Sources of Solar Total Irradiance Variations

The daily images and magnetograms acquired by MDI are a rich source of information about the contributions of different types of solar regions to variations in the total solar irradiance (TSI). These data have been used to determine the temporal variation of the MDI irradiance, the mean intensity of the solar disk in the continuum at 676.8 nm. The short-term (days to weeks) variations of the MDI irradiance and TSI are in excellent agreement with rms differences of 0.011%. This indicates that MDI irradiance is an excellent proxy for short-term variations of TSI from the competing irradiance contributions of regions causing irradiance increases, such as plages and bright network, and regions causing irradiance decreases, such as sunspots. However, the long-term or solar cycle variation of the MDI proxy and TSI differ over the 11-year period studied. The results indicate that the primary sources of the long-term (several months or more) variations in TSI are regions with magnetic fields between about 80 and 600 G. The results also suggest that the difference in the long-term variations of the MDI proxy and TSI is due to a component of TSI associated with sectors of the solar spectrum where the contrast in intensity between plages and the quiet Sun is enhanced (e.g., the UV) compared to the MDI proxy. This is evidence that the long-term variation of TSI is due primarily to solar cycle variations of the irradiance from these portions of solar spectrum, a finding consistent with modeling calculations indicating that approximately 60% of the change in TSI between solar minimum and maximum is produced by the UV part of the spectrum shortward of 400 nm (Solanki and Krivova, Space Sci. Rev. 125, 53, 2006).     

Solar wind variation with the cycle

The cyclic evolution of the heliospheric plasma parameters is related to the time-dependent boundary conditions in the solar corona. “Minimal” coronal configurations correspond to the regular appearance of the tenuous, but hot and fast plasma streams from the large polar coronal holes. The denser, but cooler and slower solar wind is adjacent to coronal streamers. Irregular dynamic manifestations are present in the corona and the solar wind everywhere and always. They follow the solar activity cycle rather well. Because of this, the direct and indirect solar wind measurements demonstrate clear variations in space and time according to the minimal, intermediate and maximal conditions of the cycles. The average solar wind density, velocity and temperature measured at the Earth’s orbit show specific decadal variations and trends, which are of the order of the first tens per cent during the last three solar cycles. Statistical, spectral and correlation characteristics of the solar wind are reviewed with the emphasis on the cycles.     

Some statistical features of solar radio SVC in the rising branch of cycle 22

For the rising branch of Cycle 22, 1987 January—1989 November, we plot the daily total flux S at each of the five wavelengths 2.0, 3.4, 6.0, 10.7 and 21.2 cm against the apparent sunspot area of the dominant sunspot A_y and find that, for several large active areas, the locus is located below the average regression line, and the increase in the radio flux is insignificant compared to the increase in the sunspot area.     

Modeling a Shallow Solar Dynamo

Photospheric ephemeral regions (EPRs) cover the Sun like a magnetic carpet. From this, we update the Babcock – Leighton solar dynamo. Rather than sunspot fields appearing in the photosphere de novo from eruptions originating in the deep interior, we consider that sunspots form directly in the photosphere by a rapid accumulation of like-sign field from EPRs. This would only occur during special circumstances: locations and times when the temperature structure is highly superadiabatic and contains a large subsurface horizontal magnetic field (only present in the Sun’s lower latitudes). When these conditions are met, superadiabatic percolation occurs, wherein an inflow and downflow of gas scours the surface of EPRs to form active regions. When these conditions are not met, magnetic elements undergo normal percolation, wherein magnetic elements move about the photosphere in Brownian-type motions. Cellular automata (CA) models are developed that allow these processes to be calculated and thereby both small-scale and large-scale models of magnetic motions can be obtained. The small-scale model is compared with active region development and Hinode observations. The large-scale CA model offers a solar dynamo, which suggests that fields from decaying bipolar magnetic regions (BMRs) drift on the photosphere driven by subsurface magnetic forces. These models are related to observations and are shown to support Waldmeier’s findings of an inverse relationship between solar cycle length and cycle size. Evidence for significant amounts of deep magnetic activity could disprove the model presented here, but recent helioseismic observations of “butterfly patterns” at depth are likely just a reflection of surface activity. Their existence seems to support the contention made here that the field and flow separate, allowing cool, relatively field-free downdrafts to descend with little field into the nether worlds of the solar interior. There they heat by compression to form a hot solar-type Santa Ana wind deep below active regions.     

Indian summer monsoon rainfall: Dancing with the tunes of the sun

There is strong statistical evidence that solar activity influences the Indian summer monsoon rainfall. To search for a physical link between the two, we consider the coupled cloud hydrodynamic equations, and derive an equation for the rate of precipitation that is similar to the equation of a forced harmonic oscillator, with cloud and rain water mixing ratios as forcing variables. Those internal forcing variables are parameterized in terms of the combined effect of external forcing as measured by sunspot and coronal hole activities with several well known solar periods (9, 13 and 27 days; 1.3, 5, 11 and 22 years). The equation is then numerically solved and the results show that the variability of the simulated rate of precipitation captures very well the actual variability of the Indian monsoon rainfall, yielding vital clues for a physical understanding that has so far eluded analyses based on statistical correlations alone. We also solved the precipitation equation by allowing for the effects of long-term variation of aerosols. We tentatively conclude that the net effects of aerosols variation are small, when compared to the solar factors, in terms of explaining the observed rainfall variability covering the full Indian monsoonal geographical domains.     

The opacity of grains in protoplanetary atmospheres

We have computed the size distribution of silicate grains in the outer radiative region of the envelope of a protoplanet evolving according to the scenario of Pollack et al. [Pollack, J.B., Hubickyj, O., Bodenheimer, P., Lissauer, J.J., Podolak, M., Greenzweig, Y., 1996. Icarus 124, 62-85]. Our computation includes grain growth due to Brownian motion and overtake of smaller grains by larger ones. We also include the input of new grains due to the breakup of planetesimals in the atmosphere. We follow the procedure of Podolak [Podolak, M., 2003. Icarus 165, 428-437], but have speeded it up significantly. This allows us to test the sensitivity of the code to various parameters. We have also made a more careful estimate of the resulting grain opacity. We find that the grain opacity is of the order of throughout most of the outer radiative zone as Hubickyj et al. [Hubickyj, O., Bodenheimer, P., Lissauer, J.J., 2005. Icarus 179, 415-431] assumed for their low opacity case, but near the outer edge of the envelope, the opacity can increase to . We discuss the effect of this on the evolution of the models.     

“嫦娥一号”探月卫星发射期间太阳活动现象监测

为发射“嫦娥一号”探月卫星,保障其在空间环境运行的安全和国家载人航天计划的正常实施,云南天文台全日面Hα色球望远镜为中国科学院空间环境研究预报中心实时提供太阳活动数据资料,协作完成特殊时期空间环境监测任务。     

Periodicities in Global Mean TEC from GNSS Observations

As an important measurement parameter, global total electron content (TEC) is appropriate for the study of the Sun–Earth connection. In this paper, the wavelet technique is employed to investigate the periodicities in global mean TEC during 1995–2008. Analysis results show several remarkable components (including 27-day, semiannual and annual cycles) existing in global mean TEC with obvious time-variable characteristics, besides 11-year cycle. After analyzing sunspot numbers and solar extreme ultra-violet (EUV) radiation variations during this time period, except for semiannual variations, close correlation between global mean TEC and solar variations is found, especially, a strong resemblance of the 27-day fluctuation exists in global mean TEC, sunspot and solar EUV radiation variations.     

高能粒子流对地震活动的可能调制

把地球作为一个开放系统，本文分析了不同地域范围的地震活动和太阳活动的关系，发现不同地域的地震活动也存在着一个大约１１年的周期，这个周期可能与太阳活动的１１年左右周期有关，但地震周期的峰值对应于太阳活动的下降段。它们的关系是负相关关系。本文进一步着重分析了地震活动与高速太阳风粒子流和宇宙线高能粒子流的关系，发现它们之间存在着一个信度水平很高的正相关。这样，我们可以推测太阳活动可能是通过调制到达地球的高能粒子流进而调制地震活动的。     

太阳活动研究的现状和未来

简要介绍了国内外太阳活动研究的现状 ,指出由于太阳活动对地球和人类生活的影响 ,尤其是随着空间探测和技术的发展 ,对太阳活动研究的需求更加迫切 ,太阳活动研究受到各国政府和社会更大的重视。在这样的背景下 ,加上各种高新技术和卫星探测的进步 ,2 1世纪将迎来太阳活动研究的新时代。文中对我国未来太阳活动研究的方向、重点和措施也提出了建议。     

Correspondence between Solar Variability (0.6 – 7.0 Years) and the Theoretical Positions of Rotating Sets of Coupled <Emphasis Type="Italic">g</Emphasis> Modes

Recently, Juckett and Wolff (Solar Phys. 252, 247, 2008) showed that the timing and longitude of sunspot patterns has some correspondence with a model based on coupled g modes. The model maximizes the nonlinear coupling of those g modes sharing harmonic degree ℓ to generate a “set(ℓ)” that assists its own excitation by locally enhancing nuclear burning. Each set(ℓ) has oscillatory power concentrated at two longitudes, on opposite sides of the Sun and drifts slowly retrograde within the radiative zone (RZ) at a rate that depends on ℓ. When the strong longitudes of two or more sets overlap, wave dissipation adds extra energy to that locality at the base of the convective envelope increasing convection and then sunspot activity. We compare the main subdecadal sunspot frequencies with the intersections of sets derived from ℓ=2 – 11 and G, where G represents unresolvable high-ℓ modes that rotate similarly to the RZ. After determining the set(ℓ) spatial phases, we show that 17 subdecadal oscillations with periods in the range 0.6 to 7.0 years (4.5 to 50 nHz), generated by 23 unique intersections of the 11 sets, are synchronous with 17 corresponding frequencies in the sunspot time series. After optimizing parameters, we find a mean correlation of 0.96 for synchrony among the 17 waveform pairs. These 17 frequencies constitute the bulk of the non-noise subdecadal frequency domain of the sunspot variation. We conclude that the sunspot series contains oscillatory components with the same temporal phases and frequencies as various set(ℓ) intersections spanning the past ≈ 100 years. This additional evidence for the role of coupled g modes in sunspot dynamics suggests that more of sunspot variability can be understood with nonmagnetic fluid mechanics than popularly thought.     

To the description of long-term variations in the solar magnetic flux: The sunspot area index

We show that the Wolf sunspot numbers W and the group sunspot numbers GSN are physically different indices of solar activity and that it is improper to compare them. Based on the approach of the so-called “primary” indices from the observational series of W(t) and GSN(t), we suggest series of yearly mean sunspot areas beginning in 1610 and monthly mean sunspot areas beginning in 1749.     

The SIMBOL-X hard X-ray mission

SIMBOL-X is a hard X-ray mission based on a formation flight architecture, operating in the 0.5–80 keV energy range, which has been selected for a comprehensive Phase A study, being jointly carried out by CNES and ASI. SIMBOL-X makes uses of a long (in the 25–30 m range) focal length multilayer-coated X-ray mirrors to focus for the first time X-rays with energy above 10 keV, resulting in at least a two orders of magnitude improvement in angular resolution and sensitivity compared to non focusing techniques used so far. The SIMBOL-X revolutionary instrumental capabilities will allow us to elucidate outstanding questions in high energy astrophysics, related in particular to the physics and energetic of the accretion processes on-going in the Universe, also performing a census of black holes on all scales, achieved through deep, wide-field surveys of extragalactic fields and of the Galactic center, and the to the acceleration of electrons and hadrons particles to the highest energies. In this paper, the mission science objectives, design, instrumentation and status are reviewed. PACS: 95.55 – Astronomical and space-research instrumentation 95.85 – Astronomical Observations 98.85.Nv – X-ray     

1991年3月5日的喷泉状爆发日珥及视向速度分布

本文介绍了１９９１年３月５日一个与３Ｎ级光学耀斑伴生的喷泉状爆发日珥。用Ｈα线观测从开始到结束整个过程共持续约５０分钟时间，日珥的最大投影高度１５．９万公里，视向速度分布表明，日珥主要以较大的速度向着观测者的运动，最大速度每秒１２０公里。     

The structure of the hydrodynamic plasma flow near the heliopause stagnation point

The plasma flow in the vicinity of the heliopause stagnation point in the presence of the H atom flow is studied. The plasma at both sides of the heliopause is considered to be a single fluid. The back reaction of the plasma flow on the H atom flow is neglected, and the density, temperature and velocity of the H atom flow are taken to be constant. The solution describing the plasma flow is obtained in the form of power series expansions with respect to the radial distance from the symmetry axis. The main conclusion made on the basis of the obtained solution is that the heliopause is not the surface of discontinuity anymore. Rather, it is the surface separating the flows of the solar wind and interstellar medium with all plasma parameters continuous at this surface.     

The 27-Day Signal in Sunspot Number Series and the Solar Dynamo

We analyze the Wolf number daily series WN (1849 to present) as well as two other related series characterizing solar activity. Our analysis consists in computing the amplitude of a given Fourier component in a sliding time window and examining its long-term evolution. We start with the well-known 27.03- and 27.6-day periods and observe strong decadal variations of this amplitude as well as a sharp increase of the average value starting around 1905. We then consider a packet of 31 lines with periods from 25.743 to 28.453 days, which is shown to be a better representation of the synodic solar rotation. We first examine the temporal evolution of individual lines, then the energy of the packet. The energy of the packet increases sharply at the beginning of the 20th century, leading by more than two decades the well-known increase of the Wolf number. The nonaxisymmetry of sunspots increases before the total increase of activity and may be considered as a precursor. We discuss briefly and tentatively this observation in terms of solar dynamo theory.     

太阳微波爆发FFS的基本单元

参加了Ｆｌａｒｅｓ２２和Ｍａｘ＇９１国际联合观测之后，我们处理了三个频率（１．４２，２．８４，３．６７ＧＨｚ）和四个频率（１．４２，２．００，２．８４，４．００ＧＨｚ）或（１．４２，２．１３，２．８４，４．２６ＧＨｚ）快速采样射电望远镜的观测资料。结果除了发现射电爆发源的局部区域中存在有射电辐射的第四种基本分量而外，还在微波爆发快速精细结构中发现了三种基本时间单元。其量级分别是：０．１秒＞τ１≥１毫秒；１秒＞τ２≥０．１秒；１００秒＞τ３≥１秒。尽管出现在各自基本时间单元内的ＦＦＳ事件的形态及特性各自不同，但是，叠加在射电爆发背景之上的特性，构成了它们的共同属性。三种基本时间单元的确认，对于研究微波快速活动的精细时间结构，划分ＦＦＳ事件的种类找到了根据。三种基本时间单元的研究，对于深入探讨产生ＦＦＳ源的ＥＣＭ理论，也具有重要的科学价值。     

The two components in the distribution of sunspot groups with respect to their maximum areas

From an analysis of the distribution of sunspot groups with respect to their maximum areas we find that this distribution consists of two distinct components. One component contributes to spot groups of all possible values of A_* with a distribution density varying as ∼ exp (b₁ á _* ^1/2 ) with b₁ nearly constant from cycleto cycle and having a mean value ∼10^-4 km^-1. The other component is predominantly responsible for spot groups withA* ≲, 30 *10^-6 hemisphere but may provide a few spot groups even above 50 * l0^-6 hemisphere. This component may follow a distribution density ∼ exp (-b₂ A_*). We also determine the widths of the latitude zones over which spot groups in various intervals of A_* appear and study their variation with time. These widths and their variations indicate that the two statistical samples of spot groups may be produced by two families of flux-tube clusters as suggested earlier in a phenomenological model. Very thin flux-tube clusters in the statistical samples seem to be related to the ephemeral active regions and X-ray bright points.