Recurrence of solar activity: Evidence for active longitudes

The autocorrelation coefficients of the daily Wolf sunspot numbers over a period of 128 years reveal a number of interesting features of the variability of solar activity. In addition to establishing periodicities for the solar rotation, the solar activity cycle, and perhaps the Gleissberg Cycle, they suggest that active longitudes do exist, but with much greater strength and persistence in some solar cycles than in others. There is evidence for a variation in the solar rotation period, as measured by sunspot number, of as much as two days between different solar cycles.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

The sector structure of the active longitudes in solar cycles

The longitudinal distributions of the polar faculae, bright K Ca⁺ points, and sunspot areas have been investigated in three-year intervals at the minima and maxima of the last five solar cycles in the rotation system which corresponds to the background magnetic field:T = 27.23 days (Mikhailutsa, 1994b). It has been shown that there were three specific features of the polar faculae and bright K Ca⁺ point longitudinal distributions: (1) The longitudes of maxima and minima of the distributions were approximately the same in the last five solar cycles. (2) There were predominantly two opposite longitudinal maxima and two opposite longitudinal minima in the distributions of each hemisphere. (3) The distributions of the northern and southern hemispheres were in opposite phase. The extremes of the sunspot area longitudinal distributions were preferentially between the longitudes of the polar facular extremes. The period of the sector structure rotation was defined more precisely:T = 27.227 ± 0.003 days. The results found can serve as an indication that there is a global foursector structure seated in the solar interior which plays a visible role in the polar facular and sunspot distributions.     

Effects of activity complexes and active longitudes on variations in total solar irradiance

A numerical technique of time-longitude analysis has been developed by studying the fine structure of temporal variations in total solar irradiance (TSI). This analysis produces maps of large-scale thermal inhomogeneities on the Sun and reveals corresponding patterns of radiative excess and deficit relative to the unperturbed solar photosphere. These patterns are organized in two-and four-sector structures and exhibit the effects of both activity complexes and the active longitudes. Large-scale patterns with radiative excess show a facular macrostructure caused by the relaxation of large-scale thermo-magnetic perturbations and/or energy output due to very large-scale solar convection. These thermal patterns are related to long-lived magnetic fields that are characterized by rigid rotation. The patterns with radiative excess tend to concentrate around the active longitudes and are centered at 103° and 277° in the Carrington system when averaged over the time-longitude distribution of thermal inhomogeneities during activity cycles 21–23.     

Solar radio fluxes as indices of solar activity

The daily solar radio flux values at 9400, 3750, 2000 and 1000 MHz and at 2800 MHz observed since 1957 at Toyokawa and Ottawa, respectively, have been used to provide new information on the solar radio fluxes as indices of solar activity. After an examination of the yearly mean values at each frequency, another investigation based on mean ratios during periods of 18 or 6 months indicates that a close connection is observed between the radio fluxes in the cm region and that anomalies related to calibration problems can be detected. The regression analysis of the daily values of the fluxes during at least 25 years and a special test on the sensitivity may provide final information on the stability of the data with respect to time and solar activity. The method is capable of detecting long-term trends corresponding to instrumental drifts. Such information is essential to our understanding of anomalies detected in the observations of u.v. and X-ray irradiances. However, such a method is based on a linear relationship. When a quadratic form, as it is observed in the decimeter region, is adopted, the effect of the various levels of activity in a solar cycle must be considered.     

Dust particle and solar radiation

Influence of the solar radiation (electromagnetic and corpuscular - solar wind) on the motion of the interplanetary dust particle is investigated. The ratio time of inspiralling toward the Sun: time of inspiralling neglecting the change of mass of the particle is presented as a function of initial eccentricities.     

Relation between VLF phase deviations and solar X-ray fluxes during solar flares

Sudden phase anomalies (SPA's) observed in the phase of GBR 16 kHz VLF signals during the years 1977 to 1983 have been analysed in the light of their associated solar X-ray fluxes in the 0.5–4 Å and 1–8 Å bands. An attempt has been made to investigate the solar zenith angle () dependence of the integrated solar X-ray flux for producing SPA's. It is deduced from the observations for < 81° that the phase deviation increases linearly as a whole with increasing solar X-ray fluxes in these two bands. The threshold X-ray flux needed to produce a detectable SPA effect has been estimated to be 1.6 × 10^–4 ergcm^–2 s^–1 and 1.8 × 10^–3 ergcm^–2 s^–1 in the 0.5–4 Å and 1–8 Å bands, respectively. For both bands the average cross section for all atmospheric constituents at a height of 70 km is almost equal to the absorption cross section for the 3 Å X-ray emission.     

Energetic solar particle events in a stream-structured solar wind

Theoretical considerations lead to a solar cosmic ray diffusion coefficient which varies with heliolongitude in a stream-structured solar wind. By solving numerically the time dependent convection-diffusion equation for the particle transport we investigate the effect of the azimuthal variation of the diffusion coefficient on intensity-time profiles as seen by a stationary observer. Depending on the position of the observer relative to the solar wind stream at the time of flare occurrence, completely different intensity-time profiles will be observed. When the spacecraft is at the time of the flare occurrence right at the leading edge of a solar wind stream, the large mean free path leads to rapid steepening of the initial phase of the intensity profile. The longitudinally decreasing mean free path 1 day in front of the leading edge will lead to intensity-time profiles similar to long-time injection events if the event occurs before the stationary observer enters the flux tubes with the decreasing diffusion coefficient.     

Manifestation of solar activity in solar wind particle flux density

An analysis has been made of the origin of long-term variations in flux density of solar wind particles (nv) for different velocity regimes. The study revealed a relationship of these variations to the area of the polar coronal holes (CH). It is shown that within the framework of the model under development, the main longterm variations of nv are a result of the latitude redistribution of the solar wind mass flux in the heliosphere and are due to changes in the large-scale geometry of the solar plasma flow in the corona.

A study has been made of the variations of nv for high speed solar wind streams. It is found that nv in high speed streams which are formed in CH, decreases from minimum to maximum solar activity. The analysis indicates that this decrease is attributable to the magnetic field strength increase in coronal holes.

It has been found that periods of rapid global changes of background magnetic fields on the Sun are accompanied by a reconfiguration of coronal magnetic fields, rapid changes in the length of quiescent filaments, and by an increase in the density of the particle flux of a high speed solar wind. It has been established that these periods precede the formation of CH, corresponding to the increase in solar wind velocity near the Earth and to enhancement of the level of geomagnetic disturbance.     

Temporal trends of solar EUV and UV full-disk fluxes

Several progressions in the temporal characteristics of full-disk solar UV and EUV fluxes have been identified that raise many questions about the solar physics involved. The collective effect of numerous enhancements smaller than scaled plages contribute significantly to the solar cycle variations, especially for emissions from the cooler portions of the corona and the chromosphere. Active-region remnants are suggested to have a strong role even in solar-rotation induced variations late in an episode of major activity. Although cool coronal EUV emissions are long lasting, the persistence of the solar-rotation induced variations is even greater at photospheric UV wavelengths. Gyroresonance and possibly nonthermal radio emission at centimeter wavelengths are suggested to be particularly important during the first solar rotation of an episode of major activity.     

Temporal trends of solar EUV and UV full-disk fluxes

Several progressions in the temporal characteristics of full-disk solar UV and EUV fluxes have been identified that raise many questions about the solar physics involved. The collective effect of numerous enhancements smaller than scaled plages contribute significantly to the solar cycle variations, especially for emissions from the cooler portions of the corona and the chromosphere. Active-region remnants are suggested to have a strong role even in solar-rotation induced variations late in an episode of major activity. Although cool coronal EUV emissions are long lasting, the persistence of the solar-rotation induced variations is even greater at photospheric UV wavelengths. Gyroresonance and possibly nonthermal radio emission at centimeter wavelengths are suggested to be particularly important during the first solar rotation of an episode of major activity.     

The propagation of electron fluxes in the solar corona

The problem of energetic electron flux propagation in the solar coronal plasma is solved with due regard for the influence of the oppositely directed neutralizing cold electron flux and the kinematic escape effect of the electrons with different velocities. It is shown that the flux electrons are accelerated in the process of propagation, thus forming a beam, whose velocity is constant on rather long time scales. Three regimes can be realized in this case. In the first regime, plasma waves do not have time to be excited because they escape rapidly from resonance with the beam. In the second regime, waves are excited, but the beam does not have time to relax. The third regime is quasi-linear relaxation.The generation of solar type III radio bursts in the second regime of electron flux propagation is considered.     

Relativistic electrons in solar particle events

We present here the results of the first systematic study of electrons of energies greater than 10 MeV associated with solar flares. We have made direct measurements of the frequency with which these particles are found in solar flare related events, the spectra of the particles, and the evolution of the spectra during these events. In addition the nature of the propagation of these electrons is studied and the degree of anisotropy in their diffusion is measured for the first time.The observations were made aboard the spacecraft OGO-5 from 1968, March through 1969, August. It is found that electrons in the energy range 12–45 MeV are normally present in major solar particle events. The time-intensity profiles of the fluxes indicate diffusive propagation; and the time-to-maximum intensity is found to vary with solar longitude in a way which can only be the result of anisotropic propagation with the perpendicular diffusion coefficient comparable in magnitude to, but smaller than, the parallel diffusion coefficient. Spectra during the observed events fit the power law AE ^– with 2.5 3.8. The time evolution of the spectrum throughout the course of the 4 most intense events shows that the spectrum steepens rapidly during the initial phase but retains a constant slope through the decay phase.Events which behave in a manner which is not described by the normal diffusion picture are also discussed. These examples show phenomena other than direct flare injection followed by anisotropic diffusion.This work was supported in part by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Contract NAS 5-9096 and Grant NGL 14-001-005.Submitted to the Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph. D. degree.NASA Trainee 1967–1969.     

The solar surface differential rotation from disk-integrated chromospheric fluxes

Disk-integrated solar chromospheric Caii K-line (3933.68 ) fluxes have been measured almost daily at Sacramento Peak Observatory since 1977. Using observing windows selected to mimic seasonal windows for chromospheric measurements of lower Main-Sequence stars such as those observed by Mount Wilson Observatory's HK Project, we have measured the solar rotation from the modulation of the Caii K-line flux. We track the change of rotation period from the decline of cycle 21 through the maximum of cycle 22. This variation in rotation period is shown to behave as expected from the migration of active regions in latitude according to Maunder's butterfly diagram, including an abrupt change in rotation period at the transition from cycle 21 to cycle 22. These results indicate the successful detection of solar surface differential rotation from disk-integrated observations. We argue that the success of our study compared to previous investigations of the solar surface differential rotation from disk-integrated fluxes lies primarily with the choice of the length of the time-series window. Our selection of 200 days is shorter than in previous studies whose windows are typically on the order of one year. The 200-day window is long enough to permit an accurate determination of the rotation period, yet short enough to avoid complications arising from active region evolution. Thus, measurements of the variation of rotation period in lower Main-Sequence stars, especially those that appear to be correlated with long-term changes in chromospheric activity (i.e., cycles), are probably evidence for stellar surface differential rotation.     

Modulation of energetic particle fluxes due to long-period geomagnetic oscillations

Mechanism of flux modulations of energetic protons and electrons, associated with the long-period geomagnetic pulsations in the outer magnetosphere, is examined theoretically. In the first part, a linear perturbation theory of the guiding centre distribution function averaged over the bounce phase of an interacting particle is developed for the case of the three-dimensional magnetic oscillations with a sufficiently long period compared with the bounce time of the particle. Secondly we extend the formulation to include some effects of the perturbed drift orbit on the particle distribution such as the particle trapping in the wave field and the phase bunching process. The latter is important for the interaction with the coupling Alfvén mode of magnetic oscillations. Applying these results together with the basic characteristics of the coupling hydromagnetic oscillations in a non-uniform plasma, we discuss the possibilities for the observed particle flux modulations in two different cases, separately, i.e. flux oscillations due to the compressional magnetic perturbation and those from the nearly transverse magnetic variations.     

Time variation of the solar neutrino fluxes from Super-Kamiokande data

Since observed precise data on the fluxes of the neutrinos from the Sun have recently become available from the Super-Kamiokande experiment, it has become possible, by using these data, to find out whether these fluxes vary periodically or aperiodically. Here we discuss the time variation of the solar neutrino fluxes from the data and suggest that the neutrino fluxes may vary with about a 30-month period.     

Observation of solar wind heavy ions

Plasma experiment on board of the ESRO satellite HEOS-1 observed heavy ions with energy per unit charge 2.5 and 4 times higher than protons. Observations refer to the driving piston of the interplanetary shock occurred on 31 March 1970.     

Variability of the solar chromospheric network over the solar cycle

From a large sample of the Kodaikanal spectroheliograms in the Call K line we have studied the variations in the intensity of the network elements over two solar cycles and have estimated their contribution to the overall variability seen in the disc-averaged K line profiles. The relative contribution of the network elements and the bright points to the K-emission are of the order of 25% and 15% respectively. We have shown that the area of the network elements is anti-correlated with the solar activity, and it increases by about 24% during the solar minimum compared to the maximum period.     

Is there a limit on solar flare proton fluxes?

We explore the possibility that solar flare proton fluxes are limited in magnitude by saturation effects inherent to the acceleration mechanism. If cyclotron damping of Alfvén waves acts to accelerate protons, the criterion that the damping time is comparable to the acceleration time provides a fast particle number density at which protons load the wave spectrum. The limiting flux J ^*at 1 AU is obtained by a volume integration over the acceleration region and redistribution into an interplanetary emission cone. A simplified explosion model permits a delineation between volume and surface acceleration mechanisms in terms of a temporal parameter, the effective duration of acceleration. We conclude that J ^*may be a realistic concept, but that further investigation is warranted to sharpen the criterion.     

Coronal and heliospheric observations of solar particle events

Observations of accelerated particle beams are used to probe the coronal and interplanetary magnetic field structures over large distances from the Sun on the order of a few AU and for various heliolatitudes. It is shown that the propagation of low energy particles is very much controled by discrete interplanetary magnetic field structures. These discrete magnetic structures are sometimes embedded within interplanetary solar wind plasma disturbances, commonly called CMEs. The connection between the corona and the interplanetary medium is discussed. These observations lead to new insights on the origin of accelerated particles detected in association with CMEs.