Photospheric and Chromospheric Activity Associated with 3B Flare of February 27, 1992

We have analyzed the H filtergrams and vector magnetograms of the active region NOAA 7070, in which a 3B/X3.3 flare occurred on February 27, 1992. The average area per sunspot of this active region was in declining phase at the time of the flare. The vector magnetograms indicate that the magnetic field was non-potential at the flaring site. Besides non-potentiality, the longitudinal field gradient was found to be the highest at the region showing initial H brightening. Further, in H filtergrams no appreciable change in the morphology of the filament tracing the magnetic neutral line was noticed in the post-flare stage. Also, the photospheric vector magnetograms show considerable shear in post-flare magnetic field of the active region. In this paper we present the observations and discuss the possible mechanism responsible for the 3B/X3.3 flare.     

Configuration of the chromospheric magnetic field in a unipolar sunspot region

A set of H chromospheric magnetograms at various wavelengths near the line center, chromospheric Dopplergrams, and photospheric vector magnetograms of a unipolar sunspot region near the solar limb were obtained with the vector video magnetograph at the Huairou Solar Observing Station. The superpenumbral chromospheric magnetic field is almost parallel to the surface at the outside of the sunspot penumbra, where the magnetic lines of force are mainly concentrated in the superpenumbral filaments. In the gaps between the filaments the chromospheric horizontal field is weak.     

Emerging Flux and X-class Flares in NOAA 6555

The active region NOAA 6555 had several locations of highly sheared magnetic field structure, yet, only one of them was the site for all the five X-class flares during its disk passage in March 1991. The pre-flare observations of high-resolution H filtergrams, vector magnetograms and H Dopplergrams of the 2B/X5.3 flare on 25 March 1991 show that the flaring site was characterized by a new rising emerging flux region (EFR) near the highly sheared magnetic field configuration. The polarity axis of the emerging flux was nearly perpendicular to the pre-existing magnetic neutral line. The location of the EFR was the site of initial brightening in H. The post-flare magnetograms show higher magnetic shear at the flare location compared to the post-flare magnetograms, which might indicate that the EFR was sheared at the time of its emergence. As the new EFR coincided with the occurrence of the flare, we suggest that it might have triggered the observed flare. Observations from Big Bear Solar Observatory and Marshall Space Flight Center also show that there was emergence of new flux at the same location prior to two other X-class flares. We find that out of five observed X-class flares in NOAA 6555, at least in three cases there are clear signatures of flare-related flux emergence. Therefore, it is concluded that EFRs might play an important role in destabilizing the observed sheared magnetic structures leading to large X-class flares of NOAA 6555.     

Solar chromospheric magnetic fields in active regions inferred by monochromatic images of the Stokes' parameterV of the Hβ line

A series of H chromospheric magnetograms was obtained at various wavelengths near the line center with the vector video magnetograph at Huairou Solar Observing Station as a diagnostic of chromospheric magnetic structures. The two-dimensional distribution of the circular polarization light of the H line with its blended lines at various wavelength in active regions was obtained, which consists of the analyses of Stokes' profileV of this line. Due to the disturbance of the photospheric blended line Fei 4860.98 for the measurement of the chromospheric magnetic field, a reversal in the chromospheric magnetograms relative to the photospheric ones occurs in the sunspot umbrae. But in the quiet, plage regions, even penumbrae, the influence of the photospheric blended Fei 4860.98 line is not obvious. As regards the observation of the H chromospheric magnetograms, we can select the working wavelength between -0.20 and -0.24 from the line core of H to avoid the wavelengths of the photospheric blended lines in the wing of H.After the spectral analysis of chromospheric magnetograms, we conclude that the distribution of the chromospheric magnetic field is similar to the photospheric field, especially in the umbrae of the sunspots. The chromospheric magnetic field is the result of the extension of the photospheric field.     

A comparison between photospheric and chromospheric quiet-Sun magnetograms

Photospheric (Fei 5324.19 Å line) and chromospheric (H line) magnetic fields in quiet-Sun regions have been observed in the solar disk center by using the vector video magnetograph at Huairou Solar Observing Station of Beijing Astronomical Observatory. Observational results show that the quiet-Sun magnetic elements in the solar photosphere and chromosphere present similar magnetic structures. Photospheric and chromospheric magnetograms show corresponding time variations. This suggests that the magnetic fields in quiet-Sun regions present different 3-D magnetic configurations compared to those in solar active regions.     

The ideal magnetohydrodynamic stability of a line-tied coronal magnetohydrostatic equilibrium

An energy method is used to determine a condition for local instability of field lines in magnetohydrostatic equilibrium which are rooted in the photosphere. The particular equilibrium studied is isothermal and two-dimensional and may model a coronal arcade of loops where variations along the axis of the arcade are weak enough to be ignorable. If line tying conditions are modelled by perturbations that vanish on the photosphere, then, when the field is unsheared, the condition for stability is necessary and sufficient. However, when the axial field component is non-zero, so that the field is sheared, the stability condition is only sufficient.It is found that when < 0.34 the equilibrium is stable. When = 0.34 a magnetic neutral line appears at the photosphere and it is marginally stable. When > 0.34 a magnetic island is present and all the field lines inside the island are unstable as well as some beyond it. As increases, the size of the island and the extent of unstable field lines increase. The effect of the instability is likely to be to create small-scale filamentation in the solar corona and to enhance the global transport coefficients.     

Fine structures of chromospheric magnetic field and material flow in a solar active region

In this paper, we analyze the relations between photospheric vector magnetic fields, chromospheric longitudinal magnetic fields and velocity fields in a solar active region. Agreements between the photospheric and chromospheric magnetograms can be found in large-scale structures or in the stronger magnetic structures, but differences also can be found in the fine structures or in other places, which reflect the variation of the magnetic force lines from the photosphere to the chromosphere. The chromospheric superpenumbral magnetic field, measured by the Hline, presents a spoke-like structure. It consists of thick magnetic fibrils which are different from photospheric penumbral magnetic fibrils. The outer superpenumbral magnetic field is almost horizontal. The direction of the chromospheric magnetic fibrils is generally parallel to the transverse components of the photospheric vector magnetic fields. The chromospheric material flow is coupled with the magnetic field structure. The structures of the H chromospheric magnetic fibrils in the network are similar to H dark fibrils, and the feet of the magnetic fibrils are located at the photospheric magnetic elements.     

Loop interaction scenario of a trace flare

We analyzed simultaneous EUV images from the Transition Region And Coronal Explorer (TRACE) and H and H filtergrams from Huairou Solar Observing Station (HSOS). In active region NOAA 8307, an H C5.5 flare occurred near 06:10 UT on 23 August 1998. In this paper, we concentrated on loop–loop interaction, as well as their relationship to the C5.5 flare. We find that while opposite polarity magnetic fields cancelled each other, H bright points appeared, and then the flare occurred. Looking at EUV images, we noticed that a TRACE flare, associated with the C5.5 flare in H and H filtergrams, first appeared as patch-shaped structures, then the flare patches expanded to form bright loops. We used a new numerical technique to extrapolate the chromospheric and coronal magnetic field. Magnetic field loops, which linked flare ribbons, were found. It was suggested that loop interaction in the active region was the cause of the TRACE and H flare; the magnetic topological structures were clearly demonstrated and the TRACE flare was probably due to the interaction among energetic low-lying and other longer (higher) magnetic loops. Each primary flare kernel, seen from H, H filtergrams, and EUV images, was located near the footpoints of several interacting loops.     

Longitudinal components of highly stressed magnetic fields in the active region NOAA 7640

Longitudinal components of highly stressed magnetic fields in the active region NOAA 7640 on 26 December, 1993 have been studied. A physical parameter is suggested for describing the longitudinal components recorded in longitudinal magnetograms obtained before and after a 1N/M1.5 flare. By means of this parameter, quantitative comparisons among the pre-flare magnetograms, the post-flare magnetograms, and filtergrams (in H) have been executed. The main results are as follows: firstly, the areas with high values of the parameter are near the regions with newly emerging magnetic flux. Secondly, the maximum values of the parameter in the areas and the sizes of the areas are evidently decreased after the flare. Finally, the original bright point of the flare is near the areas and the flare kernels cover the areas when the flare is growing. According to these results, we conclude that the variation of the parameter is connected with that of highly stressed magnetic fields in the region and directly related to the flare.     

Impulsive phenomena in a small active region

The temporal and spatial variations of EUV emission from a small growing active region were investigated. Frequent localized short term ( few minutes) fluctuations in EUV emission were observed throughout the 7.2 hr interval when the most continuous observations were acquired. Approximately 20% of the 5 x 5 pixels had intensity variations exceeding a factor of 1.3 for the chromospheric L line, a factor of 1.5 for lines formed in the chromospheric-coronal transition region and a factor of 1.4 for the coronal Mg x line. A subflare in the region produced the largest intensity enhancements, ranging from a factor of 2.3 for the chromospheric L line to 8 for the transition region and coronal lines. The EUV fluctuations in this small active region are similar to those observed in coronal bright points, suggesting that impulsive heating is an important, perhaps dominant form of heating the upper chromospheric and lower coronal plasmas in small magnetic bipolar regions. The responsible mechanism most likely involves the rapid release of magnetic energy, possibly associated with the emergence of magnetic flux from lower levels into the chromosphere and corona.     

Similarities between chromospheric and photospheric quiet-Sun magnetograms

Simultaneous observations of chromospheric (H) and photospheric (Fei 5324.19 Å) magnetograms in quiet solar regions enable us to study the spatial configuration of the magnetic field in the solar atmosphere. With the typical spatial resolution of the Huairou magnetograph, the photospheric and chromospheric magnetic structures of the quiet Sun maintain a very similar pattern. Moreover, the vertical magnetic flux is almost the same from the photosphere to the chromosphere. As an intermediate step, we analyze the formation of the working lines used by the Huairou video magnetograph of the Beijing Astronomical Observatory. The Stokes V contribution function of H and Fei 5324.19 Å are calculated. It is found that our H magnetograms provide the distribution of the chromospheric magnetic field at a height some 1000–1500 km above the photosphere.     

Structures of chromospheric magnetic field in the vicinity of the filament of active region 5669

In this paper, the chromospheric magnetic structures and their relation to the photospheric vector magnetic field in the vicinity of a dark filament in active region 5669 have been demonstrated. Structural variations are shown in chromospheric magnetograms after a solar flare. Filament-like structures in the chromospheric magnetograms occurred after a solar flare. They correspond to the reformation of the chromospheric dark filament, but there is no obvious variation of the photospheric magnetic field. We conclude that (a) some of the obvious changes of the chromospheric magnetic fields occurred after the flare, and (b) a part of these changes is perhaps due to flare brightening in the chromospheric H line.During the reforming process of the dark filament, a part of its chromospheric velocity field shows downward flow, and it later shows upward flow.     

Evolution of vector magnetic fields and vertical currents and their relationship with solar flares in AR 5747

NOAA 5747 was a flare-productive active region during its transit across the solar disk in October 1989. After the resolution of the 180° ambiguity of the transverse field synthetically, and transformation of vector magnetograms from the image plane to the heliographic frame, we have determined the distribution of the photospheric vertical electric current density in the active region. By analyzing the evolution of vector magnetograms and vertical current over a 6-day period (October 17–22) in the active region, we get the following results: (1) Two magnetic fluxes of opposite polarities emerged synchronously with their separating motion, one of which converged with an old magnetic structure and caused a number of flares. (2) There appeared a new current system, with the emergence of the fluxes. (3) The initial H bright kernels occurred in the vicinity of the neutral line of vertical current (J _z = 0) with a steep gradient, but not just on the sites of vertical current peaks. (4) The flares were probably triggered by the interaction between the new emerging electric current system and old current system.     

The relations between chromospheric features and photospheric magnetic fields

High resolution photographic magnetograms are compared with H filtergrams (both on- and off - band) for a wide variety of solar features. It is verified that H filaments overlie neutral lines or bands and that H plages always occur at magnetic field clumps. However, the brightness of H plages bear no relation to magnetic field strength or polarity, and the direction of the magnetic field with respect to threads and filaments remains obscure. Counter-examples can be found for virtually every rule that has been formulated so far.Basic questions about the usefulness and final research goal of filtergrams and magnetograms are raised. It is shown that neither filtergram or magnetogram alone is capable of furnishing a unique solution. It is suggested that the proper direction for research is to use magnetograms, together with (as yet unspecified) additional sources of data, to understand H structures.     

Observational Study of the Three-Dimensional Magnetic Field Structure and Mass Motion in Active Regions

Spectro-polarimetric observations of active regions were carried out in the spectral lines of Sii 10827.1 Å and Hei 10830 Å to study the three-dimensional magnetic field structure and associated plasma flow properties. Comparison of Sii and Hei magnetograms with the potential field model shows that a large fraction of the magnetic field is consistent with the potential field structure, by assuming that the height difference between the origin of the two lines is about 1200 km. The slope of the scatter plot between Sii and Hei magnetograms is 0.5, 0.76 in an emerging flux and a larger active region, respectively. These values are lower than the scatter plot slopes obtained from Kitt Peak photospheric and chromospheric magnetograms, in which case the corresponding values are 0.83 and 0.9, respectively. Considering the height difference between these two sets of chromospheric magnetograms, this implies that the magnetic field spreads out faster near the transition region heights. Dopplergrams obtained by determining the centroid of the asymmetric line profiles show that, in case of emerging flux region, the chromospheric upflow regions are located in the magnetic neutral line areas.     

A simulation study of the solar wind including the solar rotation effect

An axisymmetric solar wind structure including the solar rotation effect is studied by the method of MHD computer simulation. For the case of the radial magnetic field configuration, the simulation result is fairly well coincident with the steady-state solution. For the case of the dipole magnetic field configuration, the properties of the solution depend on the ratio of the gas pressure to the magnetic pressure-ratio) in the model. If the-ratio is small, a clearly defined stagnation region appears in the wind, in which the flow speed is very small and the azimuthal magnetic field is very weak because of the corotation of the plasma. If the-ratio is greater than 1, the plasma is not effectively trapped by the magnetic field so that the stagnation region is not clearly defined in the solution.     

Structure and Evolution of the Transition Region Network Observed in he ii λ304

The length scale and life time of the transition region network cells were studied using Heii 304 filtergrams. The temporal structure function was calculated from spatially aligned Heii 304 images. The estimated life time of the network cell was about 27 hr. We compared this life time with the life time of photospheric magnetic network and of the extrapolated magnetic network. The spatial structure function was calculated from the Heii 304 filtergrams. The calculated spatial structure function saturates at 25000 km. The transition region network elements are bigger in size than the photospheric magnetic network element. The magnetic network element equals the size of the Heii 304 network element when the photospheric magnetic field is extrapolated to a height of 3000 km above the photosphere where the magnetic fluxes are deployed. The derived value of the diffusion speed of the network elements was 0.098 km s^–1.     

Magnetic Dips in Prominences

Magnetic dips are generally assumed to be basic equilibrium configurations in quiescent solar prominences. Here we discuss two types of the magnetic dips which were considered in the literature: (1) dips resulting from a force-free magnetic equilibrium in the corona, and (2) magnetic dips which are formed in situations where the Lorentz force balances the weight of the prominence plasma. An important parameter which decides between these two cases is the plasma . For 1, the effect of the prominence material on the equilibrium structure is quite negligible and the case (1) holds. If, however, is larger, say between 0.1 and 1 or even higher, magnetic dips of the second kind are formed and they can be characterized by the angle 1 between the vertical and the direction of the field lines at the surface of the prominence structure. A simple and illustratory formula is derived to relate this angle to the plasma at the prominence center, namely ccot21. c=1 thus corresponds to 1=45°. Finally, we discuss the range of values of both c and 1 as deduced from various observations and conclude that the dips of the second kind are important for the prominence equilibria. We also suggest a new method for determination of the field-line inclination.     

Structures of chromospheric magnetic fields in the solar flare producing active region 5747

In this paper, the formation and the measurement of the H line in chromospheric magnetic fields are discussed. The evolution of the chromospheric magnetic structures and the relation with the photospheric vector magnetic fields and chromospheric velocity fields in the flare producing active region AR 5747 are also demonstrated.The chromospheric magnetic gulfs and islands of opposite polarity relative to the photospheric field are found in the flare-producing region. This probably reflects the complication of the magnetic force lines above the photosphere in the active region. The evolution of the chromospheric magnetic structures in the active region is caused by the emergence of magnetic flux from the sub-atmosphere or the shear motion of photospheric magnetic fields. The filaments separate the opposite polarities of the chromospheric magnetic field, but only roughly those of the photospheric field. The filaments also mark the inversion lines of the chromospheric Doppler velocity field which are caused by the relative motion of the main magnetic poles of opposite polarities in the active region under discussion.