruption play a dominant role in determining the dynamics of the overlying peripheral coronal magnetic loops.

Open magnetic structures on the sun

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levine, R.H.; Altschuler, M.D.; Harvey, J.W.; Jackson, B.V.

1977-01-01

High-resolution harmonic analysis of the solar magnetic field has been used successfully 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 of 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 more closely reproduce 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. Several important questions raised by this study are under investigation using data for the entire Skylab period

The Eruption of a Small-scale Emerging Flux Rope as the Driver of an M-class Flare and of a Coronal Mass Ejection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yan, X. L.; Xue, Z. K.; Wang, J. C.; Yang, L. H.; Kong, D. F. [Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 396 Yangfangwang, Guandu District, Kunming 650216, Yunnan (China); Jiang, C. W. [Institute of Space Science and Applied Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, 5180055 (China); Priest, E. R. [Mathematics Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9SS (United Kingdom); Cao, W. D. [Big Bear Solar Observatory, 40386 North Shore Lane, Big Bear City, CA 92314 (United States); Ji, H. S., E-mail: yanxl@ynao.ac.cn [Key Laboratory for Dark Matter and Space Science, Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu (China)

2017-08-10

Solar flares and coronal mass ejections are the most powerful explosions in the Sun. They are major sources of potentially destructive space weather conditions. However, the possible causes of their initiation remain controversial. Using high-resolution data observed by the New Solar Telescope of Big Bear Solar Observatory, supplemented by Solar Dynamics Observatory observations, we present unusual observations of a small-scale emerging flux rope near a large sunspot, whose eruption produced an M-class flare and a coronal mass ejection. The presence of the small-scale flux rope was indicated by static nonlinear force-free field extrapolation as well as data-driven magnetohydrodynamics modeling of the dynamic evolution of the coronal three-dimensional magnetic field. During the emergence of the flux rope, rotation of satellite sunspots at the footpoints of the flux rope was observed. Meanwhile, the Lorentz force, magnetic energy, vertical current, and transverse fields were increasing during this phase. The free energy from the magnetic flux emergence and twisting magnetic fields is sufficient to power the M-class flare. These observations present, for the first time, the complete process, from the emergence of the small-scale flux rope, to the production of solar eruptions.

The Role Of Torsional Alfvén Waves in Coronal Heating

Science.gov (United States)

Antolin, P.; Shibata, K.

2010-03-01

In the context of coronal heating, among the zoo of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves that exist in the solar atmosphere, Alfvén waves receive special attention. Indeed, these waves constitute an attractive heating agent due to their ability to carry over the many different layers of the solar atmosphere sufficient energy to heat and maintain a corona. However, due to their incompressible nature these waves need a mechanism such as mode conversion (leading to shock heating), phase mixing, resonant absorption, or turbulent cascade in order to heat the plasma. Furthermore, their incompressibility makes their detection in the solar atmosphere very difficult. New observations with polarimetric, spectroscopic, and imaging instruments such as those on board the Japanese satellite Hinode, or the Crisp spectropolarimeter of the Swedish Solar Telescope or the Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter, are bringing strong evidence for the existence of energetic Alfvén waves in the solar corona. In order to assess the role of Alfvén waves in coronal heating, in this work we model a magnetic flux tube being subject to Alfvén wave heating through the mode conversion mechanism. Using a 1.5 dimensional MHD code, we carry out a parameter survey varying the magnetic flux tube geometry (length and expansion), the photospheric magnetic field, the photospheric velocity amplitudes, and the nature of the waves (monochromatic or white-noise spectrum). The regimes under which Alfvén wave heating produces hot and stable coronae are found to be rather narrow. Independently of the photospheric wave amplitude and magnetic field, a corona can be produced and maintained only for long (>80 Mm) and thick (area ratio between the photosphere and corona >500) loops. Above a critical value of the photospheric velocity amplitude (generally a few km s-1) the corona can no longer be maintained over extended periods of time and collapses due to the large momentum of the waves. These results establish several

The Magnetic Free Energy in Active Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Metcalf, Thomas R.; Mickey, Donald L.; LaBonte, Barry J.

2001-01-01

The magnetic field permeating the solar atmosphere governs much of the structure, morphology, brightness, and dynamics observed on the Sun. The magnetic field, especially in active regions, is thought to provide the power for energetic events in the solar corona, such as solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) and is believed to energize the hot coronal plasma seen in extreme ultraviolet or X-rays. The question remains what specific aspect of the magnetic flux governs the observed variability. To directly understand the role of the magnetic field in energizing the solar corona, it is necessary to measure the free magnetic energy available in active regions. The grant now expiring has demonstrated a new and valuable technique for observing the magnetic free energy in active regions as a function of time.

Investigating Alfvénic wave propagation in coronal open-field regions

Science.gov (United States)

Morton, R. J.; Tomczyk, S.; Pinto, R.

2015-01-01

The physical mechanisms behind accelerating solar and stellar winds are a long-standing astrophysical mystery, although recent breakthroughs have come from models invoking the turbulent dissipation of Alfvén waves. The existence of Alfvén waves far from the Sun has been known since the 1970s, and recently the presence of ubiquitous Alfvénic waves throughout the solar atmosphere has been confirmed. However, the presence of atmospheric Alfvénic waves does not, alone, provide sufficient support for wave-based models; the existence of counter-propagating Alfvénic waves is crucial for the development of turbulence. Here, we demonstrate that counter-propagating Alfvénic waves exist in open coronal magnetic fields and reveal key observational insights into the details of their generation, reflection in the upper atmosphere and outward propagation into the solar wind. The results enhance our knowledge of Alfvénic wave propagation in the solar atmosphere, providing support and constraints for some of the recent Alfvén wave turbulence models. PMID:26213234

Magnetic Nulls and Super-radial Expansion in the Solar Corona

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gibson, Sarah E.; Dalmasse, Kevin; Tomczyk, Steven; Toma, Giuliana de; Burkepile, Joan; Galloy, Michael [National Center for Atmospheric Research, 3080 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States); Rachmeler, Laurel A. [NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35811 (United States); Rosa, Marc L. De, E-mail: sgibson@ucar.edu [Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory, 3251 Hanover Street B/252, Palo Alto, CA 94304 (United States)

2017-05-10

Magnetic fields in the Sun’s outer atmosphere—the corona—control both solar-wind acceleration and the dynamics of solar eruptions. We present the first clear observational evidence of coronal magnetic nulls in off-limb linearly polarized observations of pseudostreamers, taken by the Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter (CoMP) telescope. These nulls represent regions where magnetic reconnection is likely to act as a catalyst for solar activity. CoMP linear-polarization observations also provide an independent, coronal proxy for magnetic expansion into the solar wind, a quantity often used to parameterize and predict the solar wind speed at Earth. We introduce a new method for explicitly calculating expansion factors from CoMP coronal linear-polarization observations, which does not require photospheric extrapolations. We conclude that linearly polarized light is a powerful new diagnostic of critical coronal magnetic topologies and the expanding magnetic flux tubes that channel the solar wind.

CORONAL MASS EJECTION INDUCED OUTFLOWS OBSERVED WITH HINODE/EIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, M.; Ding, M. D.; Chen, P. F.; Fang, C.; Imada, S.

2009-01-01

We investigate the outflows associated with two halo coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that occurred on 2006 December 13 and 14 in NOAA 10930, using the Hinode/EIS observations. Each CME was accompanied by an EIT wave and coronal dimmings. Dopplergrams in the dimming regions are obtained from the spectra of seven EIS lines. The results show that strong outflows are visible in the dimming regions during the CME eruption at different heights from the lower transition region to the corona. It is found that the velocity is positively correlated with the photospheric magnetic field, as well as the magnitude of the dimming. We estimate the mass loss based on height-dependent EUV dimmings and find it to be smaller than the CME mass derived from white-light observations. The mass difference is attributed partly to the uncertain atmospheric model, and partly to the transition region outflows, which refill the coronal dimmings.

An Alternative Interpretation of the Relationship between the Inferred Open Solar Flux and the Interplanetary Magnetic Field

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Pete

2007-01-01

Photospheric observations at the Wilcox Solar Observatory (WSO) represent an uninterrupted data set of 32 years and are therefore unique for modeling variations in the magnetic structure of the corona and inner heliosphere over three solar cycles. For many years, modelers have applied a latitudinal correction factor to these data, believing that it provided a better estimate of the line-of-sight magnetic field. Its application was defended by arguing that the computed open flux matched observations of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) significantly better than the original WSO correction factor. However, no physically based argument could be made for its use. In this Letter we explore the implications of using the constant correction factor on the value and variation of the computed open solar flux and its relationship to the measured IMF. We find that it does not match the measured IMF at 1 AU except at and surrounding solar minimum. However, we argue that interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) may provide sufficient additional magnetic flux to the extent that a remarkably good match is found between the sum of the computed open flux and inferred ICME flux and the measured flux at 1 AU. If further substantiated, the implications of this interpretation may be significant, including a better understanding of the structure and strength of the coronal field and I N providing constraints for theories of field line transport in the corona, the modulation of galactic cosmic rays, and even possibly terrestrial climate effects.

MASC: Magnetic Activity of the Solar Corona

Science.gov (United States)

Auchere, Frederic; Fineschi, Silvano; Gan, Weiqun; Peter, Hardi; Vial, Jean-Claude; Zhukov, Andrei; Parenti, Susanna; Li, Hui; Romoli, Marco

We present MASC, an innovative payload designed to explore the magnetic activity of the solar corona. It is composed of three complementary instruments: a Hard-X-ray spectrometer, a UV / EUV imager, and a Visible Light / UV polarimetric coronagraph able to measure the coronal magnetic field. The solar corona is structured in magnetically closed and open structures from which slow and fast solar winds are respectively released. In spite of much progress brought by two decades of almost uninterrupted observations from several space missions, the sources and acceleration mechanisms of both types are still not understood. This continuous expansion of the solar atmosphere is disturbed by sporadic but frequent and violent events. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large-scale massive eruptions of magnetic structures out of the corona, while solar flares trace the sudden heating of coronal plasma and the acceleration of electrons and ions to high, sometimes relativistic, energies. Both phenomena are most probably driven by instabilities of the magnetic field in the corona. The relations between flares and CMEs are still not understood in terms of initiation and energy partition between large-scale motions, small-scale heating and particle acceleration. The initiation is probably related to magnetic reconnection which itself results magnetic topological changes due to e.g. flux emergence, footpoints motions, etc. Acceleration and heating are also strongly coupled since the atmospheric heating is thought to result from the impact of accelerated particles. The measurement of both physical processes and their outputs is consequently of major importance. However, despite its fundamental importance as a driver for the physics of the Sun and of the heliosphere, the magnetic field of our star’s outer atmosphere remains poorly understood. This is due in large part to the fact that the magnetic field is a very difficult quantity to measure. Our knowledge of its strength and

Automated Identification of Coronal Holes from Synoptic EUV Maps

Science.gov (United States)

Hamada, Amr; Asikainen, Timo; Virtanen, Ilpo; Mursula, Kalevi

2018-04-01

Coronal holes (CHs) are regions of open magnetic field lines in the solar corona and the source of the fast solar wind. Understanding the evolution of coronal holes is critical for solar magnetism as well as for accurate space weather forecasts. We study the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) synoptic maps at three wavelengths (195 Å/193 Å, 171 Å and 304 Å) measured by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SOHO/EIT) and the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO/AIA) instruments. The two datasets are first homogenized by scaling the SDO/AIA data to the SOHO/EIT level by means of histogram equalization. We then develop a novel automated method to identify CHs from these homogenized maps by determining the intensity threshold of CH regions separately for each synoptic map. This is done by identifying the best location and size of an image segment, which optimally contains portions of coronal holes and the surrounding quiet Sun allowing us to detect the momentary intensity threshold. Our method is thus able to adjust itself to the changing scale size of coronal holes and to temporally varying intensities. To make full use of the information in the three wavelengths we construct a composite CH distribution, which is more robust than distributions based on one wavelength. Using the composite CH dataset we discuss the temporal evolution of CHs during the Solar Cycles 23 and 24.

Comparison of potential field solutions for Carrington Rotation 2144

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Keiji; Yang, Shangbin; Deng, Yuagyong

2016-02-01

We examined differences among the coronal magnetic field structures derived with the potential field source surface (PFSS) model for Carrington Rotation 2144, from 21 November to 19 December 2013. We used the synoptic maps of solar photospheric magnetic field from four observatories, the Huairou Solar Observing Station (HSOS), Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG), Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI), and Wilcox Solar Observatory (WSO). We tested two smoothing methods, Gaussian and boxcar averaging, and correction of unbalanced net magnetic flux. The solutions of three-dimensional coronal magnetic field are significantly different each other. An open-field region derived with HSOS data agrees best with the corresponding coronal hole observed by Solar Dynamics Observatories/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, while HMI data yielded best agreements with the near-Earth OMNI database. The GONG data overall gave agreements as good as the HMI. The PFSS calculations using WSO data were least sensitive to the choices we examined in this work. Differences in PFSS solutions using different choices and parameters in smoothing imply that the photospheric magnetic field distributions with size of several degrees at midlatitude and low-latitude regions can be decisive, at least, in the examined period. To better determine the global solar corona, therefore, further evaluation of influences from compact bipolar magnetic field is needed.

ON THE NATURE OF RECONNECTION AT A SOLAR CORONAL NULL POINT ABOVE A SEPARATRIX DOME

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pontin, D. I.; Priest, E. R.; Galsgaard, K.

2013-01-01

Three-dimensional magnetic null points are ubiquitous in the solar corona and in any generic mixed-polarity magnetic field. We consider magnetic reconnection at an isolated coronal null point whose fan field lines form a dome structure. Using analytical and computational models, we demonstrate several features of spine-fan reconnection at such a null, including the fact that substantial magnetic flux transfer from one region of field line connectivity to another can occur. The flux transfer occurs across the current sheet that forms around the null point during spine-fan reconnection, and there is no separator present. Also, flipping of magnetic field lines takes place in a manner similar to that observed in the quasi-separatrix layer or slip-running reconnection

Predicting the Magnetic Field of Earth-Impacting CMEs

Science.gov (United States)

Kay, C.; Gopalswamy, N.; Reinard, A.; Opher, M.

2017-01-01

Predicting the impact of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the southward component of their magnetic field is one of the key goals of space weather forecasting. We present a new model, the ForeCAT In situ Data Observer (FIDO), for predicting the in situ magnetic field of CMEs. We first simulate a CME using ForeCAT, a model for CME deflection and rotation resulting from the background solar magnetic forces. Using the CME position and orientation from ForeCAT, we then determine the passage of the CME over a simulated spacecraft. We model the CME's magnetic field using a force-free flux rope and we determine the in situ magnetic profile at the synthetic spacecraft. We show that FIDO can reproduce the general behavior of four observed CMEs. FIDO results are very sensitive to the CME's position and orientation, and we show that the uncertainty in a CME's position and orientation from coronagraph images corresponds to a wide range of in situ magnitudes and even polarities. This small range of positions and orientations also includes CMEs that entirely miss the satellite. We show that two derived parameters (the normalized angular distance between the CME nose and satellite position and the angular difference between the CME tilt and the position angle of the satellite with respect to the CME nose) can be used to reliably determine whether an impact or miss occurs. We find that the same criteria separate the impacts and misses for cases representing all four observed CMEs.

Predicting the Magnetic Field of Earth-impacting CMEs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kay, C.; Gopalswamy, N. [Solar Physics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Reinard, A. [University of Colorado/Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Space Weather Prediction Center, Boulder, CO 80505 (United States); Opher, M., E-mail: christina.d.kay@nasa.gov [Astronomy Department, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 (United States)

2017-02-01

Predicting the impact of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the southward component of their magnetic field is one of the key goals of space weather forecasting. We present a new model, the ForeCAT In situ Data Observer (FIDO), for predicting the in situ magnetic field of CMEs. We first simulate a CME using ForeCAT, a model for CME deflection and rotation resulting from the background solar magnetic forces. Using the CME position and orientation from ForeCAT, we then determine the passage of the CME over a simulated spacecraft. We model the CME’s magnetic field using a force-free flux rope and we determine the in situ magnetic profile at the synthetic spacecraft. We show that FIDO can reproduce the general behavior of four observed CMEs. FIDO results are very sensitive to the CME’s position and orientation, and we show that the uncertainty in a CME’s position and orientation from coronagraph images corresponds to a wide range of in situ magnitudes and even polarities. This small range of positions and orientations also includes CMEs that entirely miss the satellite. We show that two derived parameters (the normalized angular distance between the CME nose and satellite position and the angular difference between the CME tilt and the position angle of the satellite with respect to the CME nose) can be used to reliably determine whether an impact or miss occurs. We find that the same criteria separate the impacts and misses for cases representing all four observed CMEs.

Stellar magnetic activity and exoplanets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vidotto A.A.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available It has been proposed that magnetic activity could be enhanced due to interactions between close-in massive planets and their host stars. In this article, I present a brief overview of the connection between stellar magnetic activity and exoplanets. Stellar activity can be probed in chromospheric lines, coronal emission, surface spot coverage, etc. Since these are manifestations of stellar magnetism, these measurements are often used as proxies for the magnetic field of stars. Here, instead of focusing on the magnetic proxies, I overview some recent results of magnetic field measurements using spectropolarimetric observations. Firstly, I discuss the general trends found between large-scale magnetism, stellar rotation, and coronal emission and show that magnetism seems to be correlated to the internal structure of the star. Secondly, I overview some works that show evidence that exoplanets could (or not act as to enhance the activity of their host stars.

Magnetic fields and dense chromospheres in dMe stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mullan, D.J.

1975-01-01

We examine in a semi-quantitative fashion the hypothesis that dense chromospheres of dMe stars are heated by dissipation of hydromagnetic waves. We propose that dMe stars are a set of magnetic stars on the lower main sequence, with strong fields presumably generated by dynamo action in deep convective envelopes. We discuss how the combination of magnetic fields and dense chromospheres in dMe stars provides a consistent interpretation of the following features: 1) The dMe stars which are most likely to be flares stars are those with hydrogen lines in emission. However, it is proposed that in certain conditions, Balmer lines may appear in absorption, and we suggest that 'negative flares' can be explained at least in part by the occurrence of strong absorption in Hα. 2) The propagation of flare-initiated coronal waves can trigger sympathetic stellar flares. 3) Apart from flare activity, emission line strengths in dMe stars must exhibit time variations due to the emergence of new magnetic flux ropes through the stellar surface. 4) The combination of strong magnetic fields with dense chromospheres makes the Faraday rotation measure large enough to have potentially a detectable effect on polarized visible light. 5) It is suggested that grain formation occurs in starspots on dMe stars. (orig./WL) [de

ASSOCIATION OF {sup 3}He-RICH SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLES WITH LARGE-SCALE CORONAL WAVES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bučík, Radoslav [Institut für Astrophysik, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, D-37077, Göttingen (Germany); Innes, Davina E. [Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, D-37077, Göttingen (Germany); Mason, Glenn M. [Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723 (United States); Wiedenbeck, Mark E., E-mail: bucik@mps.mpg.de [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)

2016-12-10

Small, {sup 3}He-rich solar energetic particle (SEP) events have been commonly associated with extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) jets and narrow coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that are believed to be the signatures of magnetic reconnection, involving field lines open to interplanetary space. The elemental and isotopic fractionation in these events are thought to be caused by processes confined to the flare sites. In this study, we identify 32 {sup 3}He-rich SEP events observed by the Advanced Composition Explorer , near the Earth, during the solar minimum period 2007–2010, and we examine their solar sources with the high resolution Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory ( STEREO ) EUV images. Leading the Earth, STEREO -A has provided, for the first time, a direct view on {sup 3}He-rich flares, which are generally located on the Sun’s western hemisphere. Surprisingly, we find that about half of the {sup 3}He-rich SEP events in this survey are associated with large-scale EUV coronal waves. An examination of the wave front propagation, the source-flare distribution, and the coronal magnetic field connections suggests that the EUV waves may affect the injection of {sup 3}He-rich SEPs into interplanetary space.

Interplanetary Magnetic Field Guiding Relativistic Particles

Science.gov (United States)

Masson, S.; Demoulin, P.; Dasso, S.; Klein, K. L.

2011-01-01

The origin and the propagation of relativistic solar particles (0.5 to few Ge V) in the interplanetary medium remains a debated topic. These relativistic particles, detected at the Earth by neutron monitors have been previously accelerated close to the Sun and are guided by the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) lines, connecting the acceleration site and the Earth. Usually, the nominal Parker spiral is considered for ensuring the magnetic connection to the Earth. However, in most GLEs the IMF is highly disturbed, and the active regions associated to the GLEs are not always located close to the solar footprint of the nominal Parker spiral. A possible explanation is that relativistic particles are propagating in transient magnetic structures, such as Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICMEs). In order to check this interpretation, we studied in detail the interplanetary medium where the particles propagate for 10 GLEs of the last solar cycle. Using the magnetic field and the plasma parameter measurements (ACE/MAG and ACE/SWEPAM), we found widely different IMF configurations. In an independent approach we develop and apply an improved method of the velocity dispersion analysis to energetic protons measured by SoHO/ERNE. We determined the effective path length and the solar release time of protons from these data and also combined them with the neutron monitor data. We found that in most of the GLEs, protons propagate in transient magnetic structures. Moreover, the comparison between the interplanetary magnetic structure and the interplanetary length suggest that the timing of particle arrival at Earth is dominantly determined by the type of IMF in which high energetic particles are propagating. Finally we find that these energetic protons are not significantly scattered during their transport to Earth.

IRIS Observations of Magnetic Interactions in the Solar Atmosphere between Preexisting and Emerging Magnetic Fields. I. Overall Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Guglielmino, Salvo L.; Zuccarello, Francesca; Young, Peter R.; Murabito, Mariarita; Romano, Paolo

2018-04-01

We report multiwavelength ultraviolet observations taken with the IRIS satellite, concerning the emergence phase in the upper chromosphere and transition region of an emerging flux region (EFR) embedded in the preexisting field of active region NOAA 12529 in the Sun. IRIS data are complemented by full-disk observations of the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite, relevant to the photosphere and the corona. The photospheric configuration of the EFR is also analyzed by measurements taken with the spectropolarimeter on board the Hinode satellite, when the EFR was fully developed. Recurrent intense brightenings that resemble UV bursts, with counterparts in all coronal passbands, are identified at the edges of the EFR. Jet activity is also observed at chromospheric and coronal levels, near the observed brightenings. The analysis of the IRIS line profiles reveals the heating of dense plasma in the low solar atmosphere and the driving of bidirectional high-velocity flows with speed up to 100 km s‑1 at the same locations. Compared with previous observations and numerical models, these signatures suggest evidence of several long-lasting, small-scale magnetic reconnection episodes between the emerging bipole and the ambient field. This process leads to the cancellation of a preexisting photospheric flux concentration and appears to occur higher in the atmosphere than usually found in UV bursts, explaining the observed coronal counterparts.

Onset of a Large Ejective Solar Eruption from a Typical Coronal-jet-base Field Configuration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joshi, Navin Chandra; Magara, Tetsuya; Moon, Yong-Jae [School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Gyeonggi-Do, 446-701 (Korea, Republic of); Sterling, Alphonse C.; Moore, Ronald L., E-mail: navin@khu.ac.kr, E-mail: njoshi98@gmail.com [NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States)

2017-08-10

Utilizing multiwavelength observations and magnetic field data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory ( SDO )/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), SDO /Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI), the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite ( GOES ), and RHESSI , we investigate a large-scale ejective solar eruption of 2014 December 18 from active region NOAA 12241. This event produced a distinctive “three-ribbon” flare, having two parallel ribbons corresponding to the ribbons of a standard two-ribbon flare, and a larger-scale third quasi-circular ribbon offset from the other two. There are two components to this eruptive event. First, a flux rope forms above a strong-field polarity inversion line and erupts and grows as the parallel ribbons turn on, grow, and spread apart from that polarity inversion line; this evolution is consistent with the mechanism of tether-cutting reconnection for eruptions. Second, the eruption of the arcade that has the erupting flux rope in its core undergoes magnetic reconnection at the null point of a fan dome that envelops the erupting arcade, resulting in formation of the quasi-circular ribbon; this is consistent with the breakout reconnection mechanism for eruptions. We find that the parallel ribbons begin well before (∼12 minutes) the onset of the circular ribbon, indicating that tether-cutting reconnection (or a non-ideal MHD instability) initiated this event, rather than breakout reconnection. The overall setup for this large-scale eruption (diameter of the circular ribbon ∼10{sup 5} km) is analogous to that of coronal jets (base size ∼10{sup 4} km), many of which, according to recent findings, result from eruptions of small-scale “minifilaments.” Thus these findings confirm that eruptions of sheared-core magnetic arcades seated in fan–spine null-point magnetic topology happen on a wide range of size scales on the Sun.

Reconnection-driven Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence in a Simulated Coronal-hole Jet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uritsky, Vadim M.; Roberts, Merrill A. [Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20064 (United States); DeVore, C. Richard; Karpen, Judith T., E-mail: vadim.uritsky@nasa.gov [Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2017-03-10

Extreme-ultraviolet and X-ray jets occur frequently in magnetically open coronal holes on the Sun, especially at high solar latitudes. Some of these jets are observed by white-light coronagraphs as they propagate through the outer corona toward the inner heliosphere, and it has been proposed that they give rise to microstreams and torsional Alfvén waves detected in situ in the solar wind. To predict and understand the signatures of coronal-hole jets, we have performed a detailed statistical analysis of such a jet simulated by an adaptively refined magnetohydrodynamics model. The results confirm the generation and persistence of three-dimensional, reconnection-driven magnetic turbulence in the simulation. We calculate the spatial correlations of magnetic fluctuations within the jet and find that they agree best with the Müller–Biskamp scaling model including intermittent current sheets of various sizes coupled via hydrodynamic turbulent cascade. The anisotropy of the magnetic fluctuations and the spatial orientation of the current sheets are consistent with an ensemble of nonlinear Alfvén waves. These properties also reflect the overall collimated jet structure imposed by the geometry of the reconnecting magnetic field. A comparison with Ulysses observations shows that turbulence in the jet wake is in quantitative agreement with that in the fast solar wind.

Quasi-static three-dimensional magnetic field evolution in solar active region NOAA 11166 associated with an X1.5 flare

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vemareddy, P.; Wiegelmann, T.

2014-01-01

We study the quasi-static evolution of coronal magnetic fields constructed from the non-linear force-free field (NLFFF) approximation aiming to understand the relation between the magnetic field topology and ribbon emission during an X1.5 flare in active region (AR) NOAA 11166. The flare with a quasi-elliptical and two remote ribbons occurred on 2011 March 9 at 23:13 UT over a positive flux region surrounded by negative flux at the center of the bipolar AR. Our analysis of the coronal magnetic structure with potential and NLFFF solutions unveiled the existence of a single magnetic null point associated with a fan-spine topology and is co-spatial with the hard X-ray source. The footpoints of the fan separatrix surface agree with the inner edge of the quasi-elliptical ribbon and the outer spine is linked to one of the remote ribbons. During the evolution, the slow footpoint motions stressed the field lines along the polarity inversion line and caused electric current layers in the corona around the fan separatrix surface. These current layers trigger magnetic reconnection as a consequence of dissipating currents, which are visible as cusp-shaped structures at lower heights. The reconnection process reorganized the magnetic field topology whose signatures are observed at the separatrices/quasi-separatrix layer structure in both the photosphere and the corona during the pre-to-post flare evolution. In agreement with previous numerical studies, our results suggest that the line-tied footpoint motions perturb the fan-spine system and cause null point reconnection, which eventually causes the flare emission at the footpoints of the field lines.

Successive Homologous Coronal Mass Ejections Driven by Shearing and Converging Motions in Solar Active Region NOAA 12371

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vemareddy, P.

2017-01-01

We study the magnetic field evolution in AR 12371, related to its successive eruptive nature. During the disk transit of seven days, the active region (AR) launched four sequential fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are associated with long duration M-class flares. Morphological study delineates a pre-eruptive coronal sigmoid structure above the polarity inversion line (PIL) similar to Moore et al.’s study. The velocity field derived from tracked magnetograms indicates persistent shear and converging motions of polarity regions about the PIL. While these shear motions continue, the crossed arms of two sigmoid elbows are being brought to interaction by converging motions at the middle of the PIL, initiating the tether-cutting reconnection of field lines and the onset of the CME explosion. The successive CMEs are explained by a cyclic process of magnetic energy storage and release referred to as “sigmoid-to-arcade-to-sigmoid” transformation driven by photospheric flux motions. Furthermore, the continued shear motions inject helicity flux with a dominant negative sign, which contributes to core field twist and its energy by building a twisted flux rope (FR). After a limiting value, the excess coronal helicity is expelled by bodily ejection of the FR, which is initiated by some instability as realized by intermittent CMEs. This AR is in contrast with the confined AR 12192 with a predominant negative sign and larger helicity flux, but much weaker (−0.02 turns) normalized coronal helicity content. While predominant signed helicity flux is a requirement for CME eruption, our study suggests that the magnetic flux normalized helicity flux is a necessary condition accommodating the role of background flux and appeals to a further study of a large sample of ARs.

Successive Homologous Coronal Mass Ejections Driven by Shearing and Converging Motions in Solar Active Region NOAA 12371

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vemareddy, P., E-mail: vemareddy@iiap.res.in [Indian Institute of Astrophysics, II Block, Koramangala, Bengalure-560034 (India)

2017-08-10

We study the magnetic field evolution in AR 12371, related to its successive eruptive nature. During the disk transit of seven days, the active region (AR) launched four sequential fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are associated with long duration M-class flares. Morphological study delineates a pre-eruptive coronal sigmoid structure above the polarity inversion line (PIL) similar to Moore et al.’s study. The velocity field derived from tracked magnetograms indicates persistent shear and converging motions of polarity regions about the PIL. While these shear motions continue, the crossed arms of two sigmoid elbows are being brought to interaction by converging motions at the middle of the PIL, initiating the tether-cutting reconnection of field lines and the onset of the CME explosion. The successive CMEs are explained by a cyclic process of magnetic energy storage and release referred to as “sigmoid-to-arcade-to-sigmoid” transformation driven by photospheric flux motions. Furthermore, the continued shear motions inject helicity flux with a dominant negative sign, which contributes to core field twist and its energy by building a twisted flux rope (FR). After a limiting value, the excess coronal helicity is expelled by bodily ejection of the FR, which is initiated by some instability as realized by intermittent CMEs. This AR is in contrast with the confined AR 12192 with a predominant negative sign and larger helicity flux, but much weaker (−0.02 turns) normalized coronal helicity content. While predominant signed helicity flux is a requirement for CME eruption, our study suggests that the magnetic flux normalized helicity flux is a necessary condition accommodating the role of background flux and appeals to a further study of a large sample of ARs.

Physics of magnetic flux ropes

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, C. T.; Priest, E. R.; Lee, L. C.

The present work encompasses papers on the structure, waves, and instabilities of magnetic flux ropes (MFRs), photospheric flux tubes (PFTs), the structure and heating of coronal loops, solar prominences, coronal mass ejections and magnetic clouds, flux ropes in planetary ionospheres, the magnetopause, magnetospheric field-aligned currents and flux tubes, and the magnetotail. Attention is given to the equilibrium of MFRs, resistive instability, magnetic reconnection and turbulence in current sheets, dynamical effects and energy transport in intense flux tubes, waves in solar PFTs, twisted flux ropes in the solar corona, an electrodynamical model of solar flares, filament cooling and condensation in a sheared magnetic field, the magnetopause, the generation of twisted MFRs during magnetic reconnection, ionospheric flux ropes above the South Pole, substorms and MFR structures, evidence for flux ropes in the earth magnetotail, and MFRs in 3D MHD simulations.

The solar and interplanetary causes of the recent minimum in geomagnetic activity (MGA23: a combination of midlatitude small coronal holes, low IMF BZ variances, low solar wind speeds and low solar magnetic fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. T. Tsurutani

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Minima in geomagnetic activity (MGA at Earth at the ends of SC23 and SC22 have been identified. The two MGAs (called MGA23 and MGA22, respectively were present in 2009 and 1997, delayed from the sunspot number minima in 2008 and 1996 by ~1/2–1 years. Part of the solar and interplanetary causes of the MGAs were exceptionally low solar (and thus low interplanetary magnetic fields. Another important factor in MGA23 was the disappearance of equatorial and low latitude coronal holes and the appearance of midlatitude coronal holes. The location of the holes relative to the ecliptic plane led to low solar wind speeds and low IMF (Bz variances (σBz2 and normalized variances (σBz2/B02 at Earth, with concomitant reduced solar wind-magnetospheric energy coupling. One result was the lowest ap indices in the history of ap recording. The results presented here are used to comment on the possible solar and interplanetary causes of the low geomagnetic activity that occurred during the Maunder Minimum.

Solar wind and coronal structure near sunspot minimum - Pioneer and SMM observations from 1985-1987

Science.gov (United States)

Mihalov, J. D.; Barnes, A.; Hundhausen, A. J.; Smith, E. J.

1990-01-01

Changes in solar wind speed and magnetic polarity observed at the Pioneer spacecraft are discussed here in terms of the changing magnetic geometry implied by SMM coronagraph observations over the period 1985-1987. The pattern of recurrent solar wind streams, the long-term average speed, and the sector polarity of the interplanetary magnetic field all changed in a manner suggesting both a temporal variation, and a changing dependence on heliographic latitude. Coronal observations during this epoch show a systematic variation in coronal structure and the magnetic structure imposed on the expanding solar wind. These observations suggest interpretation of the solar wind speed variations in terms of the familiar model where the speed increases with distance from a nearly flat interplanetary current sheet, and where this current sheet becomes aligned with the solar equatorial plane as sunspot minimum approaches, but deviates rapidly from that orientation after minimum.

Comparison of the Scaling Properties of EUV Intensity Fluctuations in Coronal Holes to those in Regions of Quiet Sun

Science.gov (United States)

Cadavid, Ana Cristina; Lawrence, John K.; Jennings, Peter John

2017-08-01

We investigate the scaling properties of EUV intensity fluctuations seen in low-latitude coronal holes (CH) and in regions of Quiet Sun (QS), in signals obtained with the SDO/AIA instrument in the 193 Å waveband. Contemporaneous time series in the 171 and 211 Å wavebands are used for comparison among emissions at different heights in the transition region and low corona. Potential-field extrapolations of contemporaneous SDO/HMI line-of-sight magnetic fields provide a context in the physical environment. Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) shows that the variance of the fluctuations obeys a power-law as a function of temporal scales with periods in the range ~15-60 min. This scaling is characterized by a generalized Hurst exponent α. In QS regions, and in regions within CHs that include magnetic bipoles, the scaling exponent lies in the range 1.0 anti-correlated, turbulent-like, dynamical processes. Regions inside the coronal holes primarily associated with magnetic field of a dominant single polarity, have a generalized exponent (0.5 correlated (“persistent”) processes. The results indicate the influence of the magnetic fields on the dynamics of the emission.

3D MHD MODELING OF TWISTED CORONAL LOOPS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reale, F.; Peres, G. [Dipartimento di Fisica and Chimica, Università di Palermo, Piazza del Parlamento 1, I-90134 Palermo (Italy); Orlando, S. [INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo, Piazza del Parlamento 1, I-90134 Palermo (Italy); Guarrasi, M. [CINECA—Interuniversity consortium, via Magnanelli 6/3, I-40033, Casalecchio di Reno, Bologna (Italy); Mignone, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica Generale, Università di Torino, via Pietro Giuria 1, I-10125, Torino (Italy); Hood, A. W.; Priest, E. R., E-mail: fabio.reale@unipa.it [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 9SS (United Kingdom)

2016-10-10

We perform MHD modeling of a single bright coronal loop to include the interaction with a non-uniform magnetic field. The field is stressed by random footpoint rotation in the central region and its energy is dissipated into heating by growing currents through anomalous magnetic diffusivity that switches on in the corona above a current density threshold. We model an entire single magnetic flux tube in the solar atmosphere extending from the high- β chromosphere to the low- β corona through the steep transition region. The magnetic field expands from the chromosphere to the corona. The maximum resolution is ∼30 km. We obtain an overall evolution typical of loop models and realistic loop emission in the EUV and X-ray bands. The plasma confined in the flux tube is heated to active region temperatures (∼3 MK) after ∼2/3 hr. Upflows from the chromosphere up to ∼100 km s{sup −1} fill the core of the flux tube to densities above 10{sup 9} cm{sup −3}. More heating is released in the low corona than the high corona and is finely structured both in space and time.

MODELING THE INITIATION OF THE 2006 DECEMBER 13 CORONAL MASS EJECTION IN AR 10930: THE STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF THE ERUPTING FLUX ROPE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Yuhong, E-mail: yfan@ucar.edu [High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 3080 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO 80301 (United States)

2016-06-20

We carry out a 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulation to model the initiation of the coronal mass ejection (CME) on 2006 December 13 in the emerging δ -sunspot active region NOAA 10930. The setup of the simulation is similar to a previous simulation by Fan, but with a significantly widened simulation domain to accommodate the wide CME. The simulation shows that the CME can result from the emergence of a east–west oriented twisted flux rope whose positive, following emerging pole corresponds to the observed positive rotating sunspot emerging against the southern edge of the dominant pre-existing negative sunspot. The erupting flux rope in the simulation accelerates to a terminal speed that exceeds 1500 km s{sup −1} and undergoes a counter-clockwise rotation of nearly 180° such that its front and flanks all exhibit southward directed magnetic fields, explaining the observed southward magnetic field in the magnetic cloud impacting the Earth. With continued driving of flux emergence, the source region coronal magnetic field also shows the reformation of a coronal flux rope underlying the flare current sheet of the erupting flux rope, ready for a second eruption. This may explain the build up for another X-class eruptive flare that occurred the following day from the same region.

ON THE WEAKENING OF THE POLAR MAGNETIC FIELDS DURING SOLAR CYCLE 23

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.-M.; Sheeley, N. R.; Robbrecht, E.

2009-01-01

The Sun's polar fields are currently ∼40% weaker than they were during the previous three sunspot minima. This weakening has been accompanied by a corresponding decrease in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) strength, by a ∼20% shrinkage in the polar coronal-hole areas, and by a reduction in the solar-wind mass flux over the poles. It has also been reflected in coronal streamer structure and the heliospheric current sheet, which only showed the expected flattening into the equatorial plane after sunspot numbers fell to unusually low values in mid-2008. From latitude-time plots of the photospheric field, it has long been apparent that the polar fields are formed through the transport of trailing-polarity flux from the sunspot latitudes to the poles. To address the question of why the polar fields are now so weak, we simulate the evolution of the photospheric field and radial IMF strength from 1965 to the present, employing a surface transport model that includes the effects of active region emergence, differential rotation, supergranular convection, and a poleward bulk flow. We find that the observed evolution can be reproduced if the amplitude of the surface meridional flow is varied by as little as 15% (between 14.5 and 17 m s -1 ), with the higher average speeds being required during the long cycles 20 and 23.

Double-coronal X-Ray and Microwave Sources Associated with a Magnetic Breakout Solar Eruption

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Yao; Wu, Zhao; Zhao, Di; Wang, Bing; Du, Guohui [Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Astronomy and Solar-Terrestrial Environment, and Institute of Space Sciences, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong 264209 (China); Liu, Wei [W. W. Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Schwartz, Richard A., E-mail: yaochen@sdu.edu.cn [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and American University, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2017-07-01

Double-coronal hard X-ray (HXR) sources are believed to be critical observational evidence of bi-directional energy release through magnetic reconnection in large-scale current sheets in solar flares. Here, we present a study on double-coronal sources observed in both HXR and microwave regimes, revealing new characteristics distinct from earlier reports. This event is associated with a footpoint-occulted X1.3-class flare (2014 April 25, starting at 00:17 UT) and a coronal mass ejection that were likely triggered by the magnetic breakout process, with the lower source extending upward from the top of the partially occulted flare loops and the upper source co-incident with rapidly squeezing-in side lobes (at a speed of ∼250 km s{sup −1} on both sides). The upper source can be identified at energies as high as 70–100 keV. The X-ray upper source is characterized by flux curves that differ from those of the lower source, a weak energy dependence of projected centroid altitude above 20 keV, a shorter duration, and an HXR photon spectrum slightly harder than those of the lower source. In addition, the microwave emission at 34 GHz also exhibits a similar double-source structure and the microwave spectra at both sources are in line with gyrosynchrotron emission given by non-thermal energetic electrons. These observations, especially the co-incidence of the very-fast squeezing-in motion of side lobes and the upper source, indicate that the upper source is associated with (and possibly caused by) this fast motion of arcades. This sheds new light on the origin of the corona double-source structure observed in both HXRs and microwaves.

MULTIDIMENSIONAL MODELING OF CORONAL RAIN DYNAMICS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, X.; Xia, C.; Keppens, R. [Centre for mathematical Plasma Astrophysics, Department of Mathematics, KU Leuven, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

2013-07-10

We present the first multidimensional, magnetohydrodynamic simulations that capture the initial formation and long-term sustainment of the enigmatic coronal rain phenomenon. We demonstrate how thermal instability can induce a spectacular display of in situ forming blob-like condensations which then start their intimate ballet on top of initially linear force-free arcades. Our magnetic arcades host a chromospheric, transition region, and coronal plasma. Following coronal rain dynamics for over 80 minutes of physical time, we collect enough statistics to quantify blob widths, lengths, velocity distributions, and other characteristics which directly match modern observational knowledge. Our virtual coronal rain displays the deformation of blobs into V-shaped features, interactions of blobs due to mostly pressure-mediated levitations, and gives the first views of blobs that evaporate in situ or are siphoned over the apex of the background arcade. Our simulations pave the way for systematic surveys of coronal rain showers in true multidimensional settings to connect parameterized heating prescriptions with rain statistics, ultimately allowing us to quantify the coronal heating input.

MULTIDIMENSIONAL MODELING OF CORONAL RAIN DYNAMICS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, X.; Xia, C.; Keppens, R.

2013-01-01

We present the first multidimensional, magnetohydrodynamic simulations that capture the initial formation and long-term sustainment of the enigmatic coronal rain phenomenon. We demonstrate how thermal instability can induce a spectacular display of in situ forming blob-like condensations which then start their intimate ballet on top of initially linear force-free arcades. Our magnetic arcades host a chromospheric, transition region, and coronal plasma. Following coronal rain dynamics for over 80 minutes of physical time, we collect enough statistics to quantify blob widths, lengths, velocity distributions, and other characteristics which directly match modern observational knowledge. Our virtual coronal rain displays the deformation of blobs into V-shaped features, interactions of blobs due to mostly pressure-mediated levitations, and gives the first views of blobs that evaporate in situ or are siphoned over the apex of the background arcade. Our simulations pave the way for systematic surveys of coronal rain showers in true multidimensional settings to connect parameterized heating prescriptions with rain statistics, ultimately allowing us to quantify the coronal heating input.

Mass and energy supply of a cool coronal loop near its apex

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Limei; Peter, Hardi; He, Jiansen; Xia, Lidong; Wang, Linghua

2018-03-01

Context. Different models for the heating of solar corona assume or predict different locations of the energy input: concentrated at the footpoints, at the apex, or uniformly distributed. The brightening of a loop could be due to the increase in electron density ne, the temperature T, or a mixture of both. Aim. We investigate possible reasons for the brightening of a cool loop at transition region temperatures through imaging and spectral observation. Methods: We observed a loop with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) and used the slit-jaw images together with spectra taken at a fixed slit position to study the evolution of plasma properties in and below the loop. We used spectra of Si IV, which forms at around 80 000 K in equilibrium, to identify plasma motions and derive electron densities from the ratio of inter-combination lines of O IV. Additional observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) were employed to study the response at coronal temperatures (Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, AIA) and to investigate the surface magnetic field below the loop (Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager, HMI). Results: The loop first appears at transition region temperatures and later also at coronal temperatures, indicating a heating of the plasma in the loop. The appearance of hot plasma in the loop coincides with a possible accelerating upflow seen in Si IV, with the Doppler velocity shifting continuously from -70 km s-1 to -265 km s-1. The 3D magnetic field lines extrapolated from the HMI magnetogram indicate possible magnetic reconnection between small-scale magnetic flux tubes below or near the loop apex. At the same time, an additional intensity enhancement near the loop apex is visible in the IRIS slit-jaw images at 1400 Å. These observations suggest that the loop is probably heated by the interaction between the loop and the upflows, which are accelerated by the magnetic reconnection between small-scale magnetic flux tubes at lower altitudes. Before

Mode Conversion of a Solar Extreme-ultraviolet Wave over a Coronal Cavity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zong, Weiguo [Key Laboratory of Space Weather, National Center for Space Weather, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing 100081 (China); Dai, Yu, E-mail: ydai@nju.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics (Nanjing University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210023 (China)

2017-01-10

We report on observations of an extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) wave event in the Sun on 2011 January 13 by Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory and Solar Dynamics Observatory in quadrature. Both the trailing edge and the leading edge of the EUV wave front in the north direction are reliably traced, revealing generally compatible propagation velocities in both perspectives and a velocity ratio of about 1/3. When the wave front encounters a coronal cavity near the northern polar coronal hole, the trailing edge of the front stops while its leading edge just shows a small gap and extends over the cavity, meanwhile getting significantly decelerated but intensified. We propose that the trailing edge and the leading edge of the northward propagating wave front correspond to a non-wave coronal mass ejection component and a fast-mode magnetohydrodynamic wave component, respectively. The interaction of the fast-mode wave and the coronal cavity may involve a mode conversion process, through which part of the fast-mode wave is converted to a slow-mode wave that is trapped along the magnetic field lines. This scenario can reasonably account for the unusual behavior of the wave front over the coronal cavity.

ANTHEM simulation of the early time magnetic field penetration of the plasma surrounding a high density Z-pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, R.J.

1989-01-01

The early time penetration of magnetic field into the low density coronal plasma of a Z-pinch fiber is studied with the implicit plasma simulation code ANTHEM. Calculations show the emission of electrons from the cathode, pinching of the electron flow, magnetic insulation of the electrons near the anode, and low density ion blow off. PIC-particle ion calculations show a late time clumping of the ion density not seen with a fluid ion treatment. 4 refs., 4 figs

Coronal mass ejection and stream interaction region characteristics and their potential geomagnetic effectiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindsay, G.M.; Russell, C.T.; Luhmann, J.G.

1995-01-01

Previous studies have indicated that the largest geomagnetic storms are caused by extraordinary increases in the solar wind velocity and/or southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) produced by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and their associated interplanetary shocks. However, much more frequent small to moderate increases in solar wind velocity and compressions in the IMF can be caused by either coronal mass ejections or fast/slow stream interactions. This study examines the relative statistics of the magnitudes of disturbances associated with the passage of both interplanetary coronal mass ejections and stream interaction regions, using an exceptionally continuous interplanetary database from the Pioneer Venus Orbiter at 0.7 AU throughout most of solar cycle 21. It is found that both stream interaction and CMEs produce magnetic fields significantly larger than the nominal IMF. Increases in field magnitude that are up to 2 and 3 times higher than the ambient field are observed for stream interaction regions and CMEs, respectively. Both stream interactions and CMEs produce large positive and negative Β z components at 0.7 AU, but only CMEs produce Β z magnitudes greater than 35 nT. CMEs are often associated with sustained periods of positive or negative Β z whereas stream interaction regions are more often associated with fluctuating Β z . CMEs tend to produce larger solar wind electric fields than stream interactions. Yet stream interactions tend to produce larger dynamic pressures than CMEs. Dst predictions based on solar wind duskward electric field and dynamic pressure indicate that CMEs produce the largest geomagnetic disturbances while the low-speed portion of stream interaction regions are least geomagnetically effective. Both stream interaction regions and CMEs contribute to low and moderate levels of activity with relative importance determined by their solar-cycle-dependent occurrence rates

Electron acceleration and radiation signatures in loop coronal transients

Science.gov (United States)

Vlahos, L.; Gergely, T. E.; Papadopoulos, K.

1982-01-01

It is proposed that in loop coronal transients an erupting loop moves away from the solar surface, with a velocity exceeding the local Alfven speed, pushing against the overlying magnetic fields and driving a shock in the front of the moving part of the loop. Lower hybrid waves are excited at the shock front and propagate radially toward the center of the loop with phase velocity along the magnetic field that exceeds the thermal velocity. The lower hybrid waves stochastically accelerate the tail of the electron distribution inside the loop. The manner in which the accelerated electrons are trapped in the moving loop are discussed, and their radiation signature is estimated. It is suggested that plasma radiation can explain the power observed in stationary and moving type IV bursts.

Closed and open magnetic fields in stellar winds

Science.gov (United States)

Mullan, D. J.; Steinolfson, R. S.

1983-01-01

A numerical study of the interaction between a thermal wind and a global dipole field in the sun and in a giant star is reported. In order for closed field lines to persist near the equator (where a helmet-streamer-like configuration appears), the coronal temperature must be less than a critical value Tc, which scales as M/R. This condition is found to be equivalent to the following: for a static helmet streamer to persist, the sonic point above the helmet must not approach closer to the star than 2.2-2.6 stellar radii. Implications for rapid mass loss and X-ray emission from cool giants are pointed out. The results strengthen the case for identifying empirical dividing lines in the H-R diagram with a magnetic topology transition locus (MTTL). Support for the MTTL concept is also provided by considerations of the breakdown of magnetostatic equilibrium.

Numerical studies of the Kelvin-Hemholtz instability in a coronal jet

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Tian-Le; Ni, Lei; Lin, Jun; Ziegler, Udo

2018-04-01

Kelvin-Hemholtz (K-H) instability in a coronal EUV jet is studied via 2.5D MHD numerical simulations. The jet results from magnetic reconnection due to the interaction of the newly emerging magnetic field and the pre-existing magnetic field in the corona. Our results show that the Alfvén Mach number along the jet is about 5–14 just before the instability occurs, and it is even higher than 14 at some local areas. During the K-H instability process, several vortex-like plasma blobs with high temperature and high density appear along the jet, and magnetic fields have also been rolled up and the magnetic configuration including anti-parallel magnetic fields forms, which leads to magnetic reconnection at many X-points and current sheet fragments inside the vortex-like blob. After magnetic islands appear inside the main current sheet, the total kinetic energy of the reconnection outflows decreases, and cannot support the formation of the vortex-like blob along the jet any longer, then the K-H instability eventually disappears. We also present the results about how the guide field and flux emerging speed affect the K-H instability. We find that a strong guide field inhibits shock formation in the reconnecting upward outflow regions but helps secondary magnetic islands appear earlier in the main current sheet, and then apparently suppresses the K-H instability. As the speed of the emerging magnetic field decreases, the K-H instability appears later, the highest temperature inside the vortex blob gets lower and the vortex structure gets smaller.

STUDY OF THE RECURRING DIMMING REGION DETECTED AT AR 11305 USING THE CORONAL DIMMING TRACKER (CoDiT)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krista, Larisza D.; Reinard, Alysha [University of Colorado/Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Boulder, CO 80205 (United States)

2013-01-10

We present a new approach to coronal dimming detection using the COronal DImming Tracker tool (CODIT), which was found to be successful in locating and tracking multiple dimming regions. This tool, an extension of a previously developed coronal hole tracking software, allows us to study the properties and the spatial evolution of dimming regions at high temporal and spatial cadence from the time of their appearance to their disappearance. We use Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly 193 A wavelength observations and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager magnetograms to study dimmings. As a demonstration of the detection technique we analyzed six recurrences of a dimming observed near AR 11305 between 2011 September 29 and October 2. The dimming repeatedly appeared and formed in a similar way, first expanding then shrinking and occasionally stabilizing in the same location until the next eruption. The dimming areas were studied in conjunction with the corresponding flare magnitudes and coronal mass ejection (CME) masses. These properties were found to follow a similar trend during the observation period, which is consistent with the idea that the magnitude of the eruption and the CME mass affect the relative sizes of the consecutive dimmings. We also present a hypothesis to explain the evolution of the recurrent single dimming through interchange reconnection. This process would accommodate the relocation of quasi-open magnetic field lines and hence allow the CME flux rope footpoint (the dimming) to expand into quiet-Sun regions. By relating the properties of dimmings, flares, and CMEs we improve our understanding of the magnetic field reconfiguration caused by reconnection.

STUDY OF THE RECURRING DIMMING REGION DETECTED AT AR 11305 USING THE CORONAL DIMMING TRACKER (CoDiT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krista, Larisza D.; Reinard, Alysha

2013-01-01

We present a new approach to coronal dimming detection using the COronal DImming Tracker tool (CODIT), which was found to be successful in locating and tracking multiple dimming regions. This tool, an extension of a previously developed coronal hole tracking software, allows us to study the properties and the spatial evolution of dimming regions at high temporal and spatial cadence from the time of their appearance to their disappearance. We use Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly 193 Å wavelength observations and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager magnetograms to study dimmings. As a demonstration of the detection technique we analyzed six recurrences of a dimming observed near AR 11305 between 2011 September 29 and October 2. The dimming repeatedly appeared and formed in a similar way, first expanding then shrinking and occasionally stabilizing in the same location until the next eruption. The dimming areas were studied in conjunction with the corresponding flare magnitudes and coronal mass ejection (CME) masses. These properties were found to follow a similar trend during the observation period, which is consistent with the idea that the magnitude of the eruption and the CME mass affect the relative sizes of the consecutive dimmings. We also present a hypothesis to explain the evolution of the recurrent single dimming through interchange reconnection. This process would accommodate the relocation of quasi-open magnetic field lines and hence allow the CME flux rope footpoint (the dimming) to expand into quiet-Sun regions. By relating the properties of dimmings, flares, and CMEs we improve our understanding of the magnetic field reconfiguration caused by reconnection.

A Tool for Empirical Forecasting of Major Flares, Coronal Mass Ejections, and Solar Particle Events from a Proxy of Active-Region Free Magnetic Energy

Science.gov (United States)

Barghouty, A. F.; Falconer, D. A.; Adams, J. H., Jr.

2010-01-01

This presentation describes a new forecasting tool developed for and is currently being tested by NASA s Space Radiation Analysis Group (SRAG) at JSC, which is responsible for the monitoring and forecasting of radiation exposure levels of astronauts. The new software tool is designed for the empirical forecasting of M and X-class flares, coronal mass ejections, as well as solar energetic particle events. Its algorithm is based on an empirical relationship between the various types of events rates and a proxy of the active region s free magnetic energy, determined from a data set of approx.40,000 active-region magnetograms from approx.1,300 active regions observed by SOHO/MDI that have known histories of flare, coronal mass ejection, and solar energetic particle event production. The new tool automatically extracts each strong-field magnetic areas from an MDI full-disk magnetogram, identifies each as an NOAA active region, and measures a proxy of the active region s free magnetic energy from the extracted magnetogram. For each active region, the empirical relationship is then used to convert the free magnetic energy proxy into an expected event rate. The expected event rate in turn can be readily converted into the probability that the active region will produce such an event in a given forward time window. Descriptions of the datasets, algorithm, and software in addition to sample applications and a validation test are presented. Further development and transition of the new tool in anticipation of SDO/HMI is briefly discussed.

APPARENT CROSS-FIELD SUPERSLOW PROPAGATION OF MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC WAVES IN SOLAR PLASMAS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaneko, T.; Yokoyama, T. [Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033 (Japan); Goossens, M.; Doorsselaere, T. Van [Centre for Mathematical Plasma Astrophysics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200B, Bus 2400, B-3001 Herverlee (Belgium); Soler, R.; Terradas, J. [Departament de Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca (Spain); Wright, A. N., E-mail: kaneko@eps.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp [School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9SS (United Kingdom)

2015-10-20

In this paper we show that the phase-mixing of continuum Alfvén waves and/or continuum slow waves in the magnetic structures of the solar atmosphere as, e.g., coronal arcades, can create the illusion of wave propagation across the magnetic field. This phenomenon could be erroneously interpreted as fast magnetosonic waves. The cross-field propagation due to the phase-mixing of continuum waves is apparent because there is no real propagation of energy across the magnetic surfaces. We investigate the continuous Alfvén and slow spectra in two-dimensional (2D) Cartesian equilibrium models with a purely poloidal magnetic field. We show that apparent superslow propagation across the magnetic surfaces in solar coronal structures is a consequence of the existence of continuum Alfvén waves and continuum slow waves that naturally live on those structures and phase-mix as time evolves. The apparent cross-field phase velocity is related to the spatial variation of the local Alfvén/slow frequency across the magnetic surfaces and is slower than the Alfvén/sound velocities for typical coronal conditions. Understanding the nature of the apparent cross-field propagation is important for the correct analysis of numerical simulations and the correct interpretation of observations.

Cosmic Magnetic Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez Almeida, J.; Martínez González, M. J.

2018-05-01

Magnetic fields play an important role in many astrophysical processes. They are difficult to detect and characterize since often their properties have to be inferred through interpreting the polarization of the light. Magnetic fields are also challenging to model and understand. Magnetized plasmas behave following highly non-linear differential equations having no general solution, so that every astrophysical problem represents a special case to be studied independently. Hence, magnetic fields are often an inconvenient subject which is overlooked or simply neglected (the elephant in the room, as they are dubbed in poster of the school). Such difficulty burdens the research on magnetic fields, which has evolved to become a very technical subject, with many small disconnected communities studying specific aspects and details. The school tried to amend the situation by providing a unifying view of the subject. The students had a chance to understand the behavior of magnetic fields in all astrophysical contexts, from cosmology to the Sun, and from starbursts to AGNs. The school was planed to present a balanced yet complete review of our knowledge, with excursions into the unknown to point out present and future lines of research. The subject of Cosmic Magnetic Fields was split into seven different topics: cosmic magnetic field essentials, solar magnetic fields, stellar magnetic fields, the role of magnetic fields on AGN feedback, magnetic fields in galaxies, magnetic fields in galaxy clusters and at larger scales, and primordial magnetic fields and magnetic fields in the early Universe. The corresponding lectures were delivered by seven well known and experienced scientists that have played key roles in the major advances of the field during the last years: F. Cattaneo, P. Judge, O. Kochukhov, R. Keppens, R. Beck, K. Dolag, and F. Finelli. Their lectures were recorded and are freely available at the IAC website: http://iactalks.iac.es/talks/serie/19.

TWO-DIMENSIONAL CELLULAR AUTOMATON MODEL FOR THE EVOLUTION OF ACTIVE REGION CORONAL PLASMAS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

López Fuentes, Marcelo [Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio, CONICET-UBA, CC. 67, Suc. 28, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Klimchuk, James A., E-mail: lopezf@iafe.uba.ar [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 671, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2015-02-01

We study a two-dimensional cellular automaton (CA) model for the evolution of coronal loop plasmas. The model is based on the idea that coronal loops are made of elementary magnetic strands that are tangled and stressed by the displacement of their footpoints by photospheric motions. The magnetic stress accumulated between neighbor strands is released in sudden reconnection events or nanoflares that heat the plasma. We combine the CA model with the Enthalpy Based Thermal Evolution of Loops model to compute the response of the plasma to the heating events. Using the known response of the X-Ray Telescope on board Hinode, we also obtain synthetic data. The model obeys easy-to-understand scaling laws relating the output (nanoflare energy, temperature, density, intensity) to the input parameters (field strength, strand length, critical misalignment angle). The nanoflares have a power-law distribution with a universal slope of –2.5, independent of the input parameters. The repetition frequency of nanoflares, expressed in terms of the plasma cooling time, increases with strand length. We discuss the implications of our results for the problem of heating and evolution of active region coronal plasmas.

Radio-wavelength observations of magnetic fields on active dwarf-M, RS CVN and magnetic stars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lang, K.R.

1986-01-01

The dwarf M stars YZ Canis Minoris and AD Leonis exhibit narrow band, slowly varying (hours) microwave emission that cannot be explained by conventional thermal radiation mechanisms. The dwarf M stars AD Leonis and Wolf 424 emit rapid spikes whose high brightness temperatures similarly require a nonthermal radiation process which could result from coherent mechanisms such as an electron-cyclotron maser or coherent-plasma radiation. If the electron-cyclotron maser emits at the second or third harmonic of the gyrofrequency, the coronal magnetic field strength H = 250 or 167 G and constraints on the plasma frequency imply an electron density of 6 x 10/sup 9//cm/sup 3/. Coherent-plasma radiation requires similar values of electron density but much weaker magnetic fields. Radio spikes from AD Leonis and Wolf 424 have rise times tau/sub R/ < 5 ms, indicating a linear size of L < 1.5 x 10/sup 8/ cm, or less than 0.005 of the stellar radius. Although Ap magnetic stars have strong dipole magnetic fields, they exhibit no detectable gyroresonant radiation, suggesting that these stars do not have hot, dense coronae. The binary RS CVn star UX Arietis exhibits variable emission at 6 cm wavelength on time scales ranging from 30 s to more than one hour. The shortest variation implies a linear size much less than that of the halo observed by VLBI techniques, and most probably sizes smaller than those of the component stars. The observed variations might be due to absorption by a thermal plasma located between the stars.

Dynamics of Plasma Jets and Bubbles Launched into a Transverse Background Magnetic Field

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yue

2017-10-01

A coaxial magnetized plasma gun has been utilized to launch both plasma jets (open B-field) and plasma bubbles (closed B-field) into a transverse background magnetic field in the HelCat (Helicon-Cathode) linear device at the University of New Mexico. These situations may have bearing on fusion plasmas (e.g. plasma injection for tokamak fueling, ELM pacing, or disruption mitigation) and astrophysical settings (e.g. astrophysical jet stability, coronal mass ejections, etc.). The magnetic Reynolds number of the gun plasma is 100 , so that magnetic advection dominates over magnetic diffusion. The gun plasma ram pressure, ρjetVjet2 >B02 / 2μ0 , the background magnetic pressure, so that the jet or bubble can easily penetrate the background B-field, B0. When the gun axial B-field is weak compared to the gun azimuthal field, a current-driven jet is formed with a global helical magnetic configuration. Applying the transverse background magnetic field, it is observed that the n = 1 kink mode is stabilized, while magnetic probe measurements show contrarily that the safety factor q(a) drops below unity. At the same time, a sheared axial jet velocity is measured. We conclude that the tension force arising from increasing curvature of the background magnetic field induces the measured sheared flow gradient above the theoretical kink-stabilization threshold, resulting in the emergent kink stabilization of the injected plasma jet. In the case of injected bubbles, spheromak-like plasma formation is verified. However, when the spheromak plasma propagates into the transverse background magnetic field, the typical self-closed global symmetry magnetic configuration does not hold any more. In the region where the bubble toroidal field opposed the background B-field, the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability has been observed. Details of the experiment setup, diagnostics, experimental results and theoretical analysis will be presented. Supported by the National Science Foundation

Improvements on coronal hole detection in SDO/AIA images using supervised classification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reiss Martin A.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate the use of machine learning algorithms in combination with segmentation techniques in order to distinguish coronal holes and filaments in SDO/AIA EUV images of the Sun. Based on two coronal hole detection techniques (intensity-based thresholding, SPoCA, we prepared datasets of manually labeled coronal hole and filament channel regions present on the Sun during the time range 2011–2013. By mapping the extracted regions from EUV observations onto HMI line-of-sight magnetograms we also include their magnetic characteristics. We computed shape measures from the segmented binary maps as well as first order and second order texture statistics from the segmented regions in the EUV images and magnetograms. These attributes were used for data mining investigations to identify the most performant rule to differentiate between coronal holes and filament channels. We applied several classifiers, namely Support Vector Machine (SVM, Linear Support Vector Machine, Decision Tree, and Random Forest, and found that all classification rules achieve good results in general, with linear SVM providing the best performances (with a true skill statistic of ≈ 0.90. Additional information from magnetic field data systematically improves the performance across all four classifiers for the SPoCA detection. Since the calculation is inexpensive in computing time, this approach is well suited for applications on real-time data. This study demonstrates how a machine learning approach may help improve upon an unsupervised feature extraction method.

Measurements of coronal Faraday rotation at 4.6 R ☉

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kooi, Jason E.; Fischer, Patrick D.; Buffo, Jacob J.; Spangler, Steven R.

2014-01-01

Many competing models for the coronal heating and acceleration mechanisms of the high-speed solar wind depend on the solar magnetic field and plasma structure in the corona within heliocentric distances of 5 R ☉ . We report on sensitive Very Large Array (VLA) full-polarization observations made in 2011 August, at 5.0 and 6.1 GHz (each with a bandwidth of 128 MHz) of the radio galaxy 3C 228 through the solar corona at heliocentric distances of 4.6-5.0 R ☉ . Observations at 5.0 GHz permit measurements deeper in the corona than previous VLA observations at 1.4 and 1.7 GHz. These Faraday rotation observations provide unique information on the magnetic field in this region of the corona. The measured Faraday rotation on this day was lower than our a priori expectations, but we have successfully modeled the measurement in terms of observed properties of the corona on the day of observation. Our data on 3C 228 provide two lines of sight (separated by 46'', 33,000 km in the corona). We detected three periods during which there appeared to be a difference in the Faraday rotation measure between these two closely spaced lines of sight. These measurements (termed differential Faraday rotation) yield an estimate of 2.6-4.1 GA for coronal currents. Our data also allow us to impose upper limits on rotation measure fluctuations caused by coronal waves; the observed upper limits were 3.3 and 6.4 rad m –2 along the two lines of sight. The implications of these results for Joule heating and wave heating are briefly discussed.

Designing magnets with prescribed magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Liping

2011-01-01

We present a novel design method capable of finding the magnetization densities that generate prescribed magnetic fields. The method is based on the solution to a simple variational inequality and the resulting designs have simple piecewise-constant magnetization densities. By this method, we obtain new designs of magnets that generate commonly used magnetic fields: uniform magnetic fields, self-shielding fields, quadrupole fields and sextupole fields. Further, it is worth noting that this method is not limited to the presented examples, and in particular, three-dimensional designs can be constructed in a similar manner. In conclusion, this novel design method is anticipated to have broad applications where specific magnetic fields are important for the performance of the devices.

Interstellar Matters: Neutral Hydrogen and the Galactic Magnetic Field

Science.gov (United States)

Verschuur, Gerrit; Schmelz, Joan T.; Asgari-Targhi asgari-Targhi, M.

2018-01-01

The physics of the interstellar medium was revolutionized by the observations of the Galactic Arecibo L-Band Feed Array (GALFA) HI survey done at the Arecibo Observatory. The high-resolution, high-sensitivity, high-dynamic- range images show complex, tangled, extended filaments, and reveal that the fabric of the neutral interstellar medium is deeply tied to the structure of the ambient magnetic field. This discovery prompts an obvious question – how exactly is the interstellar {\\it neutral} hydrogen being affected by the galactic magnetic field? We look into this question by examining a set of GALFA-HI data in great detail. We have chosen a long, straight filament in the southern galactic sky. This structure is both close by and isolated in velocity space. Gaussian analysis of profiles both along and across the filament reveal internal structure – braided strands that can be traced through the simplest part, but become tangled in more complex segments. These braids do not resemble in any way the old spherical HI clouds and rudimentary pressure balance models that were used to explain the pre-GALFA- HI interstellar medium. It is clear that these structures are created, constrained, and dominated by magnetic fields. Like many subfields of astronomy before it, e.g., physics of the solar coronal, extragalactic radio jets, and pulsar environment, scientists are confronted with observations that simply cannot be explained by simple hydrodynamics and are forced to consider magneto-hydrodynamics.

FRiED: A NOVEL THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODEL OF CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isavnin, A.

2016-01-01

We present a novel three-dimensional (3D) model of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that unifies all key evolutionary aspects of CMEs and encapsulates their 3D magnetic field configuration. This fully analytic model is capable of reproducing the global geometrical shape of a CME with all major deformations taken into account, i.e., deflection, rotation, expansion, “pancaking,” front flattening, and rotational skew. Encapsulation of 3D magnetic structure allows the model to reproduce in-situ measurements of magnetic field for trajectories of spacecraft-CME encounters of any degree of complexity. As such, the model can be used single-handedly for the consistent analysis of both remote and in-situ observations of CMEs at any heliocentric distance. We demonstrate the latter by successfully applying the model for the analysis of two CMEs.

Solar magnetism eXplorer (SolmeX). Exploring the magnetic field in the upper atmosphere of our closest star

Science.gov (United States)

Peter, Hardi; Abbo, L.; Andretta, V.; Auchère, F.; Bemporad, A.; Berrilli, F.; Bommier, V.; Braukhane, A.; Casini, R.; Curdt, W.; Davila, J.; Dittus, H.; Fineschi, S.; Fludra, A.; Gandorfer, A.; Griffin, D.; Inhester, B.; Lagg, A.; Landi Degl'Innocenti, E.; Maiwald, V.; Sainz, R. Manso; Martínez Pillet, V; Matthews, S.; Moses, D.; Parenti, S.; Pietarila, A.; Quantius, D.; Raouafi, N.-E.; Raymond, J.; Rochus, P.; Romberg, O.; Schlotterer, M.; Schühle, U.; Solanki, S.; Spadaro, D.; Teriaca, L.; Tomczyk, S.; Trujillo Bueno, J.; Vial, J.-C.

2012-04-01

The magnetic field plays a pivotal role in many fields of Astrophysics. This is especially true for the physics of the solar atmosphere. Measuring the magnetic field in the upper solar atmosphere is crucial to understand the nature of the underlying physical processes that drive the violent dynamics of the solar corona—that can also affect life on Earth. SolmeX, a fully equipped solar space observatory for remote-sensing observations, will provide the first comprehensive measurements of the strength and direction of the magnetic field in the upper solar atmosphere. The mission consists of two spacecraft, one carrying the instruments, and another one in formation flight at a distance of about 200 m carrying the occulter to provide an artificial total solar eclipse. This will ensure high-quality coronagraphic observations above the solar limb. SolmeX integrates two spectro-polarimetric coronagraphs for off-limb observations, one in the EUV and one in the IR, and three instruments for observations on the disk. The latter comprises one imaging polarimeter in the EUV for coronal studies, a spectro-polarimeter in the EUV to investigate the low corona, and an imaging spectro-polarimeter in the UV for chromospheric studies. SOHO and other existing missions have investigated the emission of the upper atmosphere in detail (not considering polarization), and as this will be the case also for missions planned for the near future. Therefore it is timely that SolmeX provides the final piece of the observational quest by measuring the magnetic field in the upper atmosphere through polarimetric observations.

MAXIMIZING MAGNETIC ENERGY STORAGE IN THE SOLAR CORONA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolfson, Richard; Drake, Christina; Kennedy, Max

2012-01-01

The energy that drives solar eruptive events such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) almost certainly originates in coronal magnetic fields. Such energy may build up gradually on timescales of days or longer before its sudden release in an eruptive event, and the presence of free magnetic energy capable of rapid release requires nonpotential magnetic fields and associated electric currents. For magnetic energy to power a CME, that energy must be sufficient to open the magnetic field to interplanetary space, to lift the ejecta against solar gravity, and to accelerate the material to speeds of typically several hundred km s –1 . Although CMEs are large-scale structures, many originate from relatively compact active regions on the solar surface—suggesting that magnetic energy storage may be enhanced when it takes place in smaller magnetic structures. This paper builds on our earlier work exploring energy storage in large-scale dipolar and related bipolar magnetic fields. Here we consider two additional cases: quadrupolar fields and concentrated magnetic bipoles intended to simulate active regions. Our models yield stored energies whose excess over that of the corresponding open field state can be greater than 100% of the associated potential field energy; this contrasts with maximum excess energies of only about 20% for dipolar and symmetric bipolar configurations. As in our previous work, energy storage is enhanced when we surround a nonpotential field with a strong overlying potential field that acts to 'hold down' the nonpotential flux as its magnetic energy increases.

Small Coronal Holes Near Active Regions as Sources of Slow Solar Wind

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Y.-M., E-mail: yi.wang@nrl.navy.mil [Space Science Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 (United States)

2017-06-01

We discuss the nature of the small areas of rapidly diverging, open magnetic flux that form in the strong unipolar fields at the peripheries of active regions (ARs), according to coronal extrapolations of photospheric field measurements. Because such regions usually have dark counterparts in extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) images, we refer to them as coronal holes, even when they appear as narrow lanes or contain sunspots. Revisiting previously identified “AR sources” of slow solar wind from 1998 and 1999, we find that they are all associated with EUV coronal holes; the absence of well-defined He i 1083.0 nm counterparts to some of these holes is attributed to the large flux of photoionizing radiation from neighboring AR loops. Examining a number of AR-associated EUV holes during the 2014 activity maximum, we confirm that they are characterized by wind speeds of ∼300–450 km s{sup −1}, O{sup 7+}/O{sup 6+} ratios of ∼0.05–0.4, and footpoint field strengths typically of order 30 G. The close spacing between ARs at sunspot maximum limits the widths of unipolar regions and their embedded holes, while the continual emergence of new flux leads to rapid changes in the hole boundaries. Because of the highly nonradial nature of AR fields, the smaller EUV holes are often masked by the overlying canopy of loops, and may be more visible toward one solar limb than at central meridian. As sunspot activity declines, the AR remnants merge to form much larger, weaker, and longer-lived unipolar regions, which harbor the “classical” coronal holes that produce recurrent high-speed streams.

Magnetic Field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Nils

2015-01-01

he Earth has a large and complicated magnetic field, the major part of which is produced by a self-sustaining dynamo operating in the fluid outer core. Magnetic field observations provide one of the few tools for remote sensing the Earth’s deep interior, especially regarding the dynamics...... of the fluid flow at the top of the core. However, what is measured at or near the surface of the Earth is the superposition of the core field and fields caused by magnetized rocks in the Earth’s crust, by electric currents flowing in the ionosphere, magnetosphere, and oceans, and by currents induced...... in the Earth by time-varying external fields. These sources have their specific characteristics in terms of spatial and temporal variations, and their proper separation, based on magnetic measurements, is a major challenge. Such a separation is a prerequisite for remote sensing by means of magnetic field...

A small-scale eruption leading to a blowout macrospicule jet in an on-disk coronal hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, Mitzi; Sterling, Alphonse C.; Moore, Ronald L.; Gary, G. Allen

2014-01-01

We examine the three-dimensional magnetic structure and dynamics of a solar EUV-macrospicule jet that occurred on 2011 February 27 in an on-disk coronal hole. The observations are from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and the SDO Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI). The observations reveal that in this event, closed-field-carrying cool absorbing plasma, as in an erupting mini-filament, erupted and opened, forming a blowout jet. Contrary to some jet models, there was no substantial recently emerged, closed, bipolar-magnetic field in the base of the jet. Instead, over several hours, flux convergence and cancellation at the polarity inversion line inside an evolved arcade in the base apparently destabilized the entire arcade, including its cool-plasma-carrying core field, to undergo a blowout eruption in the manner of many standard-sized, arcade-blowout eruptions that produce a flare and coronal mass ejection. Internal reconnection made bright 'flare' loops over the polarity inversion line inside the blowing-out arcade field, and external reconnection of the blowing-out arcade field with an ambient open field made longer and dimmer EUV loops on the outside of the blowing-out arcade. That the loops made by the external reconnection were much larger than the loops made by the internal reconnection makes this event a new variety of blowout jet, a variety not recognized in previous observations and models of blowout jets.

A small-scale eruption leading to a blowout macrospicule jet in an on-disk coronal hole

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adams, Mitzi; Sterling, Alphonse C.; Moore, Ronald L. [Space Science Office, ZP13, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 35812 (United States); Gary, G. Allen, E-mail: mitzi.adams@nasa.gov, E-mail: alphonse.sterling@nasa.gov, E-mail: ron.moore@nasa.gov, E-mail: gag0002@uah.edu [Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA. (United States)

2014-03-01

We examine the three-dimensional magnetic structure and dynamics of a solar EUV-macrospicule jet that occurred on 2011 February 27 in an on-disk coronal hole. The observations are from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and the SDO Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI). The observations reveal that in this event, closed-field-carrying cool absorbing plasma, as in an erupting mini-filament, erupted and opened, forming a blowout jet. Contrary to some jet models, there was no substantial recently emerged, closed, bipolar-magnetic field in the base of the jet. Instead, over several hours, flux convergence and cancellation at the polarity inversion line inside an evolved arcade in the base apparently destabilized the entire arcade, including its cool-plasma-carrying core field, to undergo a blowout eruption in the manner of many standard-sized, arcade-blowout eruptions that produce a flare and coronal mass ejection. Internal reconnection made bright 'flare' loops over the polarity inversion line inside the blowing-out arcade field, and external reconnection of the blowing-out arcade field with an ambient open field made longer and dimmer EUV loops on the outside of the blowing-out arcade. That the loops made by the external reconnection were much larger than the loops made by the internal reconnection makes this event a new variety of blowout jet, a variety not recognized in previous observations and models of blowout jets.

FORMATION OF CORONAL HOLES ON THE ASHES OF ACTIVE REGIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karachik, Nina V.; Pevtsov, Alexei A.; Abramenko, Valentyna I.

2010-01-01

We investigate the formation of isolated non-polar coronal holes (CHs) on the remnants of decaying active regions (ARs) at the minimum/early ascending phase of sunspot activity. We follow the evolution of four bipolar ARs and measure several parameters of their magnetic fields including total flux, imbalance, and compactness. As regions decay, their leading and following polarities exhibit different dissipation rates: loose polarity tends to dissipate faster than compact polarity. As a consequence, we see a gradual increase in flux imbalance inside a dissipating bipolar region, and later a formation of a CH in place of more compact magnetic flux. Out of four cases studied in detail, two CHs had formed at the following polarity of the decaying bipolar AR, and two CHs had developed in place of the leading polarity field. All four CHs contain a significant fraction of magnetic field of their corresponding AR. Using potential field extrapolation, we show that the magnetic field lines of these CHs were closed on the polar CH at the North, which at the time of the events was in imbalance with the polar CH at the South. This topology suggests that the observed phenomenon may play an important role in transformation of toroidal magnetic field to poloidal field, which is a key step in transitioning from an old solar cycle to a new one. The timing of this observed transition may indicate the end of solar cycle 23 and the beginning of cycle 24.

Probing Twisted Magnetic Field Using Microwave Observations in an M Class Solar Flare on 11 February, 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Sharykin, I. N.; Kuznetsov, A. A.; Myshyakov, I. I.

2018-02-01

This work demonstrates the possibility of magnetic-field topology investigations using microwave polarimetric observations. We study a solar flare of GOES M1.7 class that occurred on 11 February, 2014. This flare revealed a clear signature of spatial inversion of the radio-emission polarization sign. We show that the observed polarization pattern can be explained by nonthermal gyrosynchrotron emission from the twisted magnetic structure. Using observations of the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager, Nobeyama Radio Observatory, Radio Solar Telescope Network, and Solar Dynamics Observatory, we have determined the parameters of nonthermal electrons and thermal plasma and identified the magnetic structure where the flare energy release occurred. To reconstruct the coronal magnetic field, we use nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) and potential magnetic-field approaches. Radio emission of nonthermal electrons is simulated by the GX Simulator code using the extrapolated magnetic field and the parameters of nonthermal electrons and thermal plasma inferred from the observations; the model radio maps and spectra are compared with observations. We have found that the potential-magnetic-field approach fails to explain the observed circular polarization pattern; on the other hand, the Stokes-V map is successfully explained by assuming nonthermal electrons to be distributed along the twisted magnetic structure determined by the NLFFF extrapolation approach. Thus, we show that the radio-polarization maps can be used for diagnosing the topology of the flare magnetic structures where nonthermal electrons are injected.

Image-based reconstruction of the Newtonian dynamics of solar coronal ejecta

Science.gov (United States)

Uritsky, Vadim M.; Thompson, Barbara J.

2016-10-01

We present a new methodology for analyzing rising and falling dynamics of unstable coronal material as represented by high-cadence SDO AIA images. The technique involves an adaptive spatiotemporal tracking of propagating intensity gradients and their characterization in terms of time-evolving areas swept out by the position vector originated from the Sun disk center. The measured values of the areal velocity and acceleration are used to obtain quantitative information on the angular momentum and acceleration along the paths of the rising and falling coronal plasma. In the absence of other forces, solar gravitation results in purely ballistic motions consistent with the Kepler's second law; non-central forces such as the Lorentz force introduce non-zero torques resulting in more complex motions. The developed algorithms enable direct evaluation of the line-of-sight component of the net torque applied to a unit mass of the ejected coronal material which is proportional to the image-plane projection of the observed areal acceleration. The current implementation of the method cannot reliably distinguish torque modulations caused by the coronal force field from those imposed by abrupt changes of plasma mass density and nontrivial projection effects. However, it can provide valid observational constraints on the evolution of large-scale unstable magnetic topologies driving major solar-coronal eruptions as demonstrated in the related talk by B. Thompson et al.

Origin of the Sheared Magnetic Fields that Erupt in Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Ronald L.; Sterling, Alphonse C.

2006-01-01

From a search of the Yohkoh/SXT whole-Sun movie in the years 2000 and 2001, we found 37 flare-arcade events for which there were full-disk magnetograms from SOHO/MDI, coronagraph movies from SOHO/LASCO, and before and after full-disk chromospheric images from SOHOBIT and/or from ground-based observatories. For each event, the observations show or strongly imply that the flare arcade was produced in the usual way by the eruption of sheared core field (as a flux rope) from along the neutral line inside a mature bipolar magnetic arcade. Two-thirds (25) of these arcades had the normal leading-trailing magnetic polarity arrangement of the active regions in the hemisphere of the arcade, but the other third (12) had reversed polarity, their leading flux being the trailing-polarity remnant of one or more old active regions and their trailing flux being the leading-polarity remnant of one or more other old active regions. From these observations, we conclude: (1) The sheared core field in a reversed-polarity arcade must be formed by processes in and above the photosphere, not by the emergence of a twisted flux rope bodily from below the photosphere. (2) The sheared core fields in the normal-polarity arcades were basically the same as those in the reversed-polarity arcades: both showed similar sigmoidal form and produced similar explosions (similar flares and CMEs). (3) Hence, the sheared core fields in normal-polarity mature arcades are likely formed mainly by the same processes as in reversed-polarity arcades. (4) These processes should be discernible in high-resolution magnetogram sequences and movies of the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona such those to come from Solar-B

MHD modeling of coronal loops: the transition region throat

Science.gov (United States)

Guarrasi, M.; Reale, F.; Orlando, S.; Mignone, A.; Klimchuk, J. A.

2014-04-01

Context. The expansion of coronal loops in the transition region may considerably influence the diagnostics of the plasma emission measure. The cross-sectional area of the loops is expected to depend on the temperature and pressure, and might be sensitive to the heating rate. Aims: The approach here is to study the area response to slow changes in the coronal heating rate, and check the current interpretation in terms of steady heating models. Methods: We study the area response with a time-dependent 2D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) loop model, including the description of the expanding magnetic field, coronal heating and losses by thermal conduction, and radiation from optically thin plasma. We run a simulation for a loop 50 Mm long and quasi-statically heated to about 4 MK. Results: We find that the area can change substantially with the quasi-steady heating rate, e.g., by ~40% at 0.5 MK as the loop temperature varies between 1 MK and 4 MK, and, therefore, affects the interpretation of the differential emission measure vs. temperature (DEM(T)) curves. The movie associated to Fig. 4 is available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

COMPARISON OF CORONAL EXTRAPOLATION METHODS FOR CYCLE 24 USING HMI DATA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arden, William M. [University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland (Australia); Norton, Aimee A.; Sun, Xudong; Zhao, Xuepu [Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States)

2016-05-20

Two extrapolation models of the solar coronal magnetic field are compared using magnetogram data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory /Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager instrument. The two models, a horizontal current–current sheet–source surface (HCCSSS) model and a potential field–source surface (PFSS) model, differ in their treatment of coronal currents. Each model has its own critical variable, respectively, the radius of a cusp surface and a source surface, and it is found that adjusting these heights over the period studied allows for a better fit between the models and the solar open flux at 1 au as calculated from the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF). The HCCSSS model provides the better fit for the overall period from 2010 November to 2015 May as well as for two subsets of the period: the minimum/rising part of the solar cycle and the recently identified peak in the IMF from mid-2014 to mid-2015 just after solar maximum. It is found that an HCCSSS cusp surface height of 1.7 R {sub ⊙} provides the best fit to the IMF for the overall period, while 1.7 and 1.9 R {sub ⊙} give the best fits for the two subsets. The corresponding values for the PFSS source surface height are 2.1, 2.2, and 2.0 R {sub ⊙} respectively. This means that the HCCSSS cusp surface rises as the solar cycle progresses while the PFSS source surface falls.

MAGNETIC FIELD MEASUREMENTS FOR FAST-CHANGING MAGNETIC FIELDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

Several recent applications for fast ramped magnets have been found that require rapid measurement of the field quality during the ramp. (In one instance, accelerator dipoles will be ramped at 1 T/sec, with measurements needed to the accuracy typically required for accelerators.) We have built and tested a new type of magnetic field measuring system to meet this need. The system consists of 16 stationary pickup windings mounted on a cylinder. The signals induced in the windings in a changing magnetic field are sampled and analyzed to obtain the field harmonics. To minimize costs, printed circuit boards were used for the pickup windings and a combination of amplifiers and ADPs used for the voltage readout system. New software was developed for the analysis. Magnetic field measurements of a model dipole developed for the SIS200 accelerator at GSI are presented. The measurements are needed to insure that eddy currents induced by the fast ramps do not impact the field quality needed for successful accelerator operation

INTERVALS OF RADIAL INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS AT 1 AU, THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH RAREFACTION REGIONS, AND THEIR APPARENT MAGNETIC FOOT POINTS AT THE SUN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orlove, Steven T.; Smith, Charles W.; Vasquez, Bernard J.; Schwadron, Nathan A. [Physics Department and Space Science Center, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States); Skoug, Ruth M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, MS D466, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Zurbuchen, Thomas H.; Zhao Liang, E-mail: stx33@wildcats.unh.edu, E-mail: Charles.Smith@unh.edu, E-mail: Bernie.Vasquez@unh.edu, E-mail: N.Schwadron@unh.edu, E-mail: rskoug@lanl.gov, E-mail: thomasz@umich.edu, E-mail: lzh@umich.edu [Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

2013-09-01

We have examined 226 intervals of nearly radial interplanetary magnetic field orientations at 1 AU lasting in excess of 6 hr. They are found within rarefaction regions as are the previously reported high-latitude observations. We show that these rarefactions typically do not involve high-speed wind such as that seen by Ulysses at high latitudes during solar minimum. We have examined both the wind speeds and the thermal ion composition before, during and after the rarefaction in an effort to establish the source of the flow that leads to the formation of the rarefaction. We find that the bulk of the measurements, both fast- and slow-wind intervals, possess both wind speeds and thermal ion compositions that suggest they come from typical low-latitude sources that are nominally considered slow-wind sources. In other words, we find relatively little evidence of polar coronal hole sources even when we examine the faster wind ahead of the rarefaction regions. While this is in contrast to high-latitude observations, we argue that this is to be expected of low-latitude observations where polar coronal hole sources are less prevalent. As with the previous high-latitude observations, we contend that the best explanation for these periods of radial magnetic field is interchange reconnection between two sources of different wind speed.

New techniques for the characterisation of dynamical phenomena in solar coronal images

Science.gov (United States)

Robbrecht, E.

2007-02-01

During a total solar eclipse, a narrow strip of the Earth's surface is shielded completely by the Moon from the disk of the Sun. In this strip, the corona appears crown-like around the shade of the Moon. It was uncertain until the middle of the 20th century whether the corona was a solar phenomenon or if it was related to the Moon or whether it represented an artifact produced by the Earth's atmosphere. The answer to this question was provided by Grotrian (1939) and Edlèn (1942). Based on studies of iron emission lines, they suggested that the surface of the Sun is surrounded by a hot tenuous gas having a temperature of million degrees Kelvin and thus in a state of high ionization. This discovery was a result from spectroscopy, a field of research which started in 1666 with Sir Isaac Newton's observations of sunlight, dispersed by a prism. It is now clear that the hot solar corona is made of a low density plasma, highly structured by the magnetic field on length scales ranging from the Sun's diameter to the limit of angular resolution (e.g. Démoulin and Klein 2000). The need to resolve and study the corona down to such scales has determined a vigorous scientific and technological impulse toward the development of solar Ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray telescopes with high spatial and temporal resolution. With the advent of the satellite SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, see chapter 1), the picture of a quiet corona was definitely sent to the past. EUV (Extreme UV) image sequences of the lower solar corona revealed a finely structured medium constantly agitated by a wide variety of transients (e.g. Harrison 1998). Active regions consisting of large magnetic loops with enhanced temperature and density are observed, as well as "quiet" areas, coronal holes and numerous structures of different scales such as plumes, jets, spicules, X-ray bright points, blinkers, all structured by magnetic fields. Launched in 1998, the Transition Region And Coronal Explorer (TRACE

Evolution of magnetohydrodynamic waves in low layers of a coronal hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pucci, Francesco; Malara, Francesco; Onofri, Marco

2014-01-01

Although a coronal hole is permeated by a magnetic field with a dominant polarity, magnetograms reveal a more complex magnetic structure in the lowest layers, where several regions of opposite polarity of typical size of the order of 10 4 km are present. This can give rise to magnetic separatrices and neutral lines. MHD fluctuations generated at the base of the coronal hole by motions of the inner layer of the solar atmosphere may interact with such inhomogeneities, leading to the formation of small scales. This phenomenon is studied on a 2D model of a magnetic structure with an X-point, using 2D MHD numerical simulations. This model implements a method of characteristics for boundary conditions in the direction outer-pointing to Sun surface to simulate both wave injection and exit without reflection. Both Alfvénic and magnetosonic perturbations are considered, and they show very different phenomenology. In the former case, an anisotropic power-law spectrum forms with a dominance of perpendicular wavevectors at altitudes ∼10 4 km. Density fluctuations are generated near the X-point by Alfvén wave magnetic pressure and propagate along open fieldlines at a speed comparable to the local Alfvén velocity. An analysis of energy dissipation and heating caused by the formation of small scales for the Alfvénic case is presented. In the magnetosonic case, small scales form only around the X-point, where a phenomenon of oscillating magnetic reconnection is observed to be induced by the periodic deformation of the magnetic structure due to incoming waves.

Mid-term periodicities and heliospheric modulation of coronal index ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

PRITHVI RAJ SINGH

2018-03-06

Mar 6, 2018 ... long-term periodicity of ∼11 years, with different solar activities. The physical processes that occur inside the. Sun are reflected by a periodic character in terms of coronal index of coronal emission (Fe XIV 530.3 nm) during solar activity cycles. Recently, a link between the strength of photospheric magnetic ...

Kink Waves in Non-isothermal Stratified Solar Waveguides: Effect of the External Magnetic Field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopin, I. [Ussuriisk Astrophysical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences (Russian Federation); Nagorny, I., E-mail: lopin78@mail.ru [Institute of Automation and Control Processes FEB RAS, Vladivostok (Russian Federation)

2017-10-01

We study the effect of an external magnetic field on the properties of kink waves, propagating along a thin non-isothermal stratified and diverging magnetic flux tube. A wave equation, governing the propagation of kink waves under the adopted model is derived. It is shown that the vertical gradient of temperature introduces a spatially local cut-off frequency ω {sub c}. The vertical distribution of the cut-off frequency is calculated for the reference VAL-C model of the solar atmosphere and for different values of a ratio of external to internal magnetic fields. The results show that the cut-off frequency is negative below the temperature minimum due to the negative temperature gradient. In the chromosphere the cut-off frequency at a given height is smaller for a stronger external magnetic field. For the appropriate range of a ratio B{sub e} / B{sub i}  ≈ 0–0.8, the cutoff lies in the range ω{sub c}  ≈ 0.003–0.010 s{sup −1} (periods 600 < P{sub c} < 2000 s). The estimate of the cut-off frequency in the transition region is provided as well. In the propagating wave regime, the effective wave energy flux in the non-isothermal diverging flux tubes is the same as in the straight and homogeneous cylindrical waveguides. The obtained wave equation in the limit β  = 0 is used to study the kink oscillations of non-isothermal coronal loops. It is found that the gradient of temperature along the coronal loops reduces the frequency ratio of the first overtone to the fundamental mode, i.e., ω{sub 2}/ ω{sub 1} < 2. This reduction grows for a larger ratio of temperature at the loop top to the temperature at the footpoints. Moreover, the effect of reduction is most pronounced for the steeper temperature profiles.

Physics of magnetic flux ropes. Geophysical Monograph, No. 58

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, C.T.; Priest, E.R.; Lee, L.C.

1990-01-01

The present work encompasses papers on the structure, waves, and instabilities of magnetic flux ropes (MFRs), photospheric flux tubes (PFTs), the structure and heating of coronal loops, solar prominences, coronal mass ejections and magnetic clouds, flux ropes in planetary ionospheres, the magnetopause, magnetospheric field-aligned currents and flux tubes, and the magnetotail. Attention is given to the equilibrium of MFRs, resistive instability, magnetic reconnection and turbulence in current sheets, dynamical effects and energy transport in intense flux tubes, waves in solar PFTs, twisted flux ropes in the solar corona, an electrodynamical model of solar flares, filament cooling and condensation in a sheared magnetic field, the magnetopause, the generation of twisted MFRs during magnetic reconnection, ionospheric flux ropes above the South Pole, substorms and MFR structures, evidence for flux ropes in the earth magnetotail, and MFRs in 3D MHD simulations

A comparison of solar wind streams and coronal structure near solar minimum

Science.gov (United States)

Nolte, J. T.; Davis, J. M.; Gerassimenko, M.; Lazarus, A. J.; Sullivan, J. D.

1977-01-01

Solar wind data from the MIT detectors on the IMP 7 and 8 satellites and the SOLRAD 11B satellite for the solar-minimum period September-December, 1976, were compared with X-ray images of the solar corona taken by rocket-borne telescopes on September 16 and November 17, 1976. There was no compelling evidence that a coronal hole was the source of any high speed stream. Thus it is possible that either coronal holes were not the sources of all recurrent high-speed solar wind streams during the declining phase of the solar cycle, as might be inferred from the Skylab period, or there was a change in the appearance of some magnetic field regions near the time of solar minimum.

Fitting and Reconstruction of Thirteen Simple Coronal Mass Ejections

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Haddad, Nada; Nieves-Chinchilla, Teresa; Savani, Neel P.; Lugaz, Noé; Roussev, Ilia I.

2018-05-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the main drivers of geomagnetic disturbances, but the effects of their interaction with Earth's magnetic field depend on their magnetic configuration and orientation. Fitting and reconstruction techniques have been developed to determine important geometrical and physical CME properties, such as the orientation of the CME axis, the CME size, and its magnetic flux. In many instances, there is disagreement between different methods but also between fitting from in situ measurements and reconstruction based on remote imaging. This could be due to the geometrical or physical assumptions of the models, but also to the fact that the magnetic field inside CMEs is only measured at one point in space as the CME passes over a spacecraft. In this article we compare three methods that are based on different assumptions for measurements by the Wind spacecraft for 13 CMEs from 1997 to 2015. These CMEs are selected from the interplanetary coronal mass ejections catalog on https://wind.nasa.gov/ICMEindex.php https://wind.nasa.gov/ICMEindex.php" TargetType="URL"/> because of their simplicity in terms of: 1) slow expansion speed throughout the CME and 2) weak asymmetry in the magnetic field profile. This makes these 13 events ideal candidates for comparing codes that do not include expansion or distortion. We find that for these simple events, the codes are in relatively good agreement in terms of the CME axis orientation for six of the 13 events. Using the Grad-Shafranov technique, we can determine the shape of the cross-section, which is assumed to be circular for the other two models, a force-free fitting and a circular-cylindrical non force-free fitting. Five of the events are found to have a clear circular cross-section, even when this is not a precondition of the reconstruction. We make an initial attempt at evaluating the adequacy of the different assumptions for these simple CMEs. The conclusion of this work strongly suggests that attempts

Proton radiography of dynamic electric and magnetic fields in laser-produced high-energy-density plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, C. K.; Seguin, F. H.; Frenje, J. A.; Manuel, M.; Casey, D.; Sinenian, N.; Petrasso, R. D.; Amendt, P. A.; Landen, O. L.; Rygg, J. R.; Town, R. P. J.; Betti, R.; Meyerhofer, D. D.; Delettrez, J.; Knauer, J. P.; Marshall, F.; Sangster, T. C.; Smalyuk, V. A.; Soures, J. M.; Shvarts, D.

2009-01-01

Time-gated, monoenergetic-proton radiography provides unique measurements of the electric (E) and magnetic (B) fields produced in laser-foil interactions and during the implosion of inertial-confinement-fusion capsules. These experiments resulted in the first observations of several new and important features: (1) observations of the generation, decay dynamics, and instabilities of megagauss B fields in laser-driven planar plastic foils, (2) the observation of radial E fields inside an imploding capsule, which are initially directed inward, reverse direction during deceleration, and are likely related to the evolution of the electron pressure gradient, and (3) the observation of many radial filaments with complex electromagnetic field striations in the expanding coronal plasmas surrounding the capsule. The physics behind and implications of such observed fields are discussed.

Modeling Coronal Mass Ejections with EUHFORIA: A Parameter Study of the Gibson-Low Flux Rope Model using Multi-Viewpoint Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Verbeke, C.; Asvestari, E.; Scolini, C.; Pomoell, J.; Poedts, S.; Kilpua, E.

2017-12-01

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are one of the big influencers on the coronal and interplanetary dynamics. Understanding their origin and evolution from the Sun to the Earth is crucial in order to determine the impact on our Earth and society. One of the key parameters that determine the geo-effectiveness of the coronal mass ejection is its internal magnetic configuration. We present a detailed parameter study of the Gibson-Low flux rope model. We focus on changes in the input parameters and how these changes affect the characteristics of the CME at Earth. Recently, the Gibson-Low flux rope model has been implemented into the inner heliosphere model EUHFORIA, a magnetohydrodynamics forecasting model of large-scale dynamics from 0.1 AU up to 2 AU. Coronagraph observations can be used to constrain the kinematics and morphology of the flux rope. One of the key parameters, the magnetic field, is difficult to determine directly from observations. In this work, we approach the problem by conducting a parameter study in which flux ropes with varying magnetic configurations are simulated. We then use the obtained dataset to look for signatures in imaging observations and in-situ observations in order to find an empirical way of constraining the parameters related to the magnetic field of the flux rope. In particular, we focus on events observed by at least two spacecraft (STEREO + L1) in order to discuss the merits of using observations from multiple viewpoints in constraining the parameters.

Determination of plasma parameters from soft X-ray images for coronal holes /open magnetic field configurations/ and coronal large-scale structures /extended closed-field configurations/

Science.gov (United States)

Maxson, C. W.; Vaiana, G. S.

1977-01-01

In connection with high-quality solar soft X-ray images the 'quiet' features of the inner corona have been separated into two sharply different components, including the strongly reduced emission areas or coronal holes (CH) and the extended regions of looplike emission features or large-scale structures (LSS). Particular central meridian passage observations of the prominent CH1 on August 21, 1973, are selected for a quantitative study. Histogram photographic density distributions for full-disk images at other central meridian passages of CH 1 are also presented, and the techniques of converting low photographic density data to deposited energy are discussed, with particular emphasis on the problems associated with the CH data.

Effect of ballooning modes on thermal transport and magnetic field diffusion in the solar corona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strauss, H.R.

1989-01-01

Presently favored mechanisms of coronal heating: current sheet dissipation and Alfven wave resonant heating: deposit heat in thin layers. Classical thermal conduction cannot explain how heat is transported across the magnetic field. If heating occurs in thin layers, large pressure gradients can be created, which can give rise to ballooning modes. These instabilities are caused by the pressure gradient and the curvature of the magnetic field, and are stabilized by magnetic tension. The modes are broad band in wavelength and should produce turbulence. A mixing length expression for the turbulent heat transport shows that it is more than adequate to rapidly convect heat into much broader layers. Furthermore, the turbulent resistivity implies that heating occurs over most of the width of these broadened layers. The broadening also implies that much shorter time scales are required for heating. The β values in the corona suggest that 1--10 turbulent layers are formed in typical loop or arch structures. copyright American Geophysical Union 1989

Trapped field recovery of bulk superconductor magnets by static field magnetization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng, Z., E-mail: zigang@kaiyodai.ac.jp [Laboratory of Applied Physics, Department of Marine Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo 135-8533 (Japan); Tsuzuki, K.; Miki, M.; Felder, B.; Hara, S.; Izumi, M. [Laboratory of Applied Physics, Department of Marine Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo 135-8533 (Japan)

2011-11-15

A series of initial trapped fields after ZFC or FC magnetization are used to simulate the attenuated trapped field. It is possible and easy to recover the lost trapped field and regain the best trapped field performance as before. In the re-magnetization process, the initial magnetic flux inside the bulk magnets will help to recover the trapped field. The optimum recovery field is recommended to be 2.5 times the saturation field of the bulk at LN2 temperature. Thanks to the trapped field of bulk high-temperature superconductors, they can be used as field-pole magnets in the high temperature superconducting (HTS) rotating machines. For example, an output power of 10 kW at 720 rpm was realized by an average trapped field of 0.56 T of eight melt-textured GdBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub y} (Gd-123) bulks at liquid nitrogen temperature in TUMSAT in 2004. Similarly to the HTS machines involving 1G or 2G wires, the trapped field of the bulk is possibly sensitive and even can be attenuated by the AC component field during the operation. Hence, it is necessary to recover the trapped field once being decreased to some extent in the practical application. From this point, we have investigated the trapped field recovery of HTS bulk magnets by static field magnetization in the paper. A series of different initial trapped fields after zero-field-cooling or field-cooling magnetization are used to simulate the attenuated trapped field. By comparing the trapped field peak and its distribution, the trapped field was found to be able to recover by the static field magnetization method with a stronger excitation field and the initial trapped flux inside the bulk also has an influence on the recovery process. The optimum recovery field was found to be about 2.5 times the saturated trapped field of the bulk at liquid nitrogen temperature, by which the bulk can regain the former best trapped field performance.

STEREO Observations of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections in 2007–2016

Science.gov (United States)

Jian, L. K.; Russell, C. T.; Luhmann, J. G.; Galvin, A. B.

2018-03-01

We have conducted a survey of 341 interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) using STEREO A/B data, analyzing their properties while extending a Level 3 product through 2016. Among the 192 ICMEs with distinguishable sheath region and magnetic obstacle, the magnetic field maxima in the two regions are comparable, and the dynamic pressure peaks mostly in the sheath. The north/south direction of the magnetic field does not present any clear relationship between the sheath region and the magnetic obstacle. About 71% of ICMEs are expanding at 1 au, and their expansion speed varies roughly linearly with their maximum speed except for ICMEs faster than 700 km s‑1. The total pressure generally peaks near the middle of the well-defined magnetic cloud (MC) passage, while it often declines along with the non-MC ICME passage, consistent with our previous interpretation concerning the effects of sampling geometry on what is observed. The hourly average iron charge state reaches above 12+ ∼31% of the time for MCs, ∼16% of the time for non-MC ICMEs, and ∼1% of the time for non-ICME solar wind. In four ICMEs abrupt deviations of the magnetic field from the nominal field rotations occur in the magnetic obstacles, coincident with a brief drop or increase in field strength—features could be related to the interaction with dust. In comparison with the similar phases of solar cycle 23, the STEREO ICMEs in this cycle occur less often and are generally weaker and slower, although their field and pressure compressions weaken less than the background solar wind.

OBSERVING THE FINE STRUCTURE OF LOOPS THROUGH HIGH-RESOLUTION SPECTROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS OF CORONAL RAIN WITH THE CRISP INSTRUMENT AT THE SWEDISH SOLAR TELESCOPE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antolin, P.; Rouppe van der Voort, L.

2012-01-01

Observed in cool chromospheric lines, such as Hα or Ca II H, coronal rain corresponds to cool and dense plasma falling from coronal heights. Considered as a peculiar sporadic phenomenon of active regions, it has not received much attention since its discovery more than 40 years ago. Yet, it has been shown recently that a close relationship exists between this phenomenon and the coronal heating mechanism. Indeed, numerical simulations have shown that this phenomenon is most likely due to a loss of thermal equilibrium ensuing from a heating mechanism acting mostly toward the footpoints of loops. We present here one of the first high-resolution spectroscopic observations of coronal rain, performed with the CRisp Imaging Spectro Polarimeter (CRISP) instrument at the Swedish Solar Telescope. This work constitutes the first attempt to assess the importance of coronal rain in the understanding of the coronal magnetic field in active regions. With the present resolution, coronal rain is observed to literally invade the entire field of view. A large statistical set is obtained in which dynamics (total velocities and accelerations), shapes (lengths and widths), trajectories (angles of fall of the blobs), and thermodynamic properties (temperatures) of the condensations are derived. Specifically, we find that coronal rain is composed of small and dense chromospheric cores with average widths and lengths of ∼310 km and ∼710 km, respectively, average temperatures below 7000 K, displaying a broad distribution of falling speeds with an average of ∼70 km s –1 , and accelerations largely below the effective gravity along loops. Through estimates of the ion-neutral coupling in the blobs we show that coronal rain acts as a tracer of the coronal magnetic field, thus supporting the multi-strand loop scenario, and acts as a probe of the local thermodynamic conditions in loops. We further elucidate its potential in coronal heating. We find that the cooling in neighboring strands

FORECASTING A CORONAL MASS EJECTION'S ALTERED TRAJECTORY: ForeCAT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kay, C.; Opher, M.; Evans, R. M.

2013-01-01

To predict whether a coronal mass ejection (CME) will impact Earth, the effects of the background on the CME's trajectory must be taken into account. We develop a model, ForeCAT (Forecasting a CME's Altered Trajectory), of CME deflection due to magnetic forces. ForeCAT includes CME expansion, a three-part propagation model, and the effects of drag on the CME's deflection. Given the background solar wind conditions, the launch site of the CME, and the properties of the CME (mass, final propagation speed, initial radius, and initial magnetic strength), ForeCAT predicts the deflection of the CME. Two different magnetic backgrounds are considered: a scaled background based on type II radio burst profiles and a potential field source surface (PFSS) background. For a scaled background where the CME is launched from an active region located between a coronal hole and streamer region, the strong magnetic gradients cause a deflection of 8.°1 in latitude and 26.°4 in longitude for a 10 15 g CME propagating out to 1 AU. Using the PFSS background, which captures the variation of the streamer belt (SB) position with height, leads to a deflection of 1.°6 in latitude and 4.°1 in longitude for the control case. Varying the CME's input parameters within observed ranges leads to the majority of CMEs reaching the SB within the first few solar radii. For these specific backgrounds, the SB acts like a potential well that forces the CME into an equilibrium angular position

The X-ray signature of solar coronal mass

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, R. A.; Waggett, P. W.; Bentley, R. D.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Bruner, M.

1985-01-01

The coronal response to six solar X-ray flares has been investigated. At a time coincident with the projected onset of the white-light coronal mass ejection associated with each flare, there is a small, discrete soft X-ray enhancement. These enhancements (precursors) precede by typically about 20 m the impulsive phase of the solar flare which is dominant by the time the coronal mass ejection has reached an altitude above 0.5 solar radii. Motions of hot X-ray emitting plasma, during the precursors, which may well be a signature of the mass ejection onsets, are identified. Further investigations have also revealed a second class of X-ray coronal transient, during the main phase of the flare. These appear to be associated with magnetic reconnection above post-flare loop systems.

Multi-spacecraft Observations of the Coronal and Interplanetary Evolution of a Solar Eruption Associated with Two Active Regions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Huidong; Liu, Ying D.; Wang, Rui; Zhao, Xiaowei; Zhu, Bei; Yang, Zhongwei, E-mail: liuxying@spaceweather.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Space Weather, National Space Science Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2017-05-10

We investigate the coronal and interplanetary evolution of a coronal mass ejection (CME) launched on 2010 September 4 from a source region linking two active regions (ARs), 11101 and 11103, using extreme ultraviolet imaging, magnetogram, white-light, and in situ observations from SDO , STEREO , SOHO , VEX , and Wind . A potential-field source-surface model is employed to examine the configuration of the coronal magnetic field surrounding the source region. The graduated cylindrical shell model and a triangulation method are applied to determine the kinematics of the CME in the corona and interplanetary space. From the remote sensing and in situ observations, we obtain some key results: (1) the CME was deflected in both the eastward and southward directions in the low corona by the magnetic pressure from the two ARs, and possibly interacted with another ejection, which caused that the CME arrived at VEX that was longitudinally distant from the source region; (2) although VEX was closer to the Sun, the observed and derived CME arrival times at VEX are not earlier than those at Wind , which suggests the importance of determining both the frontal shape and propagation direction of the CME in interplanetary space; and (3) the ICME was compressed in the radial direction while the longitudinal transverse size was extended.

Magnetic response to applied electrostatic field in external magnetic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adorno, T.C. [Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Fisica, Caixa Postal 66318, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); University of Florida, Department of Physics, Gainesville, FL (United States); Gitman, D.M. [Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Fisica, Caixa Postal 66318, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Tomsk State University, Department of Physics, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Shabad, A.E. [P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2014-04-15

We show, within QED and other possible nonlinear theories, that a static charge localized in a finite domain of space becomes a magnetic dipole, if it is placed in an external (constant and homogeneous) magnetic field in the vacuum. The magnetic moment is quadratic in the charge, depends on its size and is parallel to the external field, provided the charge distribution is at least cylindrically symmetric. This magneto-electric effect is a nonlinear response of the magnetized vacuum to an applied electrostatic field. Referring to the simple example of a spherically symmetric applied field, the nonlinearly induced current and its magnetic field are found explicitly throughout the space; the pattern of the lines of force is depicted, both inside and outside the charge, which resembles that of a standard solenoid of classical magnetostatics. (orig.)

Omnigenous magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stupakov, G.V.

1982-01-01

In omnigenous magnetic fields particles' drift surfaces coincide with plasma magnetic surfaces. In this paper we formulate equations of omnigenous magnetic fields in natural curvilinear coordinates. An analysis of fields which are omnigenous only in the paraxial approximation is presented. (author)

Features of solar wind streams on June 21-28, 2015 as a result of interactions between coronal mass ejections and recurrent streams from coronal holes

Science.gov (United States)

Shugay, Yu. S.; Slemzin, V. A.; Rod'kin, D. G.

2017-11-01

Coronal sources and parameters of solar wind streams during a strong and prolonged geomagnetic disturbance in June 2015 have been considered. Correspondence between coronal sources and solar wind streams at 1 AU has been determined using an analysis of solar images, catalogs of flares and coronal mass ejections, solar wind parameters including the ionic composition. The sources of disturbances in the considered period were a sequence of five coronal mass ejections that propagated along the recurrent solar wind streams from coronal holes. The observed differences from typical in magnetic and kinetic parameters of solar wind streams have been associated with the interactions of different types of solar wind. The ionic composition has proved to be a good additional marker for highlighting components in a mixture of solar wind streams, which can be associated with different coronal sources.

Calcium K-line network in coronal holes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marsh, K A [Hale Observatories, Pasadena, Calif. (USA)

1977-05-01

Microphotometry of calcium K-line photographs in the regions of polar coronal holes shows that the chromospheric network exterior to a hole has a slightly broader intensity distribution than that inside the hole itself, a fact which can be attributed to a greater number of bright network elements outside the hole. These bright elements presumably represent the enhanced network resulting from the dispersal of magnetic flux from old active regions, a hypothesis which is consistent with current ideas of coronal hole formation.

Nuclear magnetic resonance and earth magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1998-01-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance concerns nuclei whose spin is different from 0. These nuclei exposed to a magnetic field is comparable to a peg top spinning around its axis while being moved by a precession movement called Larmor precession. This article presents an experiment whose aim is to reveal nuclear magnetism of nuclei by observing Larmor precession phenomena due to the earth magnetic field. The earth magnetic field being too weak, it is necessary to increase the magnetization of the sample during a polarization phase. First the sample is submitted to a magnetic field B perpendicular to the earth magnetic field B 0 , then B is cut off and the nuclei move back to their equilibrium position by executing a precession movement due to B 0 field. (A.C.)

FAST CONTRACTION OF CORONAL LOOPS AT THE FLARE PEAK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Rui; Wang Haimin

2010-01-01

On 2005 September 8, a coronal loop overlying the active region NOAA 10808 was observed in TRACE 171 A to contract at ∼100 km s -1 at the peak of an X5.4-2B flare at 21:05 UT. Prior to the fast contraction, the loop underwent a much slower contraction at ∼6 km s -1 for about 8 minutes, initiating during the flare preheating phase. The sudden switch to fast contraction is presumably corresponding to the onset of the impulsive phase. The contraction resulted in the oscillation of a group of loops located below, with the period of about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the contracting loop exhibited a similar oscillatory pattern superimposed on the dominant downward motion. We suggest that the fast contraction reflects a suddenly reduced magnetic pressure underneath due either to (1) the eruption of magnetic structures located at lower altitudes or to (2) the rapid conversion of magnetic free energy in the flare core region. Electrons accelerated in the shrinking trap formed by the contracting loop can theoretically contribute to a late-phase hard X-ray burst, which is associated with Type IV radio emission. To complement the X5.4 flare which was probably confined, a similar event observed in SOHO/EIT 195 A on 2004 July 20 in an eruptive, M8.6 flare is briefly described, in which the contraction was followed by the expansion of the same loop leading up to a halo coronal mass ejection. These observations further substantiate the conjecture of coronal implosion and suggest coronal implosion as a new exciter mechanism for coronal loop oscillations.

Blowout Surge due to Interaction between a Solar Filament and Coronal Loops

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Haidong; Jiang, Yunchun; Yang, Jiayan; Yang, Bo; Xu, Zhe; Bi, Yi; Hong, Junchao; Chen, Hechao [Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 396 Yangfangwang, Guandu District, Kunming, 650216 (China); Qu, Zhining, E-mail: lhd@ynao.ac.cn [Department of Physics, School of Science, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong 643000 (China)

2017-06-20

We present an observation of the interaction between a filament and the outer spine-like loops that produces a blowout surge within one footpoint of large-scale coronal loops on 2015 February 6. Based the observation of the AIA 304 and 94 Å, the activated filament is initially embedded below a dome of a fan-spine configuration. Due to the ascending motion, the erupting filament reconnects with the outer spine-like field. We note that the material in the filament blows out along the outer spine-like field to form the surge with a wider spire, and a two-ribbon flare appears at the site of the filament eruption. In this process, small bright blobs appear at the interaction region and stream up along the outer spine-like field and down along the eastern fan-like field. As a result, a leg of the filament becomes radial and the material in it erupts, while another leg forms the new closed loops. Our results confirm that the successive reconnection occurring between the erupting filament and the coronal loops may lead to a strong thermal/magnetic pressure imbalance, resulting in a blowout surge.

Line-of-Sight Velocity As a Tracer of Coronal Cavity Magnetic Structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bąk-Stȩślicka, Urszula; Gibson, Sarah E.; Chmielewska, Ewa

2016-01-01

We present a statistical analysis of 66 days of observations of quiescent (non-erupting) coronal cavities and associated velocity and thermal structures. We find that nested rings of LOS-oriented velocity are common in occurrence and spatially well correlated with cavities observed in emission. We find that the majority of cavities possess multiple rings, and a range in velocity on the order of several km∕sec. We find that the tops of prominences lie systematically below the cavity center and location of largest Doppler velocity. Finally, we use DEM analysis to consider the temperature structure of two cavities in relation to cavity, prominence, and flows. These observations yield new constraints on the magnetic structure of cavities, and on the conditions leading up to solar eruptions.

Role of Magnetic Carpet in Coronal Heating

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2016-01-27

Jan 27, 2016 ... One of the fundamental questions in solar physics is how the solar corona maintains its high temperature of several million Kelvin above photosphere with a temperature of 6000 K. Observations show that solar coronal heating problem is highly complex with many different facts. It is likely that different ...

Coronal mass ejection shock fronts containing the two types of intermediate shocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steinolfson, R.S.; Hundhausen, A.J.

1990-01-01

Numerical solutions of the time-dependent, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations in two dimensions are used to demonstrate the formation of both types of intermediate shocks in a single shock front for physical conditions that are an idealization of those expected to occur in some observed coronal mass ejections. The key to producing such a shock configuration in the simulations is the use of an initial atmosphere containing a magnetic field representative of that in a coronal streamer with open field lines overlying a region of closed field lines. Previous attempts using just open field lines (perpendicular to the surface) produced shock configurations containing just one of the two intermediate shock types. A schematic of such a shock front containing both intermediate shock types has been constructed previously based solely on the known properties of MHD shocks from the Rankine-Hugoniot equations and specific requirements placed on the shock solution at points along the front where the shock normal and upstream magnetic field are aligned. The shock front also contains, at various locations along the front, a hydrodynamic (nonmagnetic) shock, a switch-on shock, and a fast shock in addition to the intermediate shocks. This particular configuration occurs when the shock front speed exceeds the upstream (preshock) intermediate wave speed but is less than a critical speed defined in the paper (equation 1) along at least some portion of the shock front. A distinctive feature of the front is that it is concave upward (away from the surface) near the region where the field in the preshock plasma is normal to the front of near the central portion of the shock front

Science objectives of the magnetic field experiment onboard Aditya-L1 spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Vipin K.; Srivastava, Nandita; Ghosh, S. S.; Srikar, P. T.; Subhalakshmi, Krishnamoorthy

2018-01-01

The Aditya-L1 is first Indian solar mission scheduled to be placed in a halo orbit around the first Lagrangian point (L1) of Sun-Earth system in the year 2018-19. The approved scientific payloads onboard Aditya-L1 spacecraft includes a Fluxgate Digital Magnetometer (FGM) to measure the local magnetic field which is necessary to supplement the outcome of other scientific experiments onboard. The in-situ vector magnetic field data at L1 is essential for better understanding of the data provided by the particle and plasma analysis experiments, onboard Aditya-L1 mission. Also, the dynamics of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) can be better understood with the help of in-situ magnetic field data at the L1 point region. This data will also serve as crucial input for the short lead-time space weather forecasting models. The proposed FGM is a dual range magnetic sensor on a 6 m long boom mounted on the Sun viewing panel deck and configured to deploy along the negative roll direction of the spacecraft. Two sets of sensors (tri-axial each) are proposed to be mounted, one at the tip of boom (6 m from the spacecraft) and other, midway (3 m from the spacecraft). The main science objective of this experiment is to measure the magnitude and nature of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) locally and to study the disturbed magnetic conditions and extreme solar events by detecting the CME from Sun as a transient event. The proposed secondary science objectives are to study the impact of interplanetary structures and shock solar wind interaction on geo-space environment and to detect low frequency plasma waves emanating from the solar corona at L1 point. This will provide a better understanding on how the Sun affects interplanetary space. In this paper, we shall give the main scientific objectives of the magnetic field experiment and brief technical details of the FGM onboard Aditya-1 spacecraft.

Evidence of thermal conduction depression in hot coronal loops

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tongjiang; Ofman, Leon; Sun, Xudong; Provornikova, Elena; Davila, Joseph