Origin of the Coronal Line Emission in NGC1068

We present recent observations of several near infrared emission lines of highly ionized (IP ? 100eV) species in NGC1068 which appear to be emitted predominantly within the NE ionization cone; peak at ? 30pc from the nucleus and are blueshifted by ? 300 km s-1 relative to the systemic velocity. The blueshift is the same as that observed for the better known Fe coronal lines in the visible and the absence of red-shifted components in the less extincted infrared lines suggests that any emission in the counter-cone to the SW is intrinsically faint rather than heavily obscured. Following a review of the possible ionization mechanisms and comparison of the line ratios with recent models we conclude that the coronal emission arises predominantly in outflowing gas photoionized by the EUV continuum of the AGN.     

The Effect of Mass Motions Inside the Coronal Loops on Emission Line Profiles

The observed green coronal emission line profiles have been often found to have multi-components. Further examinations reveal that the occurrence of multi-components in line profiles is related to the solar cycle variations as well as the activity of the coronal region. The spatial correspondence between the intense loops in active regions and strong multi-components in line profiles suggests that the presence of loops affects the line shapes. The emission line profiles have been found to be fitted well with single or multi-Gaussians with line-of-sight velocities up to 70 km s–1. A simple radiative transfer model of coronal emission line profiles is developed which shows that coronal loops with mass motions inside may give rise to multi-components in line profiles. The effects of loop parameters such as electron density, flow velocity and kinetic temperature and the line-of-sight variations are studied. It is found that line profiles strongly reflect the physical conditions inside the loop.     

TRACE-derived Temperature and Emission Measure Profiles along Long-lived Coronal Loops: The Role of Filamentation

Near-infrared spectroscopic observations of a sample of very cool, low-mass objects are presented with higher spectral resolution than in any previous studies. Six of the objects are L dwarfs, ranging in spectral class from L2 to L8/9, and the seventh is a methane or T dwarf. These new observations were obtained during commissioning of the near-infrared spectrometer (NIRSPEC), the first high-resolution near-infrared cryogenic spectrograph for the Keck II 10 m telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Spectra with a resolving power of R approximately 2500 from 1.135 to 1.360 μm (approximately J band) are presented for each source. At this resolution, a rich spectral structure is revealed, much of which is due to blending of unresolved molecular transitions. Strong lines due to neutral potassium (K i) and bands due to iron hydride (FeH) and steam (H2O) change significantly throughout the L sequence. Iron hydride disappears between L5 and L8, the steam bands deepen, and the K i lines gradually become weaker but wider because of pressure broadening. An unidentified feature occurs at 1.22 μm that has a temperature dependence like FeH but has no counterpart in the available FeH opacity data. Because these objects are 3-6 mag brighter in the near-infrared compared with the I band, spectral classification is efficient. One of the objects studied (2MASSW J1523+3014) is the coolest L dwarf discovered so far by the 2 Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS), but its spectrum is still significantly different from the methane-dominated objects such as Gl 229B or SDSS 1624+0029.     

Using Strong Solar Coronal Emission Lines as Coronal Flux Proxies

We investigate the possibility that strong EUV lines observed with the Goddard Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS) provide good proxies for estimating the total coronal flux over shorter wavelength ranges. We use coordinated SERTS and Yohkoh observations to obtain both polynomial and power-law fits relating the broad-band soft X-ray fluxes to the intensities of Fexvi 335 Ú and 361 Ú, Fexv 284 Ú and 417 Ú, and Mgix 368 Ú measured with SERTS. We found that the power-law fits best cover the full range of solar conditions from quiet Sun through active region, though not surprisingly the cooler Mgix 368 Ú line proves to be a poor proxy. The quadratic polynomial fits yield fair agreement over a large range for all but the Mgix line. However, the linear fits fail conspicuously when extrapolated into the quiet-Sun regime. The implications of this work for the Heii 304 Ú line formation problem are also briefly considered.     

The Front-to-Back Asymmetry of Coronal Emission

Several recent papers have considered the observation of halo coronal mass ejections (CMEs) using the assumption that coronal emission is symmetric with respect to angular position from the Sun. This paper presents a simple but rigorous treatment of the observation of a single electron in the solar corona. The brightness of an electron as a function of height and angle from the solar limb is presented. The conclusion is reached that there is a front-to-back asymmetry of coronal emission that becomes significant at large angle and/or large height. The observation of halo CMEs is considered. The suggestion is made that a mass cut-off makes it likely that halo CMEs will be more massive, wider, and faster than the typical CMEs. Front-side halos should be more commonly observed than CMEs from the back side.     

The Coronal Emission of Photospheric Magnetic Fragments

This paper examines the relationship between magnetic dipoles in the photosphere and X-ray bright points (XBPs) in the corona, using an XBP special campaign dataset obtained by the Yohkoh SXT and the NSO/Kitt Peak magnetograph. We find that for the cases where a simple dipole exists in the photosphere, the condition that they are separated by a distance less than the interaction distance defined by Longcope1998 is favorable for an XBP to be observed. For the cases where the magnetic topology is more complicated due to the addition of an extra fragment, we find that the geometry of the magnetic fragments is a major factor that determines if an XBP is observed. XBPs are more likely to be formed above magnetic fragments arranged in such a way that photospheric motions giving rise to reconnection between any two fragments will also give rise to reconnection with the remaining fragment.     

Interpretation of Localized Deficits in Coronal Emission

Coronal images recorded above the limb in Fexiv (530.3 nm) and Fex (637.5 nm) sometimes have localized regions of anomalously low emission, with the appearance of an abrupt gap in the background corona. These dark spaces have been previously described in the literature in the case of the 530.3 nm line and tentatively explained by reduced coronal plasma density and/or a decrease in the line intensity due to temperatures above or below the optimal ionization temperature for Fexiv. However, loops are sometimes observed spanning gaps, with diminished loop brightness over the region of the gap. It is concluded that at least some of these regions of reduced brightness are caused by absorption of the coronal emission. An analysis reveals that absorption by coronal ions is inadequate as a mechanism to explain the phenomenon. Absorption by neutral hydrogen is, however, consistent with the observations in terms of the reduced brightness of the gaps. The concentration of cool material in the coronal environment associated with large magnetic fields on the disk could explain the gaps. Hence, neutral hydrogen continuum absorption appears to provide a plausible interpretation of, at least, some coronal gaps. Based on this result and from measured intensities, the electron density in the region of a gap is derived and found to be consistent with estimates derived elsewhere.     

50个发射线天体的物端稜镜光谱

从1981年开始,北京天文台开展了发射线星系的物端稜镜巡天。用60/90cm Schmidt望远镜加5.°3的物端稜镜在敏化的ⅢaJ底片上可以得到亮于16~m的星系光谱像。本文公布了第一批巡天结果:在覆盖天区约220平方度的12张底片上证认出50个发射线天体,47个河外星系(其中3个可能是新的Seyfert星系),3个行星状星云(其中一个N2242以前被当作河外星系)。文中给出了这些天体的名称、坐标、星等及光谱结构分类等资料,并比较系统地讨论了发射线星系的证认及光谱结构分类。我们还将本巡天的结果与其他天文台的结果作了比较。这些天体的证认图见图版Ⅰ—Ⅱ。     

Radio Emission of Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections

We review recent progress on our understanding of radio emission from solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) with emphasis on those aspects of the subject that help us address questions about energy release and its properties, the configuration of flare?–?CME source regions, coronal shocks, particle acceleration and transport, and the origin of solar energetic particle (SEP) events. Radio emission from electron beams can provide information about the electron acceleration process, the location of injection of electrons in the corona, and the properties of the ambient coronal structures. Mildly relativistic electrons gyrating in the magnetic fields of flaring loops produce radio emission via the gyrosynchrotron mechanism, which provides constraints on the magnetic field and the properties of energetic electrons. CME detection at radio wavelengths tracks the eruption from its early phase and reveals the participation of a multitude of loops of widely differing scale. Both flares and CMEs can ignite shock waves and radio observations offer the most robust tool to study them. The incorporation of radio data into the study of SEP events reveals that a clear-cut distinction between flare-related and CME-related SEP events is difficult to establish.     

Radio Observations of Gyroresonance Emission from Coronal Magnetic Fields

We review the basic characteristics of thermal gyroresonance (also known as cyclotron) emission from solar active regions, and show how radio observations combined with our understanding of the basic mechanism can reveal much of the magnetic and thermal structure of the corona over active regions.     

日冕加速区附近射电尖峰辐射的小尺度结构

太阳射电尖峰辐射(spike)的窄频带是一个具有特征性的参数,不但可从它计算出Spike辐射源区的小尺度结构,而且观测结果与Spike辐射理论可相互验证.我们利用云南天文台0.5 MHz频率分辨率的射电频谱观测资料,作出了230—300MHz频段上单个Spike带宽分布,并由此给出一群Spike源区的最可几尺度为151km,最大源区尺度为830km.     

An Improved Approach to Non-Force-Free Coronal Magnetic Field Extrapolation

We develop an approach to deriving the three-dimensional non-force-free coronal magnetic field from vector magnetograms. Based on the principle of minimum dissipation rate, a general non-force-free magnetic field is expressed as the superposition of one potential field and two constant-α (linear) force-free fields. Each is extrapolated from its bottom boundary data, providing the normal component only. The constant-α parameters are distinct and determined by minimizing the deviations between the numerically computed and measured transverse magnetic field at the bottom boundary. The boundary conditions required are at least two layers of vector magnetograms, one at the photospheric level and the other at the chromospheric level, presumably. We apply our approach to a few analytic test cases, especially to two nonlinear force-free cases examined by Schrijver et al. (Solar Phys. 235, 161, 2006). We find that for one case with small α parameters, the quantitative measures of the quality of our result are better than the median values of those from a set of nonlinear force-free methods. The reconstructed magnetic-field configuration is valid up to a vertical height of the transverse scale. For the other cases, the results remain valid to a lower vertical height owing to the limitations of the linear force-free-field solver. Because our method is based on the fast-Fourier-transform algorithm, it is much faster and easy to implement. We discuss the potential usefulness of our method and its limitations.     

A Quantitative Method to Optimise Magnetic Field Line Fitting of Observed Coronal Loops

Many authors use magnetic-field models to extrapolate the field in the solar corona from magnetic data in the photosphere. The accuracy of such extrapolations is usually judged qualitatively by eye, where a less judgemental quantitative approach would be more desirable. In this paper, a robust method for obtaining the best fit between a theoretical magnetic field and intensity observations of coronal loops on the solar disk will be presented. The method will be applied to Yohkoh data using a linear force-free field as an illustration. Any other theoretical model for the magnetic field can be used, provided there is enough freedom in the model to optimize the fit.     

Coronal Fe xiv Emission During the Whole Heliosphere Interval Campaign

Solar Cycle 24 is having a historically long and weak start. Observations of the Fe xiv corona from the Sacramento Peak site of the National Solar Observatory show an abnormal pattern of emission compared to observations of Cycles 21, 22, and 23 from the same instrument. The previous three cycles have shown a strong, rapid ??Rush to the Poles?? (previously observed in polar crown prominences and earlier coronal observations) in the parameter N(t,l,dt) (average number of Fe xiv emission features per day over dt days at time t and latitude l). Cycle 24 displays a weak, intermittent, and slow ??Rush?? that is apparent only in the northern hemisphere. If the northern Rush persists at its current rate, evidence from the Rushes in previous cycles indicates that solar maximum will occur in early 2013 or late 2012, at least in the northern hemisphere. At lower latitudes, solar maximum previously occurred when the time maximum of N(t,l,365) reached approximately 20° latitude. Currently, this parameter is at or below 30° and decreasing in latitude. Unfortunately, it is difficult at this time to calculate the rate of decrease in N(t,l,365). However, the southern hemisphere could reach 20° in 2011. Nonetheless, considering the levels of activity so far, there is a possibility that the maximum could be indiscernible.     

晚型星的磁场与软X射线相关性

本文讨论了晚型星的磁场强度与ＲＯＳＡＴ软Ｘ射线的相关性,用四种模型拟合了ＲＯＳＡＴ的观测结果,讨论了各种模型的优缺点,同时发现单星的星冕温度与磁场强度的相关性很好．因此可以认为磁场是晚型星星冕很重要的加热机制．由处理ＲＯＳＡＴ数据得到的星冕温度,可估计晚型星表面的磁场强度．     

From Forbidden Coronal Lines to Meaningful Coronal Magnetic Fields

We review methods to measure magnetic fields within the corona using the polarized light in magnetic-dipole (M1) lines. We are particularly interested in both the global magnetic-field evolution over a solar cycle, and the local storage of magnetic free energy within coronal plasmas. We address commonly held skepticisms concerning angular ambiguities and line-of-sight confusion. We argue that ambiguities are, in principle, no worse than more familiar remotely sensed photospheric vector fields, and that the diagnosis of M1 line data would benefit from simultaneous observations of EUV lines. Based on calculations and data from eclipses, we discuss the most promising lines and different approaches that might be used. We point to the S-like [Fe xi] line (J=2 to J=1) at 789.2 nm as a prime target line (for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) for example) to augment the hotter 1074.7 and 1079.8 nm Si-like lines of [Fe xiii] currently observed by the Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter (CoMP). Significant breakthroughs will be made possible with the new generation of coronagraphs, in three distinct ways: i) through single-point inversions (which encompasses also the analysis of MHD wave modes), ii) using direct comparisons of synthetic MHD or force-free models with polarization data, and iii) using tomographic techniques.     

Propagation of Fast Coronal Mass Ejections and Shock Waves Associated with Type II Radio-Burst Emission: An Analytic Study

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large-scale eruptive events in the solar corona. Once they are expelled into the interplanetary (IP) medium, they propagate outwards and “evolve” interacting with the solar wind. Fast CMEs associated with IP shocks are a critical subject for space weather investigations. We present an analytic model to study the heliocentric evolution of fast CME/shock events and their association with type II radio-burst emissions. The propagation model assumes an early stage where the CME acts as a piston driving a shock wave; beyond this point the CME decelerates, tending to match the ambient solar wind speed and its shock decays. We use the shock speed evolution to reproduce type II radio-burst emissions. We analyse four fast CME halo events that were associated with kilometric type II radio bursts, and in-situ measurements of IP shock and CME signatures. The results show good agreement with the dynamic spectra of the type II frequency drifts and the in-situ measurements. This suggests that, in general, IP shocks associated with fast CMEs evolve as blast waves approaching 1 AU, implying that the CMEs do not drive their shocks any further at this heliocentric range.     

新疆天文台26米望远镜L波段接收机线-圆偏振的转换

新疆天文台南山基地26 m射电望远镜L波段接收机使用线偏振馈源接收电磁波信号用于脉冲星观测。分子谱线观测和VLBI国际联测需要圆偏振信号,因此希望接收机能够观测圆偏振信号。论述了将线偏振电磁波转换为圆偏振电磁波的方案,研究了90 °电桥在偏振转换中的作用,介绍了偏振转换的调试方法。在圆偏振模块中使用90 °电桥完成线偏振信号到圆偏振信号的转换,两路圆偏振信号的隔离度达到使用要求,满足圆偏振观测的需求。这种线偏振信号到圆偏振信号的转换方式不影响接收机的系统温度。