Long-term variations in the rotation of the solar corona

The characteristic time scales for variations in the differential rotation of the solar corona are determined using measurements of the intensity of the FeXIV 5303 Å coronal line made from 1939–2004. Drift waves of the variations in the rotational speed with an 11-year periodicity can be distinguished. Moving averages with time intervals from two to five years are used to identify torsional waves. In addition, longer-period variations in the rotational speed can be distinguished when longer averaging intervals are used. When the interval used for the moving average is increased to 8–12 years, a quasi-22-year rotational period appears. The low-latitude corona rotates more slowly in odd cycles than in even cycles. Increasing the duration of the averaging interval further shows that rapid rotation at low latitudes was observed in 1940–1950 and 1990–2000, while slow rotation was observed in 1960–1980, possibly suggesting the presence of a 55-year period in the rotational variations. Long-term variations are found in the rotation of polar regions. The rotational variations for high-latitude corona are in antiphase with those for the low-latitude corona. The origins of zones of anomalous coronal rotation and their dynamics in the global activity cycle are discussed.     

The three-dimensional structure of the solar corona

The surface where the radial component of the solar magnetic field changes sign is computed for a minimum corona. It is shown that (1) the projection of the folds of this surface onto the plane of the sky is consistent with the helmet structures observed during the eclipse of June 30, 1954; (2) there are type 1 and type 2 helmets, according to the well-known classification of coronal structures; (3) some elements of this sign-change surface of the radial field can be classified as so-called envelopes. The results obtained suggest that more complex coronal structures can be described in a similar way. An MHD model of polar plumes is considered.     

The initial trajectories of eruptive solar prominences

Trajectories of eruptive prominences are compared with the shapes of coronal neutral surfaces calculated in a potential approximation using photospheric measurements. Space-based Solar Dymamics Observatory and STEREO observations carried out at different viewing angles enable a precise determination of a prominence’s position at successive times during its eruption. In the initial segments of their trajectories, eruptive prominences move along neutral surfaces (B_r = 0) of the potential coronal magnetic field. This can be used to predict the directions of subsequent coronal mass ejections and to estimate their geoefficiency.     

Cyclic variations in the differential rotation of the solar corona

The rotation of the solar corona is analyzed using the original database on the brightness of the FeXIV 530.3 nm coronal green line covering six recent activity cycles. The rate of the differential rotation of the corona depends on the cycle phase. In decay phases, there are only small differences in the rotation, which are similar to that of a rigid body. The differences are more significant (though less pronounced than in the photosphere) during rise phases, just before maxima, and sometimes at maxima. The total rate of the coronal rotation is represented as a superposition of two, i.e., fast and slow modes. The synodic period of the fast mode is approximately 27 days at the equator and varies slightly with time. This mode displays weak differences in rotation and is most pronounced in the middle of decay phases. The slow mode is manifested only at high latitudes during the rise phases of activity, and displays a mean period of 31 days. The relative contribution of each mode to the total rotational rate is determined as a function of time and heliographic latitude. These results indicate that the structure of the velocity field in the convective zone must also vary with time. This conclusion can be verified by helioseismology measurements in the near future.     

Geometry of solar prominences and magnetic fields in the corona

The spatial location of the surface at which most of the prominence mass is concentrated is compared with the location of the “neutral surface” where B _r = 0 (B _r is the magnetic field) calculated in a potential approximation using photospheric data. More than fifty prominences (filaments) observed in 1999–2003 are studied. The vertical deviations of the prominences (predominantly toward the west) correspond well to the inclination of the neutral surface. The results provide evidence for the magnetic support of filaments of opposite polarities (the magnetic-rope model).     

Two modes of the differential rotation of the solar corona

The differential rotation of the solar corona is studied using the brightness of the Fe XIV 530.3 nm green coronal line collected over 5.5 solar-activity cycles. The total observed velocity of the coronal rotation is analyzed as a superposition of two modes—fast and slow. A technique for separating two data series composing the initial data set and corresponding to the two differential-rotation modes of the solar corona is proposed. The first series is obtained by averaging the initial data set over six successive Carrington rotations; this series corresponds to long-lived, large-scale coronal regions. The second series is the difference between the initial data and the averaged series, and corresponds to relatively quickly varying coronal component. The coronal rotation derived from the first series coincides with the fast mode detected earlier using the initial data set; i.e., the synodic period of this mode is 27 days at the equator, then weakly increases with latitude, slightly exceeding 28 days at high latitudes. The second series describes a slow rotation displaying a synodic period of about 34 days. This coincides with the period of rotation of the high-latitude corona derived by M. Waldmeier for polar faculae. We expect that coronal objects corresponding to the fast mode are associated with magnetic fields on the scales typical for large activity complexes. The slow mode may be associated with weak fields on small scales.     

The magnetic-field geometry in polar ray structures of the solar corona

Variations in the positions of the intersection points of tangents to ray structures in the polar corona of the Sun during the solar cycle are considered. At first glance, the decrease in the distance q between the tangent intersection point and the center of the solar disk during activity maximum contradicts harmonic analyses that indicate that the relative weight of higher harmonics in the global field increases during this period. Indeed, the higher the harmonic number in an axisymmetric field, the closer the intersection point of the field-line tangents (the magnetic focus) to the solar surface. It is shown that q for a field composed of two harmonics with opposite polarities at the poles can be smaller than q for either of them taken alone. A simple model representing the global field using the third and seventh harmonics is analyzed; this model can reproduce quite satisfactorily the observed dynamics of magnetic foci of the polar field.     

A study of eruptive solar events with negative radio bursts

Solar events of June 15/16, 2000, June 1/2, 2002, February 6, 2002, and February 7, 2002, have been studied. These events probably belong to a poorly studied class of explosive eruptions. In such events disintegration of the magnetic structure of an eruptive filament and dispersing of its fragments as a cloud over a considerable part of the solar surface are possible. The analysis of SOHO/EIT extreme ultraviolet images obtained in the 195 Å and 304 Å channels has revealed the appearance of dimmings of various shapes and propagation of a coronal wave for June 1/2, 2002. In all the events the Nobeyama, Learmonth, and Ussuriysk observatories recorded negative radio bursts at several frequencies in the 1–10 GHz range. Most likely, these bursts were due to absorption of solar radio emission in clouds produced by fragments of filaments. Absorption of the solar background radiation can be observed as a depression of the emission in the 304 Å channel. A model has been developed, which permits one to estimate parameters of absorbing plasma such as temperature, optical thickness, area of the absorbing cloud, and its height above the chromosphere from the radio absorption observed at several frequencies. The obtained values of the temperature, 8000–9000 K, demonstrate that the absorber was the material of an erupted cool filament. The model estimate of the masses of the ejecta in the considered events were ～10¹⁵ g, which is comparable to masses of typical filaments and coronal mass ejections.     

The polarization of the solar corona on March 29, 2006

The effect of the auroral ring on the polarization of the solar corona during the solar eclipse of March 29, 2006 is studied. The angle and degree of polarization for emission arising from the combination of two partially polarized components is calculated. The emission of each component is described in terms of the Stokes parameters, and the corresponding parameters added. The position angle and degree of polarization are found for all cases realized in observations of the polarized corona with polarizing filter positions of 0°, 60°, 120° and 0°, 45°, and 90°. These calculations indicate that singular polarization points (saddles with index ?1/2) arise at a distance of about 1R_⊙ from the limb. A model for the total emission of the corona is constructed, which is used to calculate deviations of the polarization plane from the tangential direction (with respect to the limb).     

Evidence for shock generation in the solar corona in the absence of coronal mass ejections

The solar event SOL2012–10–23T03:13, which was associated with a X1.8 flare without an accompanying coronal mass ejection (CME) and with a Type II radio burst, is analyzed. A method for constructing the spatial and temporal profiles of the difference brightness detected in the AIA/SDOUVand EUV channels is used together with the analysis of the Type II radio burst. The formation and propagation of a region of compression preceded by a collisional shock detected at distances R < 1.3R _⊙ from the center of the Sun is observed in this event (R _⊙ is the solar radius). Comparison with a similar event studied earlier, SOL2011–02–28T07:34 [1], suggests that the region of compression and shock could be due to a transient (impulsive) action exerted on the surrounding plasma by an eruptive, high-temperature magnetic rope. The initial instability and eruption of this rope could be initiated by emerging magnetic flux, and its heating from magnetic reconnection. The cessation of the eruption of the rope could result from its interaction with surrounding magnetic structures (coronal loops).     

The total number of spicules on the solar surface and their role in heating and mass balanace in the solar corona

A critical review of determinations of the number of spicules is presented, and the role of both classical and Type 2 spicules in heating and mass balance in the corona is considered. The total number of Type 2 spicules is determined, together with the upward fluxes of energy and mass to which they give rise. The total number of Type 2 spicules on the solar surface is found to be ~10⁵, close to values obtained in other studies. The associated particle flux toward the corona is 2.5 × 10¹⁴ cm^?2 s^?1, an order of magnitude lower than the corresponding flux for classical spicules. The associated energy flux is 10⁴ erg cm^?2 s^?1, an order of magnaitude lower than estimates obtained in other studies. The results indicate that Type 2 spicules can supply the mass lost from the corona, but are not able to fully explain coronal energy losses.     

Polarization of the solar corona in the green line: Contradiction between theory and observations

The main results of polarization observations in the 530.3-nm line and their role in studying the physical conditions, structure, and magnetic field in the solar corona are discussed. A serious discrepancy between the observations and widely-accepted theoretical concepts was revealed: the theory predicts that the orientation of the polarization electric vector should be nearly radial, in contradiction with the observational results. In particular, the polarization vectors for both the green line and white-light corona in high-latitude streamers were tangential during the eclipse of July 11, 1991. The dependence of the degree of polarization on the angle between the radial direction and the magnetic-field vector was calculated without any a priori assumptions about the configuration of coronal fields. This theoretical analysis of the polarization-vector orientation for magnetic-dipole emission in the green line are in agreement with results obtained previously in other studies. Some ways to resolve the observed discrepancies are discussed.     

A charge-consistent model for the acceleration of iron in the solar corona: Nonisothermal injection

A charge-consistent numerical model for the joint (regular and stochastic) acceleration of iron by a spherical shock wave propagating in the solar corona is proposed. Large-scale irregularities of the plasma density and the nonisothermal injection of ions are taken into account. For the case of iron, the energy dependence of the mean charge q_Fe(E) is determined by the relationships between the characteristic acceleration time, the charge-variation time for the accelerated ions, and the time for their trapping in regions of high plasma density. Due to the global inhomogeneity of the medium, these relationships depend on the shock speed. Our calculations indicate that photoionization by soft X-rays from flare regions can substantially change the charge states of heavy ions only in the most powerful solar events (both impulsive and gradual).     

Large-scale activity in major solar eruptive events of November 2004 according to SOHO data

Data obtained with the EIT UV telescope and LASCO coronagraph of the SOHO satellite are used to analyze large-scale solar disturbances associated with a series of major flares and coronal mass ejections that occurred in the late decline phase of cycle 23, on November 3–10, 2004, and gave rise to strong geomagnetic storms. Derotated fixed-base difference heliograms taken in the 195 Å coronal channel at 12-min intervals and in the various-temperature 171, 195, 284, and 304 Å channels at 6-h intervals indicate that these disturbances were global and homologous; i.e., they had similar characteristics and affected the same structures. Almost all of the nine events of this series included two recurrent systems of large-scale dimmings (regions of reduced intensity with lifetimes of 10–15 h): (a) transequatorial dimmings connecting a northern near-equatorial eruption center with a southern active region and (b) northern dimmings covering a large sector between two coronal holes. In this northern sector, coronal waves (brightenings propagated from the eruption center at speeds of several hundred km/s) were observed ahead of the expanding dimmings. The brightest, central part of the halo-type coronal mass ejection in each event corresponded to the northern dimming system. The properties of the dimmings and coronal waves and the relationship between them are discussed on the basis of the results obtained. We find that the eruption of large coronal mass ejections involves structures of the global solar magnetosphere with spatial scales far exceeding the sizes of active regions and normal activity complexes.     

The structure of solar filaments. Prominences in the corona free from external magnetic field

The new approach to the modeling of quiescent solar prominences is proposed. We solve the inverse magnetohydrostatic problem, when the pressure, density and temperature of plasma in the filament are calculated from the equilibrium equations using the given magnetic structure (magnetic flux function is proposed to be known). The new exact nonlinear solutions for dense (n ≈ (2?3) × 10¹¹ cm^?3) and cold (T ≈ (5?10) × 10³ K) filaments, embedded in the plan, vertically stratified atmosphere (hot solar corona) free of magnetic field, are derived. The filaments are stretched along the horizontal axisy(the translational symmetry is assumed: ?/?y = 0) and located parallel to and above a photospheric, magnetic polarity reversal line. The magnetic field lines have a structure of magnetic flux rope with helical field lines in three-dimensional space; the strength of magnetic field falls rapidly with distance from a rope axis. No external longitudinal magnetic field is needed to equilibrate the prominence. The net electric current along the filament is equal to zero. The model of magnetic arcade with the deflection (sag) on the top, proposed by Pikelner (1971) as a basic form of normal prominence, is calculated also using the method proposed. It is shown that such magnetic arcade, having the magnetic field strength of few gauss only, can effectively maintain the equilibrium of cool dense filament at the heights about 50–60 Mm.     

Some features of the streamer belt in the solar corona and at the Earth’s orbit

The rays of enhanced brightness making up the structure of the coronal-streamer belt can be traced to the lowest atmospheric layers in the Sun, with the angular size remaining nearly constant, d ≈ 2.5° ± 0.5°. This suggests that the physical mechanism generating the slow solar wind in the rays of the streamer belt differs from the mechanism giving rise to the fast solar wind from coronal holes. At distances of R < (4–5) R _⊙, the rays of the streamer belt are not radial in the plane of the sky and show deviations toward the corresponding pole. They then become essentially radial at R > (4–5) R _⊙. A transverse cross section of streamers in the corona and its continuation into the heliosphere—a plasma sheet—can be represented as two radially oriented, closely spaced rays (d ≈ 2.0°–2.5°) with enhanced density and an angular size of d. We also show that the ray structure of the streamer belt is involved in the development of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The motion of a small-scale CME occurs within a magnetic flux tube (ray of enhanced brightness) and leads to an explosive increase in its angular size (rapid expansion of the tube). It seems likely that large-scale CMEs are the result of the simultaneous expansion of several magnetic tubes. We suggest that a small-scale CME corresponds to a “plasmoid” (clump of plasma of limited size with its own magnetic field) ejected into the base of a magnetic tube, which subsequently moves away from the Sun along the tube.     

Apparent angular sizes of the sources of microwave subsecond pulses and electron-density fluctuations in the lower solar corona

Data on the visible angular sizes of sources of microwave subsecond pulses (MSPs) obtained using the Siberian Solar Radio Telescope are analyzed assuming a dominant role for scattering on small-scale electron-density inhomogeneities in the solar corona. The observed dependence of the angular sizes of MSPs on the distance from the solar-disk center confirms that the MSP sources are localized in low layers of the solar corona. Both absolute and fractional levels of small-scale electron-density fluctuations have been estimated. These estimates suggest that flicker-noise-type turbulence power spectra are formed in the lower corona, and are preserved in the solar-wind acceleration region. A composite dependence of the scattering angle of a sounding radio wave on distance from the Sun is presented.     

Large-scale activity in solar eruptive events of October–November 2003 observed from SOHO/EIT data

Large-scale solar disturbances associated with powerful flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) during two passages of a grand system of three active regions in October–November 2003 are analyzed using data obtained with the SOHO/EIT EUV telescope. Dimmings (transient coronal holes) and, to a lesser extent, coronal waves (traveling emitting fronts) are studied using fixed-difference derotated images, in which a correction for the solar rotation is applied and a single heliogram preceding the event is subtracted from all subsequent heliograms. This method allows us to study difference heliograms in both the 195 Å line (with an interval of 12 min) and the various-temperature channels of 171, 195, 284, and 304 Å (with an interval of six hours). Our analysis shows, in particular, that the disturbances associated with CMEs demonstrated a global character and occupied almost the entire southern half of the disk in virtually all eruptive events during the two solar rotations. At the same time, the northern half of the disk, which had a large coronal hole, was only slightly disturbed. The dominant dimmings were observed on the disk as narrow, long features stretched mainly between three main, well-separated regions of the system and as long structures located along lines of solar latitude in the south polar sector. For repetitive events with intervals between them being not so long, the dominant dimmings demonstrated a clear homology in their forms and locations. During the very powerful event of October 28, one homologous global set of dimmings changed to another set. Many dimmings were observed to be identical or very similar in the three coronal channels and the transition-region line. It follows from the analysis that rapidly recovering global structures in the corona and transition region were involved in the eruption of running CMEs and the corresponding reconstruction of the large-scale magnetic fields.     

Analysis of a solar eruptive event on November 4, 2001, using CORONAS-F/SPIRIT data

We analyze large-scale solar activity following the eruption of a very powerful, geoeffective coronal mass ejection in the 23rd solar cycle, observed at 175, 284, and 304 Å on November 4, 2001, using data from the CORONAS-F/SPIRIT telescope. In particular, we have shown that the restructuring of the magnetic field above the eruption center was accompanied by the formation of a multicomponent post-eruptive arcade, which was observed in all three bands over many hours and had an extent of the order of 0.5R_⊙. Two kinds of dimmings were observed, i.e., compact dimmings on either side of this arcade and channeled dimmings along some extended features beyond the active region. The intensity in the dimmings decreased by several tens of percent. The enhanced emission observed at the top of the post-eruptive arcade can be due to energy release in the course of magnetic reconnection high in the corona at the relaxation stage of the perturbed magnetic field to a new equilibrium state with a closed configuration. It can also be due to an enhanced emission measure because of the oblique direction of the line of sight crossing both loop tops and footpoint regions. The spatial coincidence of the main dimmings in lines corresponding to different temperatures indicates that a plasma outflow from the transition region and coronal structures with opened field lines are responsible for these dimmings. Variations in the plasma temperature associated with coronal mass ejections probably play an important role for some dimmings, which appear different in different lines.