Plage Regions Research Articles

A blowout surge from the eruption of a miniature filament confined by large coronal loops

By means of Hα, EUV, soft X-ray, hard X-ray, and photospheric magnetic field observations, we report the surge-like eruption of a small-scale filament, called “blowout surge” according to recent observations, occurring on a plage region around AR 10876 on 1 May 2006. Along magnetic polarity reversal boundaries with obvious magnetic cancelations, the filament was located underneath a compact coronal arcade and close to one end of large coronal loops around the AR’s periphery. The filament started to erupt about 8min before the main impulsive phase of a small two-ribbon flare, which had two Hα blue-wing kernels connected by hard X-ray loop-top sources on the both sides of the filament. After the flare end, the filament further underwent a distant eruption following a path nearly along the preexisting large loops, and thus looked like an Hα surge and an EUV jet. During the eruption, a small coronal dimming was formed near the flare, while weak brightenings appeared around the remote end of the large loops. We interpret these joint observations as the filament eruption being confined and guided by the large loops. The filament eruption, initially embedded in one footpoint region of the large loops, can break away from the magnetic restraint of the overlying compact arcade, but might be still limited inside the large loops. As a result, the eruption took a surge form that can only expand laterally along the large loops rather than erupt radially.

Vortices, shocks, and heating in the solar photosphere: effect of a magnetic field

Aims: We study the differences between non-magnetic and magnetic regions in the flow and thermal structure of the upper solar photosphere. Methods: Radiative MHD simulations representing a quiet region and a plage region, respectively, which extend into the layers around the temperature minimum, are analyzed. Results: The flow structure in the upper photospheric layers of the two simulations is considerably different: the non-magnetic simulation is dominated by a pattern of moving shock fronts while the magnetic simulation shows vertically extended vortices associated with magnetic flux concentrations. Both kinds of structures induce substantial local heating. The resulting average temperature profiles are characterized by a steep rise above the temperature minimum due to shock heating in the non-magnetic case and by a flat photospheric temperature gradient mainly caused by Ohmic dissipation in the magnetic run. Conclusions: Shocks in the quiet Sun and vortices in the strongly magnetized regions represent the dominant flow structures in the layers around the temperature minimum. They are closely connected with dissipation processes providing localized heating.

Determination of the chromospheric quiet network element area index and its variation between 2008 and 2011

In general, it is believed that plages and sunspots are the main contributors to solar irradiance. There are small-scale structures on the Sun with intermediate magnetic fields that could also contribute to solar irradiance, but it has not yet been quantified how many of these small scale structures contribute and how much this varies over the solar cycle. We used Ca II K images obtained from the telescope at the Kodaikanal observatory. We report a method to separate the network elements from the background structure and plage regions, and compute the changes in the network element area index during the minimum phase of the solar cycle and part of the ascending phase of cycle 24. The measured area occupied by the network elements is about 30% and the plages cover less than 1% of the solar disk during the observation period from February 2008 to 2011. During the extended period of minimum activity, it is observed that the network element area index decreases by about 7% compared to the area occupied by the network elements in 2008. A long term study of the network element area index is required to understand the variations over the solar cycle.

Discovery in 1960 of the Flare Nimbus Phenomenon and Changes with Time in Its Interpretation

During the International Geophysical Year (IGY, 1957/1958) Dunsink Observatory near Dublin in Ireland was a World Data Centre for Solar Activity. In this circumstance, Hα Lyot Heliograph records secured on a daily basis between 07:00 – 14:00 UT at the Cape of Good Hope (then an integral link in a network of similar instruments contributing during the IGY to global monitoring of solar chromospheric activity) were routinely sent to Dunsink for analysis and dissemination. The investigations carried out at Dunsink on these data resulted, inter alia, in the discovery of the Flare Nimbus phenomenon. The nimbus comprises a dark expanding halo seen in the plage regions around major flares at, or within a few minutes of, the time of flare maximum intensity in Hα light. It reaches its greatest extent about 30 minutes after flare maximum. Its maximum dimensions (estimated visually) lie in the range 2 – 4×105 km and its duration ranges from ∼ 1 – 2 hours. Within the nimbus the striation pattern is either completely destroyed or loses its pre-flare configuration. An account of this phenomenon and its interpretation appeared primarily, although not exclusively, in the locally produced Dunsink Observatory Publications which are not now easily accessible to the world community of solar researchers. Also, at around the time when the nimbus was first identified and recorded in Lyot Heliograph data at several observatories, techniques in solar physics shifted towards high resolution narrow field observations. Under these conditions no further examples of the nimbus were recorded and the subject has remained dormant over several decades. The present paper again places the scientific results obtained with regard to the nimbus in the public domain, together with an account of the evolution within the scientific community of an explanation of this phenomenon. It is suggested here for the first time, in the light of present day data concerning coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and coronal dimming, that the nimbus provides a signature of CME-related reorganization of the magnetic field in the chromosphere (such that the transverse magnetic field component decreases and transforms into the line of sight component as the vector field stretches out). Coronal dimming provides a complementary signature of CME-related mass depletion in the corona.

Is there a non-monotonic relation between photospheric brightness and magnetic field strength in solar plage regions?

Context. The relationship between the brightness and field strength of small-scale solar magnetic features is an important factor for solar irradiance variations and a constraint for simulations of solar magneto-convection. Aims. We wish to clarify the origin of the apparent discrepancy between observational results and radiative MHD simulations. Methods. Maps of (bolometric) brightness and magnetic field strength from the simulation of a plage region were convolved and rebinned to mimic observations obtained with telescopes with finite aperture. Results. Image smearing changes the monotonic relation between brightness and field strength obtained at the original resolution of the simulation into a profile with a maximum at intermediate field strength, which is in qualitative agreement with the observations. This result is mainly due to the smearing of strong magnetic fields at the bright edges of magnetic structures into the weakly magnetized adjacent areas. Conclusions. Observational and simulation results are qualitatively consistent with each other if the finite spatial resolution of the observations is taken into account.

Transient downflows associated with the intensification of small-scale magnetic features and bright point formation

Small-scale magnetic features are present everywhere in the solar photosphere. Theoretical models, numerical calculations, and simulations describing the formation of these features have existed for a few decades, but there are only a few observational studies in direct support of the simulations. In this study we present the evolution of small-scale magnetic features with a spatial resolution close to 0.15 arcsecond and compare these observations with those predicted by numerical simulations and also with previous observational work of a similar nature. We analyze a 40 min time sequence of full Stokes spectropolarimetric 630.25 nm data from a plage region near the Sun center. We use line-of-sight velocities and magnetic field measurements obtained using Milne-Eddington inversion techniques with and without stray-light compensation along with measured continuum and line minimum intensities. We discuss the results in relation to earlier observations and simulations. We present eight cases involving strong downflows and magnetic field intensification. All cases studied are associated with the formation of a bright point in the continuum. In three out of the eight cases we find the presence of weak opposite polarity field in close proximity to the downflow. Our data are consistent with earlier simulations describing flux tube collapse, but the transition to a state with stronger field appears transient and short-lived, rather than resulting in a permanent field intensification. Three cases of weak opposite polarity field found adjacent to the downflows do not appear related to reconnection but may be related to overturning convection pulling down some field lines and leading to up/down "serpentine" field, as seen in some simulations.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE OF A SOLAR ACTIVE REGION FROM SPATIALLY AND SPECTRALLY RESOLVED MICROWAVE OBSERVATIONS

We report on the structure of the solar atmosphere above active region (AR) 10923, observed on 2006 November 10, as deduced from multi-wavelength studies including combined microwave observations from the Very Large Array (VLA) and the Owens Valley Solar Array (OVSA). The VLA observations provide excellent image quality at a few widely spaced frequencies, while the OVSA data provide information at many intermediate frequencies to fill in the spectral coverage. Images at 25 distinct frequencies are used to provide spatially resolved spectra along many lines of sight in the AR, from which microwave spectral diagnostics are obtained for deducing maps of temperature, magnetic field, and column density. The derived quantities are compared with multiwavelength observations from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory and Hinode spacecraft, and with a current-free magnetic field extrapolation. We find that a two-component temperature model is required to fit the data, in which a hot (>2 MK) lower corona above the strong-field plage and sunspot regions (emitting via the gyroresonance process) is overlaid with somewhat cooler (∼1 MK) coronal loops that partially absorb the gyroresonance emission through the free–free (Bremsstrahlung) process. We also find that the extrapolated potential magnetic fields can quantitatively account for the observed gyroresonance emission over most of the AR, but in a few areas a higher field strength is required. The results are used to explore the coronal configuration needed to explain the observations. These results show that the bulk of free–free emission in both radio and X-rays emanates from two loop systems, distinguished by the location of their loop footpoints. We discuss the implications of such comparisons for studies of AR structure when better microwave spectral imaging becomes available in the future.

Sensitivity of p-mode absorption on magnetic region properties and kernel functions

Aims. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) sausage tube waves are excited in magnetic flux tubes by p-mode forcing. These tube waves carry energy away from the p-mode cavity which results in a source of absorption. We wish to see the effect of an ensemble of randomly distributed thin magnetic flux tubes on the absorption of p-modes for the model plage region and also study the effect of the spacial weighting function on the theoretically calculated absorption coefficients.

Properties of Near-surface Flows around Active Regions from Helioseismic Holography

A variety of local-helioseismic analyses have shown ~50 m/s flows converging on active regions (ARs). We have examined the average properties of both the 75 strongest converging and 75 strongest diverging flows present in Carrington rotation CR1988 within the uppermost 3 Mm of the Sun. The flows, averaged over 5 days, were deduced from calibrated helioseismic holography measurements applied to MDI observations of CR1988. Inflows associated with ARs typically have maximum speed of between 20 and 60 m/s at about 3 heliocentric degrees from their centers and fall to zero by a radius of 7 degrees. Similar converging flows, however, are prevalent in the quiet Sun. Outflows of similar spatial extent, but signficantly larger speeds, are present diverging from sunspots (i.e. the moat flows). Many of the converging flows in ARs appear to simply mark the boundaries of the moats while others converge on plage regions. In general, large ARs containing sunspots contain a complex mixture of both inflows and outflows which, aside from sunspot moats, also appear similar in property to convective components of the quiet Sun.

Radiative emission of solar features in the Ca II K line: comparison of measurements and models

We study the radiative emission of various types of solar features, such as quiet Sun, enhanced network, plage, and bright plage regions, identified on filtergrams taken in the Ca II K line. We analysed fulldisk images obtained with the PSPT, by using three interference filters that sample the Ca II K line with different bandpasses. We studied the dependence of the radiative emission of disk features on the filter bandpass. We also performed a NLTE spectral synthesis of the Ca II K line integrated over the bandpass of PSPT filters. The synthesis was carried out by utilizing both the PRD and CRD with the most recent set of semi empirical atmosphere models in the literature and some earlier atmosphere models. We measured the CLV of intensity values for various solar features identified on PSPT images and compared the results obtained with those derived from the synthesis. We find that CRD calculations derived using the most recent quiet Sun model, on average, reproduce the measured values of the quiet Sun regions slightly more accurately than PRD computations with the same model. This may reflect that the utilized atmospheric model was computed assuming CRD. Calculations with PRD on earlier quiet Sun model atmospheres reproduce measured quantities with a similar accuracy as to that achieved here by applying CRD to the recent model. We also find that the median contrast values measured for most of the identified bright features, disk positions, and filter widths are, on average, a factor 1.9 lower than those derived from PRD simulations performed using the recent bright feature models. The discrepancy between measured and modeled values decreases by 12% after taking into account straylight effects on PSPT images. PRD computations on either the most recent or the earlier atmosphere models of bright features reproduce measurements from plage and bright plage regions with a similar accuracy.

FULLY RESOLVED QUIET-SUN MAGNETIC FLUX TUBE OBSERVED WITH THE SUNRISE/IMAX INSTRUMENT

Until today, the small size of magnetic elements in quiet Sun areas has required the application of indirect methods, such as the line-ratio technique or multi-component inversions, to infer their physical properties. A consistent match to the observed Stokes profiles could only be obtained by introducing a magnetic filling factor that specifies the fraction of the observed pixel filled with magnetic field. Here, we investigate the properties of a small magnetic patch in the quiet Sun observed with the IMaX magnetograph on board the balloon-borne telescope Sunrise with unprecedented spatial resolution and low instrumental stray light. We apply an inversion technique based on the numerical solution of the radiative transfer equation to retrieve the temperature stratification and the field strength in the magnetic patch. The observations can be well reproduced with a one-component, fully magnetized atmosphere with a field strength exceeding 1 kG and a significantly enhanced temperature in the mid- to upper photosphere with respect to its surroundings, consistent with semi-empirical flux tube models for plage regions. We therefore conclude that, within the framework of a simple atmospheric model, the IMaX measurements resolve the observed quiet-Sun flux tube.

Spicule Dynamics over a Plage Region

We studied spicular jets over a plage area and derived their dynamic characteristics using Hinode Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) high-resolution images. A target plage region was near to the west limb of the solar disk. This location permitted us to study the dynamics of spicular jets without any overlapping effect of spicular structures along the line of sight. In this work, to increase the ease with which we could identify spicules on the disk, we applied the image processing method ‘MadMax’ developed by Koutchmy et al. (1989). It enhances fine, slender structures (like jets), over a diffuse background. We identified 169 spicules over the target plage. This sample permited us to derive statistically reliable results regarding spicular dynamics. The properties of plage spicules can be summarized as follows: (1) In a plage area, we clearly identified spicular jet features. (2) They were shorter in length than the quiet region limb spicules, and followed a ballistic motion under constant deceleration. (3) The majority (80%) of the plage spicules showed a cycle of rise and retreat, while 10% of them faded out without a complete retreat phase. (4) The deceleration of the spicule was proportional to the velocity of ejection (i.e., the initial velocity).

Sunspots at centimeter wavelengths

AbstractThe early solar observations of Covington (1947) established a good relation between 10.7 cm solar flux and the presence of sunspots on solar disk. The first spatially resolved observation with a two-element interferometer at arc min resolution by Kundu (1959) found that the radio source at 3 cm has a core-halo structure; the core is highly polarized and corresponds to the umbra of a sunspot with magnetic fields of several hundred gauss, and the halo corresponds to the diffuse penumbra or plage region. The coronal temperature of the core was interpreted as due to gyroresonance opacity produced by acceleration of electrons gyrating in a magnetic field. Since the opacity is produced at resonant layers where the frequency matches harmonics of the gyrofrequency, the radio observation could be utilized to measure the coronal magnetic field. Since this simple interferometric observation, the next step for solar astronomers was to use arc second resolution offered by large arrays at cm wavelengths such as Westerbrock Synthesis Radio Telescope and the Very Large Array, which were primarily built for cosmic radio research. Currently, the Owens Valley Solar Array operating in the range 1-18 GHz and the Nobeyama Radio Heliograph at 17 and 34 GHz are the only solar dedicated radio telescopes. Using these telescopes at multiple wavelengths it is now possible to explore three dimensional structure of sunspot associated radio sources and therefore of coronal magnetic fields. We shall present these measurements at wavelengths ranging from 1.7 cm to 90 cm and associated theoretical developments.

ON THE DOPPLER SHIFT AND ASYMMETRY OF STOKES PROFILES OF PHOTOSPHERIC Fe I AND CHROMOSPHERIC Mg I LINES

We analyzed the full Stokes spectra using simultaneous measurements of the photospheric (FeI 630.15 and 630.25 nm) and chromospheric (MgI b2 517.27 nm) lines. The data were obtained with the HAO/NSO Advanced Stokes Polarimeter, about a near disc center sunspot region, NOAA AR 9661. We compare the characteristics of Stokes profiles in terms of Doppler shifts and asymmetries among the three spectral lines, which helps us to better understand the chromospheric lines and the magnetic and flow fields in different magnetic regions. The main results are: (1) For penumbral area observed by the photospheric FeI lines, Doppler velocities derived from Stokes I (Vi) are very close to those derived from linear polarization profiles (Vlp) but significantly different from those derived from Stokes V profiles (Vzc), which provides direct and strong evidence that the penumbral Evershed flows are magnetized and mainly carried by the horizontal magnetic component. (2) The rudimentary inverse Evershed effect observed by the MgI b2 line provides a qualitative evidence on its formation height that is around or just above the temperature minimum region. (3) Vzc and Vlp in penumbrae and Vzc in pores generally approach their Vi observed by the chromospheric MgI line, which is not the case for the photospheric FeI lines. (4) Outer penumbrae and pores show similar behavior of the Stokes V asymmetries that tend to change from positive values in the photosphere (FeI lines) to negative values in the low chromosphere (MgI line). (5) The Stokes V profiles in plage regions are highly asymmetric in the photosphere and more symmetric in the low chromosphere. (6) Strong red shifts and large asymmetries are found around the magnetic polarity inversion line within the common penumbra of the Delta spot. This study thus emphasizes the importance of spectro-polarimetry using chromospheric lines.

Revealing the Fine Structure of Coronal Dimmings and Associated Flows with Hinode/EIS

We study two CME events on 13 and 14 December 2006 that were associated with large-scale dimmings. We study the eruptions from pre-event on 11 December through the recovery on 15 December, using a combination of Hinode/EIS, SOHO/EIT, SOHO/MDI, and MLSO Hα data. The GOES X-class flares obscured the core dimmings, but secondary dimmings developed remote from the active region (AR) in both events. The secondary dimmings are found to be formed by a removal of bright coronal material from loops in the plage region to the East of the AR. Using Hinode/EIS data, we find that the outflows associated with the coronal-dimming regions are highly structured. The concentrated outflows are located at the footpoints of coronal loops (which exist before, and are re-established after, the eruptions), and these are correlated with regions of positive magnetic elements. Comparative study of the Hinode/EIS and SOHO/EIT data shows that the reduction in outflow velocity is consistent with the recovery in intensity of the studied regions. We find that concentrated downflows develop during the recovery phase of the dimmings and are also correlated with the same positive magnetic elements that were previously related to outflows.

Observation and modelling of main-sequence star chromospheres - X. Radiative budgets on Gl 867A and AU Mic (dM1e), and a two-component model chromosphere for Gl 205 (dM1)

We report on high-resolution observations of two dM1 stars: Gl 867A, an active dM1e star, and Gl 205, a less active dM1 star. The wavelength coverage is from 3890 to 6820 Å with a resolving power of about 45 000. The difference spectrum of these two stars allows us to make a survey of spectral lines sensitive to magnetic activity. We chose these two stars because, to within measurement errors, they have very close properties: Gl 867A has R= 0.726 R⊙, [M/H]= 0.080 dex and Teff= 3416 K, and Gl 205 has R= 0.758 R⊙, [M/H]= 0.101 dex and Teff= 3493 K. We find that besides traditional chromospheric lines, many photospheric lines are ‘filled-in’ in the active star spectrum. These differences are, most of the time, weak in absolute fluxes but can be large in terms of differences in the spectral-line equivalent widths. We calculate the differences in surface fluxes between these two stars for many spectral lines. We derive the radiative budgets for two dM1e stars: Gl 867A and AU Mic. We show that the sum of the numerous spectral lines represents a significant fraction of the radiative cooling of the outer atmosphere. We also re-investigate the cooling from the continuum from the visible to the extreme ultraviolet; we find that earlier predictions of the calculations of Houdebine et al. (Paper V) are in good agreement with observations. We emphasize that if this radiative cooling is chromospheric in character, then in chromospheric model calculations, we should include the radiative losses in Ca i, Cr i, V i, Ti i and Fe i. From simple constraints, we derive model chromospheres for quiescent and active regions on Gl 205. We show that the quiescent regions have a strong absorption Hα profile. The plage regions show a filled-in intermediate activity Hα profile. We also present possible spectral line profiles of quiescent and active regions on Gl 867A.

UZ Lib extended atmosphere

We present new results on the extended atmosphere of the chromospherically active system UZ Lib. Doppler tomography confirms that the atmosphere of primary is extended to about 3.0 times its radius. Significant downfalls and probably plage regions are present in the atmosphere and we find a rather good correlation between the hydrogen integrated emission and the light curve. We also fix stellar parameters and distance to the system. An unseen companion revolves close to co-rotation radius, as well as close to the Roche L 1 point, and in the corona of the primary. At this distance, tidal effects are significant. Despite the fact that the UV spectra are contaminated by the active giant atmosphere, we speculate that the unseen companion might be (a yellow-type) white dwarf (evidence for accretion, however, was not found), or alternatively an object like a brown dwarf. Finally, the IR observations indicate hydrogen emission without a recourse to extra-atmospheric material.

New views on the emission and structure of the solar transition region

The Sun is the only star that we can spatially resolve and it can be regarded as a fundamental plasma laboratory of astrophysics. The solar transition region (TR), the layer between the solar chromosphere and corona, plays an important role in solar wind origin and coronal heating. Recent high-resolution observations made by SOHO, TRACE, and Hinode indicate that the TR is highly nonuniform and magnetically structured. Through a combination of spectroscopic observations and magnetic field extrapolations, the TR magnetic structures and plasma properties have been found to be different in coronal holes and in the quiet Sun. In active regions, the TR density and temperature structures also differ in sunspots and the surrounding plage regions. Although the TR is believed to be a dynamic layer, quasi-steady flows lasting from several hours to several days are often present in the quiet Sun, coronal holes, and active regions, indicating some kind of plasma circulation/convection in the TR and corona. The emission of hydrogen Lyman lines, which originates from the lower TR, has also been intensively investigated in the recent past. Observations show clearly that the flows and dynamics in the middle and upper TR can greatly modify the Lyman line profiles.

HIGH-SPEED TRANSITION REGION AND CORONAL UPFLOWS IN THE QUIET SUN

We study the line profiles of a range of transition region (TR) emission lines observed in typical quiet Sun regions. In magnetic network regions, the Si IV 1402\AA{}, C IV 1548\AA{}, N V 1238\AA{}, O VI 1031\AA{}, and Ne VIII 770\AA{} spectral lines show significant asymmetry in the blue wing of the emission line profiles. We interpret these high-velocity upflows in the lower and upper TR as the quiet Sun equivalent of the recently discovered upflows in the low corona above plage regions (Hara et al., 2008). The latter have been shown to be directly associated with high-velocity chromospheric spicules that are (partially) heated to coronal temperatures and play a significant role in supplying the active region corona with hot plasma (DePontieu et al., 2009}. We show that a similar process likely dominates the quiet Sun network. We provide a new interpretation of the observed quiet Sun TR emission in terms of the relentless mass transport between the chromosphere and corona - a mixture of emission from dynamic episodic heating and mass injection into the corona as well as that from the previously filled, slowly cooling, coronal plasma. Analysis of the observed upflow component shows that it carries enough hot plasma to play a significant role in the energy and mass balance of the quiet corona. We determine the temperature dependence of the upflow velocities to constrain the acceleration and heating mechanism that drives these upflows. We also show that the temporal characteristics of these upflows suggest an episodic driver that sometimes leads to quasi-periodic signals. We suggest that at least some of the quasi-periodicities observed with coronal imagers and spectrographs that have previously been interpreted as propagating magnetoacoustic waves, may instead be caused by these upflows.

SPATIAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF ABSORPTION, LOCAL SUPPRESSION, AND EMISSIVITY REDUCTION OF SOLAR ACOUSTIC WAVES IN MAGNETIC REGIONS

Observed acoustic power in magnetic regions is lower than the quiet Sun because of absorption, emissivity reduction, and local suppression of solar acoustic waves in magnetic regions. In the previous studies, we have developed a method to measure the coefficients of absorption, emissivity reduction, and local suppression of sunspots. In this study, we go one step further to measure the spatial distributions of three coefficients in two active regions, NOAA 9055 and 9057. The maps of absorption, emissivity reduction, and local suppression coefficients correlate with the magnetic map, including plage regions, except the emissivity reduction coefficient of NOAA 9055 where the emissivity reduction coefficient is too weak and lost among the noise.