An Automated Algorithm to Distinguish and Characterize Solar Flares and Associated Sequential Chromospheric Brightenings

We present a new automated algorithm to identify, track, and characterize small-scale brightening associated with solar eruptive phenomena observed in Hα. The temporal, spatially localized changes in chromospheric intensities can be separated into two categories: flare ribbons and sequential chromospheric brightenings (SCBs). Within each category of brightening we determine the smallest resolvable locus of pixels, a kernel, and track the temporal evolution of the position and intensity of each kernel. This tracking is accomplished by isolating the eruptive features, identifying kernels, and linking detections between frames into trajectories of kernels. We fully characterize the evolving intensity and morphology of the flare ribbons by observing the tracked flare kernels in aggregate. With the location of SCB and flare kernels identified, they can easily be overlaid on complementary data sets to extract Doppler velocities and magnetic-field intensities underlying the kernels. This algorithm is adaptable to any dataset to identify and track solar features.     

Chromospheric rotation

The dependence of solar rotation on the size of the chromospheric tracers is considered. On the basis of an analysis of Ca ii K₃ daily filtergrams taken in the period 8 May–14 August, 1972, chromospheric features can be divided into two classes according to their size. Features with size falling into the range 24 000–110 000 km can be identified with network elements, while those falling into the range 120 000–300 000 km with active regions, or brightness features of comparable size present at high latitudes. The rotation rate is determined separately for the two families of chromospheric features by means of a cross-correlation technique which directly yields the average daily displacement of tracers due to rotation. Before computing the cross-correlation functions, chromospheric brightness data have been filtered with appropriate bandpass and highpass filters for separating spatial periodicities whose wavelengths fall into the two ranges of size, characteristic of the network pattern and of the activity centers. A difference less than 1% of the rotation rate of the two families of chromospheric features has been found. This is an indication for a substantial corotation at chromospheric levels of different short-lived features, both related to solar activity and controlled by the convective supergranular motions.     

Chromospheric granulation

Photographs obtained in the core of H, free of parasitic continuum radiation, reveal a granular structure in supergranule centres wherever not obscured by mottles or fibrils. Granulation is seen well in the wings out to ±0.5 Å from line centre, the contrasts being largely reversed in opposite wings. The granule diameters (from boundary to boundary) are observed down to 800 km, and are typically 1200 km, both probably upper limits imposed by telescope resolution. At 0.25 Å, the intensity fluctuates over a greater range (some 14%) in the blue wing than in the red (about 10%). The fluctuation is only 4% at line centre. This smaller value represents a real variation at the local line centre, whereas the appearance of granulation in the wings reflects to a large extent Doppler shifts due to vertical velocities. There is a tendency for the bright features at line centre to be moving downwards.While of similar sizes, there is no direct superposition of chromospheric over photospheric granules.     

Chromospheric Models of Solar Type Stars: The Vaughan-Preston Gap

We have built different models for stars of the same spectral type than the Sun but with different levels of chromospheric activity, to study the response of the S index of activity built from the emission of the Ca II H and K lines to changes in the chromospheric structure. We found that the fact that there are many stars with either strong or weak emission, but few with intermediate values of S, the so-called Vaughan–Preston gap, can be due to a discontinuity in the response of the Ca II lines to chromospheric heating. In fact, we are able to reproduce the observed distribution of the number of stars as a function of S.     

Ca ii Transient Brightenings Associated with Canceling Magnetic Features

We analyzed transient Ca ii H brightening associated with small-scale canceling magnetic features (CMFs) in the quiet Sun near disk center using Ca ii H filter images and Na D₁ magnetograms of Hinode/SOT. We found that in most Ca ii brightening events related to CMFs the Ca ii H intensity peaks after the magnetic flux cancellation. Moreover, the brightening tends to appear as a pair of bright points of similar size and brightness overlying a magnetic bipole. Then a new opposite polarity fragment moves to them and cancels out. These results imply that magnetic reconnection takes place there and is responsible for CMFs.     

The Chromospheric Radiation on the Circumstellar Shell of Tx Piscium

Using the chromospheric UV flux based on IUE data, we have undertaken a wavelength calculation of the rates of photodissociation and the a abundances of the relevant molecules CO, SiS, HCN and C₂H₂ for the inner region of the circumstellar shell of the carbon-rich star TX Psc. Shielding by heavy elements and dust was taken into account. Further, for CO, the line self-shielding as an additional shielding process was included. We find that the large influence of the shielding prevents the molecules from photodissociation in the internal layer of the shell of TX Psc. The possibility of detecting C₂H₂ via the equivalent widths of the infrared lines in the circumstellar shell is discussed. Finally, we estimate the antenna temperature and the luminosity of the fine-structure lines of [CI]609µ and [CII]158µ of the envelope of TX Psc, respectively.     

The Correlation Lifetimes of Chromospheric Ca II K Network Cells

The lifetimes and spatial scales of emission network cells in the solar chromosphere were studied from a nearly continuous sequence of Caii K filtergrams, obtained from Antarctica. The temporal autocorrelation function (ACF) was calculated for spatially-aligned windows from the time sequence of filtergrams. The lifetime of network cells was found to be dependent on the activity of the region. The estimated lifetimes are 24–34 hours for quiet-region cells and 58–61 hours for active-region cells. The temporal ACF shows prominent undulations in some of the quiet-region windows. The spatial ACF reveals the periodicity of the emission network in quiet regions.     

The Hβ Chromospheric Magnetic Field in a Quiescent Filament

We observed the line-of-sight magnetic field in the chromosphereand photosphere of a large quiescent filament on the solar disk on September 6, 2001 using the Solar Magnetic Field Telescope in Huairou Solar Observing Station. The chromospheric and photospheric magnetograms together with Hβ filtergrams of the filament were examined. The filament was located on the neutral line of the large scale longitudinal magnetic field in the photosphere and the chromosphere. The lateral feet of the filament were found to be related to magnetic structures with opposite polarities. Two small lateral feet are linked to weak parasitic polarity. There is a negative magnetic structure in the photosphere under a break of the filament. At the location corresponding to the filament in the chromospheric magnetograms, the magnetic strength is found to be about 40-70 Gauss (measuring error about 39 Gauss). The magnetic signal indicates the amplitude and orientation of the internal magnetic field in the filament. We discuss several possible causes which may produce such a measured signal. A twisted magnetic configuration inside the filament is suggested .     

Chromospheric inhomogeneities in sunspot umbrae

The properties of rapidly changing inhomogeneities visible in the H and K lines above sunspot umbrae are described. We find as properties for these ‘Umbral Flashes’:

1. A lifetime of 50 sec. The light curve is asymmetrical, the increase is faster than the decrease in brightness.
2. A diameter ranging from the resolution limit up to 2000 km.
3. A tendency to repeat every 145 sec.
4. A ‘proper motion’ of 40 km/sec generally directed towards the penumbra.
5. A Doppler shift of 6 km/sec.
6. A magnetic field of 2100 G.
7. A decrease in this field of 12 G/sec. This decrease is probably related to the flash motion.
8. At any instant an average of 3–5 flashes in a medium-sized umbra. A weak feature often persists in the umbra after the flash. This post-flash structure initially shows a blue shift, but 100–120 sec after the flash, it shows a rapid red shift just before the flash repeats.

     

Chromospheric heating above supergranular boundaries

A geometrical optics technique developed in order to study energy transport by weak fast-mode hydromagnetic shock waves in a non-homogeneous, anisotropic medium has been applied to the problem of the heating of the chromosphere in the regions of intensified magnetic field which occur above the boundaries of supergranular cells. The results of the calculation indicate that there should be a temperature enhancement in the regions of the chromospheric network. This temperature enhancement is advanced as a possible mechanism for the origin of the observed calcium emission network.Publications of the Goethe Link Observatory, Indiana University, No. 106.Presently at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories, Los Alamos, New Mexico.     

Solar Wind and Chromospheric Network

A physical model of the transition region, including upflow of the plasma in magnetic field funnels that are open to the overlying corona, is presented. A numerical study of the effects of Alfvén waves on the heating and acceleration of the nascent solar wind originating in the chromospheric network is carried out within the framework of a two-fluid model for the plasma. It is shown that waves with reasonable amplitudes can, through their pressure gradient together with the thermal pressure gradient, cause a substantial initial acceleration of the wind (on scales of a few Mm) to locally supersonic flows in the rapidly expanding magnetic field trunks of the transition region network. The concurrent proton heating is due to the energy supplied by cyclotron damping of the high-frequency Alfvén waves, which are assumed to be created through small-scale magnetic activity. The wave energy flux of the model is given as a condition at the upper chromosphere boundary, located above the thin layer where the first ionization of hydrogen takes place.Among the new numerical results are the following: Alfvén waves with an assumed f ^-1 power spectrum in the frequency range from 1 to ⁴ Hz, and with an integrated mean amplitude ranging between 25 and 75 km s⁴, can produce very fast acceleration and also heating through wave dissipation. This can heat the lower corona to a temperature of 5× 10⁵ K at a height of h=12,000 km, starting from 5× 10⁴ K at h=3000 km. The resulting thermal and wave pressure gradients can accelerate the wind to speeds of up to 150 km s^-1 at h=12,000 km, starting from 20 km s^-1 at h=3000 km in a rapidly diverging flux tube. Thus the nascent solar wind becomes supersonic at heights well below the classical Parker-Type sonic point. This is a consequence of the fact that any large wave-energy flux, if it is to be conducted through the expanding funnel to the corona, implies the building-up of an associated wave-pressure gradient. Because of the diverging field geometry, this might lead to a strong initial acceleration of the flow. There is a multiplicity of solutions, depending mainly on the coronal pressure. Here we discuss two new (as compared with a static transition region model) possibilities, namely that either the flow remains supersonic or slows down abruptly by shock formation, which then yields substantial coronal heating up to the canonical 10⁶ K for the proton temperature.     

Chromospheric telescope modification for digital imaging

The optical and technical characteristics of the tie-in between the chromospheric AFR-2 telescope and the digital camera Sony DSC-S85 are determined by computer simulation. The optimal layout of the camera, telescope optics, and collective lens is established. The modulation transfer function is used as an optimization parameter (quality criterion for the solar disk image in H_α).     

Brightness and Blue-shift of Chromospheric Foot

A phenomenon of thebrightness and blue shift of chromospheric foot-points of coronal loops in per-flare phaseobserved by the Fine Structure Telescope of Yunnan Observatory,is reported in the presentarticle.The 4 foot-points of two coronal loops were confirmed by Yohkoh/HXT/SXTobservations.In the pre-flare phase,the separated point-shaped bright chromosphericplages,which are counterparts of the foot-points of the coronal loops on thechromosphre,show the blue-shift feature on off-band photons.The blue-shift feature of theplages indicates that there exists the pre-heat of material and upward flow of thematerial from the foot-points along the loops.The observations also reveal activation ofthe filament,which is located under the coronal loops.These observed results indicate thatmaterial “evaporation” occurs in the pre-flare phase,and violent variation of thechromospheric magnetic field probably is one of the reasons of causing chromosphereevaporation     

Chromospheric magnetic fields associated with supergranulation

Some theoretical models are given which illustrate the structure of chromospheric magnetic fields associated with supergranulation. It is found that the chromospheric fields depend critically on whether or not there are large-scale vertical motions at the level where the horizontal supergranule motions are observed. In the absence of such motions, the concentration of field produced in the photosphere does not persist more than a few scale heights into the chromosphere; however, the chromospheric mass density is increased above the supergranule boundaries in this case. Completely different results-such as a chromospheric potential field-may be obtained by the inclusion of vertical motions. It is concluded that a rather wide range of chromospheric-field structures is consistent with present observational knowledge of the supergranulation.     

Photospheric and Chromospheric Oscillations in Solar Faculae

The differences between physical conditions in solar faculae and those in sunspots and quiet photosphere (increased temperature and different magnetic field topology) suggest that oscillation characteristics in facula areas may also have different properties. The analysis of 28 time series of simultaneous spectropolarimetric observations in facula photosphere (Fe?i 6569 Å, 8538 Å) and chromosphere (Hα, Ca?ii 8542 Å) yields the following results. The amplitude of five-minute oscillations of line-of-sight (LOS) velocity decreases by 20?–?40% in facula photosphere. There are only some cases revealing the inverse effect. The amplitude of four- to five-minute LOS velocity oscillations increases significantly in the chromosphere above faculae, and power spectra fairly often show pronounced peaks in a frequency range of 1.3?–?2.5 mHz. Evidence of propagating oscillations can be seen from space?–?time diagrams. We have found oscillations of the longitudinal magnetic field (1.5?–?2 mHz and 5.2 mHz) inside faculae.     

Time Variability of EUV Brightenings in Coronal Loops Observed with TRACE

Solar Physics - We analyze coronal loops in active region 8272, observed with TRACE on 23 July 1998 during a 70-min interval with a cadence of 1.5&;nbsp;min, in the temperature range of...     

The White-Light Limb Flare of 16 August 1989 and its Chromospheric Counterpart

After carefully comparing the white-light (5600±00 Å) and the slit-jaw H images (0.5 Å  passband) of the 2N/X20 white-light flare of 16 August 1989, we found that the H counterpart identification of the bright kernels in continuum by Hiei, Nakagomi, and Takuma (1992) was incorrect. Now we come to the conclusion that none of the two white-light kernels has a corresponding bright H area. Moreover, the loop shapes in white-light are also different from those in H. H loops rose more rapidly than white-light loops. However, their height–time variations on the whole are similar. This indicates that the continuum and chromospheric emissions of the flare presumably come from different plasmas, but may be modulated by some mutual factors, such as large-scale magnetic fields. Analysis of the Hei 10830 Å spectra taken simultaneously with the slit-jaw H images shows that the line-center intensity of Hei 10830 Å doesn't have a good correlation with the intensity of nearby continuum, which supports the above conclusions. In addition, the electron density at the white-light loop top estimated from the continuum around 5600 Å  and 10830 Å  is as high as 10¹²–10¹³ cm^–3.     

Evidence of Chromospheric Activity on HR 1099

We present an observational evidence of the chromospheric activity on HR1099. The IUE spectra of HR 1099 were used for the ultraviolet photometry and for the intensity variation of chromospheric emission line. Ultraviolet light curves were made from the low and high dispersion IUE spectra and were compared with a optical light curve. We have analyzed the ultraviolet and optical light curves by the Wilson and Devinney computing code including dark spots. The intensity variation of Mg II emission line depends on the orbital phase. The maximum intensity of Mg II emission line occurs at the phase of light minimum where dark spot visibility is maximum due to strong chromospheric activity. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.