Properties of Flares-Generated Seismic Waves on the Sun

The purpose of this article is to carry out a power-spectrum analysis of the Super-Kamiokande five-day dataset that takes account of the asymmetry in the error estimates. Whereas for symmetrical error estimates the likelihood analysis involves a linear optimization procedure, for asymmetrical error estimates it involves a nonlinear optimization procedure. For most frequencies there is little difference between the power spectra derived from analyses of symmetrized error estimates and from asymmetrical error estimates, but this is not the case for the principal peak in the power spectrum at 9.43 yr ⁻¹. A likelihood analysis that takes account of the error asymmetry leads to a peak with power 13.24 at that frequency, and a Monte Carlo analysis shows that there is a chance of only 0.1% of finding a peak this big or bigger in the search band 1 – 36 yr ⁻¹. From this perspective, power-spectrum analysis that takes account of asymmetry of the error estimates gives evidence for variability that is significant at the 99.9% level. We comment briefly on an apparent discrepancy between power-spectrum analyses of the Super-Kamiokande and SNO solar neutrino experiments.     

Distinguishing RBL-like Objects and XBL-Like Objects With thePeak Emission Frequency of the Overall Energy Spectrum

We investigate quantitatively how the peak emission frequency of the overall energy spectrum is at work in distinguishing RBL-like and XBL-like objects. We employ the sample of Giommi et al. (1995) to study the distribution of BL Lacertae objects with various locations of the cutoff of the overall energy spectrum. We find that the sources with the cutoff located at lower frequency are indeed sited in the RBL region of the α_ro-α_oxplane, while those with the cutoff located at higher frequency are distributed in the XBL region. For a more quantitative study, we employ the BL Lacerta esamples presented by Sambruna et al. (1996), where the peak emission frequency, ν_p, of each source is estimated by fitting the data with a parabolic function. In the plot of α_rx -log ν_p we find that, in the four different regions divided by the α_rx = 0.75 line and thelogν_p = 14.7 line, all the RBL-like objects are inside the upper left region, while most XBL-like objects are within the lower right region. A few sources are located in the lower left region. No sources are in the upper right region. This result is rather quantitative. It provides an evidence supporting what Giommi et al. (1995) suggested: RBL-like and XBL-like objects can be distinguished by the difference of the peak emission frequency of the overall energy spectrum. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Newly Identified Properties of Surface Acoustic Power

The cause of enhanced acoustic power surrounding active regions, known as the acoustic halo, is not as yet understood. We explore the properties of the enhanced acoustic power observed near disk center from 21 to 27 January 2002, including AR 9787. We find that i) there exists a strong correlation of the enhanced high-frequency power with magnetic-field inclination, with greater power in more horizontal fields, ii) the frequency of the maximum enhancement increases along with magnetic-field strength, and iii) the oscillations contributing to the halos show modal ridges that are shifted to higher wavenumber at constant frequency in comparison to the ridges of modes in the quiet Sun.     

Rotation,activity, and lithium abundance in cool binary stars

We have used two robotic telescopes to obtain time‐series high‐resolution optical echelle spectroscopy and VI and/or by photometry for a sample of 60 active stars, mostly binaries. Orbital solutions are presented for 26 double‐lined systems and for 19 single‐lined systems, seven of them for the first time but all of them with unprecedented phase coverage and accuracy. Eighteen systems turned out to be single stars. The total of 6609 R = 55000 échelle spectra are also used to systematically determine effective temperatures, gravities, metallicities, rotational velocities, lithium abundances and absolute Hα‐core fluxes as a function of time. The photometry is used to infer unspotted brightness, V – I and/or b – y colors, spot‐induced brightness amplitudes and precise rotation periods. An extra 22 radial‐velocity standard stars were monitored throughout the science observations and yield a new barycentric zero point for our STELLA/SES robotic system. Our data are complemented by literature data and are used to determine rotation‐temperature‐activity relations for active binary components. We also relate lithium abundance to rotation and surface temperature. We find that 74% of all known rapidly‐rotating active binary stars are synchronized and in circular orbits but 26% (61 systems) are rotating asynchronously of which half have P_rot > P_orb and e > 0. Because rotational synchronization is predicted to occur before orbital circularization active binaries should undergo an extra spin‐down besides tidal dissipation. We suspect this to be due to a magnetically channeled wind with its subsequent braking torque. We find a steep increase of rotation period with decreasing effective temperature for active stars, P_rot α T^–7_eff, for both single and binaries, main sequence and evolved. For inactive, single giants with P_rot > 100 d, the relation is much weaker, P_rot α T^‐1.12_eff. Our data also indicate a period‐activity relation for Hα of the form R_Hα α P_0.24^rot for binaries and R_Hα α P_‐0.14^rot for singles. Its power‐law difference is possibly significant. Lithium abundances in our (field‐star) sample generally increase with effective temperature and are paralleled with an increase of the dispersion. The dispersion for binaries can be 1–2 orders of magnitude larger than for singles, peaking at an absolute spread of 3 orders of magnitude near T_eff ≈ 5000 K. On average, binaries of comparable effective temperature appear to exhibit 0.25 dex less surface lithium than singles, as expected if the depletion mechanism is rotation dependent. We also find a trend of increased Li abundance with rotational period of form log n (Li) α –0.6 log P_rot but again with a dispersion of as large as 3‐4 orders of magnitude (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Tidal interaction in High‐Mass X‐ray Binaries

Our aim is to investigate tidal interaction in High‐Mass X‐ray Binary stars in order to determine in which objects the rotation of the mass donors is synchronized or pseudosynchronized with the orbital motion of the compact companion. We calculate the pseudosynchronization period (P_ps) and compare it with the rotational period of the mass donors (P_rot). We find that (1) the Be/X‐ray binaries are not synchronized, the mass donors rotate faster than the orbital period and the ratio P_ps/P_rot is 2–300; (2) the giant and supergiant systems are close to synchronization and for them the ratio P_ps/P_rot is 0.3–2 (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Simple Pi burst micropulsation events and associated aurora at two sites in Alaska

Type Pi magnetic-field pulsation bursts were selected for which the associated aurorae were relatively simple and stable and occurred in the ionosphere between College and Fort Yukon in alaska. Power spectral-density traces for College and Fort Yukon HandD were computed and were studied relative to the aurora and to more complex events presented in earlier studies. The power spectral-density traces associated to simpler aurora were found to be consistent with the assumption of simpler 3-dimensional current systems as generators of the Pi waves. The spectra of associated precipitation pulsations had a peak near 10mHz in common with the magnetic field spectra in all events, and also near 3 mHz in one event. The precipitation pulsations at 3 and 10mHz may have enhanced the magnetic field spectra at those frequencies through modulation of the ionospheric resistance to the current.     

Combined Analysis of Solar Neutrino and Solar Irradiance Data: Further Evidence for Variability of the Solar Neutrino Flux and Its Implications Concerning the Solar Core

A search for any particular feature in any single solar neutrino dataset is unlikely to establish variability of the solar neutrino flux since the count rates are very low. It helps to combine datasets, and in this article we examine data from both the Homestake and GALLEX experiments. These show evidence of modulation with a frequency of 11.85 year⁻¹, which could be indicative of rotational modulation originating in the solar core. We find that precisely the same frequency is prominent in power spectrum analyses of the ACRIM irradiance data for both the Homestake and GALLEX time intervals. These results suggest that the solar core is inhomogeneous and rotates with a sidereal frequency of 12.85 year⁻¹. From Monte Carlo calculations, it is found that the probability that the neutrino data would by chance match the irradiance data in this way is only 2 parts in 10 000. This rotation rate is significantly lower than that of the inner radiative zone (13.97 year⁻¹) as recently inferred from analysis of Super-Kamiokande data, suggesting that there may be a second, inner tachocline separating the core from the radiative zone. This opens up the possibility that there may be an inner dynamo that could produce a strong internal magnetic field and a second solar cycle.     

The blazar sequence: validity and predictions

The “blazar sequence” posits that the most powerful BL Lacertae objects and flat-spectrum radio quasars should have relatively small synchrotron peak frequencies, ν _peak, and that the least powerful such objects should have the highest ν _peak values. This would have strong implications for our understanding of jet formation and physics and the possible detection of powerful, moderately high-redshift TeV blazars. I review the validity of the blazar sequence by using the results of very recent surveys and compare its detailed predictions against observational data. I find that the blazar sequence in its simplest form is ruled out. However, powerful flat-spectrum radio quasars appear not to reach the ν _peak typical of BL Lacs. This could indeed be related to some sort of sequence, although it cannot be excluded that it is instead due to a selection effect.      

HI content in galactic disks: The role of gravitational instability

We examine the dependence of the total hydrogen mass M _HI in late-type star-forming galaxies on rotation velocity V _rot and optical size D ₂₅ or radial scale length R ₀ of the disk for two samples of galaxies: (i) isolated galaxies (AMIGA) and (ii) galaxies with edge-on disks (flat galaxies according to Karachentsev et al.). M _HI given in the HYPERLEDA database for flat galaxies have turned out to be, on average, overestimated by ~0.2 dex compared to isolated galaxies with similar V _rot or D ₂₅, which is apparently due to an overestimation of the self-absorption in the HI line. The hydrogen mass in the galaxies of both samples closely correlates with the total specific angular momentum of the galactic disk J, which is proportional to V _rot D ₂₅ or V _rot R ₀, with the low-surface-brightness galaxies lying along the common V _rot R ₀ sequence. We discuss the possibility of explaining the relationship between M _HI and V _rot D ₂₅ by assuming that the gas mass in the disk is regulated by the marginal gravitational stability condition for the gas layer. Comparison of the observed and theoretically expected dependences leads us to conclude that either the gravitational stability corresponds to higher values of the Toomre parameter than is usually assumed, or the threshold stability condition formost galaxies was fulfilled only in the past, when the gasmass in the disks was a factor of 2–4 higher than that at present (except for the galaxies with an anomalously high observed HI content). The latter condition requires that for most galaxies the conversion of gas into stars be not compensated by the external accretion of gas onto the disk.     

Measurement of the orbital period of the X-ray burster GS 1826-238 based on observations of its optical brightness variations

The variability of the optical and X-ray fluxes from the binary GS 1826-238 is investigated. An epoch-folding analysis of the optical data obtained with the RTT-150 telescope in 2003–2004 has revealed periodic brightness variations in the source with a period P _orb = 2.24940 ± 0.00015 h with a high statistical significance. When estimating the detection significance of the periodic signal, we have specially taken into account the presence of a powerful aperiodic component (“red noise”) in the source’s brightness variability. The source’s power density spectra in the frequency range ∼10⁻⁵–0.01 Hz have been obtained. We have detected a statistically significant break in the power density spectrum of GS 1826-238 at a frequency ν _br ≈ (8.48 ± 0.14) × 10⁻⁵ Hz in both optical and X-ray energy bands. We have estimated the orbital period of the binary GS 1826-238 using the correlation between the break frequency in the power density spectrum and the orbital period of binaries, P _orb ∝ 1/ν _br, found by Gilfanov and Arefiev (2005): P _orb = 3.7 ± 0.8 h and P _orb = 11.3 ± 5.9 h when using Sco X-1 and 1H 16267-273, respectively, as reference sources. It seems to us that the method for estimating the orbital periods of low-mass X-ray binaries using the correlation P _orb ∝ 1/ν _br may turn out to be very promising, especially for persistent low-luminosity X-ray binaries.     

Diffusion tensor for Galactic cosmic rays in the interplanetary medium with a magnetic field

The Boltzmann kinetic equation is analyzed in the MHD approximation. This analysis requires an explicit expression for the collision integral F _c. In the classical theory, F _c=?vf _μ ⁽¹⁾ Ω_μ, where f _μ ⁽¹⁾ is the first spherical harmonic in the Galactic-cosmic-ray (GCR) distribution, Ω_μ are the components of a unit particle velocity vector, and the frequency ν of collisions between GCRs and interplanetary magnetic-field nonuniformities is assumed to be a scalar. The assumption that ν_ij is a tensor (which is the result of anisotropy in the interplanetary medium) distinguishes this study from others. Since the anisotropic GCR effects in the heliomagnetosphere are marginal, the nondiagonal elements of tensor ν_ij were set equal to zero. Our analysis has yielded the diffusion-tensor components D _∥, and D _A, which are expressed in terms of interplanetary parameters. The energy dependencies of D _∥, and D _A are in good agreement with the experimental data and calculations by other authors.     

Frequency Distributions of Microwave Pulses for the 18 March 2003 Solar Flare

We analyze the pulses in high-frequency drift radio structures observed by the spectrometer at Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) over the frequency range of 4.5 – 7.5 GHz during the 18 March 2003 solar flare. A number of individual pulses are determined from the drifting radio structures after the detected gradual component subtraction. The frequency distributions of microwave pulse occurrence as functions of peak flux, duration, bandwidth, and time interval between two adjacent pulses exhibit a power-law behavior, i.e. . From regression fitting in log-log space, we obtain the power-law indexes, α _P=7.38±0.40 for the peak flux, α _D=5.39±0.86 for the duration, and α _B=6.35±0.56 for the bandwidth. We find that the frequency distribution for the time interval displays a broken power law. The break occurs at about 500 ms, and their indexes are α _W1=1.56±0.08 and α _W2=3.19±0.12, respectively. Our results are consistent with the previous findings of hard X-ray pulses, type III bursts, and decimetric millisecond spikes.     

The lithium-rotation correlation for WTTS in Taurus–Auriga

Surface lithium abundance and rotation velocity can serve as powerful and mutually complementary diagnostics of interior structure of stars. So far, the processes responsible for the lithium depletion during pre-main sequence evolution are still poorly understood. We investigate whether a correlation exists between equivalent widths of Li (EW(Li)) and rotation period (P_rot) for weak-line T Tauri stars (WTTSs). We find that rapidly rotating stars have lower EW(Li) and the fast burning of Li begins at the phase when star’s P_rot evolves towards 3 days among 0.9M_⊙ to 1.4M_⊙ WTTSs in Taurus–Auriga. Our results support the conclusion by Piau and Turch-Chiéze about a model for lithium depletion with age of the star and by Bouvier et al. in relation to rotation evolution. The turn over of the curve for the correlation between EW(Li) and P_rot is at the phase of zero-age main sequence (ZAMS). The EW(Li) decreases with decreasing P_rot before the star reaches the ZAMS, while it decreases with increasing P_rot (decreasing rotation velocity) for young low-mass main sequence stars. This result could be explained as an age effect of Li depletion and the rapid rotation does not inhibit Li destruction among low-mass PMS stars.     

Approximate expressions for Gyrosynchrotron radiation in Transverse Propagation

Two sets of accurate approximate expressions for the gyrosynchrotron radiation in the transverse propagation case are presented for the first time. They contain emissivity _–/BNand absorptivity _– B/Nfor e-mode, effective temperature T _effand frequency of peak brightness _p. The expressions are designed for the range 2 to 7 of electron energy spectral index and for the ranges from 2 to 10 and 10 to 100 of harmonic numbers s(=/_B). Their statistical error is, respectively, ±18% and ±29% for _–/BNand _– B/Nfor 10/_B100, ±128% and and ±170% for 2/_B10.     

Interpreting Helioseismic Structure Inversion Results of Solar Active Regions

Helioseismic techniques such as ring-diagram analysis have often been used to determine the subsurface structural differences between solar active and quiet regions. Results obtained by inverting the frequency differences between the regions are usually interpreted as the sound-speed differences between them. These in turn are used as a measure of temperature and magnetic-field strength differences between the two regions. In this paper we first show that the “sound-speed” difference obtained from inversions is actually a combination of sound-speed difference and a magnetic component. Hence, the inversion result is not directly related to the thermal structure. Next, using solar models that include magnetic fields, we develop a formulation to use the inversion results to infer the differences in the magnetic and thermal structures between active and quiet regions. We then apply our technique to existing structure inversion results for different pairs of active and quiet regions. We find that the effect of magnetic fields is strongest in a shallow region above 0.985R _⊙ and that the strengths of magnetic-field effects at the surface and in the deeper (r<0.98R _⊙) layers are inversely related (i.e., the stronger the surface magnetic field the smaller the magnetic effects in the deeper layers, and vice versa). We also find that the magnetic effects in the deeper layers are the strongest in the quiet regions, consistent with the fact that these are basically regions with weakest magnetic fields at the surface. Because the quiet regions were selected to precede or follow their companion active regions, the results could have implications about the evolution of magnetic fields under active regions.     

MGS electron density profiles: Analysis of the peak magnitudes

We analyze here the behavior of the magnitudes of the F₁ and E peaks of the electron density profiles measured by the Radio Science Subsystem of the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft, as a function of solar zenith angle χ and solar flux. For each of the 658 days of data in the six occultation seasons in the northern hemisphere, we choose one profile to analyze, which is that for which the F₁ peak is the median value. We assume that the variations of the measured peak densities can be represented as Aa(cosχ) and as Bb(F_10.7), where F_10.7 is the usual solar flux proxy, appropriately shifted to the orbital position of Mars. To minimize the effect of solar activity, we divide the data into 6 F_10.7 bins, fit the data in each bin, and derive the values of the exponent a and the coefficient AF10.7 for each bin. The median values that we derive for the exponent a is 0.46 for the F₁ peak, and 0.395 for the E peak. To minimize the effect of SZA, we divide the data into eight SZA bins, and derive the exponent b and the coefficient Bχ for each SZA bin. We argue that the last three SZA bins should be excluded because the fits were poor, due partly to the small number of data points in each of these bins. If we do so, the median values of b that we derive are 0.27 and 0.40 for the F₁ and E peaks, respectively. Finally we derive a 3-parameter fit to all the data, which expresses the variability of the peak densities as a function of a^′(cosχ) and b^′(F_10.7) simultaneously. The fitted values of the exponents a^′ and b^′ for the F₁ peak are 0.45 and 0.26, respectively; for the E peak, the values are 0.39 and 0.46, respectively. We compare our results to Chapman theory, and to those of other investigators.     

An investigation on the relationship between solar irradiance signal from ERBS and 8B solar neutrino flux signals from SNO

In the present work an attempt has been made to investigate statistical association between solar neutrino flux data (both D₂O and Salt data) collected from Sudbury Neutrino Observatory and solar irradiance data detected by Earth Radiation Budget Satellite. To serve the present purpose we have used the Multifractal Detrended Cross Correlation Analysis (MF-DCCA) based on Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (MF-X-DFA) method and the Detrending Moving Average Analysis (MF-X-DMA) which explores the long term power-law cross correlations between above two pairs of data sets. Investigation also has been made to find the frequency and time dependent local phase relationship in each pair of data sets using continuous wavelet transform (CWT) based Semblance Analysis. The Semblance Analysis reveals that there exists positive phase correlation as well as negative phase correlation between solar irradiance and D₂O data at different time sub-intervals. This type of mixed phase correlation is also experienced between solar irradiance and Salt data at different time sub-intervals. The causal relationship between the D₂O and the solar irradiance time series and that between Salt and solar irradiance time series have been revealed using Singular Spectral Analysis (SSA). Calculations indicate that possibly the present solar neutrino flux data (both D₂O and Salt data) is supportive to predict the solar irradiance data but may not the vice versa which in turn suggests that the variability of nuclear energy generation process inside the Sun may influence the solar activity.     

Optical depth effects on the formation of spectral lines in rotating and expanding spherical atmospheres

We have investigated the effects of increasing optical depths on spectral lines formed in a rotating and expanding spherical shell. We have assumed a shell whose outer radius is 3 times the inner radius, with the radial optical depths equal to 10, 50, 100, 500. We have employed a constant velocity with no velocity gradients in the shell. The shell is assumed to be rotating with velocities varying as 1/_ρ, where_ρ is the perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation, implying the conservation of angular momentum. Two expansion (radial) velocities are treated: (1)V = 0 (static case) and (2)V = 10 mean thermal units. The maximum rotational velocities areV _rot = 0, 5, 10 and 20. In the shell where there are no radial motions, we obtain symmetric lines with emission in the wings forV _rot = 0 and 5 while forV _rot ≥ 10 we obtain symmetric absorption lines. In the case of an expanding shell, we obtain lines with central emission.     

Recent glitches detected in the Crab pulsar

From 2000 to 2010, monitoring of radio emission from the Crab pulsar at Xinjiang Observatory detected a total of nine glitches. The occurrence of glitches appears to be a random process as described by previous researches. A persistent change in pulse frequency and pulse frequency derivative after each glitch was found. There is no obvious correlation between glitch sizes and the time since last glitch. For these glitches Δν _p and D[(n)\dot]_p\Delta\dot{\nu}_{p} span two orders of magnitude. The pulsar suffered the largest frequency jump ever seen on MJD 53067.1. The size of the glitch is ∼6.8×10⁻⁶ Hz, ∼3.5 times that of the glitch occurred in 1989 glitch, with a very large permanent changes in frequency and pulse frequency derivative and followed by a decay with time constant ∼21 days. The braking index presents significant changes. We attribute this variation to a varying particle wind strength which may be caused by glitch activities. We discuss the properties of detected glitches in Crab pulsar and compare them with glitches in the Vela pulsar.     

Solar radio burst and in situ determination of interplanetary electron density

We review and discuss a few interplanetary electron density scales which have been derived from the analysis of interplanetary solar radio bursts, and we compare them to a model derived from 1974–1980 Helios 1 and 2 in situ density observations made in the 0.3–1.0 AU range. The Helios densities were normalized to 1976 with the aid of IMP and ISEE data at 1 AU, and were then sorted into 0.1 AU bins and logarithmically averaged within each bin. The best fit to these 1976-normalized, bin averages is N(R _AU) = 6.1R ^-2.10 cm^-3. This model is in rather good agreement with the solar burst determination if the radiation is assumed to be on the second harmonic of the plasma frequency. This analysis also suggests that the radio emissions tend to be produced in regions denser than the average where the density gradient decreases faster with distance than the observed R ^-2.10.NAS/NRC Postdoctoral Research Associate on leave from Laboratory Associated with CNRS No. 264, Paris Observatory, France.