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At least 469 records · Page 26

Can We Measure the Coronal Magnetic Field?

In this talk a proposal to use the Faraday rotation of the linear polarized radio signals to determine the magnetic field of the solar corona will be discussed.

Solar corona magnetic field↗

Energy transport through the solar atmosphere

The energy transport through the solar atmosphere and the source of energy which heats the chromosphere and the solar corona are studied. Wave propagation in the solar atmosphere and in the heating of the solar atmosphere is discussed as a source and transport medium. The source of the waves is thought to be the photospheric short period oscillations. Simultaneous observations from the photosphere to the corona at the solar disk center are reported. Emphasis is on the possible association of aperiodic brightenings high in the atmosphere with specific events in the photosphere.

Harvey, K. L.↗

Prediction of solar energetic particle event histories using real-time particle and solar wind measurements

The comparatively well-ordered magnetic structure in the solar corona during the decline of Solar Cycle 20 revealed a characteristic dependence of solar energetic particle injection upon heliographic longitude. When analyzed using solar wind mapping of the large scale interplanetary magnetic field line connection from the corona to the Earth, particle fluxes display an approximately exponential dependence on heliographic longitude. Since variations in the solar wind velocity (and hence the coronal connection longitude) can severely distort the simple coronal injection profile, the use of real-time solar wind velocity measurements can be of great aid in predicting the decay of solar particle events. Although such exponential injection profiles are commonplace during 1973-1975, they have also been identified earlier in Solar Cycle 20, and hence this structure may be present during the rise and maximum of the cycle, but somewhat obscured by greater temporal variations in particle injection.

Roelof, E. C.↗

The High Altitude Observatory Coronagraph/Polarimeter on the Solar Maximum Mission

The paper examines the High Altitude Observatory Coronagraph/Polarimeter designed to produce images of the solar corona in 7 wavelength bands in the visible spectral range, and to be flown on the NASA Solar Maximum Mission satellite. The spectral bands were chosen to exclude or include 'chromospheric' spectral lines, so as to allow discrimination between ejecta at coronal and chromospheric temperatures. The major goals of the instrument include: (1) observation of the corona in the flare process and of the ejecta from the flare site and the overlying corona, and (2) examination of the evolution of the solar corona near the period of solar maximum activity.

Macqueen, R. M.↗

Coupling of the coronal helium abundance to the solar wind

Models of the transition region-corona-solar wind system are investigated in order to find the coronal helium abundance and to study the role played by coronal helium in controlling the solar wind proton flux. The thermal force on alpha-particles in the transition region sets the flow of helium into the corona. The frictional coupling between alpha-particles and protons and/or the electric polarization field determines the proton flux in the solar wind as well as the fate of the coronal helium content. The models are constructed by solving the time-dependent population and momentum equations for all species of hydrogen and helium in an atmosphere with a given temperature profile. Several temperature profiles are considered in order to very the roles of frictional coupling and electric polarization field in the solar wind, and the thermal force in the transition region. Steady-state solutions are found for coronae with a hydrogen flux at 1 AU of 1.0 x 10(exp 9)/cm(exp 2)/sec or larger. For coronae with lower hydrogen fluxes, the helium flux into the corona is larger than the flux 'pulled out' by the solar wind protons, and solutions with increasing coronal helium content are found. The timescale for forming a helium-filled corona, that may allow for a steady outflow, is long compared to the mixing time for the corona.

Hansteen, Viggo H.↗

Extended Coronal Imaging with GOES-R Solar UltraViolet Imager

Solar corona in 17.1nm and 19.5nm wavelengths up to three solar radii from Sun center was observed by the Solar UltraViolet Imager (SUVI) on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) – 16 and GOES‐17. The nominally Sun‐pointed SUVI was off‐pointed to the left and to the right of the Sun center at a regular cadence and a composite Extended Coronal Imaging (ECI) frame was created. The imaging area in the composite is about three times the nominal image area in the East‐West direction (about 5*R(sub Sun) versus 1.6*R(sub Sun) for nominal images). The campaign was conducted in February (4 hours), June (72 hours), and August‐September of 2018 (5 weeks). Limited solar CME activity during the 5‐week campaign was observed in both the SUVI and LASCO C2 imagers. Some of the observations during this campaign include structures up to a few solar radii off the solar limb, and interesting coronal activity – both on and off the solar disk. They are presented here.

EUV Solar Corona↗

Nonresonant absorption of shear Alfven waves

Resonant absorption of shear Alfven waves is thought to be a likely candidate to explain heating of the solar corona and acceleration of the solar wind. A difficulty with the theory is that the absorption process is slow. Moreover, heating occurs in a very thin layer. A faster absorption mechanism is nonresonant absorption by compressional viscosity, in a curved magnetic field. Heating is nonresonant and is not localized to a narrow layer. The effect could be quite important where the solar coronal magnetic field is strongly curved, in the chromosphere. It could also be important on open field lines in the upper corona, where the compressional viscosity is large. It might imply that a significant part of outgoing Alfven waves are absorbed in the corona.

Strauss, H. R.↗

Solar Wind Five

Topics of discussion were: solar corona, MHD waves and turbulence, acceleration of the solar wind, stellar coronae and winds, long term variations, energetic particles, plasma distribution functions and waves, spatial dependences, and minor ions.

Neugebauer, M.↗

STS-87 Mission Highlights Resources Tape

The STS-87 mission the flight crew, Commander Kevin R. Kregel, Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialists Winston E. Scott, Kalpana Chawla, and Takao Doi, and Payload Specialist Leonid K. Kadenyuk present an overview of there mission. STS-87 will fly the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-4), the Spartan-201, the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE), the EVA Demonstration Flight Test 5 (EDFT-05). The objective of the observations are to investigate the mechanisms causing the heating of the solar corona and the acceleration of the solar wind which originates in the corona. While flying separately in the cargo bay, the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE) is an integral part of USMP-04. It is a highly sensitive instrument designed to acquire and record data of low-level aerodynamic acceleration along the orbiter's principal axes in the free-molecular flow regime at orbital altitudes and in the transition regime during re-entry. OARE data will support advances in space materials processing by providing measurements of the low-level, low frequency disturbance environment affecting various microgravity experiments. OARE data will also support advances in orbital drag prediction technology by increasing the understanding of the fundamental flow phenomena in the upper atmosphere.

Source record↗

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

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

Paetzold, M.↗

A study of the solar wind angular momentum including proton thermal anisotropy

The solution to the steady state magnetohydrodynamic equations governing the supersonic expansion of the solar corona into interplanetary space is obtained for various assumptions regarding the form in which proton thermal energy is carried away from the sun. The one-fluid, inviscid, formulation of the MHD equations is considered assuming that thermal energy is carried away by conduction from a heat source located at the base of the corona. Angular motion of the solar wind led to the existence of three critical points through which the numerical solutions must pass to extend from the sun's surface to large heliocentric distances. The results show that the amount of magnetic field energy converted into kinetic energy in the solar wind is only a small fraction of the total expansion energy flux and has little effect upon the final radial expansion velocity.

Acuna, M. H.↗

Coronal and chromospheric physics

The Solar Maximum Mission support program is mentioned along with investigations of the solar corona, prominences, and chromosphere. The solar limb was studied using far infrared and submillimeter photometry. Stokes profiles obtained from sunspot observations were examined with a polarimetric technique.

Hall, D. N. B.↗

Source energy spectra from demodulation of solar particle data by interplanetary and coronal transport

The data on source energy spectra of solar cosmic rays (SCR), i.e. the data on the spectrum form and on the absolute SCR are of interest for three reasons: (1) the SCR contain the energy comparable to the total energy of electromagnetic flare radiation (less than or equal to 10 to the 32nd power ergs); (2) the source spectrum form indicates a possible acceleration mechanism (or mechanism); and (3) the accelerated particles are efficiently involved in nuclear electromagnetic and plasma processes in the solar atmosphere. Therefore, the data on SCR source spectra are necessary for a theoretical description of the processes mentioned and for the formulation of the consistent flare model. Below it is attempted to sound solar particle sources by means of SCR energy spectrum obtained near the Sun, at the level of the roots of the interplanetary field lines in the upper solar corona. Data from approx. 60 solar proton events (SPE) between 1956-1981. These data were obtained mainly by the interplanetary demodulation of observed fluxes near the Earth. Further, a model of coronal azimuthal transport is used to demodulate those spectra, and to obtain the source energy spectra.

Perez-Peraza, J.↗

Three-dimensional driven reconnection in magnetic loops

A numerical study of reconnection in a three-dimensional axially bounded magnetic flux tube is presented. An axial magnetic field is embedded in a conducting fluid, between conducting end plates. An applied flow in the end plates causes distortion and stretching of the magnetic field in the flux tube, and the creation of current sheets. After the current sheets form, the reconnection rate is fast; with a merging rate M of about 1. The reconnection mechanism resembles flux pileup in two dimensions. It is also similar to the nonlinear behavior of a subcritically excited current-driven MHD mode. The numerical model is relevant to a mechanism thought to be important for heating the solar corona, as well as producing solar flares.

Strauss, H. R.↗