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At least 325 records · Page 18
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NASA NTRS1986

A mechanism for deep chromospheric heating during solar flares

The role of the negative hydrogen ion, H(-), in the energy balance of the deep solar chromosphere is reexamined and it is found, in contrast with earlier authors, that H(-) is a source of heating at these levels. The response of this region to an ionizing flux of flare-associated UV radiation (1500 to 1900 A) is then addressed: it is found that the excess ionization of Si to Si(+) increases the local electron number density considerably, since most species are largely neutral at deep chromospheric levels. This in turn increases the electron-hydrogen atom association rate, the H(-) abundance, and the rate of absorption of photospheric radiation by this ion. It is found that the excess absorption by this process may lead to a substantial temperature enhancement at temperature minimum levels during flares.

Machado, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Mechanisms for chromospheric heating

A nonthermal energy source is required to heat the solar chromosphere and corona. A survey is made of the properties of waves that propagate along magnetic flux tubes, which may transport the needed energy from the convection zone to the chromosphere. It is next explored how convective motions can generate those waves. Finally, various mechanisms by which these waves may develop small scale structures and dissipate via viscosity and resistivity are discussed.

Stein, R. F.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Chromospheric activity of cool giant stars

During the seventh year of IUE twenty-six spectra of seventeen cool giant stars ranging in spectral type from K3 thru M6 were obtained. Together with spectra of fifteen stars observed during the sixth year of IUE, these low-resolution spectra have been used to: (1) examine chromospheric activity in the program stars and late type giants in general, and (2) evaluate the extent to which nonradiative heating affects the upper levels of cool giant photospheres. The stars observed in this study all have well determined TiO band strengths, angular diameters (determined from lunar occulations), bolometric fluxes, and effective temperatures. Chromospheric activity can therefore be related to effective temperatures providing a clearer picture of activity among cool giant stars than previously available. The stars observed are listed.

Steiman-Cameron, T. Y.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Rotational modulation in IUE spectra of cool dwarf chromospheres: Data analysis and period search techniques

The IUE spectra of bright F-K dwarfs were used to investigate rotational modulation in chromospheric and transition region emission lines, with Stellingwerf's phase dispersion minimization (PDM) technique as the basis of time series analysis. Sampling-related aliases are found to dominate the PDM spectra in these sparsely sampled, irregularly spaced time series. The star chosen to illustrate the techniques is epsilon Eridani, a young, chromospherically active K2 dwarf. Strong indications of a rotation period close to 2.8 days in epsilon Eridani from 2 seasons of observations, with evidence for the persistence in longitude of the active area(s) over several hundred rotation cycles are found.

Altner, B.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Chromospheric and transition region structure of the Herbig emission stars HR 5999 and BN Ori

The IUE spectra of HR 5999 and BN Ori were analyzed, showing strong emission lines of C II, C IV, O I, and Si IV (also Mg II in HR 5999), indicating the presence of chromospheres and transition regions around these high mass premain sequence (PMS) stars. Infrared, optical, and ultraviolet observations show that BN Ori has a spectral type of FO-2 IIIe, a bolometric luminosity of 36 L, age 1.5 million yr, and mass 2 to 2.5 solar mass. As HR 5999 fades, the ratio of total to selective absorption increases indicating the appearance of larger grains or changes in grain alignment. Emission measure distributions are used to investigate the atmospheric structure of the stars. As HR 5999 fades the emission measure distribution rises systematically and the inferred transition region pressures increase. The transition region and chromospheric radiative losses are large and imply input mechanical energy fluxes similar to those of lower mass PMS stars.

Brown, A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Chromospherically active stars. II - HD 82558, a young single BY Draconis variable

It is presently noted that the HD 82558 chromospherically active star is a young and rapidly rotating K2 V single BY Draconis variable with very strong far-UV emission features and an H-alpha line filled to the continuum level by emission. HD 82558 has constant velocity and is not a member of the Hyades Supercluster. Its light curve behavior, which appears to have been stable for several hundred rotation cycles, is reminiscent of that of the young, rapidly rotating, single K V variable H II 1883 in the Pleiades; this stability may be characteristic of young, single, chromospherically active stars.

Fekel, Francis C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Submillimeter diagnostics of the response of the solar chromosphere to compressional waves

The NASA Infrared Telescope Facility has been used to observe local continuum brightness variations of the quiet sun in 350 and 800 micron radiation simultaneously. Variations of order 5 K are found at both wavelengths, with a strong correlation between the two. The 800 micron variations lag behind the 350 micron variations by 25-35 deg in phase. This is similar to unexpected phase shifts reported by Lites and Chipman in 1979 and Lites, Chipman, and White in 1982 between velocity and intensity for certain chromospheric lines. It is proposed that the phase lags observed are the result of nonadiabatic response of the chromosphere to compression, which could be an important mechanism for dissipation of mechanical energy.

Lindsey, C.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Evidence against chromospheric evaporation from the 21 May 1980 flare

Antonucci et al. (1985) have presented observations of the large two-ribbon flare of May 21, 1980 and interpreted the Ca XIX X-ray line profiles, hard X-ray observations, and X-ray images to support the standard model of electron-beam-driven chromospheric evaporation. Here it is shown that an active filament which erupted at flare onset can also explain the observations, and that a closer look at the evidence of Antonucci et al. leads to discrepancies with the chromospheric evaporation model.

Batchelor, David A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The chromospheres and coronae of five G-K main-sequence stars

Previous data and high and low dispersion IUE observations of Chi 1 Ori, Alpha Cen A, Xi Boo A, Alpha Cen B, and Epsilon Eri are used to model the atmospheres of these stars from the high chromosphere to the corona. The energy lost by radiation and transferred by thermal conduction is investigated to establish the heating requirements, and results similar to those found for the solar atmosphere are found. The observed emission measurement distribution below 100,000 K can be described by a model in which Alfven wave energy input, observed through nonthermal line broadening, is balanced by radiation losses. Comparison of the coronal, transition region, and chromospheric pressures shows scaling relations which are compatible with previous flux correlations.

Jordan, C.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The effects of chromospheric radiation on the circumstellar chemistry of evolved stars

Astrophysical situations are discussed in which radiation sources other than interstellar are important, and the atomic abundances of the Alpha Ori circumstellar envelope (CSE) are related to the chromospheric and interstellar radiation fields, and to the temperature distribution. The most common Alpha Ori CSE species are neutral atoms and first ions, and the electron fraction is high throughout the entire CSE. A peak in the neutral abundances in the outer CSE appears close to where the chromospheric and interstellar radiation fields are equal. The present theory predicts that the slope of the K I density should change from about -1.5 to -3.5 in the outer envelope, with the mass loss rate implied by this K I density being of the order of 4 x 10 to the -6th solar masses/yr.

Glassgold, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Chromospheric-coronal activity at saturated levels

High-resolution IUE observations of Mg II emission lines in W Ursae Majoris were obtained. In addition, estimates of the Mg II emission for other F-type contact binaries were obtained using archival high-resolution k line spectra and some nonstandard methods; the available data were compiled for Mg II, C IV, and X-ray emission in main-sequence F, G, K, and M dwarfs in order to determine the upper levels of radiation from their chromospheric-coronal plasma. The high-resolution IUE observations of Mg II h and k emission lines in W UMa indicate that both components of the contact binary have similar chromospheres, confirming the many earlier low-resolution light curve studies. The Mg II emission (L Mg II)/Lbol) of contact binaries correlates with the Rossby number (R0), forming an extension of single G-K dwarfs.

Vilhu, Osmi↗
NASA NTRS1987

Chromospheres and transition regions

The properties of stellar chromospheres are examined, summarizing the results of observations obtained with the IUE satellite since its launch in 1978. Numerous sample spectra, graphs, and diagrams are presented and analyzed in detail. Consideration is given to 120-320-nm spectroscopy of main-sequence stars, giants, and supergiants; the global properties of main-sequence and post-main-sequence chromospheres; dynamic phenomena and structures (systematic flows, atmospheric inhomogeneities, and intrinsic variability); and structural and energy-balance modeling. A number of outstanding problems are listed, and the potential value of data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the Lyman FUV Spectroscopic Explorer in solving them is indicated.

Jordan, Carole↗
NASA NTRS1988

Conduction-driven chromospheric evaporation in a solar flare

Observations of gentle chromospheric evaporation during the cooling phase of a solar flare are presented. Line profiles of the low-temperature (T of about 6 x 10 to the 6th K) coronal Mg XI line, observed with the X-Ray Polychromator on the Solar Maximum Mission, show a blueshift that persisted for several minutes after the impulsive heating phase. This result represents the first detection of an evaporation signature in a soft X-ray line formed at this low temperature. By combining the Mg XI blueshift velocity data with simultaneous measurements of the flare temperature derived from Ca XIX observations, it is demonstrated that the upward flux of enthalpy transported by this gently evaporating plasma varies linearly with the downward flux of thermal energy conducted from the corona. This relationship is consistent with models of solar flares in which thermal conduction drives chromospheric evaporation during the early part of the cooling phase.

Zarro, Dominic M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The energy input mechanism into the lower transition regions between stellar chromospheres and coronae

The ratio of the emission line fluxes for the C II and C IV lines in the lower transition regions (T = 30,000 to 100,000 K) between stellar chromospheres and transition layers is shown to depend mainly on the temperature gradient in the line emitting regions which can therefore be determined from this line ratio. From the observed constant (within the limits of observational error) ratio of the emission line fluxes of the C II (1335 A) and C IV (1550 A) lines it is concluded that the temperature gradients in the lower transition layers are similar for the large majority of stars independently of T sub eff, L, and degree of activity. This means that the temperature dependence of the damping length for the mechanical flux must be the same for all these stars. Since for different kinds of mechanical fluxes the dependence of the damping length on gas pressure and temperature is quite different, it is concluded that the same heating mechanism must be responsible for the heating of all the lower transition layers of these stars, regardless of their chromospheric activity. Only the amount of mechanical flux changes. The T Tauri stars are exceptions: their emission lines are probably mainly due to circumstellar material.

Boehm-Vitense, Erika↗
NASA NTRS1988

Lithium and chromospherically active single giants

Nine chromospherically active single K giants were identified from surveys of chromospherically active stars. The stars have v sin i's ranging from 6 to 46 km/sec. Such large velocities are not explained by scenarios of main sequence to giant star evolution. Fluxes of the ultraviolet emission lines of these stars are substantially less than those of FK Comae. Many of these giants have a moderate or strong lithium line strongly suggesting that these stars recently evolved from rapidly rotating A or early F stars as is suggested by their space motions. Thus, they are not spun down FK Com stars. The characteristics of these stars are such that they may be confused with pre-main sequence stars. The primary difference may be that the post main sequence stars have strong H alpha absorption lines while the pre-main sequence stars appear to have a weak H alpha absorption line or possibly H alpha in emission above the continuum.

Fekel, Francis C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The active chromosphere binary HD 17433 (VY Arietis)

The sixth-magnitude K star HD 17433 (VY Ari) is shown to be an active-chromosphere binary with an orbital period of 13.198 days. A photometric (rotational) period of 17.4 days is indicated by the existing photometry, implying that HD 17433 is not in synchronous rotation. In the optical, H-alpha is seen in emission, with variable profile and intensity; He I lambda-5876 is present in absorption. IUE observations show chromospheric and transition-region emission lines with surface fluxes up to 200 times greater than those observed in the quiet sun. The luminosity and radius are appropriate for a subgiant, and the kinematics suggest Pleiades group membership. The presence of a lithium absorption feature indicates it may either be a young object, possibly a pre-main sequence star or an evolved spotted RS CVn system. Interpretations from the optical measurement of the magnetic field strength of HD 17433 are given.

Bopp, Bernard W.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The spectral classification of chromospherically active binary stars with composite spectra

This paper presents and analyzes blue and red-wavelength high-resolution spectra of twelve chromospherically active binary or triple systems with composite spectra. Spectral classifications for the individual stellar components are derived by means of the 'spectrum-synthesis' technique and are compared to stellar evolutionary models and observed masses and/or mass ratios. Also presented is a carefully selected set of MK reference stars of luminosity class III, IV, and V, and spectral type A9-K5, and v sin i less than 10 km/s, to cover the spectral range of the components of chromospherically active binary systems of the RS CVn-type. New values of v sin i are determined for some of the reference and program stars. Two spectroscopic binaries have been discovered.

Strassmeier, K. G.↗
NASA NTRS1990

The beam-driven chromospheric evaporation model of solar flares - A model not supported by observations from nonimpulsive large flares

Most large solar flares exhibit hard X-ray emission which is usually impulsive, as well as thermal soft X-ray emission, which is gradual. The beam-driven chromospheric evaporation model of solar flares was proposed to explain the origin of the soft X-ray emitting flare plasma. A careful evaluation of the issue under discussion reveals contradictions between predictions from the theoretical chromospheric evaporation model and actual observations from a set of large X- and M-type flares. It is shown that although the soft X-ray and hard X-ray emissions are a result of the same flare, one is not a result of the other.

Feldman, U.↗