Solar cycle variation of sunspot intensity

Broad band pinhole photometer intensity observations of 15 large sunspots covering the spectral region 0.387–2.35 m are presented. The data are based on measurements on approximately 500 days during the period June, 1967 to December, 1979.We have found real and significant intensity differences between large sunspots. These differences may be explained by a systematic variation in the umbral temperature throughout the solar cycle. A connection between umbra intensity and heliographic latitude is discussed.No center-limb variation in the umbra/photosphere intensity ratio is detected. We have searched for possible connections between umbra intensity and a number of other sunspot parameters, like the spot size, without detecting any significant correlation. We conclude that the umbra/photosphere intensity ratio seems to be a unique function of epoch for large sunspots.     

On the center-to-limb variation of sunspot brightness

A preliminary analysis of recent measurements of the brightness ratio spot-photosphere of various authors leads to the result, that the limb-darkening of the umbra is considerably less than that of the photosphere. The small value of the center-to-limb variation implies a very small temperature gradient, which is, for optical depths >0.2, about one order of magnitude smaller than previously thought (Figure 3). This result would seem to rule out radiative equilibrium in the deeper layers (\S>0.2) of sunspot umbrae.Mitteilung aus dem Fraunhofer Institut Nr. 83.     

On the temperature structure of sunspot umbrae

From a high-resolution spectrum of a sunspot umbra (1.1 < < 2.3 m) we derive models of the temperature stratification in the deep layers of the umbra. The observed spectrum is corrected for straylight using the Hi Paschen line at gl = 1.282 m. A method is described for the iterative fitting of empirical temperature models to spectral information, and the method is applied to the present data. We find that the observed profiles of 3 high-excitation lines of Sii and the observed continuum contrast between umbra and photosphere cannot be reproduced with a single one-component model of the umbral atmosphere: the Si i lines require a model that is 460 K hotter at gt _0.5 = 3 than the continuum model. This indicates that hot and cool components coexist within the umbra. A temperature model derived from the relative intensity in the wings of 3 low-excitation lines of Mgi, Ali, and Sii is not significantly different from the continuum model.Based on observations obtained at Kitt Peak National Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Visual and photographic white light flare observations of 4 July 1974

Visual impressions and a photograph of an intense white light flare are presented. A densitometer trace across the 4 July 1974 flare showing relative intensity of the white light flare, photosphere and umbra is also shown. A second white light flare is suspected on a photograph taken 43/4 hrs later. Both flares coincide in time with major H-flare activity.     

Solar center-to-limb infrared intensity from the Halogen Occultation Experiment

Data from the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) provide the first opportunity to examine solar center-to-limb relative intensity measured exoatmospherically at wavelengths from 2.4 to 10 m. The data were obtained from limb-to-limb scans across the solar equator on days of very low activity in May 1994. Coefficients for a function describing limb darkening are obtained at eight infrared wavelengths using a nonlinear least-squares fitting technique. Relative intensities produced by the limb-darkening functions are precise to 0.1% (2). From the limb-darkening coefficients, it is possible to calculate temperature information about the photosphere. At each of the eight HALOE wavelengths, the brightness temperature from the flux, T _b ^disk(), and the temperature as a function of monochromatic optical depth, T(), are determined and normalized using Kondratyev et al. (1965) and calibrated Pierce (1954) central intensity measurements. The two temperature quantities are compared with the predictions of Vernazza, Avrett, and Loeser's (1976) model M, and in general there is good agreement. The largest differences occur between 2.4 and 3 m and suggest that the central intensities used in this spectral region are low.     

Wave behavior in the solar photosphere: A comparison of theory and observation

We report detailed comparisons between theoretical and empirical eigenfunctions of velocity and intensity for the 5-min modes in the photosphere. The comparison process is accomplished by obtaining synthetic profiles of the Fei 5434 Å line in the presence of waveforms given by dynamical calculations and then applying a common procedure of reduction both to the observed and to the synthetic data. For the velocity waveforms, our results show a general agreement between theory and observations together with some systematic differences; in particular the theory systematically underestimates the observations in the low photosphere. These systematic differences are stressed by the intensity results since both the computed amplitudes and phases appear to be wrong in the deeper layers.     

The structure of a sunspot

Typical intensity profiles across a sunspot at several heliocentric angles are selected from recent observations of the Wilson Effect. In addition, the profile of the mean intensity at the surface of the spot is inferred from these observed profiles.With these data, the transfer equation is solved for the two-dimensional source function distribution within the sunspot for several models of the opacity distribution. For an opacity model in which unit optical depth in the umbra occurs at least 700 km below unit optical depth in the mean photosphere, it is possible to reproduce qualitatively all the features of the observed profiles.Although no assumption is made about the extent of the umbra below the surface, these solutions clearly show that, at a depth of 700 km below unit optical depth in the photosphere, the diameter of the umbral region, which is 10800 km at the surface, has increased to about 12000 km. Thus the shape of the umbral region below the surface is part of an inverted cone of semi-vertical angle approximately 45°. The run of gas pressure and density in the umbra is computed for the model and compared with the corresponding photospheric values.Of the National Bureau of Standards and University of Colorado.     

A Flare and Umbral Flashes in a Sunspot

We studied the evolution and dynamic processes in the chromosphere above a sunspot umbra. A relatively rarely occurring phenomenon of bright long-lasting emission observed in the umbra of a unipolar sunspot of the AR 9570 group on August 11, 2001 was investigated. It was found that during the course of the observation, emission was spreading, gradually occupying nearly the entire sunspot umbra. Based on the analysis of the observations from other observatories, we arrived at the conclusion that the bright emission was a sympathetic flare that occurred in the sunspot umbra. It was assumed that there occurred an interaction with a neighboring, rapidly evolving group that exhibited subflares on the day of observation. In the same umbra, there was taking place an oscillatory process of the type of umbral flash (observations from August 11 and 12, 2001). The characteristics of the oscillatory process in the presence of the flare were studied. As the bright emission propagated in the sunspot umbra, brightness fluctuations ceased to be seen in the umbral flashes against the background of this brighter emission. The character of velocity variations did not change substantially, although the oscillation amplitude did decrease.     

On the need for space observations of the umbra/photosphere intensity ratio

We draw attention to the possibility of distinguishing between different sunspot theories by observing: (i) The umbra/photosphere intensity ratio as a function of spot size and (ii) the morphology and time evolution of sunspot inhomogeneities such as umbral dots. In arguing the need for space observations of sunspot intensities we discuss the corrections for stray light for ground based and space observations.The opportunity to use the November 13, 1986 Mercury transit as an in situ calibration event is pointed out.Proceedings of the 14th ESLAB Symposium on Physics of Solar Variations, 16–19 September 1980, Scheveningen, The Netherlands.     

The wavelength dependence of granulation (0.38–2.4 μm)

Using 2 pinhole photometers the intensity of the undisturbed photosphere was recorded simultaneously in 6 and in 4 wavelength regions. The rms value of the intensity variation in each of the 10 wavelength regions decreases slightly with increasing value of the heliocentric angle; this result confirms recent observations by other authors and supports the critique of the results given by Edmonds (1964).We report the detection of a secondary maximum in the wavelength dependence of the intensity variation at 1.5 m.     

On the difference in darkness between sunspots

The effects of the magnetic field as well as the velocity field on sunspot equilibrium are discussed. The gas pressure difference, P, between a spot and the environments in the same horizontal layer is primarily determined by the magnetic field. Using recent model atmospheres we find that P shows a maximum value, P _max, at a depth of 650 ± 150 km below the photosphere. The value of P _max suggests that the curvature of the field lines is important for the equilibrium.It appears that, at an optical depth of unity in the umbra, the density has a value close to that of the environment at the same geometric depth (see Figure 4). If such is the case the expression for the umbra temperature (Equation (15)) may be considerably simplified (Equations (17) and (18)) and compared with observations.     

Oscillations Above Sunspots

The 3-min oscillations in the sunspot atmosphere are discussed, based on joint observing with the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer – TRACE and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory – SOHO. We find that the oscillation amplitude above the umbra increases with increasing temperature, reaches a maximum for emission lines formed close to 1–2× 10⁵ K, and decreases for higher temperatures. Oscillations observed with a high signal-to-noise ratio show deviations from pure linear oscillations. The results do not support the sunspot filter theory, based on the idea of a chromospheric resonator. Whereas the filter theory predicts several resonant peaks in the power spectra, equally spaced 1 mHz in frequency, the observed power spectra show one dominating peak, close to 6 mHz. Spectral observations show that the transition region lines contribute less than 13 percent to the TRACE 171 Å channel intensity above the umbra. The 3-min oscillations fill the sunspot umbra in the transition region. In the corona the oscillations are concentrated to smaller regions that appear to coincide with the endpoints of sunspot coronal loops, suggesting that wave propagation along the magnetic field makes it possible for the oscillations to reach the corona.     

Temperature Dependence of Molecular Line Strengths and Fe i 1565 nm Zeeman Splitting in a Sunspot

Spectroscopic observations at 1565 nm were made in the eastern half of the main umbra of NOAA 9885 on 1 April 2002 using the National Solar Observatory McMath-Pierce Telescope at Kitt Peak with a tip-tilt image stabilization system and the California State University Northridge–National Solar Observatory infrared camera. The line depth of the OH blend at 1565.1 nm varies with the observed continuum temperature; the variation fits previous observations except that the continuum temperature is lower by 600 K. The equivalent width of the OH absorption line at 1565.2 nm shows a temperature dependence similar to previously published umbral molecular observations at 640 nm. A simple model of expected OH abundance based upon an ionization analogy to molecular dissociation is produced and agrees well with the temperature variation of the line equivalent width. A CN absorption line at 1564.6 nm shows a very different temperature dependence, likely due to complicated formation and destruction processes. Nonetheless a numerical fit of the temperature variation of the CN equivalent width is presented. Finally a comparison of the Zeeman splitting of the Fei 1564.8 nm line with the sunspot temperature derived from the continuum intensity shows an umbra somewhat cooler for a given magnetic field strength than previous comparisons using this infrared 1564.8 nm line, but consistent with these previous infrared measurements the umbra is hotter for a given magnetic field strength than magnetic and temperature measurements at 630.2 nm would suggest. Differences between the 630.2 nm and 1564.8 nm umbral temperature and magnetic field relations are explained with the different heights of formation of the lines and continua at these wavelengths.     

Dynamic phenomena in the chromospheric layer of a sunspot

We have studied running penumbral waves, umbral oscillations, umbral flashes and their interrelations from H observations of a large isolated sunspot. Using a subtraction image processing technique we removed the sharp intensity gradient between the umbra and the penumbra and enhanced the low contrast, fine features. We observed running penumbral waves which started in umbral elements with a size of a few arcseconds, covered the umbra and subsequently propagated through the penumbra. The period of the waves was 190 s and the mean propagation velocity was about 15 km s^–1. We detected intense brightenings, located between umbral elements from where waves started, which had the characteristics of umbral flashes. There are indications that umbral flashes are related to the propagation of the waves through the umbra and their coupling. The subtraction images also show considerable fine structure in the chromospheric umbra, with size between 0.3 and 0.8.     

Observations of stray-light and sunspot intensities during the Mercury transit of 1970 May 9

In order to test the usual method for correcting sunspot intensity measurements for stray light, we have measured, during the Mercury transit of 1970 May 9, the intensities of Mercury, a sunspot umbra, and the aureole. The direct observations result in Mercury intensities < 0.06 I and aureole intensities <0.01 I . The stray light correction to the spot intensities has been <(0.03 ± 0.01) I . The main contribution to the stray light on the solar disc is shown to be produced by a spread-function with a half width of 10 arc sec. Consequently, for stray light corrections the range R R + + 20 in the aureole has to be measured very precisely; furthermore, a remarkable fraction of the stray light in the center of an umbra originates from the surrounding penumbra.Mitteilungen aus dem Fraunhofer Institut, Nr. 102.     

WHAT SHOULD THE COLOUR OF THE SOLAR CORONA BE?

This paper determines what should be the difference between the colour of the solar disc centre and the integrated light of the corona at different heights. We define the colour as the ratio of the spectral intensity at = 640 nm and = 490 nm. The optical radiation of the corona is assumed to be caused by a contribution of photospheric light scattered on free electrons in K-corona and by a contribution of the photospheric light scattered on solid dust particles in F-corona. The limb-darkening law was taken from Pierce and Slaughter (1977). The distribution of electron density and brightness of the F-corona was taken from van de Hulst (1950). We indicate that the solar corona should be already close to the limb, more reddish than the centre of the solar disc, where reddening increases with the height due to the increase of the contribution of the F-corona.     

Observations from 1982 of facular limb darkening and excess solar oblateness

Observations of facular regions on 35 days during 1982 obtained with the Extreme Limb Photometer are reported. The data were obtained at a wavelength of 0.53 m with two apertures, No. 1 covering 36 arc sec and No. 2 covering 11 arc sec, inwards from the limb. The mean contrasts for all regions detected are 1.05 ± 0.12% and 1.59 ± 0.16%, respectively. The mean contrast of the faculae closer to the limb (aperture 2) is 1.51 ± 0.23 times that from aperture No. 1. This contrast ratio can be fit to a ^–1-curve. These results are consistent with those from 1975 and 1979 observations and may be consistent with the facular limb-darkening function determined by Libbrecht and Kuhn (1984, 1985) if our data are normalized by the area of the solar surface. However, no calibrations or corrections are required to obtain the mean facular contrast presented here.     

The wilson effect and the transparency of sunspot models

Hydrostatic models of sunspot penumbra and umbra are evaluated using Bode's tables of monochromatic absorption coefficients andT-τ-relations given by Makita and Morimoto (1960) and by Zwaan (1965). These models are placed side by side to simulate a complete sunspot corresponding to an area of 480×10^?6 of a hemisphere. Intensity profiles are evaluated for aspect angles up to 85° and compared to observations. The primary aim was to study the influence of spot transparency, which is closely related to the gas-pressure, on the Wilson-effect and on other changes in the intensity profile that appear close to the solar limb. The gas-pressures at the zero-level in the geometrical depth (z=0) corresponding to optical depth, τ=10^?3, both in the umbra,P ₀ ^u , and in the penumbra,P ₀ ^p , appear as adjustable parameters. When curvature is taken into account, the Wilson-effect cannot be reproduced without depressing the zero-point in the geometrical scale in the umbra relative to the same layer in the photosphere. A depression of 400 km will give a reasonably good fit for the Wilson-effect providedP ₀ ^u <P ₀ ^P <P ₀ ^Ph . The model we found to give the best fit is based on Makita and Morimoto'sT-τ-relations withP ₀ ^P =3200 andP ₀ ^u =800. We have here chosen an umbra pressure that gives a small limb-side intensity peak at the penumbra border, assuming that the bright points described by Bray and Loughhead (1964) may be interpreted in terms of a transparency effect. Other parameters measured by Wilson and Cannon (1968) are evaluated, and for some a good agreement was obtained, while for others only a qualitative effect in the same direction could be found. Surfaces along which the optical path is constant (isodiaphanous surfaces) are functions of aspect angle and well suited for visualizing the transparency in spots. It is shown how for a wide range of models the isodiaphanous surfaces get asymmetric close to the limb. This has consequences for the interpretation of the Evershed-effect. In fact, under certain conditions, a ‘masking’ effect may take place because the greater transparency in the penumbra will allow observations of a deep laying flow, which will not be visible through the more opaque photosphere. Due to the asymmetry this effect is different on the limb side and the center side. We also found the spot to show an apparent displacement away from the limb, which at a heliocentric distance of 85° amounts to about one second of arc. Intensity profiles in the near infrared at 8206 Å and at 16482 Å are evaluated, and the importance of observations in these spectral regions is emphasized.     

The measurement of magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere above sunspots using gyroresonance emission

An analysis of the local sources (LS) structure of the S-component of solar radio emission confirms the presence of a core component which is characterized by strong circular polarization and a steep growing spectrum at shorter centimeter wavelengths. These details coincide in position with the sunspots' umbra and their height above the photosphere does not generally exceed about 2000 km. Gyroresonance emission of thermal electrons of the corona is generally accepted as being responsible for this type of emission. The spectral and polarization observations of LS made with RATAN-600 using high resolution in the wavelength range 2.0–4.0 cm, allow us to measure the maximum magnetic fields of the corresponding sunspots at the height of the chromosphere-corona transition region (CCTR). This method is based on determining the short wavelength limit of gyroresonance emission of the LS and relating it to the third harmonic of gyrofrequency.An analysis of a large number of sunspots and their LS (core component) has shown a good correlation between radio magnetic fields near the CCTR and optical photospheric ones. The magnetic field in CCTR above a sunspot is found only 10 to 20% lower than in the photosphere. The resulting gradient of the field strength is not less than 0.25 G km^–1. This result seems to contradict the lower values of magnetic fields generally found above sunspots using the chromospheric H line. Some possible ways of overcoming this difficulty are proposed.