Observations of sunspot umbral velocity oscillations

Sunspot umbral molecular lines have been used to look for the oscillatory velocities in the umbra. Power spectrum analysis showed conspicuous power for periods in the range between 448 and 310 s. The maximum peak-to-peak amplitude of the umbral oscillatory velocity component is observed to be in the order of 0.5 km s^–1.Visiting Astronomer, Solar Division, Kitt Peak National ObservatoryOperated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Observations of counter-propagating Alfvenic and compressivefluctuations in the chromosphere

Recent observations have found that chromospheric spicules behave likeAlfvenic fluctuations. Low-frequency Alfven waves are predicted to partially reflectin the transition region that has a gradient in the Alfven speed, thereby producinginward Alfven waves, which may interact nonlinearly with outward Alfven wavesto generate Alfv6nic turbulence. However, the signature of Alfvenic turbulence in thechromosphere has not yet been quantitatively analyzed with observations. Here we an-alyze some characteristics related to Alfv6nic turbulence with the observations fromHinode/SOT. We decompose the height-time diagram of the transverse oscillationsto separate the outward and inward propagating Alfvenic-like signals. The counter-propagating waves are found to have similar amplitude, period and phase speed, sug-gesting a state having an approximate balance in bi-directional energy fluxes. Counter-propagation of intensity oscillation with lower propagation speed is also presented,probably indicating the presence of slow mode waves. Moreover, we attempt to esti-mate the Elseisser spectra of the chromospheric turbulence for the first time. The rela-tive fluctuations in the magnetic field may be measured as the local slope of wave-likeshapes in spicules. The resulting low-frequency Elsaisser power spectra look similarto each other without showing a dominant population, which confirms these counter-propagating low-frequency Alfv6nic waves are in a state of balanced flux. These obser-vational results are believed to help us better understand the nature of chromosphericturbulence as well as chromospheric heating.     

A measurement of the non-thermal velocity in the low chromosphere

I have determined horizontally averaged non-thermal velocities from Jensen and Orrall's (1963) observations of Doppler widths of weak rare-earth emission lines in the wings of H and K. Combining these results with previous rare-earth line results, I conclude that this velocity in the low chromosphere (300–600 km) is 2.0 ± 0.2 km/s, and changes little with height.     

The modulations of trapped oscillations in the solar chromosphere by magnetic fields

Observations indicate modulations of the 5-min period of chromospheric oscillations in magnetically active regions of the Sun. Thee observations are examined on the basis of the diagnostic diagrams obtained previously in a theoretical study of trapped magnetoatmospheric waves, and it is shown that the observed results can be interpreted in terms of the modulations of characteristic period of the trapped magnetoatmospheric waves for various configurations and strengths of the magnetic field, such as the umbra and penumbra of a sunspot, plages, boundaries as well as inside of supergranulation cells. The physical significance of the results and the limitation of the present analysis are discussed together with the possible future direction of this type of study.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Center-to-limb variation of Ca II line brightness oscillations in the solar chromosphere

We have investigated 15 time series of Ca II line spectrograms in quiet-Sun regions located at various distances from the disk center. Our goal is to reveal the center-to-limb variation of the brightness oscillations. The residual intensities at the centers of the Ca II K and 849.806-nm lines and the K index have been analyzed. We have considered separately two components of the chromospheric network. Our main result is that the power of the brightness oscillations in the chromosphere of the average quiet Sun decreases to the limb. This change for the boundaries of supergranulation cells (networks) is considerably larger than that for their inner parts (cells). It is mainly determined by the 5-min oscillations; the 3-min oscillations show virtually no center-to-limb variation. In addition to studying the dependence of the oscillation power on the heliocentric angle, we also consider other characteristics of the oscillatory regime of the chromosphere. For example, the low-frequency oscillations with periods longer than 700 s, which are inherent predominantly in the K line core in networks, have been separated into an isolated mode. No center-to-limb variation has been revealed for them. As a result of our discussion of the patterns found based on present-day publications on the chromosphere dynamics, we conclude that different mechanisms and sources of its heating can simultaneously make their contributions.     

Center-to-limb variation of low-frequency Ca II line brightness oscillations in the solar chromosphere

The goal of this paper is a detailed statistical analysis of the low-frequency Ca II line intensity oscillations containing information about the dynamics of the lower and middle chromosphere. A pixel-by-pixel analysis of the observed parameters has been performed. The following results have been obtained. (1) The low-frequency chromospheric oscillations (periods >400 s) are seen much more frequently in networks than in chromospheric network cells. (2) The relative fraction of the low-frequency chromospheric intensity oscillations increases with height. (3) The occurrence distribution of intensity oscillations as a function of the frequency is subdivided at least into two types. (4) In contrast to the low-frequency photospheric oscillations, the phase differences between the Ca II K and 849.8 nm line intensity oscillations do not give grounds to identify the low-frequency chromospheric oscillations with internal gravity waves. (5) The spectral composition of the oscillations in the network chromosphere resembles that expected in magnetic flux tubes in the nonlinear regime of conversion of transverse MHD waves at lower levels of the atmosphere into longitudinal MHD waves in its upper layer.     

Penumbral velocity oscillations

Doppler velocity variations of four sunspot penumbrae were observed in November 1988 at the Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife, using the spectral line Fe i 5576 Å. All of the penumbrae show local power maxima in the five-minute range, while no power is found around three minutes. This indicates that the five-minute oscillations are still present in the penumbrae, but the direction of the velocities might be tilted by the magnetic field. On the other hand, the maxima of the power and of the Evershed flow do not always occur at the same locations.The Gregory-Coudé telescope is operated by the Universitäts-Sternwarte Göttingen in cooperation with the Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik in Freiburg and the Institut für Astronomie und Astrophysik der Universität Würzburg.     

The influence of the angular velocity distribution on the energy transport in the Sun's convection zone

This contribution is a purely exploratory search to investigate the way the distribution of angular velocity inside the Sun's convection zone affects the energy transport. This is related with problems concerning the magnetic activity, whose appearance at the Sun's surface depends on the shape of the isorotation surfaces, and the latitudinal variations in flux. The proposed model is non-linear and axisymmetric.Proceedings of the 14th ESLAB Symposium on Physics of Solar Variations, 16–19 September 1980, Scheveningen, The Netherlands.     

The study of velocity oscillations in the solar photosphere using the velocity substraction technique

A method of measurement of local line-of-sight velocities in the solar atmosphere by means of polarization optics is described. No spurious signals due to instrumental displacements of the spectrum arise with this method. The sensitivity of the method obtained is 0.3 m s^-1, with a time constant τ = 5 s and input aperture 1.4″ × 4.5″. Some preliminary results of the assessment of spatial characteristics of 5-min oscillations are included. Data are given to illustrate a center-to-limb variation of the spectrum of 5-min oscillations.     

Quasi-sinusoidal oscillations of the angular velocity of pulsars

We study the oscillations of the angular velocity of pulsars, obtaining an equation for the angular velocity and its derivative taking account of the curvature of vortices. We show that this equation has a quasisinusoidal solution and find the period of these oscillations. We show that the estimates for the value of the periods for various models of neutron stars give quantities of the order of tens of days, which is in agreement with the observations of the quasi-periodic oscillations and fluctuations of the angular velocity of pulsars.Translated fromAstrofizika, Vol. 38, No. 2, 1995.     

Observations of sunspot transition region oscillations

Oscillations with a period of 3 minutes are observed in the transition region of six sunspots with the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory - SOHO joint observing programme for velocity fields in sunspot regions. Observations of the transition region lines Ov 629 and Nv 1238, 1242 with the SUMER instrument show significant differences in the amplitude of the 3-minute oscillations from one sunspot to another, both in intensity and line-of-sight velocity. In four sunspots the central part of the umbra is observed. Two of these sunspots show coincidence between the maxima in peak line intensity and velocity directed towards the observer, as is expected for an upward-propagating acoustic wave. The two other sunspots show large oscillation amplitudes and a difference of 25° between maxima in intensity and blue shift. The possible effect of partial wave reflection on the observed phase relation is discussed. For one sunspot only a part of the umbra, close to the penumbra, was observed and the observations show a difference of 50° between maxima in intensity and blueshift. For the smallest sunspot the observations are found to be contaminated by contributions from an area without oscillations. Observed oscillations in line width are small, but probably significant in two sunspots. The observations of NOAA 8378 allow us to compare simultaneous recordings of the oscillations in the chromospheric Siii 1260 line with the oscillations in the transition region lines. We question the suggestion by Fludra (1999) that the sunspot transition region oscillations are a typical feature of the sunspot plumes.     

The effect of two-dimensional macroscopic velocity fields on models of the lower solar chromosphere

Two-dimensional macroscopic velocity fields are featured in the calculation of two-dimensional models of the lower solar chromosphere. Relative rms line centre intensity fluctuation data and mean limb darkening data obtained in Mg b and Na D are used together with values of the cross-correlation between line centre brightness and line of sight velocities. It is found that the large scale fluctuation data can be explained by models of the lower solar chromosphere in which the inhomogeneous effects arise only from horizontal, two-dimensional macroscopic velocity fields. It is also shown, however, that the corresponding small scale fluctuation data cannot be explained in a similar manner.The cross-correlation data is found to be a powerful constraint in the computation of two-dimensional models of these regions.     

Periodic oscillations found in coronal velocity fields

By making line profile analyses of the Fe xiv 5303 coronal line, temporal variations of three fundamental quantities, the line intensity, the FWHM, and the Doppler velocity, have been investigated for an active region. The power spectrum shows that the line-of-sight Doppler velocity fluctuated periodically at two locations with a period of nearly 300 seconds, while no periodic oscillations were found in line intensity. As to the FWHM, some evidence of periodic fluctuations are recognized but in a less distinct manner.The Sacramento Peak Observatory is operated by the Associated Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc. by contact with the National Science Foundation.     

Observations of short period oscillations in two dimensions

Observations of the photospheric velocity field at the disk center with a cadence of five frames per second strongly support the idea that short period oscillations arise from a combination of image motion and horizontal gradients of the line of sight velocity field. Any genuine solar short period oscillations are effectively masked by these false short period oscillations.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.Visiting Astronomer, Solar Division, KPNO.     

Observations of Doppler oscillations in a solar prominence

We report on the observation of Doppler oscillations in a quiescent limb prominence. Fourier analysis of the data reveals an oscillatory period of 7.5 min, whose phase varies linearly at 16 consecutive points (7280 km) along the slit. This yields an upper limit for the perturbation wavelength of 20000 km. Wavelet analysis confirms the above period and indicates an oscillation lifetime of 12 min. Moreover, the disturbance appears to travel at a speed greater than 4.4 km s^-1. A comparison of these results with the predictions of some theoretical models is made.     

Observations of the horizontal velocity field surrounding sunspots

During the summer and fall of 1971, Doppler spectroheliograms were obtained for several sunspots located near the solar limb. These observations confirm a previous result based on the study of only a few sunspots that in the plage-free photosphere surrounding sunspots the spatially-averaged, horizontal flow tends to be outward at 0.5–1.0 km s^–1 for distances typically 10000–20000 km beyond the outer boundary of the penumbra. It is suggested that these material motions are the means by which small-scale fragments of magnetic flux are carried away from sunspots.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Periodic oscillations found in the velocity field of a quiescent prominence

With the purpose of detecting periodic oscillations or waves in a quiescent prominence, temporal variations of a Ca ii K line profile have been studied. The most conspicuous phenomenon found here is the fact that the edge of the prominence showed, over some 20000 km along the spectrograph-slit, periodic velocity fluctuations of nearly the same phase with periods of 210–240 s and with an amplitude of up to ± 2 kms ^–1. At other portions, several different periods of peaks (160–400 s) can also be seen in the power spectra, but less distinctly. As to the intensity and the line width, however, no periodic variations have been detected.     

Spectroscopic investigation of the chromosphere

The cloud model employed in the analysis of chromospheric contrast profiles is subject to two criticisms. The source function in the cloud may not be varied independently of the Doppler width in the case of Hα and the radiative coupling between the cloud and the underlying atmosphere cannot be ignored. These criticisms are investigated quantitatively with two simple extreme models. It is found that by taking account of both effects the cloud model may be reinstated. Observed chromospheric features may be understood in terms of clouds of varying parameters embedded in the uppermost regions of a generally undisturbed homogeneous atmosphere. The variable cloud parameters are the optical thickness, the Doppler width, the bulk velocity and the angular size viewed from the line forming regions of the underlying atmosphere. Without multidimensional models the distribution of these parameters in chromospheric features observed at supergranulation boundaries for instance cannot be determined. General considerations however allow the interpretation of plagettes as simply low-lying mottles and allow the chromospheric velocity distribution derived by the original cloud model analysis to be upheld.     

The mystery of the chromosphere

We discuss many aspects of the solar chromosphere from an observational point of view, and show that most existing models are in direct contradiction to radio and eclipse measurements. We plead for attention to the actual observed radio temperatures and density gradients, as well as images of the chromosphere. We find that the chromosphere is not in hydrostatic equilibrium and suggest that the support is due to the tangled intranetwork fields.Dedicated to Cornelis de Jager