A Quantitative Study on Magnetic Configuration for Active Regions

As compared with the Mount Wilson Magnetic Classification (MWMC), effective distance (d _E) is a useful parameter because it gives a quantitative measure of magnetic configuration in active regions. We have analyzed magnetograms of 24 active regions of different types with MWMC. We have studied the evolution of magnetic fields of five active regions using d _E, total flux (F _t) and tilt angle (Tilt) quantitatively. Furthermore, 43 flare-associated and 25 CME-associated active regions have been studied to investigate and quantify the statistical correlation between flares/CMEs and the three parameters. The main results are as follows: (1) There is a basic agreement between d _E and MWMC. (2) The evolution of magnetic fields can be described in three aspects quantitatively and accurately by the three parameters, in particular by d _E on the analysis of δ-type active regions. (3) The high correlation between d _E and flares/CMEs means that d _E could be a promising measure to predict the flare-CME activity of active regions.     

Radio mapping of the heliospheric current sheet

Synoptic plots of solar radio noise storms in the interval 1973 to 1984 are described. The dividing line between opposite noise storm polarities appears to be a good representation of the heliospheric current sheet out to displacements in latitude of ± 50° from the solar equator. This result is surprising, because noise storms are closely associated with closed magnetic field regions near sunspots. The possibility that noise storm polarity is determined by mode coupling high in the corona, where field lines are open, can be ruled out by the available evidence. This leads us to conclude that it is the clustering in longitude of active region complexes which determines the sector structure of the interplanetary magnetic field.     

Magnetic Twist and Writhe of δ Active Regions

We have selected 104 active regions with a δ magnetic configuration from 1996 to 2002 to study how important a role the kink instability plays in such active regions. In this study, we employ the systematic tilt angle of each active region as a proxy for the writhe of a flux tube and the force-free parameter, α_best, as a proxy for the magnetic field twist in the flux tube. It is found that 65–67% of the active regions have the same sign of twist and writhe. About 34% (32%) of the active regions violate (follow) the Hale-Nicholson and Joy's Laws (HNJL) but follow (violate) the hemispheric helicity rule (HHR). Sixty-one (61) of the 104 active regions studied each produced more than five large flares. Active regions violating HNJL, but following HHR, have a much stronger tendency to produce X-class flares and/or strong proton events. Comparing with previous studies for active regions with well-defined (simpler) bipolar magnetic configuration, it is found that the numbers following both HNJL and HHR are significantly lower in the δ-configuration case, while numbers violating one of the laws and the rule significantly increase with the increase of the magnetic complexity of the active regions. These results support the prediction for the presence of a kink instability, that the twist and writhe of the magnetic fields exhibit the same sign for δ active regions (Linton et al., Astrophys. J. 507, 40, 1998, Astrophys. J. 522, 1205, 1999; Fan et al., Astrophys. J. 521, 460, 1999). Finally, we analyze possible origins of the twist and writhe of the magnetic fields for the active regions studied.     

Type III radio burst productivity of solar flares

We study the occurrence probability of type III radio bursts during flares as a function of the flare position on the Sun. We find that this probability peaks around 30° east of the central meridian, which points to a reciprocal tilt of the average radiation pattern of type IIIs. We argue that anisotropic scattering of the radiation by overdense coronal fibers parallel to the magnetic field is the dominant factor determining the orientation of radiation patterns. It follows that the average magnetic field appears to be tilted 30° west from the vertical. We also find that within a given active region, the average type III production rate of flares peaks 1° west of the center of gravity of all the flares of this active region.We infer that the coronal magnetic field above active regions presents a strong east-west asymmetry, resulting from the well known asymmetry at the photospheric level. As the west side of an active region covers a smaller area with stronger magnetic field than the east side, western flares are generally closer to open field lines than eastern flares. As a consequence, accelerated particles on the trailing (east) side of active regions usually stay trapped in magnetic loops, while on the leading (west) side they are more likely to escape along open lines into interplanetary space. As a result of the initial westward tilt of these open lines, we estimate that the corresponding Archimedean spiral is on average (apparently) rooted 15° west of the flare.     

Effects of active solar regions on the galactic cosmic ray intensity

During the year 1969 two long-lived centres were active on the Sun at Carrington longitudes 50° < L < 100° and 250° < L < 300°. About 80% of the flares of importance 1B, produced during this period, originated in these zones.The solar modulation of galactic cosmic ray intensity during 1969 was dominated by effects resulting from the activity in the two zones. In fact all the decreases can be related to the passage at the central meridian of the active centres. Persistence of the effects connected to solar regions is found also during rotations in which they do not produce flares in front of the Earth.Seventeen among the twenty-six intensity decreases, observed during this period, can also be correlated to individual flares belonging to the region at central meridian (longitudes ± 40° with respect to the CM).The data suggest that two phenomena are operative to produce decreases of the cosmic ray flux: the passage of the interplanetary corotating stream associated with the active region near the central meridian and the blast wave produced by the flares in front of the Earth.     

The Automatic Predictability of Super Geomagnetic Storms from halo CMEs associated with Large Solar Flares

We investigate the relationship between magnetic structures of coronal mass ejection (CME) source regions and geomagnetic storms, in particular, the super storms when the D _st index decreases below −200 nT. By examining all full halo CMEs that erupted between 1996 and 2004, we selected 73 events associated with M-class and X-class solar flares, which have a clearly identifiable source region. By analyzing daily full-disk MDI magnetograms, we found that the horizontal gradient of the line-of-sight magnetic field is a viable parameter to identify a flaring magnetic neutral line and thus can be used to predict the possible source region of CMEs. The accuracy of this prediction is about 75%, especially for those associated with X-class flares (up to 89%). The mean orientation of the magnetic structures of source regions was derived and characterized by the orientation angle θ, which is defined to be ≤ 90^∘ in the case of the southward orientation and ≥ 90^∘, when the magnetic structure is northwardly oriented. The orientation angle was calculated as the median orientation angle of extrapolated field lines relative to the flaring neutral line. We report that for about 92% of super storms (12 out of 13 events) the orientation angle was found to be southward. In the case of intense and moderate storms (D _st≥ −200 nT), the relationship is less pronounced (70%, 21 out of 30 events). Our findings demonstrate that the approach presented in this paper can be used to perform an automatic prediction of the occurrence of large X-class flares and super geomagnetic storms.     

Solar noise storms and magnetic sector structures

A synoptic study of the occurrence and polarization of 160 MHz noise storms recorded at Culgoora during the current solar cycle shows that the storm sources occur in large unipolar cells extending >90° in solar longitude and 60° in latitude, with lifetimes of 1 yr. From solar maximum onwards these large cells stretch across the solar equator to form a longitudinal sector pattern reminiscent of that observed in the interplanetary magnetic field. Comparisons with published heliospheric current sheet simulations support this conclusion. The noise storms occur in the strong magnetic fields above large, complex, flare-active sunspots. Unlike most active regions, those associated with noise storms do not always have dominant sunspots as leaders. Rather, about one-third have the dominant sunspot as a follower. The dominant sunspot polarities tend to agree with the long-lived sector structure, implying that emerging magnetic flux occurs at preferred longtitudes on the solar surface.     

Decameter storm radiation,I

A log-periodic array, 3 km long in the E-W direction is in operation at the Clark Lake Radio Observatory. The solar brightness distribution is swept once per second in the 65-20 MHz frequency range. The analysis of the interferometer records allows the determination of one dimensional solar burst positions, to an accuracy of 0.1 R at 60 MHz and 0.3 R at 30 MHz, approximately.Six long duration noise storms have been observed over an eight month period, extending from January to September, 1971. The storms are described and their relation to chromospheric active regions and flares is discussed. Decametric storms are found to be related to complexes of interacting active regions. The interaction is studied in terms of the number of simultaneous flares observed to occur in the various active regions. On the average, twice as many simultaneous flares are observed than would be expected if flares occurred at random. An analysis of coronal magnetic field maps computed from longitudinal photospheric fields shows magnetic arcades and some divergent field lines at the site of storm regions. Decimeter and meter wavelength sources are found to be associated with all decameter storms. At decimeter wavelengths double or multiple sources are often seen above individual active regions forming part of the chromospheric complex.     

Three-Dimensional Geometry of Planar Magnetic Structure in the Corona

The coronal magnetic field (CMF) during Carrington rotation 1870 is inferred by using the so-called 'potential model' with the photospheric magnetic field observed at Kitt Peak. Magnetic field lines starting at areas restricted (90deg; ± 30deg; in longitude and 0deg; ± 20deg; in latitude) in both the photosphere and the source surface of 2.5 solar radii are traced to examine fine geometrical structures of the CMF. We found a well-ordered planar magnetic structure (PMS) near 90° Carrington longitude in the corona. The PMS consists of magnetic flux of negative polarity emanating from several small areas in the photosphere. The magnetic flux expands into a wide longitudinal angle in the source surface making a planar magnetic structure.     

The scale and strength of the galactic magnetic field according to the pulsar data

In accordance with the data on the Faraday rotation, angular coordinates, and dispersion measurements and distances of 38 pulsars, the strengthB=2.1±1.1 G and directionl=99°±24°,b0° of the large-scale galactic magnetic field and the mean electron density in the galactic discN _e=0.03±0.01 cm^–3 are determined. A comparison with the results of a study of the measures of rotation of extragalactic radio sources enabled us to estimate the characteristic half-width of the distribution of the electron density on the Z-coordinate (h400 ps). The characteristic size of galactic magnetic field flucturations is shown to be =100–150 ps.     

The Relationship Between Solar Activity and the Large-Scale Axisymmetric Magnetic Field

To investigate the relationship between solar activity and the large-scale axisymmetric magnetic field of the Sun, we inferred from sunspot data over the period 1964–1985 a latitude–time distribution of magnetic field associated with active regions. This has been done allowing for both bipolar structure of the active regions and inclination of their axes to parallels of latitude, so the inferred magnetic field characterizes latitudinal separation of magnetic polarities which might be related to the large-scale magnetic field of the Sun according to the Babcock–Leighton model. The inferred magnetic field, A _z, is compared with the longitude-averaged (zonal) magnetic field of the Sun, B _z, derived from series of magnetograms obtained at Mount Wilson Observatory in the years 1964–1976, and at Kitt Peak National Observatory during the period from 1976 to 1985. The inferred magnetic field, A _z, exhibits a complex structure distribution of magnetic polarities with respect to latitude and time. Apart from concentration of the different polarity magnetic fields inside the high- and low-latitude portions of the sunspot belts, bipolar active regions produce an intensive, shorter-scale component of the magnetic field which varies on the time scale of about 2 years. Such a short-term variation of A _z reveals substantial correlation with the short-term component of B _z which has the form of the poleward-drifting streams of magnetic field. Most significant correlation takes place between the short-term variations of A _z occurring at latitudes below 20° and those of the large-scale magnetic fields occurring at middle latitudes of 40–50°. Moreover we analyze harmonic coefficients a _l and b _l obtained by expanding A _z and B _z into series in terms of the spherical harmonics. Power spectra of the time-dependent harmonic coefficients indicate that both A _z and B _z reveal a number of resonant modes which oscillate either with the 22-year period in the case of the anti-symmetric (odd-l) modes or with periods of about 2 years in the case of the symmetric (even-l) modes, but the resonant modes of A _z have significantly larger values of the spherical harmonic degree l (and, hence, smaller spatial scales) as compared to those of B _z. It is found that there is a close relationship between the harmonic coefficients b _l and a _m for which either m–l16 (even l=4,...,10) or m–l=4 (odd l=5,...,15).     

Multiresolution Analysis of Active Region Magnetic Structure and its Correlation with the Mount Wilson Classification and Flaring Activity

Two different multiresolution analyses are used to decompose the structure of active-region magnetic flux into concentrations of different size scales. Lines separating these opposite polarity regions of flux at each size scale are found. These lines are used as a mask on a map of the magnetic field gradient to sample the local gradient between opposite polarity regions of given scale sizes. It is shown that the maximum, average, and standard deviation of the magnetic flux gradient for α,β,β γ, and β γ δ active-regions increase in the order listed, and that the order is maintained over all length scales. Since magnetic flux gradient is strongly linked to active-region activity, such as flares, this study demonstrates that, on average, the Mt. Wilson classification encodes the notion of activity over all length scales in the active-region, and not just those length scales at which the strongest flux gradients are found. Further, it is also shown that the average gradients in the field, and the average length-scale at which they occur, also increase in the same order. Finally, there are significant differences in the gradient distribution, between flaring and non-flaring active regions, which are maintained over all length scales. It is also shown that the average gradient content of active-regions that have large flares (GOES class “M” and above) is larger than that for active regions containing flares of all flare sizes; this difference is also maintained at all length scales. All of the reported results are independent of the multiresolution transform used. The implications for the Mt. Wilson classification of active-regions in relation to the multiresolution gradient content and flaring activity are discussed.     

Latitude and Magnetic Flux Dependence of the Tilt Angle of Bipolar Regions

Magnetogram data of 517 bipolar active regions are analyzed to study latitude, magnetic flux, polarity separation dependence of tilt angle of the active regions with well-defined bipolar magnetic configurations. The data were obtained at Huairou Solar Observing Station in Beijing during 1988 to October 2001. By statistical analysis, it is found: (1) The tilt angle () is a function of the latitude (). Our observed result, sin=0.5 sin, is in good agreement with that obtained by Wang and Sheeley (1991). (2) The tilt angle is a function of the magnetic flux. The tilt angle increases (decreases) with flux increasing when the flux is smaller (larger) than 5×10²¹ Mx. (3) The tilt angle is a function of the magnetic polarity separation. The tilt angle increases (decreases) with the separation increasing when the separation is smaller (larger) than 8×10⁹ cm. (4) The magnetic flux ( in 10²⁰ Mx) is correlated to the magnetic polarity separation (d in Mm), following ₂₀d ^1.15. The result is close to the observed result of Wang and Sheeley (1989), ₂₀d ^1.3. (5) The tilt fluctuations are independent of the latitude, but depend slightly on the separation, which is similar to the result obtained by Fisher, Fan, and Howard (1995). (6) The distribution function of the ratio of net magnetic flux to total magnetic flux is almost centered around zero net flux. The imbalance of magnetic flux is lower than 10% for 47% of our samples; 31% of active regions are in imbalance of the magnetic flux between 10% and 20%.     

NSV 01450: a New Bright Classical Cepheid in the Milky Way Field

Photometric data extracted from more than 5000 CCD observations of theMilky Way field star NSV 01450, with galactic co-ordinates l =145^°.9and b=4^° .9, show that this object is a bright classical Cepheid witha period of 12.639 ± 0.020 days and an average V magnitude of 11.045± 0.016. The computed colour excess is E(B-V)= 0.553± 0.056, yielding a distance modulus m _V -M_V of 15.537 ± 0.212.In addition, it was found that the star GSC 3730_0797 in the field ofNSV 01450 is also variable.     

Light curves of SZ Piscium for 1977 and 1978

We present a relatively completeV-band light curve of SZ Psc for 1978 and a partial light curve for 1977. From the 1978 light curve we derive a new time of primary minimum, JD2443823.674±0.001, and a Russell-model solution,i=75°.8±0°.1,r _h =0.096±0.003,r _c =0.351±0.001, andL _h =0.253±0.002. The hotter component of this system is a F5-8 main-sequence star, the cooler component a K3-4 star well above the main sequence. The system is detached with the larger component filling only 82% of its Roche lobe. The distortion wave in this RS CVn-type binary seems not to migrate regularly as do those in many other such systems, but rather seems to change phase and amplitude more erratically. Between 1977 and 1978 its phase stayed practically constant while its amplitude decreased by a factor of three. We discuss the implications of this behavior for the spot model of RS CVn-type activity. We find that the traditional comparison star for SZ Psc, HD 219018, is very likely a constant star contrary to a recent suggestion that it is variable. Its brightness and colors,V=7.705, (B-V)=0.628, and (V-I) _c =0.688, are those of a G2V star.Visiting Astronomer, Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is operated by AURA, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation, and Visiting Astronomer, Prarie Observatory, University of Illinois.     

2.2 MeV gamma-ray line observed during two SN solar flares

On December 15, 1978, an omnidirectional gamma-ray detector for the energy range 0.3 to 10 MeV was flown from São José dos Campos, Brazil at a latitude of about -23°. Around noon time, when the Sun was in the field of view of the detector, various solar flares of importance SN and SF occurred. The 2.2 MeV line flux was monitored during this time. A statistically significant line flux of (1.55 ± 0.50) × 10^–2 photons cm^–2 s^–1 and (9.97 ± 4.85) × 10^–3 photons cm^–2 s^–1 was observed within a few minutes of t maxima of the two long-duration SN flares respectively, whereas during SF flares only upper limits were obtained.     

Analysis of the Properties of Super Solar Proton Events and Associated Phenomena

The solar flares, the speeds of shocks propagated in the solar-terrestrial space and driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), the heliographic longitudes and Carrington longitudes of source regions, and the geomagnetic storms, which are accompanied by the super solar proton events with a peak ?ux equal to or exceeding 10 000 pfu, have been studied by using the data of ground-based and space observations. The results show that the heliographic longitudes of source regions of super solar proton events distributed in the range from E30? to W75°. The Carrington longitudes of source regions of super solar proton events distributed in the two longitudinal belts, 130°∼220° and 260°∼320°, respectively. All super solar proton events were accompanied by major solar flares and fast CMEs. The averaged speeds of shocks propagated from the sun to the Earth were greater than 1 200 km/s. Eight super solar proton events were followed by major geomagnetic storms (Dst≤−100 nT), except that one super solar proton event was followed by a geomagnetic storm with the geomagnetic activity index Dst=−96 nT, a little smaller than that of major geomagnetic storms.     

Spin axis of (2953) Vysheslavia and its implications

Photometric observations made during the years 2000-2005 are used to determine the pole orientation of (2953) Vysheslavia, a ?15-km size member of the Koronis family. We find admissible solutions for ecliptic latitude and longitude of the rotation pole P₃: βp=−64°±10° and λp=11°±8° or P₄: βp=−68°±8° and λp=192°±8°. These imply obliquity values γ=154°±14° and γ=157°±11°, respectively. The sidereal rotation period is Psid=0.2622722±0.0000018 day. This result is interesting for two reasons: (i) the obliquity value between 90° and 180° is consistent with a prediction done by Vokrouhlický et al. [Vokrouhlický, D., Bro?, M., Farinella, P., Kne?evi?, Z., 2001. Icarus 150, 78-93] that Vysheslavia might have been transported to its unstable orbit by the Yarkovsky effect, and (ii) with the obliquity close to 180°, Vysheslavia seems to belong to one of the two distinct groups in the Koronis family found recently by Slivan [Slivan, S.M., 2002. Nature 419, 49-51], further supporting the case of dichotomy in the spin axis distribution in this family. We also argue against the possibility that Vysheslavia reached its current orbit by a recent collisional breakup.     

Pre-flare association of magnetic fields and millimeter-wave radio emission

Observations of radio emission at 3.3 mm wavelength associated with magnetic fields in active regions are reported. Results of more than 200 regions during the years 1967–1968 show a strong correlation between peak enhanced millimeter emission, total flux of the longitudinal component of photospheric magnetic fields and the number of flares produced during transit of active regions. For magnetic flux greater than 10²¹ maxwells flares will occur and for flux of 10²³ maxwells the sum of the H flare importance numbers is about 40. The peak millimeter enhancement increases with magnetic flux for regions which subsequently flared. Estimates of the magnetic energy available and the correlation with flare production indicate that the photospheric fields and probably chromospheric currents are responsible for the observed pre-flare heating and provide the energy of flares.This work was supported in part by NASA Contract No. NAS2-7868 and in part by Company funds of The Aerospace Corporation.     

Statistical Assessment of Photospheric Magnetic Features in Imminent Solar Flare Predictions

In this study we use the ordinal logistic regression method to establish a prediction model, which estimates the probability for each solar active region to produce X-, M-, or C-class flares during the next 1-day time period. The three predictive parameters are (1) the total unsigned magnetic flux T _flux, which is a measure of an active region’s size, (2) the length of the strong-gradient neutral line L _gnl, which describes the global nonpotentiality of an active region, and (3) the total magnetic dissipation E _diss, which is another proxy of an active region’s nonpotentiality. These parameters are all derived from SOHO MDI magnetograms. The ordinal response variable is the different level of solar flare magnitude. By analyzing 174 active regions, L _gnl is proven to be the most powerful predictor, if only one predictor is chosen. Compared with the current prediction methods used by the Solar Monitor at the Solar Data Analysis Center (SDAC) and NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), the ordinal logistic model using L _gnl, T _flux, and E _diss as predictors demonstrated its automatic functionality, simplicity, and fairly high prediction accuracy. To our knowledge, this is the first time the ordinal logistic regression model has been used in solar physics to predict solar flares.