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At least 127 records · Page 7

Corongraphic Observations and Analyses of The Ultraviolet Solar Corona

The activities supported under NASA Grant NAG5-613 included the following: 1) reduction and scientific analysis of data from three sounding rocket flights of the Rocket Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer, 2) development of ultraviolet spectroscopic diagnostic techniques to provide a detailed empirical description of the extended solar corona, 3) extensive upgrade of the rocket instrument to become the Ultraviolet Coronal Spectrometer (UVCS) for Spartan 201,4) instrument scientific calibration and characterization, 5) observation planning and mission support for a series of five Spartan 201 missions (fully successful except for STS 87 where the Spartan spacecraft was not successfully deployed and the instruments were not activated), and 6) reduction and scientific analysis of the UVCS/Spartan 201 observational data. The Ultraviolet Coronal Spectrometer for Spartan 201 was one unit of a joint payload and the other unit was a White Light Coronagraph (WLC) provided by the High Altitude Observatory and the Goddard Space Flight Center. The two instruments were used in concert to determine plasma parameters describing structures in the extended solar corona. They provided data that could be used individually or jointly in scientific analyses. The WLC provided electron column densities in high spatial resolution and high time resolution. UVCS/Spartan provided hydrogen velocity distributions, and line of sight hydrogen velocities. The hydrogen intensities from UVCS together with the electron densities from WLC were used to determine hydrogen outflow velocities. The UVCS also provided O VI intensities which were used to develop diagnostics for velocity distributions and outflow velocities of minor ions.

Kohl, John L.↗

Fundamental Studies in Basic Plasma Science: Experimental Investigations of Alfven Wave Damping Processes Relevant to the Solar Corona (Final Report)

Motivated by recent observations suggesting that the solar corona is heated by Alfvén wave damping at unexpectedly low heights, we performed experiments to study the basic plasma physics of Alfvén wave dissipation. Proposed coronal damping mechanisms rely on inhomogeneities in the plasma, but these theories have not been systematically studied in the laboratory. We performed experiments using the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) to test these theories.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Oxygen-to-neon abundance ratio in the solar corona

The oxygen-to-neon abundance ratio in the solar corona is determined to be 4.7 + or - 1.5 on the basis of a relatively model-independent analysis utilizing 25 separate measurements of the O VIII to Ne IX resonance line ratio. The stated uncertainty includes random and possible systematic experimental error in the data but does not include possible error in the calculated flux ratios which have been fitted to the observations. This abundance ratio is smaller than most published results based upon EUV or X-ray observations but is in good agreement with direct measurements of flare cosmic rays.

Acton, L. W.↗

Photometric intensity and polarization measurements of the solar corona.

Use of a satellite photometric observatory (SPO) to measure the solar corona from Miahuatlan, Mexico during the Mar. 7, 1970, total eclipse of the sun. The SPO is equipped with a 24-in. Cassegrainian telescope, a four-channel photoelectric photometer, a Wollaston prism, and a rotating half-wave plate. Simultaneous measurements were made of the two orthogonal components of coronal light in the B and R bands of the UBVRI system. A 1-minute arc aperture was scanned from the lunar disk center out to five solar radii in a series of spirals of gradually increasing radius. For the first time, simultaneous multicolor intensity, degree, and angle of polarization profiles are computed from photoelectric measurements. Comparison of the variations of the measurements for each spiral scan yield a detailed picture of the intensity and polarization features in the K corona.

Mcdougal, D. S.↗

Observations of the brightness temperature distribution of the quiet solar corona at decametric wavelengths

The brightness temperature distribution of the quiet solar corona at a wavelength of 8.9 meters is measured by two types of radio telescope: (1) a 'T' type array with a resolution of 26'X38', and (2) a fan beam interferometer with an E-W resolution of 3'. It is found that the persistent bright regions do not have any angular structure on scales of 6' or less. The daily variations of the brightness temperature of different regions are studied and the possible interpretation discussed.

Sastry, Ch. V.↗

The possible role of MHD waves in heating the solar corona

The possible role of waves in the heating of the solar corona has been investigated. A general dispersion relation has been derived for waves propagating in a homogeneous plasma subject to dissipation by viscosity and thermal conduction. The dissipation mechanisms have been incorporated self-consistently into the equations, and no assumptions about the strength of the damping have been made. Solutions of the sixth-order dispersion relation provide information on how the damping of both slow and fast mode waves depends upon the plasma density, temperature, field strength, and angle of propagation relative to the background magnetic field. We provide a detailed comparison to the standard approach, which is to solve for the wave quantities in the absence of dissipation and then to use these quantities in expressions for the heating due to viscosity and thermal conduction.

Porter, Lisa J.↗

Gyroscopic waves in the base of the solar corona: A model and possible observational manifestations

A linear model for gyroscopic waves in the base of the solar corona is proposed. The purpose was to point out possible observational manifestations of the phenomenon. According to the model, these waves move slowly around the sun along heliolatitude circles. The fact that the red line corona is fainter on the solar side facing the apex and north-south and east-west asymmetries of the red coronal emission line could be interpreted as a possible observational manifestation of the gyroscopic wave phenomenon in the coronal base.

Pisanko, Y. V.↗