Observations of Unresolved Photospheric Magnetic Fields in Solar Flares Using Fe i and Cr i Lines

The structure of the photospheric magnetic field during solar flares is examined using echelle spectropolarimetric observations. The study is based on several Fe i and Cr i lines observed at locations corresponding to brightest Hα emission during thermal phase of flares. The analysis is performed by comparing magnetic-field values deduced from lines with different magnetic sensitivities, as well as by examining the fine structure of I±V Stokes-profiles’ splitting. It is shown that the field has at least two components, with stronger unresolved flux tubes embedded in weaker ambient field. Based on a two-component magnetic-field model, we compare observed and synthetic line profiles and show that the field strength in small-scale flux tubes is about 2?–?3 kG. Furthermore, we find that the small-scale flux tubes are associated with flare emission, which may have implications for flare phenomenology.     

Small-scale magnetic flux tube diagnostics in a solar flare

I ±V profiles of the Fei 5247 and 5250 lines in the 2B flare of June 16, 1989 have been analyzed. A bright knot of the flare outside the sunspot where the central intensity of H reached a peak value of 1.4 (relative to the continuum) has been explored. The Fei 5250/Fei 5247 magnetic line ratio based on the StokesV peak separations of these lines at five evolutionary phases of the flare (including the start of the flare, the flash phase, the peak and 16 min after the peak) has been analyzed. It was found that the StokesV peak separation for the Fei 5250 line was systematically larger than that of the Fei 5247 line. This is evidence for the presence in the flare of small-scale flux tubes with kG fields. The flux tube magnetic field strength was about 1.1 kG at the start of the flare and during the flash phase, 1.55 kG during the peak, and 1.38 kG 16 min after the peak. The filling factor,, appears to decrease monotonically during the flare.     

High-resolution spectroscopy of active regions

Scatter plots of various pairs of spectral-line parameters that describe the magnetic field and the line-of-sight velocity are discussed in order to relate magnetic structures and the line-of-sight velocity field with characteristic areas of an emerging flux region (EFR).Strong magnetic fields, occurring over about 20% of the resolution elements in the EFR, are either slightly to moderately inclined or transverse. Slightly to moderately inclined strong fields occur in patches near the border of the EFR; the filling factors per resolution element are large, and field strengths are between 800 and 2000 G, and up to 2500 G in pores. There are only a few faculae in the EFR; most of these are located near rapidly growing pores of following polarity.The strongly inclined strong magnetic fields, with field strengths exceeding 1000 G, are located in slightly darkened resolution elements near the line B = 0 separating the magnetic polarities, near large-scale and small-scale upflows. In the central region of the EFR there are some small elements with strongly inclined field of low average field strength of about 500 G, and a tendency for a small-scale upward velocity. These elements may correspond to tops of flux loops during emergence.In 80% of the resolution elements within the EFR the magnetic flux density (averaged over the resolution element) is low, less than 120 G.There is a persistent large-scale velocity field, with upflows near the line B = 0 separating the magnetic polarities and with downflows near rapidly growing pores of following polarity. Some examples of strong small-scale upflows are found in the central region of the EFR, and strong small-scale downflows near rapidly growing following pores. Within the pores and faculae there are no significant small-scale line-of-sight velocities.Based on observations obtained at the Sacramento Peak Observatory (operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation).     

Dependence of the properties of magnetic fluxtubes on area factor or amount of flux

Stokes I and V line profiles with high signal-to-noise ratio of the 1 Fei 5247.06 and 5250.22 Å lines have been recorded in a number of regions with different amount of magnetic flux near disc center, from non-magnetic regions to strong plages. The objective has been to study how the intrinsic fluxtube properties may depend on the amount of flux concentration, i.e., on the magnetic area factor. Indirectly, the area factor should be related to the average fluxtube diameter.The intrinsic kG field strength is found to vary only slowly, by at most a few hundred G, when the area factor increases by a factor of 6. The statistical spread in the values is quite small.The wavelength positions of the V profiles do not indicate any downdrafts within the fluxtubes. The well-known association of redward line shifts and magnetic features probably arises from motions in the field-free region adjacent to the fluxtubes. There are strong asymmetries of the Stokes V profile always in the sense of a 20–30% stronger blue peak, which indicate that there must be important mass motions with a vertical gradient within the fluxtubes.Most of the recordings have been made with a grating spectrometer, but two recordings with a Fourier transform spectrometer have provided an important check of the instrumental effects of limited spectral resolution and straylight in the spectrometer data. These effects modify the I and V profiles substantially, and can for instance result in fictitious redshifts derived from the Stokes V profiles.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

On the interpretation of Fraunhofer line Doppler shifts at supergranule boundaries

We have used the SPO tower telescope and echelle spectrograph to study differences in the profiles of three Fei lines, between magnetic network and cells. Ca K slit-jaw pictures were used to identify the network and cell areas, and mean network and cell profiles were computed from digitized spectra for the g = 0 lines 4065, 5434, and the g = 1.5 line 5233. The profile bisectors show that the wings of all three lines are red-shifted in the network by between 75–200 m s^–1 relative to the cell profiles. But the redshift decreases in the line core and becomes less than the standard error of 20 m s^–1 near the line core minimum. This disappearance of the redshift at the cores of all 3 lines formed over the height range 250–500 km above _0.5 = 1, argues against a steady downflow at supergranule boundaries. We show that such red-shifted wings and a relatively unshifted core can result if granular convection is suppressed near the network flux tubes, without implying any downflow in the vicinity of these flux tubes. Our results also indicate that searches for large-scale convective velocity patterns should measure shifts of the line core, rather than the line wings which appear to be very sensitive to inhomogeneities in granule structure.Visiting Astronomers, Sacramento Peak Observatory.     

Weak-Field Magnetogram Calibration using Advanced Stokes Polarimeter Flux-Density Maps – I. Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter Calibration

Cotemporal Fei 630.2 nm magnetograms from the Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter (SOUP) filter and the Advanced Stokes Polarimeter (ASP) are quantitatively compared using observations of active region AR 8218, a large negative polarity sunspot group observed at S20 W22 on 13 May 1998. The SOUP instrument produces Stokes V/I `filter magnetograms' with wide field of view and spatial resolution below 0.5 arc sec in good seeing, but low spectral resolution. In contrast, the ASP uses high spectral resolution to produce very high-precision vector magnetic field maps at spatial resolution values on the order of 1 arc sec in good seeing. We use ASP inversion results to create an ASP `longitudinal magnetic flux-density map' with which to calibrate the less precise SOUP magnetograms. The magnetograms from each instrument are co-aligned with an accuracy of about 1 arc sec. Regions of invalid data, poor field-of-view overlap, and sunspots are masked out in order to calibrate SOUP predominately on the relatively vertical `weak-field' plage magnetic elements. Pixel-to-pixel statistical comparisons are used to determine the SOUP magnetogram linear calibration constant relative to ASP flux-density values. We compare three distinct methods of scaling the ASP and SOUP data to a common reference frame in order to explore filling factor effects. The recommended SOUP calibration constant is 17000 ± 550 Mx cm^–2 per polarization percent in plage regions. We find a distinct polarity asymmetry in SOUP response relative to the ASP, apparently due to a spatial resolution effect in the ASP data: the smaller, less numerous, minority polarity structures in the plage region are preferentially blended with the majority polarity structures. The blending occurs to a lesser degree in the high-resolution SOUP magnetogram thus leading to an apparent increase in SOUP sensitivity to the minority polarity structures relative to the ASP. One implication of this effect is that in mixed polarity regions on the Sun, lower spatial resolution magnetograms may significantly underestimate minority polarity flux levels, thus leading to apparent flux imbalances in the data. ^*Visiting Astronomer, National Solar Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

The formation of asymmetric Stokes V profiles in the presence of a magnetopause

A magnetopause that separates two regimes of different flow, additional to the separation of a magnetic field from a field-free plasma, gives rise to the formation of asymmetric Stokes profiles. Using a simple two-layer model atmosphere, where one layer comprises a magnetic field, the other being field-free, it is shown by analytical derivation that a wide variety of Stokes V profiles can be produced, having amplitude asymmetries a in the range –a. These include two-humped V profiles, which have two lobes of equal sign. For the most simple models, the asymmetry depends on the ratio of continuum intensity to the Planck radiation intensity of the magnetic layer at the wavelength of the spectral line under consideration, and on the line depth. Two-humped profiles (|a|>1) require the temperature of the magnetic layer to surpass the temperature of the line-core forming region, implying a temperature inversion, so that the V profile is partially in emission. The confrontation of this formation scenario with properties of observed one-lobe profiles of quiet-Sun network regions is inconclusive due to insufficient spatial resolution and lack of a sufficient sample of simultaneously recorded Stokes spectral lines of varying line depths. It seems, however, to be in good agreement with the observed frequent occurrence of abnormal V profiles of the very strong Nai D ₂ and D ₂ spectral line. A possible observational verification for the present formation scenario of abnormal Stokes V profiles and a novel method of Stokes inversion are discussed.     

The magnetic field in a protostellar cloud

General forms of theB-p relation are investigated in both the isothermal and the non-isothermal regions. The magnetic flux dissipation either by ambipolar diffusion or by Ohmic dissipation has been studied. The rates of heating due to the magnetic dissipation processes have been calculated in comparison with the rate of compressional heating.The magnetic field strength is derived as a function of flux/mass ratio, mass, density, and geometry of the isothermal cloud. In the non-isothermal region, the temperature is added to the above-mentioned variables.It has been found that the magnetic flux starts to dissipate via ambipolar diffusion at neutral density ofn>3×10⁹ cm^–3. Ambipolar diffusion continues effective until reaching densities ofn>10¹¹ cm^–3, where Ohmic dissipation dominates. Under some conditions, the electrons evaporate from the grain surface atn>10¹³ cm^–3, while the ions are still adsorbed on the grain surfce. In this case, the magnetic flux loss returns to be influenced by ambipolar diffusion.The rates of heating by both Ohmic dissipation _OD and ambipolar diffusion _AD are found to be smaller than the rate of compressional heating _C in case of magnetic dissipation. Assuming that the magnetic field is frozen in the medium, then _C is smaller than both _OD and _AD . The above results of heating were found in the non-isothermal region.     

Properties of the large- and small-scale flow patterns in and around AR 19824

We trace the photospheric motions of 170 concentrations of magnetic flux tubes in and around the decaying active region No. 19824 (CMP 23 October 1986), using a series of magnetograms obtained at the Big Bear Solar Observatory. The magnetograms span an interval of just over five days and cover an area of about 4 × 5 arc min centered on the active region. We find a persistent large-scale flow pattern that is superposed on the small-scale random motions of both polarities. Correction for differential rotation unveils the systematic, large-scale flow surrounding the core region of the magnetic plage. The flow (with a mean velocity of 30 m s^–1) is faster and more pronounced around the southern side of the core region than around the northern side, and it accelerates towards the western side of the active region. The northern and southern branches of the large-scale flow converge westward of the core region, dragging along the westernmost sunspot and some of the magnetic flux near it. The overall pattern of the large-scale flow resembles the flow of a river around a sand bar. The long-term evolution of the active region suggests that the flow persists for several months. We discuss the possible association of the large-scale flow with the torsional oscillation.We correct the observed motions of concentrations of flux tubes for the large-scale flow in order to study their random motions. The small-scale random motions (with a mean speed of 150 m s^–1) can be characterized by a diffusion coefficient of 250 km² s^–1 for the area surrounding the core region of the magnetic plage. The diffusion coefficient characterizing the small-scale motions within the core region (mostly observed near its periphery and in areas of relatively low flux density) is only 110 km² s^–1. The lower diffusion coefficient in the core region appears to be caused mainly by a smaller step length rather than by a distinct difference in velocities.Visitor at the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratories.     

Microwave radiation from magnetic stars

Cyclotron microwave emission from magnetic stars is considered, assuming that they have coronae with the temperatureT10⁷ K and the emission measureEM10⁵⁴ cm^–3. It has been shown that the cyclotron radiation from a star with a dipole magnetic field has a specific spectrum with a maximum in the frequency rangesv _o/2 >v >sv _o/2 (s being the number of cyclotron harmonic, andv _o the gyrofrequency corresponding to the polar magnetic field) and radiation flux decreasing towards lower frequencies asv _4/3. The frequency of the spectrum maximum depends on the angle between the line-of-sight and the magnetic axis of the star. The observed radiation from a rotating magnetic star can be modulated with a modulation depth of about 0.2 at frequencies near maximum. The radiation is partially circularly-polarized in the sense of an extraordinary mode. The degree of polarization is almost constant at frequenciesv >sv _o/2 and increases with frequency atv >sv _o/2. The estimation of cyclotron radio fluxes of the nearest magnetic stars shows that they are observable in microwaves by means of modern radio astronomy.     

Magnetic fields and Fe I line profiles in the major solar flare on October 28, 2003

Strong (“kilogauss”) small-scale magnetic fields were detected outside a sunspot near the seismic source of the major X17.2/4B solar flare on October 28, 2003. Echelle Zeeman spectrograms of the flare were obtained with the horizontal solar telescope at the Astronomical Observatory of the Taras Shevchenko Kiev National University. Analysis of the Stokes I ± V profiles for the Fe I 5232.9, 5247.1, 5250.2, and 5397.1 Å lines has revealed a number of characteristic spectral features. These are indicative of both background fields with a strength of ≈300 G and small-scale fields with a strength of 1300–3100 G. Evidence for the presence of another small-scale field component of opposite polarity with a strength of 8–10 kG has been found. A redshift (downflow) with a velocity of 1 km s^?1 was observed in the latter component.     

Observational constraints on a ‘hidden’, turbulent magnetic field of the Sun

A search for linear polarization due to the transverse Zeeman effect in quiet regions near the heliographic north pole has been carried out. The aim is to determine new constraints on the properties of the hidden or turbulent magnetic flux of the Sun. As more than 90% of the total flux seen in magnetograms has its source in kG fluxtubes with an average filling factor of less than 1%, the term hidden magnetic flux refers to the field in the remaining 99% of the photospheric volume, which remains undetected in ordinary magnetograms (at available levels of spatial resolution and sensitivity).Simultaneous recordings of the Stokes I, Q, and V profiles of the Fei 5250.22 and 5247.06 Å lines with 5 × 5 sec of arc spatial resolution have been made with the NSO McMath solar telescope. The analysis shows how the observed Stokes Q amplitudes, as well as the Q/V ratio in combination with the 5250/5247 Stokes V line ratio, provide constraints on the field strength and the angular distribution of the field vectors of the hidden magnetic flux. The field has to be tangled with opposite polarities mixed on a subarcsec scale, and the field vectors have to have large inclinations with respect to the vertical direction, with an angular distribution not far from being isotropic in the photosphere. Constraints on the strength of this tangled or turbulent magnetic field have been obtained by previous methods, which are reconsidered in view of their dependence on the assumed angular distribution. An upper limit of 100 G comes from determinations of magnetic line broadening, a lower limit of 10 G from observed Hanle-effect depolarization.In our observations the linear polarization has been recorded with a precision of 10^-4 with good spectral resolution. Further improvements are impeded by the lack of telescopes with large photon collecting areas and small instrumental polarization.     

Far-infrared emission from an intergalactic dust cloud?

We used theIRAS All Sky Maps in order to search for infrared emission in the direction of the Okroy Cloud (R.A.=12^h50^m, =22°). An enhancement of 100 m diffuse emission is evident in such a region, with an anomalous value of the ratioI _v (100 m)/A _v ; hydrogen 21 cm emission is also present with low radial speed, thus suggesting that the cloud could be a satellite of our Galaxy.     

Polarized radiation diagnostics of magnetohydrodynamic models of the solar atmosphere

Solar magnetic elements and their dynamical interaction with the convective surface layers of the Sun are numerically simulated. Radiation transfer in the photosphere is taken into account. A simulation run over 18.5 minutes real time shows that the granular flow is capable of moving and bending a magnetic flux sheet (the magnetic element). At times it becomes inclined by up to 30° with respect to the vertical around the level ₅₀₀₀ = 1 and it moves horizontally with a maximal velocity of 4 km/s. Shock waves form outside and within the magnetic flux sheet. The latter cause a distinctive signature in a time series of synthetic Stokes V-profiles. Such shock events occur with a mean frequency of about 2.5 minutes. A time resolution of at least 10 seconds in Stokes V recordings is needed to reveal an individual shock event by observation.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation     

Imaging Spectropolarimetry of Ti I 2231 nm in a Sunspot

Spectro-polarimetric observations at 2231 nm were made of NOAA 10008 near the west solar limb on 29 June 2002 using the National Solar Observatory McMath–Pierce Telescope at Kitt Peak and the California State University Northridge – National Solar Observatory infrared camera. Scans of spectra in both Stokes I and Stokes V were collected; the intensity spectra were processed to remove strong telluric absorption lines, and the Stokes V umbral spectra were corrected for instrumental polarization. The sunspot temperature is computed using the continuum contrast and umbral temperatures down to about 3700 K are observed. A strong Tii line at 2231.0 nm is used to probe the magnetic and velocity fields in the spot umbra and penumbra. Measurements of the Tii equivalent width versus plasma temperature in the sunspot agree with model predictions. Zeeman splitting measurements of the Stokes I and Stokes V profiles show magnetic fields up to 3300 G in the umbra, and a dependence of the magnetic field on the plasma temperature similar to that which was seen using Fei 1565 nm observations of the same spot two days earlier. The umbral Doppler velocity measurements are averaged in 16 azimuthal bins, and no radial flows are revealed to a limit of ±200 m s^–1. A Stokes V magnetogram shows a reversal of the line-of-sight magnetic component between the limb and disk center sides of the penumbra. Because the Tii line is weak in the penumbra, individual spectra are averaged in azimuthal bins over the entire penumbral radial extent. The averaged Stokes V spectra show a magnetic reversal as a function of sunspot azimuthal angle. The mean penumbral magnetic field as measured with the Stokes V Zeeman component splitting is 1400 G. Several weak spectral lines are observed in the sunspot and the variation of the equivalent width versus temperature for four lines is examined. If these lines are from molecules, it is possible that lines at 2230.67, 2230.77, and 2231.70 nm originate from OH, while the line at 2232.21 nm may originate from CN.     

Dependence of the meridional motions of sunspot groups on life spans and age of the groups,and on the phase of the solar cycle

We have analyzed data on sunspot groups compiled during 1874–1981 and investigated the following: (i) dependence of the `initial' meridional motion (v <sub>ini</sub>()) of sunspot groups on the life span () of the groups in the range 2–12 days, (ii) dependence of the meridional motion (v(t)) of sunspot groups of life spans 10–12 days on the age (t) of the spot groups, and (iii) variations in the mean meridional motion of spot groups of life span 2–12 days during the solar cycle. In each of the latitude intervals 0°–10°, 10°–20° and 20°–30°, the values of both v <sub>ini</sub>() and v(t) often differ significantly from zero. In the latitude interval 20°–30°, the forms of v <sub>ini</sub>() and v(t) are largely systematic and mutually similar in both the north and south hemispheres. The form of v(t) suggests existence of periodic variation in the solar meridional motion with period of 4 days and amplitude 10–20 m s<sup>–1</sup>. Using the anchoring depths of magnetic structures for spot groups of different and testimated earlier, (Javaraiah and Gokhale, 1997), we suggest that the forms of v <sub>ini</sub>() and v(t) may represent radial variation of meridional flow in the Sun's convection zone, rather than temporal variation of the flow. The meridional flows (v <sub>e</sub>(t)) determined from the data during the last few days (i.e., age t: 10–12 days) of spot groups of life spans of 10–12 days are found to have magnitudes (10–20 m s<sup>–1</sup>) and directions (poleward) similar to the those of the surface meridional plasma flows determined from the Dopplergrams and magnetograms. The mean meridional velocity of sunspot groups living 2–12 days seems to vary during the solar cycle. The velocity is not significantly different from zero during the rising phase of the cycle and there is a suggestion of equatorward motion (a few m s<sup>–1</sup>at lower latitudes and 10 m s<sup>–1</sup>at higher latitudes) during the declining phase (last few years) of the cycle. The variation during the odd numbered cycles seems to anticorrelate with the variation during the even numbered cycles, suggesting existence of 22-year periodicity in the solar meridional flow. The amplitude of the anticorrelation seems to be depending on latitude and the cycle phase. In the latitude interval 20°–30° the `surface plasma meridional motion', v _e(t), is found to be poleward during maximum years (v _e(t) 20 m s^–1at 4th year) and equatorward during ending years of the cycle (v _e(t) –17 m s^–1at 10th year).     

Radiative heating and the buoyant rise of magnetic flux tubes in the solar interior

We study the effect of radiative heating on the evolution of thin magnetic flux tubes in the solar interior and on the eruption of magnetic flux loops to the surface. Magnetic flux tubes experience radiative heating because (1) the mean temperature gradient in the lower convection zone and the overshoot region deviates substantially from that of radiative equilibrium, and hence there is a non-zero divergence of radiative heat flux; and (2) the magnetic pressure of the flux tube causes a small change of the thermodynamic properties within the tube relative to the surrounding field-free fluid, resulting in an additional divergence of radiative heat flux. Our calculations show that the former constitutes the dominant source of radiative heating experienced by the flux tube.In the overshoot region, the radiative heating is found to cause a quasi-static rising of the toroidal flux tubes with an upward drift velocity 10^-3|| cm s^-1, where _e – _ad < 0 describes the subadiabaticity in the overshoot layer. The upward drift velocity does not depend sensitively on the field strength of the flux tubes. Thus in order to store toroidal flux tubes in the overshoot region for a period comparable to the length of the solar cycle, the magnitude of the subadiabaticity (< 0) in the overshoot region must be as large as 3 × 10^–4. We discuss the possibilities for increasing the magnitude of and for reducing the rate of radiative heating of the flux tubes in the overshoot region.Using numerical simulations we study the formation of -shaped emerging loops from toroidal flux tubes in the overshoot region as a result of radiative heating. The initial toroidal tube is assumed to be non-uniform in its thermodynamic properties along the tube and lies at varying depths beneath the base of the convection zone. The tube is initially in a state of neutral buoyancy with the internal density of the tube plasma equal to the local external density. We find from our numerical simulations that such a toroidal tube rises quasi-statically due to radiative heating. The top portion of the nonuniform tube first enters the convection zone and may be brought to an unstable configuration which eventually leads to the eruption of an anchored flux loop to the surface. Assuming reasonable initial parameters, our numerical calculations yield fairly short rise times (2–4 months) for the development of the emerging flux loops. This suggests that radiative heating is an effective way of causing the eruption of magnetic flux loops, leading to the formation of active regions at the surface.The National Solar Observatory is one of the National Optical Astronomy Observatories by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.     

TWO-FLUID MODEL FOR HEATING OF THE SOLAR CORONA AND ACCELERATION OF THE SOLAR WIND BY HIGH-FREQUENCY ALFVÉN WAVES

A model of the solar corona and wind is developed which includes for the first time the heating and acceleration effects of high-frequency Alfvén waves in the frequency range between 1 Hz and 1 kHz. The waves are assumed to be generated by the small-scale magnetic activity in the chromospheric network. The wave dissipation near the gyro-frequency, which decreases with increasing solar distance, leads to strong coronal heating. The resulting heating function is different from other artificial heating functions used in previous model calculations. The associated thermal pressure-gradient force and wave pressure-gradient force together can accelerate the wind to high velocities, such as those observed by Helios and Ulysses. Classical Coulomb heat conduction is also considered and turns out to play a role in shaping the temperature profiles of the heated protons. The time-dependent two-fluid (electrons and protons) model equations and the time-dependent wave-spectrum equation are numerically integrated versus solar distance out to about 0.3 AU. The solutions finally converge and settle on time-stationary profiles which are discussed in detail. The model computations can be made to fit the observed density profiles of a polar coronal hole and polar plume with the sonic point occurring at 2.4 R and 3.2 R , respectively. The solar wind speeds obtained at 63 R are 740 km s^-1 and 540 km s^-1; the mass flux is 2.1 and 2.2 × 10⁸ cm^-2 s^-1 (normalized to 1 AU), respectively. The proton temperature increases from a value of 4 × 10⁵ K at the lower boundary to 2 × 10⁶ K in the corona near 2 R .     

Observational Study of Sunspot Oscillations in Stokes I,Q, U,and V

Time series of 2-dimensional spectro-polarmetric data were obtained with the intent of studying the temporal behavior of velocity, magnetic flux, and characteristics of the Stokes V profile in a small region of a larger sunspot. Full Stokes profiles in I, Q, U, and V were obtained. Velocity oscillations were found at frequencies of 3.3 mHz in each of the profiles. Acoustic power maps indicate that locations of highest power correspond to areas in which the polarization signal was greatest, therefore no conclusion about the type of wave mode participating in the oscillations can be made. Velocity amplitudes were I: 71 m s^–1, Q: 47 m s^–1, U: 65 m s^–1 and V: 86 m s^–1. Oscillatory behavior was also detected in longitudinal field strength, with an r.m.s. amplitude of 22 G, at 2.6 and 3.3 mHz. The power was localized at the umbral/penumbral boundary. A phase analysis indicates a –130° phase difference with Stokes V velocity oscillations at 3.3 mHz and a 75° difference at 2.6 mHz. Results are consistent with magnetic field lines swaying in response to a p-mode driver. No oscillatory behavior was seen in Stokes V asymmetry or amplitude splitting.     

The relationship between r.m.s. doppler velocities and temperature in the solar transition region

An attempt is made in this paper to determine the coefficient a in a power-law relationship of the form V ~T between the r.m.s. velocity fluctuation, V for raster images with 3 resolution and the temperature, T of line formation using SMM solar data. For T between 8000 and 10⁵ K, the data suggest a best fit with 3/4 < 1. It is argued, however, that unresolved fine structure tends to reduce the observed value of V and that higher resolution data may yield different values for . Skylab data have shown that the non-thermal line broadening velocity, , is proportional to T ^1/2. Also, for all temperatures less than 10⁵ K, V . This latter result, however, is again dependent on spatial resolution and may not be true in observations made with sufficient spatial resolution. The magnitudes of both V and indicate that bulk motions play important roles in the structure of the solar atmosphere as well as in its energy and momentum balance. It is important, therefore, to identify the true nature of such motions with better accuracy than is possible with currently available data.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.