Some observations bearing on the problem of the short-period oscillations

Observations of solar velocity fields made simultaneously at Mount Wilson and at Kitt Peak with the same size aperture (5 arc-sec) and same position on the disk (± 1 arc-sec) are presented. The object is to clarify whether the short-period oscillations (SPO's) previously reported (Howard, 1967), could be caused by local seeing conditions. The time of onset and general character of the SPO's are found to be well correlated for the two sites, a condition that favors a solar origin. However, because correlation in complete detail did not prove possible, some doubt must remain regarding the source of the SPO's.Kitt Peak National Observatory Contribution No. 287.Operated by The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

Some characteristics of the development and decay of active region magnetic flux

Mount Wilson synoptic data of both plages and sunspots are examined in an effort to determine in some detail the manner of the appearance and disappearance of the magnetic flux of active regions at the solar surface. Separating regions into leading and following portions by magnetic polarity in the case of the plages and by position in the case of sunspots (for which there is no magnetic information available in this data set), various characteristics of these features are studied, namely their rotation, their relative longitudinal motions, and the east-west inclinations of their magnetic fields. The evidence, taken together, suggests that the magnetic flux loops which comprise a region rise to the surface at the time of its formation, and (at least some of them) sink back below the surface at the time of the decay of the region. It is likely that not all the magnetic flux that arises sinks again below the surface.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under Cooperative Agreement with the National Science Foundation.     

Solar rotation measurements at Mount Wilson

Possible sources of systematic error in solar Doppler rotational velocities are examined. Scattered light is shown to affect the Mount Wilson solar rotation results, but this effect is not enough to bring the spectroscopic results in coincidence with the sunspot rotation. Interference fringes at the spectrograph focus at Mount Wilson have in two intervals affected the rotation results. It has been possible to correlate this error with temperature and thus correct for it. A misalignment between the entrance and exit slits is a possible source of error, but for the Mount Wilson slit configuration the amplitude of this effect is negligibly small. Rapid scanning of the solar image also produces no measurable effect.     

Latitude dependence of magnetic field-line inclinations

It is shown that leading and following magnetic field lines are inclined toward each other by a few degrees at nearly all latitudes in both the north and south hemispheres. The amplitudes of these inclinations are lower by about a factor 3 for weak fields than for strong fields. There are significant differences between the hemispheres and from one activity cycle to the next in the leading and following polarity field-line inclinations at latitudes poleward of the activity latitudes. In a narrow latitude zone just south of the solar equator the inclinations of both the leading and following fields reduce to zero (or perhaps slightly negative values). Although one would expect such a zone at the equator, where diffusion will mix field lines with opposite inclinations from the two hemispheres, it is not clear why this zone should be on one side of the equator only. The results discussed here were obtained with Mount Wilson magnetograph data (1967–1992), and are confirmed in many respects with National Solar Observatory/Kitt Peak (NSO/KP) data (1976–1986).Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under Cooperative Agreement with the National Science Foundation.     

Evolution of solar magnetic fields over an 11-year period

Digitized data on solar magnetic fields recorded at the Mount Wilson Observatory during the period August 1959–May 1970 have been used to study the large-scale evolution of the photospheric magnetic fields. The latitude distribution (butterfly diagram) of the magnetic field is compared with the distribution of sunspots, faculae, prominences and the intensity of the green-line corona. The evolution of the sector structure of the field is calculated. 36 synoptic charts, each representing an average of four solar rotations, illustrate the evolution of the magnetic field over the 11-year period.On leave from the Lund Observatory, Lund, Sweden.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

A new system for observing solar oscillations at the Mount Wilson Observatory

In this paper we describe a new observing system which is currently nearing completation at the Mount Wilson Observatory. This system has been designed to obtain daily measurements of solar photospheric and subphotospheric rotational velocities from the frequency splitting of non-radial solar p-mode oscillations of moderate to high degree (i.e. l > 150). The completed system will combine a 244 × 248 pixel CID camera with a high-speed floating point array processor, a 32-bit minicomputer, and a large-capacity disc storage system. We are integrating these components into the spectrograph of the 60-foot solar tower telescope at Mount Wilson in order to provide a facility which will be dedicated to the acquisition of oscillation data.     

Interferometric measurements of 142 solar wavelengths

The wavelengths of 142 solar absorption lines, in light taken from the center of the solar disk, and in the wavelength region 4675 Å to 6275 Å, have been determined by interferometric comparison with the standard wavelengths of Hg¹⁹⁸. A Fabry-Pérot interferometer was crossed with a high dispersion, Wadsworth type spectrograph by a method similar to that used at Allegheny and Mount Wilson Observatories in the original determinations of the IAU solar wavelength standards of 1928. The wavelengths of 68 solar iron lines are compared with hollow cathode wavelengths, and differences between the resulting wavelength shift and that predicted by relativity theory calculated.This research represents work done in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a doctorate at Georgetown University and with support from the National Science Foundation under NSF GP-4682.     

The east-west inclination of magnetic field lines in sunspots

Digitized Mount Wilson sunspot data covering the interval from 1917 to 1985 are analyzed to examine the average areas of individual sunspot umbrae over small zones of central meridian distance. Assuming that systematic, east-west differences in these quantities are due to the inclination of the magnetic fields of the spots, one can calculate average east-west inclination angles for all spots and for subsets of the full data set. It is found from such an analysis that on average spot fields are inclined such as to trail the rotation by a few deg. Leading and following spots may show a tendency to be inclined slightly away from each other, in contrast to the results of an earlier study of plage magnetic fields. Growing spots tend to be inclined much more to the east than decaying spots. This is in the opposite sense to the analogous result derived from plage magnetic fields.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under Cooperative Agreement with the National Science Foundation.     

Systematic investigation of mid-term periodicity of the solar full-disk magnetic fields

The Magnetic Plage Strength Index(MPSI) and the Mount Wilson Sunspot Index(MWSI), which have been measured at Mount Wilson Observatory(MWO) since the 1970 s and which indicate weak and strong magnetic field activity on the solar full disk, respectively, are used to systematically investigate midterm periodicities in the solar full-disk magnetic fields. Multitudinous mid-term periodicities are detected in MPSI and MWSI on timescales of 0.3 to 4.5 yr, and these periodicities are found to fluctuate around several typical periodicities within a small amplitude in different solar cycles or phases. The periodicity of 3.44 yr is found in MPSI, and the periodicities of 3.85 and 3.00 yr are detected in MWSI. Our analysis indicates that they reflect the true oscillating signals of solar magnetic field activity. The typical periodicities are 2.8,2.3 and 1.8 yr in MPSI and MWSI, and possible mechanisms for these periodicities are discussed. A 1.3 yr periodicity is only detected in MPSI, and should be related to meridional flows on the solar surface. The typical annual periodicity of MPSI and MWSI is 1.07 yr, which is not derived from the annual variation of Earth's heliolatitude. Several periodicities shorter than 1 yr found in MPSI and MWSI are considered to be Rieger-type periodicities.     

The magnetic fields of active regions

The Mount Wilson daily magnetogram data set is used in its coarse format to determine various statistical properties of magnetic regions. The method of defining magnetic regions is described, and also the criteria for a return of a magnetic region from one day to the next are given. Region sizes, polarity separations, total and net magnetic fluxes, magnetic complexities, and polarity orientations are defined. A relationship is found between polarity orientation and region size in the sense that regions with less magnetic flux tend to show greater deviation on average from the usual polarity orientation.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

The Mount Wilson magnetograph

Alterations to the Mount Wilson Observatory solar magnetograph were made during 1981. The present state of the instrument, including the spectrograph, is described. The magnetic and Doppler velocity signals and the setup procedure for the magnetogram observation are discussed. The advantages of the new system are described.     

Measurement of Kodaikanal white-light images

A program of digitization of the daily white-light solar images from the Kodaikanal station of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics is in progress. A similar set of white-light data from the Mount Wilson Observatory was digitized some years ago. In both cases, areas and positions of individual sunspot umbrae are measured. In this preliminary report, comparisons of these measurements from the two sites are made. It is shown that both area and position measurements are in quite good agreement. The agreement is sufficiently good that it is possible to measure motions and area changes of sunspots from one site to the next, involving time differences from about 12 hours to about 36 hours. This enables us to trace the motions of many more small sunspots than could be done from one site alone. Very small systematic differences in rotation rate between the two sites of about 0.4% are found. A portion of this discrepancy is apparently due to the difference in plate scales between the two sites. Another contributing factor in the difference is the latitude visibility of sunspots. In addition it is suggested that a small, systematic difference in the measured radii at the two sites may contribute a small amount to this discrepancy, but it has not been possible to confirm this hypothesis. It is concluded that in general, when dealing with high precision rotation results of this sort, one must be extremely careful about subtle systematic effects.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under Cooperative Agreement with the National Science Foundation.     

Solar rotation studies using sunspot data (1967–1974)

The solar rotation rate during 1967–1974 was measured from photographic observations of sunspots. The rates derived from isolated single spots and from bipolar groups were 14.38 ±0.02 and 14.71±0.05 deg per day equatorial sidereal, respectively. Year-to-year fluctuations in the bipolar group rates correlate with fluctuations in the Mt. Wilson spectroscopic rotation rates, while the isolated single spots show smaller, uncorrelated variations. A possible explanation for the fluctuations in the bipolar rates is year-to-year changes in the separation rates of the bipolar groups, rather than changes in the global solar rotation rate. The latter interpretation requires caution because (1) the sunspot rotation rates were derived from a limited amount of data (one month per year), and (2) the rotation rates were reduced to equatorial values assuming a differential rotation law {ie205-01}.Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under contract with the National Science Foundation.     

On the filamentary nature of solar magnetic fields

A method is presented for obtaining information about the unresolved filamentary structure of solar magnetic fields. A comparison is made of pairs of Mount Wilson magnetograph recordings made in the two spectral lines Fei 5250 Å and Fei 5233 Å obtained on 26 different days. Due to line weakenings and saturation in the magnetic filaments, the apparent field strengths measured in the 5250 Å line are too low, while the 5233 Å line is expected to give essentially correct results. From a comparison between the apparent field strengths and fluxes and their center to limb variations, we draw the following tentative conclusions: (a) More than 90 % of the total flux seen with a 17 by 17 arc sec magnetograph aperture is channeled through narrow filaments with very high field strengths in plages and at the boundaries of supergranular cells. (b) An upper limit for the interfilamentary field strength integrated over the same aperture seems to be about 3 G. (c) The field lines in a filament are confined in a very small region in the photosphere but spread out very rapidly higher up in the atmosphere. (d) All earlier Mount Wilson magnetograph data should be multiplied by a factor that is about 1.8 at the center of the disk and decreased toward the limb in order to give the correct value of the longitudinal magnetic field averaged over the scanning aperture.Guest Investigator at the Hale Observatories, on leave from Astronomical Observatory, Lund, Sweden.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

A system for line profile studies at the 150-foot tower on Mount Wilson

We describe enhancements to the hardware and software for the 150-foot tower system on Mt. Wilson which make possible the acquisition of high precision line profile measurements. This system utilizes the 75-foot pit spectrograph with a photomultiplier detector system to scan line profiles repeatedly in order to study variations induced by the passage of waves vertically through the solar atmosphere. Oscillations of line profile parameters with an amplitude as low as 1.7 m s^–1 have been detected with this system using integrated sunlight. Phase relations between oscillations of different parts of the line profile are appropriate to upward energy transport. Consistent with the previous conclusion by Mein and Schmieder (1981), we find that the magnitude of the energy transport is compatible with the 5-min oscillations making an important contribution to the heating of the low chromosphere.The Mount Wilson Observatory is operated by the Mount Wilson Institute under agreement with the Carnegie Institution of Washington.     

Separation of large-scale photospheric Doppler patterns

Mount Wilson solar Doppler data spanning January 1967 to March 1984 are refit with an expanded set of functions representing the line-of-sight components of rotation, limbshift and meridional flow. The ears are not included, and a constant term, formerly regarded as the relative instrumental zero, is reclassified as representing an aspect of the limbshift. The long-standing problem of crosstalk among the fit-determined coefficients is eliminated by orthonormalization with respect to the solar disk of the function space representing each motion class. Examination of the new coefficients shows clear evidence for their variation over the solar cycle: for the rotation coefficients, this variation is a low mode torsional oscillation, and for the limbshift, it appears consistent with the suppression of small-scale convection by magnetic activity. The meridional flow is found to be poleward and slightly faster at low latitudes. Also seen in all coefficients is a dramatic reduction of day-to-day scatter following recent major modifications to the Mount Wilson 150-ft tower spectrograph.     

Telluric water vapor contamination of the Mount Wilson solar Doppler measurements

It has been shown that the solar line 5250.2 (Fei) is weakly blended with a telluric line in the water vapor spectrum, and that magnetograms taken using this line are therefore inaccurate. We investigate the effects of this contamination on the Mount Wilson synoptic magnetograph data, which is based on 5250.2. Using spectrum scans taken at Kitt Peak, we model the contamination and develop a procedure that would correct for it, whenever the slant water vapor along the line of sight to the Sun is known. As this information is not available for the data collected thus far at Mount Wilson, we use the variation of determined quantities with airmass to obtain an average, or first-order, correction. Concentrating on the fitted coefficients for the solar rotation, the correction is found to be very slight, 0.5%, raising the value for the A coefficient, averaged over the period 3 December, 1985 to 22 July, 1990, from 2.8289 to 2.8422 rad s^-1, The correction also removes a slight annual variation that has become discernible in the data collected since 1986.Now at Oregon Heath Sciences University, Portland, OR, U.S.A.Now at Department of Astronomy, University of Minnesota, U.S.A.     

Polarization of solar active regions at 3.5 millimeter wavelength

A study of the circular polarization structure of solar active regions has been made from data obtained at 3.5 mm wavelength, using the 36 ft diameter radio telescope of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Kitt Peak, Arizona. The angular resolution of the telescope at this wavelength is 1.2. All important active regions observed at 3.5 mm are bipolar in nature; the degree of polarization ranges from 1 to about 2%. These oppositely polarized components correspond with the Mt. Wilson magnetic regions of opposite polarity; the line of zero polarization delineates the neutral line between the regions of opposite polarity on magnetograms. The longitudinal magnetic fields at the level of 3.5 mm emission computed from the degree of polarization are found to be several hundred gauss.     

A mechanism for the build-up of flare energy

It is shown how the kinetic energy of the rotational motion of a sunspot can be transferred to electromagnetic energy in filamentary currents. The time needed for preconditioning the solar atmosphere for a flare varies within wide limits. For small flares it may be of the order of minutes; for large flares, of the order of hours or days.Presently Guest Investigator at the Mount Wilson and Palomar Observatories.     

Resolution of the Hα double-limb controversy

The discussion of the H double limb had reached the point where the question of its existence as a real solar phenomenon could not be resolved without new observations made with the Lockheed filter and the Mount Wilson spectroheliograph. A study of the instrumental profiles had indicated that there was sufficient off-band light to produce the observed inner limb step in the Mount Wilson instrument, but this analysis was not completely satisfactory because of limitations inherent in the measurement of instrument functions with a Hg-198 source. The instrumental profile work did indicate, however, that the spectral purity of the instruments in question could be substantially improved by the use of narrow-band interference filters. An experimental program was thus launched to determine the effect of such a blocking filter on the appearance of the H limb. The results of these observations with three Halle filter systems and the Mount Wilson spectroheliograph are that the inner limb completely disappears at the center of H when a blocking filter is used to reduce unwanted light, which originates at wavelengths beyond ±0.8 Å. In addition, the contrast and visibility of the chromospheric fine structure is increased by eliminating the off-band light. Thus the experiment conclusively demonstrates that the apparent inner limb is not a solar feature but is due entirely to instrumental parasitic light.