Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph Research Articles

Strong Blue Asymmetry in H α $\upalpha$ Line as a Preflare Activity

Chromospheric activities prior to solar flares provide important clues to solar flare initiation, but are as yet poorly understood. We report a significant and rapid H$\alpha$ line broadening before the solar flare SOL2011-09-29T18:08, that was detected using the unprecedented high-resolution H$\alpha$ imaging spectroscopy with the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) installed on the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope (NST) at Big Bear Solar Observatory.The strong H$\alpha$ broadening extends as a blue excursion up to -4.5 A and as a red excursion up to 2.0 A, which implies a mixture of velocities in the range of -130 km/s to 38 km/s by applying the cloud model, comparable to the highest chromospheric motions reported before. The H$\alpha$ blueshifted broadening lasts for about 4 minutes, and is temporally and spatially correlated with the start of a rising filament, which is later associated with the main phase of the flare as detected by the Atmosphere Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The potential importance of this H$\alpha$ blueshifted broadening as a preflare chromospheric activity is briefly discussed within the context of the two-step eruption model.

OSCILLATORY RESPONSE OF THE SOLAR CHROMOSPHERE TO A STRONG DOWNFLOW EVENT ABOVE A SUNSPOT

ABSTRACT We report three-minute oscillations in the solar chromosphere driven by a strong downflow event in a sunspot. We used the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph of the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope and the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). The strong downflow event is identified in the chromospheric and transition region lines above the sunspot umbra. After the event, oscillations occur at the same region. The amplitude of the Doppler velocity oscillations is 2 km s−1 and gradually decreases with time. In addition, the period of the oscillations gradually increases from 2.7 to 3.3 minutes. In the IRIS 1330 Å slit-jaw images, we identify a transient brightening near the footpoint of the downflow detected in the Hα+0.5 Å image. The characteristics of the downflowing material are consistent with those of sunspot plumes. Based on our findings, we suggest that the gravitationally stratified atmosphere came to oscillate with a three-minute period in response to the impulsive downflow event as was theoretically investigated by Chae & Goode.

DETECTION OF A FINE-SCALE DISCONTINUITY OF PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC FIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH SOLAR CORONAL LOOP BRIGHTENINGS

We present the transient brightening of a coronal loop and an associated fine-scale magnetic discontinuity detected in the photosphere. Utilizing the high-resolution data taken with the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph and InfraRed Imaging Magnetograph of the New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory, we detect a narrow lane of intense horizontal magnetic field representing a magnetic discontinuity. It was visible as a dark lane partially encircling a pore in the continuum image, and was located near one of the footpoints of a small coronal loop that experienced transient brightenings. The horizontal field strength gradually increased before the loop brightening, and then rapidly decreased in the impulsive phase of the brightening, suggesting the increase of the magnetic non-potentiality at the loop footpoint and the sudden release of magnetic energy via magnetic reconnection. Our results support the nanoflare theory that coronal heating events are caused by magnetic reconnection events at fine-scale magnetic discontinuities.

SIMULTANEOUS OBSERVATION OF A HOT EXPLOSION BY NST AND IRIS

We present the first simultaneous observations of so-called “hot explosions” in the cool atmosphere of the Sun made by the New Solar Telescope (NST) of Big Bear Solar Observatory and the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) in space. The data were obtained during the joint IRIS-NST observations on 2014 July 30. The explosion of interest started around 19:20 UT and lasted for about 10 minutes. Our findings are as follows: (1) the IRIS brightening was observed in three channels of slit-jaw images, which cover the temperature range from 4000 to 80,000 K; (2) during the brightening, the Si iv emission profile showed a double-peaked shape with highly blue and redshifted components ( and 80 km s−1); (3) wing brightening occurred in Hα and Ca ii 8542 Å bands and related surges were observed in both bands of the NST Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) instrument; (4) the elongated granule, seen in NST TiO data, is clear evidence of the emergence of positive flux to trigger the hot explosion; (5) the brightening in Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly 1600 Å images is quite consistent with the IRIS brightening. These observations suggest that our event is a hot explosion that occurred in the cool atmosphere of the Sun. In addition, our event appeared as an Ellerman bomb (EB) in the wing of Hα, although its intensity is weak and the vertical extent of the brightening seems to be relatively high compared with the typical EBs.

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−1 and those propagating at higher speeds of about 16–22 km s−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.

INTENSITY AND DOPPLER VELOCITY OSCILLATIONS IN PORE ATMOSPHERES

We have investigated chromospheric traveling features running across two merged pores from their centers at speeds of about 55 km s−1, in the active region AR 11828. The pores were observed on 2013 August 24 by using high-time, spatial, and spectral resolution data from the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph of the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope. We infer a line-of-sight (LOS) velocity by applying the lambdameter method to the Ca ii 8542 A band and Hα band, and investigate intensity and LOS velocity changes at different wavelengths and different positions at the pores. We find that they have three-minute oscillations, and the intensity oscillation from the line center (0.0 $\overset{\circ}{\rm A} $) is preceded by that from the core (−0.3 $\overset{\circ}{\rm A} $) of the bands. There is no phase difference between the intensity and the LOS velocity oscillations at a given wavelength. The amplitude of LOS velocity from the near core spectra (${\Delta }\lambda =0.10-0.21\;\overset{\circ}{\rm A} $) is greater than that from the far core spectra (${\Delta }\lambda =0.24-0.36\;\overset{\circ}{\rm A} $). These results support the interpretation of the observed wave as a slow magnetoacoustic wave propagating along the magnetic field lines in the pores. The apparent horizontal motion and a sudden decrease of its speed beyond the pores can be explained by the projection effect caused by inclination of the magnetic field with a canopy structure. We conclude that the observed wave properties of the pores are quite similar to those from the sunspot observations.

SPECTRAL OBSERVATIONS OF ELLERMAN BOMBS AND FITTING WITH A TWO-CLOUD MODEL

We study the H$\alpha$ and Ca II 8542 \r{A} line spectra of four typical Ellerman bombs (EBs) in active region NOAA 11765 on 2013 June 6, observed with the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph installed at the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory. Considering that EBs may occur in a restricted region in the lower atmosphere, and that their spectral lines show particular features, we propose a two-cloud model to fit the observed line profiles. The lower cloud can account for the wing emission, and the upper cloud is mainly responsible for the absorption at line center. After choosing carefully the free parameters, we get satisfactory fitting results. As expected, the lower cloud shows an increase of the source function, corresponding to a temperature increase of 400--1000 K in EBs relative to the quiet Sun. This is consistent with previous results deduced from semi-empirical models and confirms that a local heating occurs in the lower atmosphere during the appearance of EBs. We also find that the optical depths can increase to some extent in both the lower and upper clouds, which may result from either a direct heating in the lower cloud, or illumination by an enhanced radiation on the upper cloud. The velocities derived from this method, however, are different from those obtained using the traditional bisector method, implying that one should be cautious when interpreting this parameter. The two-cloud model can thus be used as an efficient method to deduce the basic physical parameters of EBs.

Active Region Coronal Rain Event Observed by the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph on the NST

The Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) is being operated on the New Solar Telescope of the Big Bear Solar Observatory. It simultaneously records spectra of Hα and Ca ii 8542 A lines, and this dual-spectra measurement provides an estimate of the temperature and nonthermal speed components. We observed a loop structure in AR 11305 using the FISS, SDO/AIA, and STEREO/EUVI in 304 A, and found plasma material falling along the loop from a coronal height into the umbra of a sunspot, which accelerated up to 80 km s−1. We also observed C2 and C7 flare events near the loop. The temperature of the downflows was in the range of 10 000 – 33 000 K, increasing toward the umbra. The temperature of the flow varied with time, and the temperature near the footpoint rose immediately after the C7 flare, but the temperature toward the umbra remained the same. There seemed to be a temporal correlation between the amount of downflow material and the observed C-class flares. The downflows decreased gradually soon after the flares and then increased after a few hours. These high-speed red-shift events occurred continuously during the observations. The flows observed on-disk in Hα and Ca ii 8542 A appeared as fragmented, fuzzy condensed material falling from the coronal heights when seen off-limb with STEREO/EUVI at 304 A. Based on these observations, we propose that these flows were an on-disk signature of coronal rain.

Velocities and Temperatures of an Ellerman Bomb and Its Associated Features

We investigated the velocity and temperature characteristics of an Ellerman bomb (EB) and its associated features based on observations made with the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) and a broadband TiO filter of the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory. In the TiO images of the photospheric level, we found a granular cell expanding in two opposite directions near the site of the EB. When one end of this granule reached the EB site, the transverse speed of the tip of the expanding granule rapidly decreased and the EB brightened. The wings of the Hα profile of the EB indicated that the EB was blueshifted up to 7 km s−1. About 260 s after the EB brightening, a surge was seen in absorption and varied from a blueshift of 20 km s−1 to a redshift of 40 km s−1 seen in the Hα and Ca ii 8542 A lines. From the Doppler absorption width of the two lines determined by applying the cloud model, we estimated the mean temperature of the surge material to be about 29000 K and the mean speed of nonthermal motion to be about 11 km s−1. We discuss the physical implications of our results in terms of magnetic reconnection and processes related to it.

Doppler Shifts of the Hα Line and the Ca ii 854.2 nm Line in a Quiet Region of the Sun Observed with the FISS/NST

The characteristics of Doppler shifts in a quiet region of the Sun are compared between the Hα line and the Ca ii infrared line at 854.2 nm. A small area of 16″×40″ was observed for about half an hour with the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) of the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope (NST) at Big Bear Solar Observatory. The observed area contains a network region and an internetwork region, and identified in the network region are fibrils and bright points. We infer Doppler velocity v m from each line profile at each individual point with the lambdameter method as a function of half wavelength separation Δλ. It is confirmed that the bisector of the spatially averaged Ca ii line profile has an inverse C-shape with a significant peak redshift of + 1.8 km s−1. In contrast, the bisector of the spatially averaged Hα line profile has a C-shape with a small peak blueshift of − 0.5 km s−1. In both lines, the bisectors of bright network points are significantly redshifted not only at the line centers, but also at the wings. The Ca ii Doppler shifts are found to be correlated with the Hα ones with the strongest correlation occurring in the internetwork region. Moreover, we find that here the Doppler shifts in the two lines are essentially in phase. We discuss the physical implications of our results in view of the formation of the Hα line and Ca ii 854.2 nm line in the quiet region chromosphere.

Determination of Temperature in Solar Prominences/Filaments Using FISS Observations

AbstractUsing the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph of the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope at Big Bear, we simultaneously took the spectral profiles of the Hα line and the Ca ii line at 854.2 nm from prominences beyond the solar limb and filaments on the disk. The spectral data were fitted by the slab model of radiative transfer with constant source function, either with zero background intensity profile (in prominences) or with carefully constructed background intensity profile (in filaments). These observations with different perspectives and different analyses produced consistent results: temperature inside prominences/filaments ranges from 4000 to 20000 K with a mean of about 9500 K. We expect that this kind of observation and analysis with higher spatial resolution and higher temporal resolution will allow us to study in detail the thermal structure and evolution of plasma in prominences.

Chromospheric Sunspot Oscillations in Hα and Ca ii 8542 Å

We study chromospheric oscillations including umbral flashes and running penumbral waves in a sunspot of active region NOAA 11242 using scanning spectroscopy in Hα and Ca ii 8542 A with the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) at the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory. A bisector method is applied to spectral observations to construct chromospheric Doppler-velocity maps. Temporal-sequence analysis of these shows enhanced high-frequency oscillations inside the sunspot umbra in both lines. Their peak frequency gradually decreases outward from the umbra. The oscillation power is found to be associated with magnetic-field strength and inclination, with different relationships in different frequency bands.

Temperature of Solar Prominences Obtained with the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph on the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory

We observed solar prominences with the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) at the Big Bear Solar Observatory on 30 June 2010 and 15 August 2011. To determine the temperature of the prominence material, we applied a nonlinear least-squares fitting of the radiative transfer model. From the Doppler broadening of the Hα and Ca ii lines, we determined the temperature and nonthermal velocity separately. The ranges of temperature and nonthermal velocity were 4000 – 20 000 K and 4 – 11 km s−1. We also found that the temperature varied much from point to point within one prominence.

FISS Observations of Vertical Motion of Plasma in Tiny Pores

Pores can be exploited for the understanding of the interaction between small-scale vertical magnetic field and the surrounding convective motions as well as the transport of mechanical energy into the chromosphere along the magnetic field. For better understanding of the physics of pores, we investigate tiny pores in a new emerging active region (AR11117) that were observed on 26 October 2010 by the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) on board Hinode and the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) of the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope (NST). The pores are compared with nearby small magnetic concentrations (SMCs), which have similar magnetic flux as the pores but do not appear dark. Magnetic flux density and Doppler velocities in the photosphere are estimated by applying the center-of-gravity method to the Hinode/Spectro-Polarimeter data. The line-of-sight motions in the lower chromosphere are determined by applying the bisector method to the wings of the Hα and the Ca ii 8542 A line simultaneously taken by the FISS. The coordinated observation reveals that the pores are filled with plasma which moves down slowly and are surrounded by stronger downflow in the photosphere. In the lower chromosphere, we found that the plasma flows upwards inside the pores while the plasma in the SMCs is always moving down. Our inspection of the Ca ii 8542 A line from the wing to the core shows that the upflow in the pores slows down with height and turns into downflow in the upper chromosphere while the downflow in the SMCs gains its speed. Our results are in agreement with the numerical studies which suggest that rapid cooling of the interior of the pores drives a strong downflow, which collides with the dense lower layer below and rebounds into an upflow.

Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph of the 1.6 Meter New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory

For high resolution spectral observations of the Sun – particularly its chromosphere, we have developed a dual-band echelle spectrograph named Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS), and installed it in a vertical optical table in the Coude Lab of the 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory. This instrument can cover any part of the visible and near-infrared spectrum, but it usually records the Hα band and the Ca ii 8542 A band simultaneously using two CCD cameras, producing data well suited for the study of the structure and dynamics of the chromosphere and filaments/prominences. The instrument does imaging of high quality using a fast scan of the slit across the field of view with the aid of adaptive optics. We describe its design, specifics, and performance as well as data processing

1.6 m 신태양망원경용 고속영상태양분광기 개발

KASI and Seoul National University developed the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) as one of major scientific instruments for the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope (NST) and installed it in the Coude room of the NST at Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) in May, 2010. The major objective of the FISS is to study the fine-scale structures and dynamics of plasma in the photosphere and chromosphere. To achieve it, the FISS is required to take data with a spectral resolution higher than <TEX>$10^5$</TEX> at the spectrograph mode and a temporal resolution less than 10 seconds at the imaging mode. The FISS is a spectrograph using Echelle grating and has characteristics that can observe dual bands (H<TEX>${\alpha}$</TEX> and CaII 8542) simultaneously and perform fast imaging using fast raster scan and two fast CCD cameras. In this paper, we introduce briefly the whole process of FISS development from the requirement analysis to the first observations.

Scientific instrumentation for the 1.6 m New Solar Telescope in Big Bear

AbstractThe NST (New Solar Telescope), a 1.6 m clear aperture, off‐axis telescope, is in its commissioning phase at Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO). It will be the most capable, largest aperture solar telescope in the US until the 4 m ATST (Advanced Technology Solar Telescope) comes on‐line late in the next decade. The NST will be outfitted with state‐of‐the‐art scientific instruments at the Nasmyth focus on the telescope floor and in the Coudé Lab beneath the telescope. At the Nasmyth focus, several filtergraphs already in routine operation have offered high spatial resolution photometry in TiO 706 nm, Hα 656 nm, G‐band 430 nm and the near infrared (NIR), with the aid of a correlation tracker and image reconstruction system. Also, a Cryogenic Infrared Spectrograph (CYRA) is being developed to supply high signal‐to‐noise‐ratio spectrometry and polarimetry spanning 1.0 to 5.0 μm. The Coudé Lab instrumentation will include Adaptive Optics (AO), InfraRed Imaging Magnetograph (IRIM), Visible Imaging Magnetograph (VIM), and Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS). A 308 sub‐aperture (349‐actuator deformable mirror) AO system will enable nearly diffraction limited observations over the NST's principal operating wavelengths from 0.4 μm through 1.7 μm. IRIM and VIM are Fabry‐Pérot based narrow‐band tunable filters, which provide high resolution two‐dimensional spectroscopic and polarimetric imaging in the NIR and visible respectively. FISS is a collaboration between BBSO and Seoul National University focussing on chromosphere dynamics. This paper reports the up‐to‐date progress on these instruments including an overview of each instrument and details of the current state of design, integration, calibration and setup/testing on the NST (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

CAPABILITY OF THE FAST IMAGING SOLAR SPECTROGRAPH ON NST/BBSO FOR OBSERVING FILAMENTS/PROMINENCES AT THE SPECTRAL LINES Hα, Ca II 8542, AND Ca II K

Spectral line profiles of filaments/prominences to be observed by the Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph (FISS) are studied. The main spectral lines of interests are <TEX>$H{\alpha}$</TEX>, Ca II 8542, and Ca II K. FISS has a high spectral resolving power of <TEX>$2{\times}10^5$</TEX>, and supports simultaneous dual-band recording. This instrument will be installed at the 1.6m New Solar Telescope (NST) of Big Bear Solar Observatory, which has a high spatial resolution of 0.065" at 500nm. Adopting the cloud model of radiative transfer and using the model parameters inferred from pre-existing observations, we have simulated a set of spectral profiles of the lines that are emitted by a filament on the disk or a prominence at the limb. Taking into account the parameters of the instrument, we have estimated the photon count to be recorded by the CCD cameras, the signal-to-noise ratios, and so on. We have also found that FISS is suitable for the study of multi-velocity threads in filaments if the spectral profiles of Ca II lines are recorded together with <TEX>$H{\alpha}$</TEX> lines.