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At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2003

Linear Polarization Measurements of Chromospheric Emission Lines

We have used the Zurich Imaging Stokes Polarimeter (ZIMPOL I) with the McMath-Pierce 1.5 m main telescope on Kitt Peak to obtain linear polarization measurements of the off-limb chromosphere with a sensitivity better than 1 x 10(exp -5). We found that the off-disk observations require a combination of good seeing (to show the emission lines) and a clean heliostat (to avoid contamination by scattered light from the Sun's disk). When these conditions were met, we obtained the following principal results: 1. Sometimes self-reversed emission lines of neutral and singly ionized metals showed linear polarization caused by the transverse Zeeman effect or by instrumental cross talk from the longitudinal Zeeman effect in chromospheric magnetic fields. Otherwise, these lines tended to depolarize the scattered continuum radiation by amounts that ranged up to 0.2%. 2. Lines previously known to show scattering polarization just inside the limb (such as the Na I lambda5889 D2 and the He I lambda5876 D3 lines) showed even more polarization above the Sun's limb, with values approaching 0.7%. 3. The O I triplet at lambda7772, lambda7774, and lambda7775 showed a range of polarizations. The lambda7775 line, whose maximum intrinsic polarizability, P(sub max), is less than 1%, revealed mainly Zeeman contributions from chromospheric magnetic fields. However, the more sensitive lambda7772 (P(sub max) = 19%) and lambda7774 (P(sub max) = 29%) lines had relatively strong scattering polarizations of approximately 0.3% in addition to their Zeeman polarizations. At times of good seeing, the polarization spectra resolve into fine structures that seem to be chromospheric spicules.

Sheeley, N. R., Jr.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Transient Events in the Chromosphere and Corona with IBIS, ALMA, IRIS, and XRT

The connection between the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona is essential for understanding energy flow throughout the solar atmosphere. Recent work shows strong correlations between observations of the chromospheric mm-continuum (e.g., ALMA) and the low chromospheric H alpha (e.g., IBIS), and also between mm-continuum and the upper chromosphere and corona, such as SDO and XRT. However, the features which correlate between ALMA and IBIS are not those that correlate between ALMA and observations higher in the atmosphere. In this work, we examine transient features observed from the photosphere to the corona, and determine when and where the atmospheric features agree, and when they diverge. In particular, we show that the established IBIS line-width and ALMA Band 3 relationships break down during transient events (such as blue-wing excursions), though the ALMA and the H-alpha blue wing transients appear related. We also explore features of these transients that appear to foreshadow coronal signatures and find consistent connections and time-lags between transients observed in ALMA and features seen in the upper atmosphere.

A.R. Kobelski↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Demonstration of Chromospheric Magnetic Mapping with CLASP2.1

Probing the magnetic nature of the Sun’s chromosphere requires measurement of the polarization profiles of relevant magnetically sensitive spectral lines, many of which are in the ultraviolet spectrum, necessitating observations above the absorbing terrestrial atmosphere. The CLASP series of sounding rocket missions were designed to develop and test a technique for observing the Sun in ultraviolet light, and for quantifying the polarization of that light. By demonstrating successful measurement and interpretation of the polarization in hydrogen Lyman-alpha and the Mg II h and k spectral lines, these missions are crucial steps towards routine quantitative characterization of the local thermal and magnetic conditions in the solar chromosphere. In the most recent observations, CLASP2.1, the spectrograph slit was scanned across an active region plage to acquire a two-dimensional map of Stokes V/I, to demonstrate the ability of UV spectropolarimetry to yield chromospheric magnetic fields over a large area. The technique yields a set of simultaneous line-of-sight magnetograms at multiple heights within the plage atmosphere. By combining the CLASP2.1 measurements with magnetograms from Hinode/SOT or SDO/HMI, a wide range of atmospheric heights are mapped, from the photosphere to the upper chromosphere.

David E McKenzie↗
DOE OSTI2015

Multi-wavelength analysis from tomography study on solar chromosphere

The Sun as the most important star for scientific laboratory in astrophysics as well as encompassing all living aspect on Earth, still holds scientific mystery. As the established model that the Sun’s energy fueled by the nuclear reaction, along with transport process to the typical Solar surface on around 6000-K temperature, many aspects still left as an open questions, such as how the chromosphere responded to the photospheric dynamics. In this preliminary work, we try to analyze the Solar chromosphere respond to the Photospheric dynamics using tomography study implementing multi-wavelength analysis observation obtained from Dutch Open Telescope. Using the Hydrogen-alpha Doppler signal as the primary diagnostic tool, we try to investigate the inter-relation between the magnetic and gas pressure dynamics that occur in the chromosphere.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Observation and numerical modeling of chromospheric evaporation during the impulsive phase of a solar flare

We have studied the chromospheric evaporation flow during the impulsive phase of the flare by using the Hinode/EUV Imaging Spectrometer observation and 1D hydrodynamic numerical simulation coupled to the time-dependent ionization. The observation clearly shows that the strong redshift can be observed at the base of the flaring loop only during the impulsive phase. We performed two different numerical simulations to reproduce the strong downflows in FeXII and FeXV during the impulsive phase. By changing the thermal conduction coefficient, we carried out the numerical calculation of chromospheric evaporation in the thermal conduction dominant regime (conductivity coefficient κ{sub 0} = classical value) and the enthalpy flux dominant regime (κ{sub 0} = 0.1 × classical value). The chromospheric evaporation calculation in the enthalpy flux dominant regime could reproduce the strong redshift at the base of the flare during the impulsive phase. This result might indicate that the thermal conduction can be strongly suppressed in some cases of flare. We also find that time-dependent ionization effect is important to reproduce the strong downflows in Fe XII and Fe XV.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

CHROMOSPHERIC EVAPORATION IN AN M1.8 FLARE OBSERVED BY THE EXTREME-ULTRAVIOLET IMAGING SPECTROMETER ON HINODE

We discuss observations of chromospheric evaporation for a complex flare that occurred on 2012 March 9 near 03:30 UT obtained from the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board the Hinode spacecraft. This was a multiple event with a strong energy input that reached the M1.8 class when observed by EIS. EIS was in raster mode and fortunately the slit was almost at the exact location of a significant energy input. Also, EIS obtained a full-CCD spectrum of the flare, i.e., the entire CCD was readout so that data were obtained for about the 500 lines identified in the EIS wavelength ranges. Chromospheric evaporation characterized by 150-200 km s{sup -1} upflows was observed in multiple locations in multi-million degree spectral lines of flare ions such as Fe XXII, Fe XXIII, and Fe XXIV, with simultaneous 20-60 km s{sup -1} upflows in million degree coronal lines from ions such as Fe XII-Fe XVI. The behavior of cooler, transition region ions such as O VI, Fe VIII, He II, and Fe X is more complex, but upflows were also observed in Fe VIII and Fe X lines. At a point close to strong energy input in space and time, the flare ions Fe XXII, Fe XXIII, and Fe XXIV reveal an isothermal source with a temperature close to 14 MK and no strong blueshifted components. At this location there is a strong downflow in cooler active region lines from ions such as Fe XIII and Fe XIV, on the order of 200 km s{sup -1}. We speculate that this downflow may be evidence of the downward shock produced by reconnection in the current sheet seen in MHD simulations. A sunquake also occurred near this location. Electron densities were obtained from density sensitive lines ratios from Fe XIII and Fe XIV. Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory are used with JHelioviewer to obtain a qualitative overview of the flare. However, AIA data are not presented in this paper. In summary, spectroscopic data from EIS are presented that can be used for predictive tests of models of chromospheric evaporation as envisaged in the Standard Flare Model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

THE CYCLING OF MATERIAL BETWEEN THE SOLAR CORONA AND CHROMOSPHERE

Observations of transition region emission lines reveal the presence of redshifts in lines formed from the top of the chromosphere up to temperatures of about 2.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} K and blueshifts for temperatures above that. However, it is doubtful that the apparent large downward flows in the lower transition region represents an emptying of the corona, so some mechanism must be responsible for maintaining the mass balance between the corona and the lower atmospheric layers. We use a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics code to study the cycling of mass between the corona, transition region, and chromosphere by adding a tracer fluid to the simulation in various temperature intervals in the transition region. We find that most of the material seen in transition region emission lines formed at temperatures below 3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} K is material that has been rapidly heated from chromospheric temperatures and thereafter is pushed down as it cools. This implies that the bulk of transition region material resides in small loops. In these loops, the density is high and radiative cooling is efficient.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

CHROMOSPHERIC MASS MOTIONS AND INTRINSIC SUNSPOT ROTATIONS FOR NOAA ACTIVE REGIONS 10484, 10486, AND 10488 USING ISOON DATA

This work utilizes Improved Solar Observing Optical Network continuum (630.2 nm) and H{alpha} (656.2 nm) data to: (1) detect and measure intrinsic sunspot rotations occurring in the photosphere and chromosphere, (2) identify and measure chromospheric filament mass motions, and (3) assess any large-scale photospheric and chromospheric mass couplings. Significant results from 2003 October 27-29, using the techniques of Brown et al., indicate significant counter-rotation between the two large sunspots in NOAA AR 10486 on October 29, as well as discrete filament mass motions in NOAA AR 10484 on October 27 that appear to be associated with at least one C-class solar flare.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

SHORT DYNAMIC FIBRILS IN SUNSPOT CHROMOSPHERES

Sunspot chromospheres display vigorous oscillatory signatures when observed using chromospheric diagnostics such as the strong Ca II lines and Hα. New high-resolution sunspot observations from the Swedish 1 m Solar Telescope show the ubiquitous presence of small-scale, periodic, jet-like features that move up and down. This phenomenon has not been described before. The typical width of these features is about 0.''3 and they display clear parabolic trajectories in space-time diagrams. The maximum extension of the top of the jets is lowest in the umbra, a few 100 km, and progressively longer further away from the umbra in the penumbra, with the longest extending more than 1000 km. These jets resemble the dynamic fibrils found in plage regions but at smaller extensions. Local thermodynamic equilibrium inversion of spectropolarimetric Ca II 8542 observations enabled a comparison of the magnetic field inclination and properties of these short jets. We find that the most extended of these jets also have longer periods and tend to be located in regions with more horizontal magnetic fields. These results are direct observational confirmation of the mechanism of long-period waves propagating along inclined magnetic fields into the solar chromosphere. This mechanism was identified earlier as the driver of dynamic fibrils in plage, part of the mottles in the quiet Sun, and the type I spicules at the limb. The sunspot dynamic fibrils that we report here represent a new class of manifestation of this mechanism, distinct from the transient penumbral and umbral micro-jets reported earlier.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF CHROMOSPHERIC ANEMONE JETS ASSOCIATED WITH MOVING MAGNETIC FEATURES

Observations with the space-based solar observatory Hinode show that small-scale magnetic structures in the photosphere are found to be associated with a particular class of jets of plasma in the chromosphere called anemone jets. The goal of our study is to conduct a numerical experiment of such chromospheric anemone jets related to the moving magnetic features (MMFs). We construct a 2.5 dimensional numerical MHD model to describe the process of magnetic reconnection between the MMFs and the pre-existing ambient magnetic field, which is driven by the horizontal motion of the magnetic structure in the photosphere. We include thermal conduction parallel to the magnetic field and optically thin radiative losses in the corona to account for a self-consistent description of the evaporation process during the heating of the plasma due to the reconnection process. The motion of the MMFs leads to the expected jet and our numerical results can reproduce many observed characteristics of chromospheric anemone jets, topologically and quantitatively. As a result of the tearing instability, plasmoids are generated in the reconnection process that are consistent with the observed bright moving blobs in the anemone jets. An increase in the thermal pressure at the base of the jet is also driven by the reconnection, which induces a train of slow-mode shocks propagating upward. These shocks are a secondary effect, and only modulate the outflow of the anemone jet. The jet itself is driven by the energy input due to the reconnection of the MMFs and the ambient magnetic field.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Acceleration of type 2 spicules in the solar chromosphere. II. Viscous braking and upper bounds on coronal energy input

A magnetohydrodynamic model is used to determine conditions under which the Lorentz force accelerates plasma to type 2 spicule speeds in the chromosphere. The model generalizes a previous model to include a more realistic pre-spicule state, and the vertical viscous force. Two cases of acceleration under upper chromospheric conditions are considered. The magnetic field strength for these cases is ≤12.5 and 25 G. Plasma is accelerated to terminal vertical speeds of 66 and 78 km s{sup –1} in 100 s, compared with 124 and 397 km s{sup –1} for the case of zero viscosity. The flows are localized within horizontal diameters ∼80 and 50 km. The total thermal energy generated by viscous dissipation is ∼10 times larger than that due to Joule dissipation, but the magnitude of the total cooling due to rarefaction is ≳ this energy. Compressive heating dominates during the early phase of acceleration. The maximum energy injected into the corona by type 2 spicules, defined as the energy flux in the upper chromosphere, may largely balance total coronal energy losses in quiet regions, possibly also in coronal holes, but not in active regions. It is proposed that magnetic flux emergence in intergranular regions drives type 2 spicules.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

FAST MAGNETIC RECONNECTION IN THE SOLAR CHROMOSPHERE MEDIATED BY THE PLASMOID INSTABILITY

Magnetic reconnection in the partially ionized solar chromosphere is studied in 2.5 dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations including radiative cooling and ambipolar diffusion. A Harris current sheet with and without a guide field is considered. Characteristic values of the parameters in the middle chromosphere imply a high magnetic Reynolds number of ∼10{sup 6}-10{sup 7} in the present simulations. Fast magnetic reconnection then develops as a consequence of the plasmoid instability without the need to invoke anomalous resistivity enhancements. Multiple levels of the instability are followed as it cascades to smaller scales, which approach the ion inertial length. The reconnection rate, normalized to the asymptotic values of magnetic field and Alfvén velocity in the inflow region, reaches values in the range ∼0.01-0.03 throughout the cascading plasmoid formation and for zero as well as for strong guide field. The outflow velocity reaches ≈40 km s{sup –1}. Slow-mode shocks extend from the X-points, heating the plasmoids up to ∼8 × 10{sup 4} K. In the case of zero guide field, the inclusion of both ambipolar diffusion and radiative cooling causes a rapid thinning of the current sheet (down to ∼30 m) and early formation of secondary islands. Both of these processes have very little effect on the plasmoid instability for a strong guide field. The reconnection rates, temperature enhancements, and upward outflow velocities from the vertical current sheet correspond well to their characteristic values in chromospheric jets.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

ON FIBRILS AND FIELD LINES: THE NATURE OF Hα FIBRILS IN THE SOLAR CHROMOSPHERE

Observations of the solar chromosphere in the line core of the Hα line show dark elongated structures called fibrils that show swaying motion. We performed a three-dimensional radiation-MHD simulation of a network region and computed synthetic Hα images from this simulation to investigate the relation between fibrils and the magnetic field lines in the chromosphere. The periods, amplitudes, and phase speeds of the simulated fibrils are consistent with observations. We find that some fibrils trace out the same field line along the fibril’s length, while other fibrils sample different field lines at different locations along their length. Fibrils sample the same field lines on a timescale of ∼200 s. This is shorter than their own lifetime. Fibril-threading field lines carry slow-mode waves, as well as transverse waves propagating with the Alfvén speed. Transverse waves propagating in opposite directions cause an interference pattern with complex apparent phase speeds. The relationship between fibrils and field lines is governed by constant migration and swaying of the field lines, their mass loading and draining, and their visibility in Hα. Field lines are visible where they lie close to the optical depth unity surface. The location of the latter is at a height at which the column mass reaches a certain fixed value. The visibility of the field line is thus determined by its own mass density and by the mass density of the material above it. Using the swaying motion of fibrils as a tracer of chromospheric transverse oscillations must be done with caution.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

ASYMMETRIC MAGNETIC RECONNECTION IN WEAKLY IONIZED CHROMOSPHERIC PLASMAS

Realistic models of magnetic reconnection in the solar chromosphere must take into account that the plasma is partially ionized and that plasma conditions within any two magnetic flux bundles undergoing reconnection may not be the same. Asymmetric reconnection in the chromosphere may occur when newly emerged flux interacts with pre-existing, overlying flux. We present 2.5D simulations of asymmetric reconnection in weakly ionized, reacting plasmas where the magnetic field strengths, ion and neutral densities, and temperatures are different in each upstream region. The plasma and neutral components are evolved separately to allow non-equilibrium ionization. As in previous simulations of chromospheric reconnection, the current sheet thins to the scale of the neutral–ion mean free path and the ion and neutral outflows are strongly coupled. However, the ion and neutral inflows are asymmetrically decoupled. In cases with magnetic asymmetry, a net flow of neutrals through the current sheet from the weak-field (high-density) upstream region into the strong-field upstream region results from a neutral pressure gradient. Consequently, neutrals dragged along with the outflow are more likely to originate from the weak-field region. The Hall effect leads to the development of a characteristic quadrupole magnetic field modified by asymmetry, but the X-point geometry expected during Hall reconnection does not occur. All simulations show the development of plasmoids after an initial laminar phase.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

TEMPORAL EVOLUTION OF CHROMOSPHERIC EVAPORATION: CASE STUDIES OF THE M1.1 FLARE ON 2014 SEPTEMBER 6 AND X1.6 FLARE ON 2014 SEPTEMBER 10

With observations from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, we track the complete evolution of ∼11 MK evaporation flows in an M1.1 flare on 2014 September 6 and an X1.6 flare on 2014 September 10. These hot flows, as indicated by the blueshifted Fe xxi 1354.08 Å line, evolve smoothly with a velocity decreasing exponentially from ∼200 km s{sup −1} to almost stationary within a few minutes. We find a good correlation between the flow velocity and energy deposition rate as represented by the hard X-ray flux observed with the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager, or time derivative of the soft X-ray flux observed with the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites and the HINODE X-ray Telescope, which is in general agreement with models of nonthermal electron heating. The maximum blueshift of Fe xxi appears approximately at the same time as or slightly after the impulsive enhancement of the ultraviolet continuum and the Mg ii 2798.8 Å line emission, demonstrating that the evaporation flow is closely related to heating of the lower chromosphere. Finally, while the hot Fe xxi 1354.08 Å line is entirely blueshifted with no obvious rest component, cool chromospheric and transition region lines like Si iv 1402.77 Å are often not entirely redshifted but just reveal an obvious red wing enhancement at the ribbons, suggesting that the speed of chromospheric condensation might be larger than previously thought.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

EFFECT OF HORIZONTALLY INHOMOGENEOUS HEATING ON FLOW AND MAGNETIC FIELD IN THE CHROMOSPHERE OF THE SUN

The solar chromosphere is heated by damped Alfvén waves propagating upward from the photosphere at a rate that depends on magnetic field strength, producing enhanced heating at low altitudes in the extended weak-field regions (where the additional heating accounts for the radiative losses) between the boundaries of the chromospheric network as well as enhanced heating per particle at higher altitudes in strong magnetic field regions of the network. The resulting inhomogeneous radiation and temperature distribution produces bulk flows, which in turn affect the configuration of the magnetic field. The basic flow pattern is circulation on the spatial scale of a supergranule, with upward flow in the strong-field region; this is a mirror image in the upper chromosphere of photospheric/subphotospheric convection widely associated with the formation of the strong network field. There are significant differences between the neutral and the ionized components of the weakly ionized medium: neutral flow streamlines can form closed cells, whereas plasma is largely constrained to flow along the magnetic field. Stresses associated with this differential flow may explain why the canopy/funnel structures of the network magnetic field have a greater horizontal extent and are relatively more homogeneous at high altitudes than is expected from simple current-free models.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

DETECTION OF SHOCK MERGING IN THE CHROMOSPHERE OF A SOLAR PORE

It was theoretically demonstrated that a shock propagating in the solar atmosphere can overtake another and merge with it. We provide clear observational evidence that shock merging does occur quite often in the chromosphere of sunspots. Using Hα imaging spectral data taken by the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph of the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Soar Observatory, we construct time–distance maps of line-of-sight velocities along two appropriately chosen cuts in a pore. The maps show a number of alternating redshift and blueshift ridges, and we identify each interface between a preceding redshift ridge and the following blueshift ridge as a shock ridge. The important finding of ours is that two successive shock ridges often merge with each other. This finding can be theoretically explained by the merging of magneto-acoustic shock waves propagating with lower speeds of about 10 km s{sup −1} and those propagating at higher speeds of about 16–22 km s{sup −1}. The shock merging is an important nonlinear dynamical process of the solar chromosphere that can bridge the gap between higher-frequency chromospheric oscillations and lower-frequency dynamic phenomena such as fibrils.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

ALFVÉN WAVE HEATING OF THE SOLAR CHROMOSPHERE: 1.5D MODELS

Physical processes that may lead to solar chromospheric heating are analyzed using high-resolution 1.5D non-ideal MHD modeling. We demonstrate that it is possible to heat the chromospheric plasma by direct resistive dissipation of high-frequency Alfvén waves through Pedersen resistivity. However, this is unlikely to be sufficient to balance radiative and conductive losses unless unrealistic field strengths or photospheric velocities are used. The precise heating profile is determined by the input driving spectrum, since in 1.5D there is no possibility of Alfvén wave turbulence. The inclusion of the Hall term does not affect the heating rates. If plasma compressibility is taken into account, shocks are produced through the ponderomotive coupling of Alfvén waves to slow modes and shock heating dominates the resistive dissipation. In 1.5D shock coalescence amplifies the effects of shocks, and for compressible simulations with realistic driver spectra, the heating rate exceeds that required to match radiative and conductive losses. Thus, while the heating rates for these 1.5D simulations are an overestimate, they do show that ponderomotive coupling of Alfvén waves to sound waves is more important in chromospheric heating than Pedersen dissipation through ion–neutral collisions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗