Active Region Faculae Research Articles

Intensity contrast of solar network and faculae

Aims. We aim to gain insight into the effect of network and faculae on solar irradiance from their apparent intensity. Methods. Taking full-disc observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we examined the intensity contrast of network and faculae in the continuum and core of the Fe I 6173 Å line and 1700 Å, including the variation with magnetic flux density, distance from disc centre, nearby magnetic fields, and time. Results. The brightness of network and faculae is believed to be suppressed by nearby magnetic fields from its effect on convection. We note that the degree of magnetically crowding of an area also affects the magnetic flux tube sizes and the depth at which magnetic concentrations are embedded in intergranular lanes, such that intensity contrast can be enhanced in magnetically crowded areas at certain flux densities and distances from disc centre. The difference in intensity contrast between the quiet-Sun network and active region faculae, noted by various studies, arises because active regions are more magnetically crowded and is not due to any fundamental physical differences between network and faculae. These results highlight that solar irradiance models need to include the effect of nearby magnetic fields on network and faculae brightness. We found evidence that suggests that departures from local thermal equilibrium (LTE) might have limited effect on intensity contrast. This could explain why solar irradiance models that are based on the intensity contrast of solar surface magnetic features calculated assuming LTE reproduce the observed spectral variability even where the LTE assumption breaks down. Certain models of solar irradiance employ chromospheric indices as direct indications of the effect of network and faculae on solar irradiance. Based on past studies of the Ca II K line and on the intensity contrast measurements derived here, we show that the fluctuations in chromospheric emission from network and faculae are a reasonable estimate of the emission fluctuations in the middle photosphere, but not of those in the lower photosphere. This is due to the different physical mechanisms that underlie the magnetic intensity enhancement in the various atmospheric regimes, and represents a fundamental limitation of these solar irradiance models. Any time variation in the radiant properties of network and faculae is, of course, relevant to their effect on solar irradiance. The data set, which extends from 2010 to 2018, indicates that their intensity contrast was stable to about 3% in this period. Conclusions. This study offers new insights into the radiant behaviour of network and faculae, with practical implications for solar irradiance modelling.

Do Photospheric Brightness Structures Outside Magnetic Flux Tubes Contribute to Solar Luminosity Variation?

Variations in total solar irradiance (TSI) correlate well with changes in projected area of photospheric magnetic flux tubes associated with dark sunspots and bright faculae in active regions and network. This correlation does not, however, rule out possible TSI contributions from photospheric brightness inhomogeneities located outside flux tubes and spatially correlated with them. Previous reconstructions of TSI report agreement with radiometry that seems to rule out significant “extra-flux-tube” contributions. We show that these reconstructions are more sensitive to the facular contrasts used than has been generally recognized. Measurements with the Solar Bolometric Imager (SBI) provide the first reliable support for the relatively high, wide-band, disk-center contrasts required to produce 10% rms agreement. Longer term bolometric imaging will be required to determine whether the small but systematic TSI residuals we see here are caused by remaining errors in spot and facular areas and contrasts or by extra-flux-tube brightness structures such as bright rings around sunspots or “convective stirring” around active regions.

A Comparison of Feature Classification Methods for Modeling Solar Irradiance Variation

Physical understanding of total and spectral solar irradiance variation depends upon establishing a connection between the temporal variability of spatially resolved solar structures and spacecraft observations of irradiance. One difficulty in comparing models derived from different data sets is that the many ways for identifying solar features such as faculae, sunspots, quiet Sun, and various types of “network” are not necessarily consistent. To learn more about classification differences and how they affect irradiance models, feature “masks” are compared as derived from five current methods: multidimensional histogram analysis of NASA/National Solar Observatory/Kitt Peak spectromagnetograph data, statistical pattern recognition applied to SOHO/Michelson Doppler Imager photograms and magnetograms, threshold masks allowing for influence of spatial surroundings applied to NSO magnetograms, and “one-trigger” and “three-trigger” algorithms applied to California State University at Northridge Cartesian Full Disk Telescope intensity observations. In general all of the methods point to the same areas of the Sun for labeling sunspots and active-region faculae, and available time series of area measurements from the methods correlate well with each other and with solar irradiance. However, some methods include larger label sets, and there are important differences in detail, with measurements of sunspot area differing by as much as a factor of two. The methods differ substantially regarding inclusion of fine spatial scale in the feature definitions. The implications of these differences for modeling solar irradiance variation are discussed.

Multiband modelling of the Sun as a variable star from VIRGO/SoHO data

The time series of total solar irradiance (TSI) and optical spectral irradiance at 402, 500 and 862 nm (SSIs) obtained by the VIRGO experiment on board the satellite SoHO are analysed in order to model their variability in the framework of a purely stellar-like approach. The different time scales of variability are estimated by means of the pooled variance method revealing the growth and decay of sunspots and faculae in active regions, as well as their rotationally modulated visibility. The determination of the rotation period of the Sun from the time modulation of the TSI and SSIs is made difficult by the short lifetimes of photospheric brightness inhomogeneities in comparison to the rotation period. Only during the phases with the lowest level of activity of solar cycle 23, when the variability is dominated by long-lived faculae, is it possible to determine the truly solar synodic period. The simultaneous modelling of the rotational modulation of the TSI and SSIs can be performed by means of a simple stellar-like approach which extends the model we previously applied to the TSI modulation alone (Lanza et al. 2003). Our model yields residuals about 20-30 times smaller than the amplitudes of the TSI and SSI variations in all the phases of the 11-yr activity cycle. The determination of the model parameters, including the temperature of the surface brightness inhomogeneities and the trade-off among them are discussed and compared with the results obtained with different modelling approaches. The advantages and the drawbacks of applying the model to other stars are also considered.

A measure of the network radiative properties over the solar activity cycle

Magnetic activity contributes to solar irradiance variations, both on short and long time scales. While sunspots and active region faculae are the dominant contributors to irradiance changes on time scales of days to weeks, the origin of the long term increase of the irradiance between activity minimum and maximum (≈0.1%) is still debated. It has been proposed that the small-scale magnetic elements composing the enhanced and quiet network take part substantially in this increase. To contribute to this debate, we present the results obtained measuring changes in the radiative properties of the quiet network pattern along the current solar cycle. We use daily near simultaneous full-disk images provided by the Rome PSPT in three pass bands centered on CaII K line, blue and red Continua. The period analyzed ranges from July 1996 to September 2002, during the whole ascending phase of the current solar cycle. We measured a network contrast change of about 0.05% in the two continuum PSPT bands and a network disk coverage change of the order of 6%. Under the simple hypothesis that network and quiet sun radiate as black bodies with the network at a slightly elevated temperature, the network contribution to TSI cycle variation, estimated over the period analyzed, is ≈3−4 × 10 −4 .

Reconstruction of Past Solar Irradiance

Accurate measurements of solar irradiance started in 1978, but a much longer time series is needed in order to uncover a possible influence on the Earth's climate. In order to reconstruct the irradiance prior to 1978 we require both an understanding of the underlying causes of solar irradiance variability as well as data describing the state of the Sun (in particular its magnetic field) at the relevant epochs. Evidence is accumulating that on the time-scale of the solar cycle or less, variations in solar irradiance are produced mainly by changes in the amount and distribution of magnetic flux on the solar surface. The main solar features contributing to a darkening of the Sun are sunspots, while active-region faculae and the network lead to a brightening. There is also increasing evidence for secular changes of the solar magnetic field and the associated of solar brightness variability. In part the behavior of sun-like stars is used as a guide of such secular changes. Under the assumption that solar irradiance variations are due to solar surface magnetism on all relevant time scales it is possible to reconstruct the irradiance with some reliability from today to around 1874, and with lower accuracy back to the Maunder minimum. One major problem is the decreasing amount and accuracy of the relevant data with age. In this review the various reconstructions of past solar irradiance are presented and the assumptions underlying them are scrutinized.

Properties of the Smallest Solar Magnetic Elements. II. Observations versus Hot Wall Models of Faculae

Observations obtained at the Swedish Solar Observatory, La Palma, using the Lockheed tunable filter, have been used to measure properties of active region faculae, including contrast from disk center to near the limb. The data consist of coregistered digital photometric images of the line-of-sight magnetic field and of the continuum intensity.

Solar Irradiance Variability and Luminosity Changes

This review presents a discussion of radiometrie measurements of solar total irradiance variation, ΔS, on time scales of days, to the 15-year extent of present measurements. It does not cover variations in spectral irradiance, particularly the relatively large solar UV and EUV flux variations of great importance in studies of trends in stratospheric ozone, and of upper atmospheric heating variations.Analysis of the pyrheliometry of ΔS carried out from the Solar Maximum Mission, Nimbus-7 and ERB S satellites has shown that a) the sun brightens by 0.05 - 0.1% around activity maximum and; b) it dims by up to approximately 0.2% when large sunspot groups cross the disc. Empirical models of ΔS based on areas and photometric contrasts of sunspots, and on proxies of facular area, are remarkably successful in matching the observed record of ΔS, on time scales between days and the full 15- year record available since 1978. These models indicate that the opposite contributions of sunspots and faculae in active regions roughly balance over time scales of years, and the net solar brightening observed around peak activity is caused by increased emission from the photospheric magnetic network.

Contrast of faculae near the disk center and solar variability

We analyze simultaneous, or near‐simultaneous, coregistered, digital, photometric images of solar photospheric intensity and line‐of‐sight magnetic field. Images were made with the Lockheed tunable filter instrument at the Swedish Solar Observatory, La Palma, with the video spectra‐spectroheliograph system at the San Fernando Observatory and with the new NASA spectromagnetograph at the National Solar Observatory at Kitt Peak. We study the disk center contrasts of small magnetic elements. While active region faculae are dark at disk center quiet Sun network features are bright. The populations of magnetic field elements that make up these two kinds of features are quite different. Different contrast center‐limb functions must be used when estimating their irradiance or luminosity contributions. The disk center contrasts of active region faculae are color dependent and indicate a depth effect related to the H− opacity of the facular atmosphere. This result is important for calibration of monochromatic observations of faculae to bolometric irradiance fluctuations. We emphasize the value of cooperative observations among installations whose differing strengths are complementary.

Estimation of total irradiance variations with the CCD solar surface photometer

Spatially resolved, full-disk intensity CCD observations of the sun were performed at 545 and 770 nm from December 1987 to April 1988, and sunspots, facular, and active network contributions to the total solar irradiance are determined from the data. In terms of peak amplitudes, about 0.06 percent negative contribution from sunspots and about 0.03 percent positive contribution from faculae and the active netowrk to the total irradiance are found to be present in the observational period. The active network radiates at a level several tenths of a percent brighter than the surrounding photosphere, and its contribution to the total irradiance is about half that of active region faculae. 32 refs.

Theoretical interpretation of total solar irradiance variations

Analysis of the radiometric record of the total solar irradiance obtained over the past ten years has revealed characteristic variations caused by sunspots and faculae, the magnetic network, and also the sun's internal oscillations and photospheric convection. Our physical understanding of the variations caused by spots and faculae in active regions is discussed in this review, and the results are applied to interpretation of recently discovered solar irradiance changes over time scales of several months to most of an 11 year activity cycle.