卫星黑子衰减触发的喷流事件

详细分析了一次太阳低层大气磁场重联触发的喷流事件.这次喷流发生在2014年8月1日,爆发自美国国家海洋和大气管理局(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA)活动区12127边缘的一个卫星黑子处.该喷流爆发包括日浪、紫外喷流、极紫外高温和低温喷流.大熊湖太阳天文台(Big Bear Solar Observatory,BBSO)的Goode Solar Telescope (GST)高分辨率氧化钛(TiO)谱线的光球观测显示,喷流爆发过程中,卫星黑子一直衰减.到喷流结束,卫星黑子面积共减少了80%.在此过程中,太阳动力学天文台(Solar Dynamics Observatory, SDO)日球磁场成像仪(Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager, HMI)的视向磁场观测表明,该卫星黑子对应的负极磁场与相邻的正极磁场发生明显对消,产生喷流足部亮点.根据SDO卫星太阳大气成像仪(Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, AIA)的多波段观测,该足部亮点首先出现在紫外1600?波段.待紫外(1600?)喷流从紫外足部亮点顶部向上喷发,在极紫外波段也观测到相应的亮源.随着足点源亮度突然增强,有明显的极紫外低温喷流和日浪从足部亮点侧面喷发.从GST的高分辨率Hα图像上,可见日浪由许多精细纤维组成,这些纤维扎根在足点源的东南侧.根据从光球层过色球层再到日冕层的多波段高分辨率观测,色球中下层的磁场对消触发了这次喷流事件.向上喷发的物质流可以携带能量进入上层大气,并加热上层大气.研究结果表明,低层大气磁重联可能对解决日冕加热问题起重要作用.     

基于MDI/SOHO合成图的全球磁场外推

用势场方法和格林函数解构造了三维日冕磁场.相关的边界条件是所观测的光球磁场以及光球上2.6个太阳半径的开放场(源表面).所用的光球数据来自高精度的MDI/SOHO观测(2″/像素,1桢/98min).这种外推方法可以用来分析太阳大事件在大尺度上的可能触发机制.作为一个例子,我们分析了活动区NOAA9077的外推日冕场,发现它们的形态与EIT/SOHO的日冕观测相符很好.结合全日面Hα演化,我们推测来自活动区9082的一次激波扰动应该是导致2000年7月14日大耀斑和日冕物质抛射的触发原因,该扰动沿着外推所得到的一个磁环系统直接传到大耀斑爆发位置.     

太阳宁静区磁元的空间结构

利用怀柔太阳磁场望远镜,我们对太阳宁静区光球和色球磁场进行了观测。日面中心到边缘的观测表明,太阳宁静区中的小尺度磁结构在从光球到色球的扩展过程中变化不大。日面边缘的观测表明,小尺度磁结构的水平分量在光球和色球都不大。对极区和赤道边缘纵向磁场的比较发现,极区磁场与赤道边缘磁场有着不同的磁结构特性     

太阳大气中的光球亮点

首先是对太阳光球亮点近年来研究工作的总结。光球亮点是一种发生在太阳光球上宁静区域的的小尺度和短寿命增亮现象,平均直径在100～300knm之间,平均寿命约为几分钟。光球亮点的研究对于光球辐射和磁场性质的认识具有重要意义。过去的观测显示,绝大多数光球亮点的产生和演化与磁场,特别是光球上的小尺度磁场的演化密切相关,比如,两个同极性磁场的合并,或者反极性磁场的对消,或者一个同极性磁场的分裂,均可以促使光球亮点产生或消失。基于这样的观测结果,统计研究了2722个光球亮点(1600A)与光球上偶极磁元的关系,发现大约有1/3的光球亮点出现在偶极磁元中心附近。     

与耀斑相关的磁场演化

本文利用紫金山天文台太阳光谱仪缝前附属Ｄａｙｓｔａｒ滤光器拍摄的，发生在ＮＯＡＡ５３９５活动区中的三个耀斑的Ｈα单色光资料，对比北京天文台怀柔观测站取得的光球磁场资料，研究耀斑产生位置与光球磁场演化的关系，结果表明：（１）在所研究的５０个耀斑亮核中，有３８个位于新浮磁流区附近，另有少数亮核出现在磁对消区；（２）耀斑亮核多集中在横场方向交叉，剪切角大的复杂磁区，耀斑后多数区域磁场结构简化；（３）耀斑     

1991年7月11日日食观测的图象复原

１９９１年７月１１日日食期间，在大熊湖天文台进行了白光观测．图象是用６５ｃｍ反射系统和ＯＳＬ的ＣＣＤ获得的．月亮边缘始终包含在视场之中，从模糊的月亮边缘轮廓推得了一维的视宁度点扩散函数（ＰＳＦ），其中包含了望远镜引起的畸变。当天的ＰＳＦ的宽度介于０．８到１．３弧秒之间。假设存在圆柱对称性，则可得到二维的ＰＳＦ。然后，运用视宁度函数，对所观测的白光像消卷积。复原方法将观测到的ｒｍｓ反衬值由５％增强到１８％；亮桥可能亮于正常的光球强度；暗的半影纤维可能暗到正常光球的５０％；而亮纤维可能达到正常光球值。     

基于MDI／SOHO合成图的全球磁场外推

用势场方法和格林函数解构造了三维日冕磁场，相关的边界条件是所观测的光球磁场以及光球上2.6个太阳半径的开放场（源表面），所用的光球数据来自高精度的MDI/SOHO观测（2″/像素，1桢/98min），这种外推方法可以用来分析太阳大事件在大尺度上的可能触发机制，作为一个例子，我们分析了活动区NOAA9077的外推日冕场，发现它们的形态与EIT/SOHO的日冕观测相符很好，结合全日面Ha演化，我们推测来自活动区9082的一次激波扰动应该是导致2000年7月14日大耀斑和日冕物质抛射的触发原因，该扰动沿着外推所得到的一个磁环系统直接传到大耀斑爆发位置。     

全日面磁场观测资料的初步处理

用口径为１０ｃｍ的全日面磁场望远镜，我们获得了光球的全日面视向磁场观测资料，与３５ｃｍ磁场望远镜的观测结果比对，发现日面上各活动区磁场的形态以及强度都吻合较好，说明全日面磁场望远镜得到的观测资料是可信的。     

2004年4月11日AR0588中环形暗条爆发与CME的研究

利用云南天文台色球Hα单色像、SOHO/EITEUV单色像、SOHO/LASCO白光日冕观测、SOHO/MDI光球磁图及Nobeyama17GHz微波射电观测资料对2004年4月11日AR0588中的环形暗条爆发进行了初步的分析。主要结论如下:(1)爆发的暗条呈现封闭的环形。在Hα观测上爆发前有明显的激活态,表现为西半环变粗变厚,断裂出现缺口并缓慢向西南方向上升。在EIT195 观测上,此暗条爆发表现出两条扎根于爆发源区的亮带,其顶部可能是爆发中的暗条,而这两条亮带是暗条的两条腿。该暗条爆发是动力学爆发,但暗条等离子体在爆发过程中也受到明显的加热。(2)该暗条爆发伴随有一个明显的双带耀斑。一个带位于暗条爆发的中心,几乎不动,而另一个带呈环状包围爆发的暗条,展示明显的分离运动。这两个带之间,在耀斑后期出现明显的耀斑后环。(3)这一暗条爆发及耀斑与LASCO观测到的一个快速的、具有典型三部分结构的partialHaloCME在时间和空间上是密切相关的。     

太阳耀斑环的收缩和剪切

分析了2个耀斑事件,这2个事件分别是2002年3月14日M5.7级和2003年10月29日X10级耀斑。这两个耀斑在紫外(Ultroviolet or UV,160.0 nm)或远紫外(Extremeultraviolet or EUV,17.1 nm)都具有双带结构,在硬X射线(Hard X-ray or HXR)能段有明显的共轭足点。通过"重心法",可以得到EUV双带以及硬X射线足点的位置。通过对这2个耀斑事件的初步分析,得到下面的结论:(1)耀斑脉冲期,这两个耀斑的共轭亮核和双带都具有明显的会聚运动,会聚运动延续了3～10 min。亮核或双带的分离运动发生在会聚运动后;(2)耀斑的硬X射线足点具有很强的剪切运动,并且在耀斑过程中,剪切角的变化持续减小。这些结果表明磁重联通常发生在剪切程度高的磁场区域。这些结果支持Ji(2007)的磁场模型,这个模型认为耀斑环的收缩运动是剪切磁场松弛引起的。     

Hα Surges Initiated by Newly-emerging Satellite Magnetic Fields

On July 22, 2011 and in the active region NOAA 11259 there ap- peared the event of the ejection of solar atmospheric Hα surges. According to the full-disc Hα observations of the Big Bear Solar Observatory in United States, three consecutive surges at one and the same place in the north of the main spot of the active region were discovered. The trajectories of these three surges exhib- ited the ?gure of straight lines, and their integral con?guration is like an inverted Eiffel Tower. The ?rst two surges are quite similar, and in each of them there appeared two bright points in the northern part of the main spot. After several minutes, the surges appeared in the midst of bright points. When the bright- ness of the bright points attained the maximum value, the surges spouted out from the midst of bright points. And after reaching the maximum altitude, they quickly vanished. Before the ejection of the third surge took place, no bright points appeared. Besides, its maximal altitude is merely one half of that of the ?rst two surges. Via a comparison with the SDO/HMI (Solar Dynamics Obser- vatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager) data of radial magnetic ?elds, it is found that in more than one hour before the appearance of the ?rst surge there emerged bipolar magnetic ?elds in the region of ejection. Besides, in several min- utes before the ejection of each Hα surge the magnetic ?uxes of positive polarity diminished. Via our analysis it is found that there appeared reconnections be- tween the newly emerging satellite magnetic ?elds and the preexisting magnetic ?elds in the spot, and this caused the continuous ejections of Hα surges.     

A New Model for Propagating Parts of EIT Waves: A Current Shell in a CME

EIT waves are observed in EUV as bright fronts. Some of these bright fronts propagate across the solar disk. EIT waves are all associated with a flare and a CME and are commonly interpreted as fast-mode magnetosonic waves. Propagating EIT waves could also be the direct signature of the gradual opening of magnetic field lines during a CME. We quantitatively addressed this alternative interpretation. Using two independent 3D MHD codes, we performed nondimensional numerical simulations of a slowly rotating magnetic bipole, which progressively result in the formation of a twisted magnetic flux tube and its fast expansion, as during a CME. We analyse the origins, the development, and the observability in EUV of the narrow electric currents sheets that appear in the simulations. Both codes give similar results, which we confront with two well-known SOHO/EIT observations of propagating EIT waves (7 April and 12 May 1997), by scaling the vertical magnetic field components of the simulated bipole to the line of sight magnetic field observed by SOHO/MDI and the sign of helicity to the orientation of the soft X-ray sigmoids observed by Yohkoh/SXT. A large-scale and narrow current shell appears around the twisted flux tube in the dynamic phase of its expansion. This current shell is formed by the return currents of the system, which separate the twisted flux tube from the surrounding fields. It intensifies as the flux tube accelerates and it is co-spatial with weak plasma compression. The current density integrated over the altitude has the shape of an ellipse, which expands and rotates when viewed from above, reproducing the generic properties of propagating EIT waves. The timing, orientation, and location of bright and faint patches observed in the two EIT waves are remarkably well reproduced. We conjecture that propagating EIT waves are the observational signature of Joule heating in electric current shells, which separate expanding flux tubes from their surrounding fields during CMEs or plasma compression inside this current shell. We also conjecture that the bright edges of halo CMEs show the plasma compression in these current shells.     

Formation of the CME Leading Edge Observed in the 2003 February 18 Event

This work investigates a typical coronal mass ejection (CME) observed on 2003 February 18, by various space and ground instruments, in white light, Ha, EUV and X-ray. The Ha and EUV images indicate that the CME started with the eruption of a long filament located near the solar northwest limb. The white light coronal images show that the CME initiated with the rarefaction of a region above the solar limb and followed by the formation of a bright arcade at the boundary of the rarefying region at height 0.46 R(?) above the solar surface. The rarefying process synchronized with the slow rising phase of the eruptive filament, and the CME leading edge was observed to form as the latter started to accelerate. The lower part of the filament brightened in Ha as the filament rose to a certain height and parts of the filament was visible in the GOES X-ray images during the rise. These brightenings imply that the filament may be heated by the magnetic reconnection below the filament in the early stage of the eruption. We suggest that a possible mechanism which leads to the formation of the CME leading edge and cavity is the magnetic reconnection which takes place below the filament after the filament has reached a certain height.     

An EUV Jet and Hα Filament Eruption Associated with Flux Cancelation in a Decaying Active Region

Using data from the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI), and Hida Observatory (HO), we present a detailed study of an EUV jet and the associated Hα filament eruption in a major flare in the active region NOAA 10044 on 29 July 2002. In the Hα line wings, a small filament was found to erupt out from the magnetic neutral line of the active region during the flare. Two bright EUV loops were observed rising and expanding with the filament eruption, and both hot and cool EUV plasma ejections were observed to form the EUV jet. The two thermal components spatially separated from each other and lasted for about 25 minutes. In the white-light corona data, a narrow coronal mass ejection (CME) was found to respond to this EUV jet. We cannot find obvious emerging flux in the photosphere accounting for the filament eruption and the EUV jet. However, significant sunspot decay and magnetic-flux cancelation owing to collision of opposite flux before the events were noticed. Based on the hard X-ray data from RHESSI, which showed evidence of magnetic reconnection along the main magnetic neutral line, we think that all of the observed dynamical phenomena, including the EUV jet, filament eruption, flare, and CME, should have a close relation to the flux cancelation in the low atmosphere.     

Formation of Transient Coronal Holes during the Eruption of a Quiescent Filament and its Overlying Sigmoid

By using Hα, He I 10830, EUV and soft X-ray (SXR) data, we examined a filament eruption that occurred on a quiet-sun region near the center of the solar disk on 2006 January 12, which disturbed a sigmoid overlying the filament channel observed by the GOES-12 SXR Imager (SXI), and led to the eruption of the sigmoid. The event was associated with a partial halo coronal mass ejection (CME) observed by the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraphs (LASCO) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), and resulted in the formation of two flare-like ribbons, post-eruption coronal loops, and two transient coronal holes (TCHs), but there were no significantly recorded GOES or Hα flares corresponding to the eruption. The two TCHs were dominated by opposite magnetic polarities and were located on the two ends of the eruptive sigmoid. They showed similar locations and shapes in He Ⅰ 10830, EUV and SXR observations. During the early eruption phase, brightenings first appeared on the locations of the two subsequent TCHs, which could be clearly identified on He Ⅰ 10830, EUV and SXR images. This eruption could be explained by the magnetic flux rope model, and the two TCHs were likely to be the feet of the flux rope.     

The Observational Evidence on the Loop–Loop Interaction in a Flare–CME Event on April 15, 1998

The evolution of the soft X-ray and EUV coronal loops related to the April 15, 1998 solar flare–CME event is studied with multiwavelength observations including hard X-rays (BATSE), microwaves (NoRP, CNAO) and magnetograms (SOHO/MDI), as well as images from Yohkoh/SXT and SOHO/EIT at 195 Å. It is shown that: (1) two soft X-ray and EUV loops rose, crossed and turned bright, (2) near one footpoint of these loops, the background magnetic field decreased, (3) there were similar quasi periodic oscillations in the time profiles of hard X-ray and microwave emissions, which characterized the loop–loop coalescence instability, (4) after the loop–loop reconnection, two new loops formed, the small one stayed at the original place, and the large one ejected out as part of the constructed prominence cloud. Based upon these observations, we argue that the decrease of the background magnetic field near these loops caused them to rise and approach each other, and in turn, the fast loop–loop coalescence instability took place and triggered the flare and the CME.     

Nine Years Of Euv Bright Points

We discuss early results derived from an algorithm that automates the detection, cataloging, and analysis of extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) “bright points” (BP) from 9 years of data acquired by the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The algorithm relies upon the computation of a map of “intensity significance”; this then contains the location of the EUV BPs. By mapping the location of BPs in each image and linking them through long sequences of EIT images we can describe the temporal and spatial variations of the 1.3× 10⁸ EUV BPs observed by SOHO to date. We suggest that there is a considerable amount of physical information about the solar coronal plasma that can be readily gleamed from the BP detection database. In this paper we discuss only a small portion of the possible correlations, but we point to the possibility of BP lifetime distributions that are well described by modified power-laws; the components of which vary with the different temperature filters and with time over the present solar cycle. Dedicated to the memory of John (Ian) Hamilton (1938–2004).     

Extremely energetic 4B/X17.2 flare and associated phenomena

We observed 4B/X17.2 flare in Hα from super-active region NOAA 10486 at ARIES, Nainital. This is one of the largest flares of current solar cycle 23, which occurred near the Sun’s center and produced extremely energetic emission almost at all wavelengths from γ-ray to radio-waves. The flare is associated with a bright/fast full-halo earth directed CME, strong type II, type III and type IV radio bursts, an intense proton event and GLE. This flare is well observed by SOHO, RHESSI and TRACE. Our Hα observations show the stretching/de-twisting and eruption of helically twisted S shaped (sigmoid) filament in the south-west direction of the active region with bright shock front followed by rapid increase in intensity and area of the gigantic flare. The flare shows almost similar evolution in Hα, EUV and UV. We measure the speed of Hα ribbon separation and the mean value is ∼ 70 km s^-1. This is used together with photospheric magnetic field to infer a magnetic reconnection rate at three HXR sources at the flare maximum. In this paper, we also discuss the energetics of active region filament, flare and associated CME.     

Propagation of disturbances in the solar chromosphere and corona (II)

The first part of this article presents an analytic discussion of the linear properties of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave propagation. Then, with a 2-dimensional, time-dependent, compressible MHD simulation subject to a self-consistent non-isothermal, non-uniform initial state, we study numerically the global propagation process following an initial pressure pulse applied at the base of the chromosphere. Our numerical results indicate that, if the pulse is applied near the pole, there are two modes, one fast, one slow of magnetoacoustic waves; whereas if the pressure pulse is applied near the equator, there is a fast mode and a standing disturbance located near the source. These results may help interpret the wave events observed by SOHO/EIT.     

EUV observations of subflares and surges

EUV observations of two subflares and associated surges have been analyzed. At maximum brightness the emission measures and radiative outputs of the subflares were approximately 20% of the corresponding values for the active region. Multiple EUV surges were observed during and following each subflare, with surge material being ejected in a variety of directions, including toward a coronal bright point located outside of the active region. The total energy of the surges appears to be comparable to that radiated by the subflares, a few times 10²⁸ erg. As reported in previous studies of surges, we find that there was no significant emission from these features in spectral lines formed at temperatures T>10⁶K. The ejection of surges in several different directions and nearly simultaneous flaring of various areas of the active region suggest that the primary site of the subflares was magnetically connected to a variety of different areas in the active region and the surrounding quiet region.