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At least 415 records · Page 23
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NASA NTRS1987

Sunspot umbral oscillations in Mg II k

Time series observations of the profile of the Mg II k line 2795.52 A have been obtained in five sunspots with the Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter on the Solar Maximum Mission. The three sunspots with umbrae larger than the 3 x 3 arcsec pixel size show significant oscillations in integrated line intensity and line centroid, with frequencies in the range 5.29-7.55 mHz (periods of 132-190 s). The frequencies of significant peaks in average umbral power spectra agree well with the frequencies of the three lowest-frequency transmission peaks predicted by a model of resonant transmission of acoustic waves. If radiative delays are unimportant, and the line centroid can be interpreted straightforwardly as a Doppler shift, the measured velocity-intensity phase differences indicate the superposition of upward-propagating and downward-propagating waves in the umbral chromosphere; this is further evidence for the resonant transmission model. A single, quiet sun time series of k core profiles yields power spectra and a phase difference consistent with the existence of a chromospheric p-mode.

Gurman, Joseph B.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Lyman alpha SMM/UVSP absolute calibration and geocoronal correction

Lyman alpha observations from the Ultraviolet Spectrometer Polarimeter (UVSP) instrument of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) spacecraft were analyzed and provide instrumental calibration details. Specific values of the instrument quantum efficiency, Lyman alpha absolute intensity, and correction for geocoronal absorption are presented.

Fontenla, Juan M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

X-ray photographs of a solar active region with a multilayer telescope at normal incidence

An astronomical photograph was obtained with a multilayer X-ray telescope. A 4-cm tungsten-carbon multilayer mirror was flown as part of an experimental solar rocket payload, and successful images were taken of the sun at normal incidence at a wavelength of 44 A. Coronal Si XII emission from an active region was recorded on film; as expected, the structure is very similar to that observed at O VIII wavelengths by the Solar Maximum Mission flat-crystal spectrometer at the same time. The small, simple optical system used in this experiment appears to have achieved a resolution of 5 to 10 arcsec.

Underwood, J. H.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Hard X-ray emission in electron-heated solar flares - A comparison of nonthermal and thermal contributions

The spatial structure of hard X-ray emission during the impulsive phase of electron-heated solar flares is calculated. Both direct nonthermal bremsstrahlung and the thermal bremsstrahlung arising from the heated plasma are considered. The results indicate that the spread of nonthermal emission into the upper parts of the loop, through evaporation of the chromospheric target, may be more important than the appearance of a hot thermal source in the corona. The effects of varying the viewing angle to the flare loop, and of finite-size resolution element, are also considered, and results are compared with observations from the Solar Maximum Mission Hard X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer.

Brown, David G.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Transient ionization and solar flare X-ray spectra

In this paper the effects of a transiently ionizing solar flare plasma on the X-ray spectrum of iron between 1.85 and 1.92 A are considered. The atomic physics of the nonequilibrium spectrum is discussed, and reasons for differences in appearance from ionization equilibrium spectra are explained. The effect of spectral resolution on the ability to detect transient ionization in the iron X-ray spectrum is illustrated by synthetic spectra. A synthetic transiently ionizing spectrum is applied to the interpretation of spectra obtained from the SOX 1 spectrometer on the Japanese Hinotori spacecraft. Some indications of transient ionization are found, although counting statistics negate a strong conclusion. A hypothetical spectrometer with about one order of magnitude more sensitivity than the SOX 1 Hinotori or the bent crystal spectrometer flown on the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) is also considered. The ranges of plasma parameters such as plasma emission measure and density that are necessary for transient ionization to be detected by such an instrument are discussed.

Doschek, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Temporal and spatial relationships between O V and Fe XXI emissions in solar flares

The temporal-spatial structure of simple solar flares observed with the Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter of the Solar Maximum mission satellite has been studied in order to investigate the relationships between the impulsive O V and the gradual Fe XXI emissions. The point-like flares are characterized by the cotemporal evolution of the O V and Fe XXI emissions. The simple loop flares have a much larger spatial extent and show two distinctive phases: an initial impulsive phase with its emission localized in loop footpoints, and a gradual phase with its emission distributed in the loop. The temporal evolution of the Fe XXI and O V emissions in a flare is found to be closely related to its spatial structure.

Cheng, Chung-Chieh↗
NASA NTRS1988

Collisionless shock formation and the prompt acceleration of solar flare ions

The formation mechanisms of collisionless shocks in solar flare plasmas are investigated. The priamry flare energy release is assumed to arise in the coronal portion of a flare loop as many small regions or 'hot spots' where the plasma beta locally exceeds unity. One dimensional hybrid numerical simulations show that the expansion of these 'hot spots' in a direction either perpendicular or oblique to the ambient magnetic field gives rise to collisionless shocks in a few Omega(i), where Omega(i) is the local ion cyclotron frequency. For solar parameters, this is less than 1 second. The local shocks are then subsequently able to accelerate particles to 10 MeV in less than 1 second by a combined drift-diffusive process. The formation mechanism may also give rise to energetic ions of 100 keV in the shock vicinity. The presence of these energetic ions is due either to ion heating or ion beam instabilities and they may act as a seed population for further acceleration. The prompt acceleration of ions inferred from the Gamma Ray Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission can thus be explained by this mechanism.

Cargill, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

The observed characteristics of flare energy release. II - High-speed soft X-ray fronts

Flare-associated large-scale brightenings of magnetic loop structures have recently been shown to be related to the propagation of soft X-ray fronts, moving at speeds of the order of 1000 km/s. These are also linked with the brightening of remote H-alpha patches and, in many cases, with type II or U radio emission. A detailed study of the best example found in the Solar Maximum Mission's Hard X-ray Imaging Spectrometer data was performed and with the help of numerical simulations and additional information provided by H-alpha records, it is shown that all together the three energy transport processes proposed by previous authors, namely high-energy particles, conduction fronts, and shocks, play significant roles in the redistribution of flare energy within the loops. The observable evidence of thermal flux limitation and the implication of these and previous results on the efficiency ratio between thermal and nonthermal processes in flares are discussed. Finally, these results are placed under the perspective of the interacting loop model of flares discussed in previous papers, to show that only about 10 percent of the total energy conversion occurs at the interface between loops. The bulk of the flare energy seems to be released internally within one of the bipolar loop structures.

Machado, Marcos E.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Erupting prominences and the geometry of coronal mass ejections

Studies of the origins of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) show a strong association between CMEs and erupting prominences. 'Loop' CMEs form the most common morphological class for both Skylab and Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) and the class most likely to be associated with erupting prominences. In the optically thin corona, the geometry of such structures is interpreted as either planar (two-dimensional), shell-like, or bubblelike (three-dimensional) structures. Trottet and MacQueen (1980) (hereinafter referred to as TM) first examined the orientations of prominences associated with Skylab CMEs and argued that looplike CMEs were planar structures in the plane of the sky. In this work, the initial orientations of prominences identified with SMM CMEs in 1980 were measured in order to examine the overall geometry of CMEs. Contrary to TM's result, no preferred orientation for prominences associated with SMM CMEs nor any difference between that population and the population of all disk filaments were found. In addition, plots comparing CME/filament orientation angles and the angular widths of the CME envelopes show large scatter. Taken together, these results support a shell-like rather than a planar geometry for at least looplike CMEs.

Webb, David F.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Intercomparison of solar total irradiance data from recent spacecraft measurements

Earth Radiation Budget Experiment solar total irradiance data obtained by the solar monitors of the NOAA 9 and 10 spacecraft are presently compared with those obtained by the Solar Maximum Mission's Active Cavity Irradiance Monitor 1, as well as sounding rockets and the Nimbus 7 Earth Radiation Budget channel 10C. A disparity is noted among total irradiance values obtained in near-simultaneous measurements with absolute pyrheliometers of similar design and operational modes which (1) indicates the uncertainty associated with currently available instruments, and (2) recommends intercalibration of electrically self-calibrating pyrheliometers from spacecraft.

Mecherikunnel, A. T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Modelling a C-type flare observed in microwaves and hard X-rays

Using the very large array (VLA) at 6 and 20 cm wavelength and the hard X-ray burst spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission, a two-ribbon flare was observed from the onset phase through the maximum and decline on November 14, 1981. Because of the extensive size of the microwave source and the gradual variations in hard X-rays whose spectrum becomes progressively flatter with time, the flare is classified as a C-type flare. Considering the hardening of the X-ray spectrum and its non-impulsive nature, a coronal trap model was invoked for the energetic electrons. The microwave emission is easily accounted for by gyrosynchronous radiation from mildly relativistic electrons. It was found that the source must be optically thick at 20 cm during the maximum phase, but as the source evolved toward an optically thin regime, the intensity decreased while the degree of circular polarization increased. In an initial homogeneous model, we found that the computed microwave spectrum was too narrow to match the patrol spectrum from 606 to 15400 MHz. In the model, the magnetic field consists of a dipolar arcade bridging the H alpha ribbons, and extending to heights of order 40,000 to 50,000 km. The variation of the magnetic field strength from footpoints to apex causes the gyrosynchrotron spectrum to be broader. Preliminary conclusions regarding the electron distributions producing the hard X-rays and the microwaves, and the suitability of this model for C-type flares is presented.

Schmahl, E. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Investigations of turbulent and directed motions in solar flares

A method is presented for fitting asymmetric line profiles from spectrally resolved observations of solar flares obtained during the past solar maximum. The method is applied to more than 40 flares observed with the Bent Crystal Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission. Correlations between turbulent and directed motions are discussed. From ratios of Ca XIX and Fe XXV line intensities, the temperature of the upflowing component is inferred separately from the stationary component.

Lemen, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Coronal temperature diagnostics from high-resolution soft X-ray spectra

The problem of deriving the temperature of the coronal plasma from soft X-ray spectra is discussed. Spectral atlas scans of the soft X-ray spectrum from the Flat Crystal Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission are compared with theoretical predictions of the relative intensities of some of the brighter lines to determine which line intensity ratios give the most reliable temperature diagnostics. The techniques considered include line widths, He-like G ratios, intensity ratios, and ratios of lines formed by different elements. It is found that the best temperature diagnostics come from the ratios of lines formed by successive ionization stages of the same element.

Strong, K. T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

A statistical study of coronal densities from X-ray line ratios of helium-like ions - Ne IX and Mg XI

Since the repair of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) spacecraft, the Flat Crystal Spectrometer (FCS) has recorded many high temperature spectra of helium-like ions under a wide variety of coronal conditions including active regions, long duration events, compact events, and double flares. The plasma density and temperature are derived from the ratios R and G, where R = f/i, G = (f + i)/r, and r, f, and i denote the resonance, forbidden, and intercombination line fluxes. A new method for obtaining the density and temperature for events observed with the FCS aboard SMM is presented. The results for these events are presented and compared to earlier results, and the method is evaluated based on these comparisons.

Linford, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

The detection and observation of meteoroid and space debris impact features on the Solar Max satellite

The results of optical observations on the entire population of impact pits and holes discovered on nearly all of the returned parts of the Solar Maximum Mission satellite are described. Some statistically significant new results on impact dynamics are obtained as well as new number vs. size distributions for craters and holes ranging from 40 to 900 microns. The local spacecraft geometric shielding corrections are calculated and applied to the data. Some selected compositional results are presented which indicate that the Space Shuttle can be a source of impacting debris.

Warren, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Search for Doppler-shifted gamma-ray emission from SS 433 using the SMM spectrometer

Data accumulated from 1980 to 1983 with the Gamma Ray Spectrometer aboard NASA's Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite were searched for evidence of red and blue Doppler-shifted 1.37 MeV Mg-24 nuclear lines from SS 433. The SMM data base covers 270 days when SS 433 was in the field of view and includes periods of radio flaring and quiescence. No evidence was found for Doppler-shifted line emission in any of the spectra. The range of 3-sigma upper limits for individual 9 day integration periods was 0.0008-0.0023 photons/sq cm per sec for the blue beam, encompassing the reported about 1.5 MeV line, and 0.0008-0.002 photons/sq cm per sec for the red beam, encompassing the reported about 1.2 MeV line; the average 3-sigma upper limit in each beam for shifted about 1.37 MeV lines is 0.0015 photons/sq cm per sec for single 9 day integrations. The 3-sigma upper limit on 1.37 MeV gamma-ray emission over 23 9-day integration intervals for the red beam and 28 intervals for the blue beam is 0.0002 photons/sq cm per sec. These new limits from SMM can be reconciled with the HEAO 3 results only if SS 433 emits gamma radiation at or above the SMM sensitivity limit on rare occasions due to variable physical conditions in the system.

Geldzahler, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Turbulent and directed plasma motions in solar flares

An improved method for fitting asymmetric soft X-ray line profiles from solar flares is presented. A two-component model is used where one component represents the total emission from directed upflow plasma and the other the emission from the plasma at rest. Unlike previous methods, the width of the moving component is independent from that of the stationary component. Time variations of flare plasma characteristics (i.e., temperature, emission measure of moving and stationary plasma, upflow and turbulent velocities) are derived from the Ca XIX and Fe XXV spectra recorded by the Bent Crystal Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission. The fitting technique provides a statistical estimation for the uncertainties in the fitting parameters. The relationship between the directed and turbulent motions has been studied, and a correlation of the random and directed motions has been found in some flares with intensive plasma upflows. Mean temperatures of the upflowing and stationary plasmas are compared for the first time from ratios of calcium to iron X-ray line intensities. Finally, evidence for turbulent motions and the possibility of plasma upflow late into the decay phase is presented and discussed.

Fludra, A.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Ultraviolet events observed in active regions. I - Observations and scenario

UV line data obtained in solar active regions on and near the limb, taken with the Ultraviolet Spectrometer and Polarimeter experiment on the Solar Maximum Mission are examined. The study provides insight into the physical processes behind sudden localized brightenings (or microflares) that occur within these active regions and their relation to surging activity. Time sequences of rasters and rasters through the line (taken in Ly-alpha and N V lines simultaneously) and C IV dopplergrams are the core of these data. They show the brightening events on the disk and Doppler shifts in dynamic events on the disk and above the limb. The study suggests, for the events, a localized energy deposition in a region of the chromosphere that heats the material and produces a pressure pulse. This mechanism explains the brightenings in transition region lines and also the observed surging behavior and jet-like events.

Fontenla, Juan M.↗