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At least 451 records · Page 25
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

Heliopause Instabilities Driven by Plasma-Neutral Interaction: Linear Analysis from Fluid Model

The heliopause (HP) is the outer edge of the heliosphere that separates the tenuous and hot heliosheath plasma from the relatively dense and cool magnetized plasma of the local interstellar medium (LISM). As a surface of tangential discontinuity, the HP is subject to both Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instabilities. The coupling between plasma ions and neutral atoms through charge exchange provides an ''effective gravity'' for RT, while shear flows due to the velocity difference between the heliosheath and the interstellar flows can drive KH modes. We derive the linearized dispersion relations for waves propagating along the surface of this discontinuity using a fluid picture, to study the possibility for both RT and KH instabilities, including a second population of energetic neutrals produced by charge exchange interactions between the hot solar wind plasma in the heliosheath with interstellar hydrogen. We show that due to charge exchange interactions, the HP is unconditionally unstable to all perturbations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2010

SURVEYING THE DYNAMIC RADIO SKY WITH THE LONG WAVELENGTH DEMONSTRATOR ARRAY

This paper presents a search for radio transients at a frequency of 73.8 MHz (4 m wavelength) using the all-sky imaging capabilities of the Long Wavelength Demonstrator Array (LWDA). The LWDA was a 16-dipole phased array telescope, located on the site of the Very Large Array in New Mexico. The field of view of the individual dipoles was essentially the entire sky, and the number of dipoles was sufficiently small that a simple software correlator could be used to make all-sky images. From 2006 October to 2007 February, we conducted an all-sky transient search program, acquiring a total of 106 hr of data; the time sampling varied, being 5 minutes at the start of the program and improving to 2 minutes by the end of the program. We were able to detect solar flares, and in a special-purpose mode, radio reflections from ionized meteor trails during the 2006 Leonid meteor shower. We detected no transients originating outside of the solar system above a flux density limit of 500 Jy, equivalent to a limit of no more than about 10{sup -2} events yr{sup -1} deg{sup -2}, having a pulse energy density {approx}>1.5 x 10{sup -20} J m{sup -2} Hz{sup -1} at 73.8 MHz for pulse widths of about 300 s. This event rate is comparable to that determined from previous all-sky transient searches, but at a lower frequency than most previous all-sky searches. We believe that the LWDA illustrates how an all-sky imaging mode could be a useful operational model for low-frequency instruments such as the Low Frequency Array, the Long Wavelength Array station, the low-frequency component of the Square Kilometre Array, and potentially the Lunar Radio Array.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

MECHANISM OF SPONTANEOUS FORMATION OF STABLE MAGNETIC STRUCTURES ON THE SUN

One of the puzzling features of solar magnetism is formation of long-living compact magnetic structures, such as sunspots and pores, in the highly turbulent upper layer of the solar convective zone. We use realistic radiative three-dimensional MHD simulations to investigate the interaction between magnetic field and turbulent convection. In the simulations, a weak vertical uniform magnetic field is imposed in a region of fully developed granular convection, and the total magnetic flux through the top and bottom boundaries is kept constant. The simulation results reveal a process of spontaneous formation of stable magnetic structures, which may be a key to understanding the magnetic self-organization on the Sun and formation of pores and sunspots. This process consists of two basic steps: (1) formation of small-scale filamentary magnetic structures associated with concentrations of vorticity and whirlpool-type motions, and (2) merging of these structures due to the vortex attraction, caused by converging downdrafts around magnetic concentration below the surface. In the resulting large-scale structure maintained by the converging plasma motions, the magnetic field strength reaches {approx}1.5 kG at the surface and {approx}6 kG in the interior, and the surface structure resembles solar pores. The magnetic structure remains stable for the whole simulation run of several hours with no sign of decay.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

MAGNETO-ACOUSTIC WAVES IN SUNSPOTS: FIRST RESULTS FROM A NEW THREE-DIMENSIONAL NONLINEAR MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC CODE

Waves observed in the photosphere and chromosphere of sunspots show complex dynamics and spatial patterns. The interpretation of high-resolution sunspot wave observations requires modeling of three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear wave propagation and mode transformation in the sunspot upper layers in realistic spot model atmospheres. Here, we present the first results of such modeling. We have developed a 3D nonlinear numerical code specially designed to calculate the response of magnetic structures in equilibrium to an arbitrary perturbation. The code solves the 3D nonlinear MHD equations for perturbations; it is stabilized by hyper-diffusivity terms and is fully parallelized. The robustness of the code is demonstrated by a number of standard tests. We analyze several simulations of a sunspot perturbed by pulses of different periods at a subphotospheric level, from short periods, introduced for academic purposes, to longer and realistic periods of 3 and 5 minutes. We present a detailed description of the 3D mode transformation in a non-trivial sunspot-like magnetic field configuration, including the conversion between fast and slow magneto-acoustic waves and the Alfven wave, by calculation of the wave energy fluxes. Our main findings are as follows: (1) the conversion from acoustic to the Alfven mode is only observed if the driving pulse is located out of the sunspot axis, but this conversion is energetically inefficient; (2) as a consequence of the cutoff effects and refraction of the fast magneto-acoustic mode, the energy of the evanescent waves with periods around 5 minutes remains almost completely below the level {beta} = 1; (3) waves with frequencies above the cutoff propagate field aligned to the chromosphere and their power becomes dominating over that of evanescent 5 minute oscillations, in agreement with observations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2010

ON THE DOPPLER SHIFT AND ASYMMETRY OF STOKES PROFILES OF PHOTOSPHERIC Fe I AND CHROMOSPHERIC Mg I LINES

We analyzed the full Stokes spectra using simultaneous measurements of the photospheric (Fe I 630.15 and 630.25 nm) and chromospheric (Mg I b {sub 2} 517.27 nm) lines. The data were obtained with the High Altitude Observatory/National Solar Observatory (HAO/NSO) advanced Stokes polarimeter, about a near disk center sunspot region, NOAA AR 9661. We compare the characteristics of the Stokes profiles in terms of Doppler shifts and asymmetries among the three spectral lines, helping us to better understand the chromospheric lines and the magnetic and flow fields in different magnetic regions. The main results are: (1) for the penumbral area observed by the photospheric Fe I lines, Doppler velocities derived from Stokes I ({nu} {sub i}) are very close to those derived from linear polarization profiles ({nu}{sub lp}) but significantly different from those derived from Stokes V profiles ({nu}{sub zc}), thus providing direct and strong evidence that the penumbral Evershed flows are magnetized and mainly carried by the horizontal magnetic component; (2) the rudimentary inverse Evershed effect observed by the Mg I b {sub 2} line provides qualitative evidence on its formation height that is around or just above the temperature minimum region; (3) {nu}{sub zc} and {nu}{sub lp} in the penumbrae and {nu}{sub zc} in the pores generally approach their {nu} {sub i} observed by the chromospheric Mg I line, which is not the case for the photospheric Fe I lines; (4) the outer penumbrae and pores show similar Stokes V asymmetry behavior that tend to change from positive values in the photosphere (Fe I lines) to negative values in the low chromosphere (Mg I line); (5) the Stokes V profiles in plage regions are highly asymmetric in the photosphere and more symmetric in the low chromosphere; and (6) strong redshifts and large asymmetries are found around the magnetic polarity inversion line within the common penumbra of the {delta} spot. We offer explanations or speculations to the observed discrepancies between the photospheric and chromospheric lines in terms of the three-dimensional structure of the magnetic and velocity fields. This study thus emphasizes the importance of spectropolarimetry using chromospheric lines.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

SEISMIC DISCRIMINATION OF THERMAL AND MAGNETIC ANOMALIES IN SUNSPOT UMBRAE

Efforts to model sunspots based on helioseismic signatures need to discriminate between the effects of (1) a strong magnetic field that introduces time-irreversible, vantage-dependent phase shifts, apparently connected to fast- and slow-mode coupling and wave absorption and (2) a thermal anomaly that includes cool gas extending an indefinite depth beneath the photosphere. Helioseismic observations of sunspots show travel times considerably reduced with respect to equivalent quiet-Sun signatures. Simulations by Moradi and Cally of waves skipping across sunspots with photospheric magnetic fields of order 3 kG show travel times that respond strongly to the magnetic field and relatively weakly to the thermal anomaly by itself. We note that waves propagating vertically in a vertical magnetic field are relatively insensitive to the magnetic field, while remaining highly responsive to the attendant thermal anomaly. Travel-time measurements for waves with large skip distances into the centers of axially symmetric sunspots are therefore a crucial resource for discrimination of the thermal anomaly beneath sunspot umbrae from the magnetic anomaly. One-dimensional models of sunspot umbrae based on compressible-radiative-magnetic-convective simulations such as by Rempel et al. can be fashioned to fit observed helioseismic travel-time spectra in the centers of sunspot umbrae. These models are based on cooling of the upper 2-4 Mm of the umbral subphotosphere with no significant anomaly beneath 4.5 Mm. The travel-time reductions characteristic of these models are primarily a consequence of a Wilson depression resulting from a strong downward buoyancy of the cooled umbral medium.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

HEAVY-ION FRACTIONATION IN THE IMPULSIVE SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLE EVENT OF 2002 AUGUST 20: ELEMENTS, ISOTOPES, AND INFERRED CHARGE STATES

Measurements of heavy-ion elemental and isotopic composition in the energy range {approx}12-60 MeV nucleon{sup -1} are reported from the Advanced Composition Explorer/Solar Isotope Spectrometer (ACE/SIS) instrument for the solar energetic particle (SEP) event of 2002 August 20. We investigate fractionation in this particularly intense impulsive event by examining the enhancements of elemental and isotopic abundance ratios relative to corresponding values in the solar wind. The elemental enhancement pattern is similar to those in other impulsive events detected by ACE/SIS and in compilations of average impulsive-event composition. For individual elements, the abundance of a heavy isotope (mass M {sub 2}) is enhanced relative to that of a lighter isotope (M{sub 1}) by a factor {approx}(M {sub 1}/M {sub 2}){sup {alpha}} with {alpha} {approx_equal} -15. Previous studies have reported elemental abundance enhancements organized as a power law in Q/M, the ratio of estimated ionic charge to mass in the material being fractionated. We consider the possibility that a fractionation law of this form could be responsible for the isotopic fractionation as a power law in the mass ratio and then explore the implications it would have for the ionic charge states in the source material. Assuming that carbon is fully stripped (Q{sub C} = 6), we infer mean values of the ionic charge during the fractionation process, Q{sub Z} , for a variety of elements with atomic numbers 7 {<=} Z {<=} 28. We find that Q{sub Fe} {approx_equal} 21-22, comparable to the highest observed values that have been reported at lower energies in impulsive SEP events from direct measurements near 1 AU. The inferred charge states as a function of Z are characterized by several step increases in the number of attached electrons, Z - Q{sub Z} . We discuss how this step structure, together with the known masses of the elements, might account for a variety of features in the observed pattern of elemental abundance enhancements. We also briefly consider alternative fractionation laws and the relationship between the charge states we infer in the source material and those derived from in situ observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

OBSERVATIONS OF CHROMOSPHERIC FLARE RE-BRIGHTENINGS

We investigate an active region that produced three C-class flares and one M-class flare within 2.5 hr. The morphology and location of the C-flares indicate that these events constitute a set of homologous flares. Radio observations indicate the occurrence of a downward-moving plasmoid during the impulsive phase of the M flare. We use TRACE 1700 A filtergrams and SOHO Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms to examine the character of the UV brightenings; i.e., we search for re-brightenings of former flare areas both across the series of events and within one and the same event. We find that essentially the same footpoints re-brighten in each C flare. Based on the progression of both the derived magnetic flux change rate and the observed Radio Solar Telescope Network microwave emission, we speculate about a further re-brightening during the decay phase of the M flare as a further member of the series of homologous flares. We conclude that the 'postflare' field is driven to repeated eruption by continuous, shear-increasing, horizontal, photospheric flows, as one end of the involved magnetic arcade is anchored in the penumbra of a large sunspot. The observed motion pattern of the UV kernels indicates that the arcade evolves during the series of events from a both highly sheared and heavily entangled state to a still sheared but more organized state.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

SIMULATION OF THE FORMATION OF A SOLAR ACTIVE REGION

We present a radiative magnetohydrodynamics simulation of the formation of an active region (AR) on the solar surface. The simulation models the rise of a buoyant magnetic flux bundle from a depth of 7.5 Mm in the convection zone up into the solar photosphere. The rise of the magnetic plasma in the convection zone is accompanied by predominantly horizontal expansion. Such an expansion leads to a scaling relation between the plasma density and the magnetic field strength such that B {proportional_to} rhov{sup 1/2}. The emergence of magnetic flux into the photosphere appears as a complex magnetic pattern, which results from the interaction of the rising magnetic field with the turbulent convective flows. Small-scale magnetic elements at the surface first appear, followed by their gradual coalescence into larger magnetic concentrations, which eventually results in the formation of a pair of opposite polarity spots. Although the mean flow pattern in the vicinity of the developing spots is directed radially outward, correlations between the magnetic field and velocity field fluctuations allow the spots to accumulate flux. Such correlations result from the Lorentz-force-driven, counterstreaming motion of opposite polarity fragments. The formation of the simulated AR is accompanied by transient light bridges between umbrae and umbral dots. Together with recent sunspot modeling, this work highlights the common magnetoconvective origin of umbral dots, light bridges, and penumbral filaments.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2010

ALFVEN-WAVE TURBULENCE AND PERPENDICULAR ION TEMPERATURES IN CORONAL HOLES

Low-frequency Alfven-wave turbulence causes ion trajectories to become chaotic, or 'stochastic', when the turbulence amplitude is sufficiently large. Stochastic orbits enable ions to absorb energy from the turbulence, increasing the perpendicular ion temperature T{sub perpendiculari} even when the fluctuation frequencies are too small for a cyclotron resonance to occur. In this paper, an analytic expression for the stochastic heating rate is used in conjunction with an observationally constrained turbulence model to obtain an analytic formula for T{sub perpendiculari} as a function of heliocentric distance r, ion mass, and ion charge in coronal holes at 2 R{sub sun} {approx}< r {approx}< 15 R{sub sun}. The resulting temperature profiles provide a good fit to observations of protons and O{sup +5} ions at 2 R {sub sun} {approx}< r {approx}< 3 R{sub sun} from the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS). Stochastic heating also offers a natural explanation for several detailed features of the UVCS observations, including the preferential and anisotropic heating of minor ions, the rapid radial increase in the O{sup +5} temperature between 1.6 R{sub sun} and 1.9 R{sub sun}, and the abrupt flattening of the O{sup +5} temperature profile as r increases above 1.9 R{sub sun}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

ON THE ESTIMATE OF MAGNETIC NON-POTENTIALITY OF SUNSPOTS DERIVED USING HINODE SOT/SP OBSERVATIONS: EFFECT OF POLARIMETRIC NOISE

The accuracy of Milne-Eddington (ME) inversions, used to retrieve the magnetic field vector, depends upon the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of the spectro-polarimetric observations. The S/N in real observations varies from pixel to pixel; therefore the accuracy of the field vector also varies over the map. The aim of this work is to study the effect of polarimetric noise on the inference of the magnetic field vector and the magnetic non-potentiality of a real sunspot. To this end, we use the Hinode SOT/SP vector magnetogram of a real sunspot NOAA 10933 as an input to generate synthetic Stokes profiles under ME model assumptions. We then add normally distributed polarimetric noise of the level 0.5% of continuum intensity to these synthetic profiles and invert them again using the ME code. This process is repeated 100 times with different realizations of noise. It is found that within most of the sunspot areas (>90% area) the spread in the (1) field strength is less than 8 G, (2) field inclination is less than 1{sup 0}, and (3) field azimuth is less than 5{sup 0}. Further, we determine the uncertainty in the magnetic non-potentiality of a sunspot as determined by the force-free parameter {alpha}{sub g} and spatially averaged signed shear angle (SASSA). It is found that for the sunspot studied here these parameters are {alpha}{sub g} = -3.5 {+-} 0.37(x10{sup -9} m{sup -1}) and SASSA = -1.68 {+-} 0.{sup 0}014. This suggests that the SASSA is a less dispersed non-potentiality parameter as compared to {alpha}{sub g}. Further, we examine the effect of increasing noise levels, viz. 0.01%, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% of continuum intensity, and find that SASSA is less vulnerable to noise as compared to the {alpha}{sub g} parameter.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN FRAGMENTING PERIODIC RECONNECTING CURRENT SHEETS IN SOLAR FLARES

Proton and electron acceleration in a fragmenting periodic current sheet (CS) is investigated, based on the forced magnetic reconnection scenario. The aim is to understand the role of CS fragmentation in high-energy beam generation in solar flares. We combine magnetohydrodynamics and test-particle models to consider particle trajectories consistent with a time-dependent reconnection model. It is shown that accelerated particles in such a model form two distinct populations. Protons and electrons moving in open magnetic field have energy spectra that are a combination of the initial Maxwellian distribution and a power-law high-energy (E>20 keV) part. The second population contains particles moving in a closed magnetic field around O-points. These particles move predominantly along the guiding field and their energies fall within quite a narrow range between {approx}1 MeV and {approx}10 MeV. It is also found that particles moving in an open magnetic field have a considerably wider pitch-angle distribution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

MAGNETIC RECONNECTION AS THE CAUSE OF COSMIC RAY EXCESS FROM THE HELIOSPHERIC TAIL

The observation of a broad excess of sub-TeV cosmic rays compatible with the direction of the heliospheric tail and the discovery of two significant localized excess regions of multi-TeV cosmic rays by the MILAGRO Collaboration, also from the same region of the sky, have raised questions on their origin. In particular, the coincidence of the most significant localized region with the direction of the heliospheric tail and the small angular scale of the observed anisotropy ({approx}10{sup 0}) is suggestive of a local origin and of a possible connection to the low-energy broad excess. Cosmic ray acceleration from magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail is proposed as a possible source of the energetic particles.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

MICROWAVE QUASI-PERIODIC PULSATIONS IN MULTI-TIMESCALES ASSOCIATED WITH A SOLAR FLARE/CME EVENT

Microwave observations of quasi-periodic pulsations (QPPs) in multi-timescales at the Solar Broadband Radio Spectrometer in Huairou (SBRS/Huairou) on 2006 December 13 are confirmed to be associated with an X3.4 flare/coronal mass ejection (CME) event. It is most remarkable that the timescales of QPPs are distributed in a broad range from hectoseconds (very long period pulsation, VLP, P>100 s), decaseconds (long period pulsation, LPP, 10 < P < 100 s), a few seconds (short period pulsation, SPP, 1 < P < 10 s), deciseconds (slow very short period pulsation, slow-VSP, 0.1 < P < 1.0 s), to centiseconds (fast very short period pulsation, fast-VSP, P < 0.1 s), and form a broad hierarchy. The statistical distribution of QPPs in logarithmic period-duration space indicates that all the QPPs can be classified into two groups: group I includes VLP, LPP, SPP, and some slow-VSPs distributed approximately around a line; group II includes fast-VSP and most of the slow-VSPs dispersively distributed away from the above line. This feature implies that the generation mechanism of group I is different from group II. Group I is possibly related to some MHD oscillations in magnetized plasma loops in the active region; e.g., VLPs may be generated by standing slow sausage mode coupling, resonating with the underlying photospheric 5 minute oscillation, with the modulation amplified and forming the main framework of the whole flare/CME process; LPPs, SPPs, and some slow-VSPs are most likely to be caused by standing fast modes or LRC-circuit resonance in current-carrying plasma loops. Group II is possibly generated by modulations of resistive tearing-mode oscillations in electric current-carrying flaring loops.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

TINY PORES OBSERVED BY HINODE/SOLAR OPTICAL TELESCOPE

The study of pores, small penumbraless sunspots, can give us a chance to understand how strong magnetic fields interact with convective motions in the photosphere. For a better understanding of this interaction, we investigate the temporal variation of several tiny pores smaller than 2''. These pores were observed by the Solar Optical Telescope on board Hinode on 2006 December 29. We have analyzed the high-resolution spectropolarimetric (SP) data and the G-band filtergrams taken during the observation. Magnetic flux density and Doppler velocities of the pores are estimated by applying the center-of-gravity method to the SP data. The horizontal motions in and around the pores are tracked by adopting the nonlinear affine velocity estimator method to the G-band filter images. As a result, we found the following. (1) The darkness of the pores is positively correlated with the magnetic flux density. (2) Downflows always exist inside and around the pores. (3) The speed of downflows inside the pores is negatively correlated with their darkness. (4) The pores are surrounded by strong downflows. (5) Brightness changes of the pores are correlated with the divergence of mass flow (correlation coefficient >0.9). (6) The pores in the growing phase are associated with the converging flow pattern and the pores in the decay phase with the diverging flow pattern. Our results support the idea that a pore grows as the magnetic flux density increases due to the convergence of ambient mass flow and it decays with the decrease of the flux density due to the diverging mass flow.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

EVIDENCE OF EXPLOSIVE EVAPORATION IN A MICROFLARE OBSERVED BY HINODE/EIS

We present a detailed study of explosive chromospheric evaporation during a microflare which occurred on 2007 December 7 as observed with the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer on board Hinode. We find temperature-dependent upflows for lines formed from 1.0 to 2.5 MK and downflows for lines formed from 0.05 to 0.63 MK in the impulsive phase of the flare. Both the line intensity and the nonthermal line width appear enhanced in most of the lines and are temporally correlated with the evaporation velocity. Our results are consistent with the numerical simulations of flare models, which take into account a strong nonthermal electron beam in producing the explosive chromospheric evaporation. The explosive evaporation observed in this microflare implies that the same dynamic processes may exist in events with very different magnitudes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2010

EXCITATION OF LOW-FREQUENCY WAVES IN THE SOLAR WIND BY NEWBORN INTERSTELLAR PICKUP IONS H{sup +} AND He{sup +} AS SEEN BY VOYAGER AT 4.5 AU

We report the observation of a spectral enhancement in the magnetic field fluctuations measured by the MAG instrument on the Voyager 2 spacecraft during 4.5 hr on DOY 7, 1979 at a heliocentric radial position of 4.5 AU. This time period is contained within a solar wind rarefaction when the large-scale interplanetary magnetic field was nearly radial. The frequency range and polarization of the enhanced fluctuations are consistent with waves generated by newly ionized interstellar H{sup +} and He{sup +}. We show sunward propagation of the waves via a cross-helicity analysis. We compare the observation with a theoretical model and find reasonable agreement given the model assumptions. This event is the first indication of pickup ion-generated waves seen at Voyager. It is also the first identification of pickup He{sup +} waves by any spacecraft.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

XMM-NEWTON OBSERVATIONS OF MBM 12: MORE CONSTRAINTS ON THE SOLAR WIND CHARGE EXCHANGE AND LOCAL BUBBLE EMISSIONS

We present the first analysis of an XMM-Newton observation of the nearby molecular cloud MBM 12. We find that in the direction of MBM 12 the total O VII (0.57 keV) triplet emission is 1.8{sup +0.5}{sub -0.6} photons cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} sr{sup -1} (or line units, LU) while for the O VIII (0.65 keV) line emission we find a 3{sigma} upper limit of <1 LU. We use a heliospheric model to calculate the O VII and O VIII emission generated by Solar Wind Charge-eXchange (SWCX) which we compare to the XMM-Newton observations. This comparison provides new constraints on the relative heliospheric and Local Bubble contributions to the local diffuse X-ray background. The heliospheric SWCX model predicts 0.82 LU for O VII, which accounts for {approx}46% {+-} 15% of the observed value, and 0.33 LU for the O VIII line emission consistent with the XMM-Newton observed value. We discuss our results in combination with previous observations of MBM 12 with Chandra and Suzaku.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗