On AlF lines in sunspots

Intensity factors for bands of the C-A transition of the AlF molecule are calculated. A reinvestigation for the lines of (0, 0) band of the C-A system in sunspot spectra is suggested, so as to resolve the questionable existence of AlF absorption lines in sunspots.     

Emission lines due to interstellar dust in the visible spectra of nebulae

It is suggested that certain sharp lines in the visible and near ultraviolet spectra of nebule may be due to fluorescence from grains. Evidence is presented that some of these lines could arise from MgO or CaO grains. Some sharp diffuse interstellar bands may also appear in the spectra of nebulae.     

Identification of CrH and CrD Molecular Lines in the Sunspot Umbral Spectrum

High-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer sunspot umbral spectra obtained at the National Solar Observatory/Kitt Peak were used to identify molecular rotational lines arising from the infrared band systems of CrH and CrD molecules. Measurement of the equivalent width used the Gaussian-profile approximation method, which is suitable especially for faint lines. Equivalent widths are measured for an adequate number of best lines of the A – X (0,0) band of CrH and the A – X (0,0;1,0) bands of CrD and, thereby, the effective rotational temperatures are estimated.     

Identification of AlF Molecular Lines in Sunspot Umbral Spectra

High resolution FTS sunspot umbral spectra from NSO/Kitt Peak were used to detect rotational lines due to 11 electronic transitions of the molecule AlF, in the wavelength region 4400 – 9000 Å. The presence of lines due to bands C – A (0,0), (0,1), (0,2) and (1,2), D – A (0,0) and (0,1), F – A (0,0), G – A (0,0), and F – B (0,0) is confirmed. Further, the presence of lines due to C – A (1,0) and (1,1) transitions is treated as doubtful because of heavy blending in the region, by rotational lines of TiO. Among the identified lines, those which are well resolved were selected for measurement of equivalent widths. The measured values for the bands D – A (0,0) and F – A (0,0) were used to estimate the respective effective rotational temperatures to be 1240 ± 120 K and 2390 ± 400 K.     

Vibration rotation bands of SiO in sunspots

The equivalent widths of P(51) and R(43) lines of the 1-0 and P(45) and R(56) lines of the 2-1 vibration rotation bands of SiO near 8 m region, have been computed for Zwaan's (1974) sunspot model at the centre of the disc. The predicted equivalent widths suggest a possible presence of these SiO bands in the sunspot spectrum.     

Analysis of the August 7,1972 white light flare: Changes in the magnetic and velocity fields

Measurements with the Doppler-Zeeman Analyzer reveal red shifts and decreasing magnetic fields in the photosphere immediately below the center of the August 7, 1972 proton flare. These observations are combined with spectra and photographs of sunspot developments in the region to produce a consistent picture of fluctuations in orientation and strength in the fields of three spots intimately connected with the flare. Before the flare, the photosphere appears to experience an upheaval of material frozen into rising lines of magnetic force. After the start of the flare and through the following 4 h, the motion is downward.     

On the effective temperature of large sunspot umbra using CrH sextets electronic state molecular lines

A high-resolution spectrum clearly shows the presence of A ⁶Σ⁺–X ⁶Σ⁺(0,0;0,1;1,0;2,0;2,1) and (2,2) bands system of CrH molecular lines in the spectral range 10,000 cm⁻¹ to 14,050 cm⁻¹. At least 3928 lines of the six bands, accounting for 57% of the lines registered in the laboratory can be identified with certainty in the sunspot spectrum. Most of the lines are found blended with TiO, CaH, MgH and other atomic species. These molecular lines are typically much more temperature sensitive than atomic lines, which make them ideal, complementary tool for studying cool stellar atmospheres as well as the internal structure of sunspots. Equivalent width for an adequate number of well identified molecular lines of these bands using the Gaussian-profile approximation method versus rotational quantum number J has been used to determine the effective rotational temperature of the CrH molecule. The range of effective rotational temperature value obtained from these bands is 1766 K to 2442 K. This range agrees well with the effective rotational temperatures derived for other molecules in sunspot umbrae.     

Vibration rotation bands of NO in sunspots

The equivalent widths of R ₁(26.5) lines, belonging to the 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 vibration-rotation bands of NO near 5.3 m, have been computed for two different sunspot models at four positions on the disc. The computed equivalent widths in both models suggest a possible presence of these NO bands in the sunspot spectrum.     

The rotational temperatures of Silicon hydride isotopomer lines in sunspot umbrae

The published sunspot spectrum obtained with National Solar Observatory/Kitt Peak laboratory’s high signal to noise ratio telescope and high resolution Fourier Transform Spectrometer were used for the study. A search was made for the prominent lines of the (0, 0) and (1, 1) A²Δ − X²Π for Silicon hydride isotopomers which lie between 23500 cm⁻¹ and 24500 cm⁻¹. The presence of lines from the (0, 0) and (1, 1) A²Δ − X²Π transition of SiH molecule coincided with the sunspot umbral lines suggest that Silicon hydride appears to be a non-negligible component of sunspot umbrae. However, the presence of A²Δ − X²Π (0, 0) and (1, 1) bands of SiD was found to be doubtful because of the lack of number of well identified lines in sunspot umbral spectra. Equivalent widths have been measured for well-resolved lines and, thereby, the rotational temperatures have been estimated for the band systems for which the presence is confirmed.     

Origin of the diffuse interstellar absorption bands

Evidence is presented that zero phonon lines of defect centres in MgO and CaO are responsible for the diffuse interstellar bands at 5362, 5705, 6425.7, and 6699.4 Å. Phonon sidebands of these lines are identified with the diffuse bands at 5535, 6177, 6196, 6284, and 6314 Å. These features arise in interstellar MgO and CaO particles with sizes 50 Å. Infrared spectral features due to interstellar MgO and CaO are discussed.     

A method for the determination of the lithium abundance in sunspots: Observations for 2011

Sunspot spectra for LiI 6708Å lines and for several FeI and CaI lines were obtained. Observations were performed in January and in August, 2011 using the TST-2 telescope with a charge-coupled camera at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory. The sunspot models were calculated by using the observing profiles of FeI and CaI lines. Lithium abundance was determined by using the calculated sunspot models and LiI 6708Å observed profiles; this equals log(N _Li) = 0.98 and 0.95 (in the scale logA(H) = 12.0).     

Light pollution at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory

Sky spectra were obtained from archival science frames taken with DoLoRes at the 3.58 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo with a wavelength range 3800–8000 Å and resolution of 2.8 and 3.6 Å/pix. Our spectra include all the important sodium and mercury light pollution lines and span a wide interval of azimuth and observing conditions, essential to disentangle environmental and seasonal effects. New sodium and mercury lines were also detected for the first time at the observatory. Light pollution from NaD_5892–8 emitted by the LPS lamps increased by a factor of 1.5–2 with respect to the average values of 1998. At the same time, light pollution from Hg lines decreased by 40% and reaches the 1998 levels only when observing toward the towns. The contribution of NaD_5892–8 from LPS lamps to sky background is 0.05–0.10 mag at V-band and 0.07–0.12 mag at R-band. Synthetic sky brightness measures calculated from our spectra at V, B and R bands are in good agreement with those of [Benn, C.R., Ellison, S.L., 1998. La Palma Technical Note, p. 115] if we take into account that our observations were done during 2003, 7 years after the last sunspot minimum. The effects of the application of the Canary Sky Law are directly visible in the spectra as a 50% dimming of the Hg light-polluting lines in the spectra taken after local midnight.     

The molecular spectrum of sunspots

The sunspot spectrum shows many molecular lines, of which some have been identified. These lines are formed farther out in the sunspot atmosphere than the atomic lines or the continuum, and are thus useful for probing the outer layers. Photographic spectrograms were obtained for three different sunspots under carefully selected seeing conditions, showing molecular absorption lines due to MgH, CaH, and TiO. Analysis led to estimates of the effective rotational temperatures of each; in the case of CaH, no definite conclusions could be drawn. Predicted rotational temperatures and observational f-values were calculated on the basis of model umbral atmospheres due to several authors. A new model was derived from the molecular lines measured here, and shown to differ widely from previous models. The usefulness of photographic spectra for this purpose is seriously questioned, and suggestions are made for new observations.     

A possible relationship between spectral bands in sunspot number and the space-time organization of our planetary system

For the particular purpose of this paper, Zürich relative sunspot numbers of the time spans 1749–1982, 1749–1865, and 1866–1982, have been analysed anew by two different methos. It is shown that the spectral bands in the power spectra of sunspot numbers between 1 and 234 years obtained from these analyses can be clearly related to the modified configuration frequencies of the giant planets and their harmonics. In particular, the clearly dominant spectral band in sunspot number, the solar cycle of 10.8 years, is given by the configuration period of Jupiter and Saturn (19.859 yr) times the ratio of their distances from the Sun (0.545).     

Experimental and theoretical radiative lifetimes, branching fractions and oscillator strengths in Lu iiii

By a combination of radiative lifetimes measured using the fast-beam-laser method and experimental branching ratios deduced from Fourier transform spectrometer spectra, it has been possible to derive experimental f -values for Lu  ii lines observed in the visible and near-ultraviolet regions. These data are compared with relativistic Hartree–Fock calculations, taking core polarization effects into account, and a set of additional oscillator strengths of astrophysical interest is presented.     

Occurrence of AlO Molecular Lines in Sunspot Umbral Spectra

Aluminium monoxide (AlO) is widely known for its astrophysical significance. An analysis of the prominent lines of the (2,3;3,2;3,4;4,5;4,3;5,6;6,7) bands of the B ²Σ⁺?X ²Σ⁺ transition with those of sunspot umbral spectral lines suggests that the AlO molecule appears to be a non-negligible component of sunspot umbrae. Results of a recent (2008) rotational analysis were used to carry out the study. The effective rotational temperature determined for the above lines in the sunspot umbral spectrum is found to be of the order of 2900 K. The radiative-transition parameters that include Franck–Condon (FC) factors, r-centroids, electronic-transition moment, Einstein coefficient, absorption–band oscillator strength, and radiative lifetime have been estimated for the experimentally known vibrational levels using the Rydberg–Klein–Rees (RKR) potential.     

Multilevel Analysis of Oscillation Motions in Active Regions of the Sun

The nature of the three-minute and five-minute oscillations observed in sunspots is considered to be an effect of propagation of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves from the photosphere to the solar corona. However, the real modes of these waves and the nature of the filters that result in rather narrow frequency bands of these modes are still far from being generally accepted, in spite of a large amount of observational material obtained in a wide range of wave bands. The significance of this field of research is based on the hope that local seismology can be used to find the structure of the solar atmosphere in magnetic tubes of sunspots. We expect that substantial progress can be achieved by simultaneous observations of the sunspot oscillations in different layers of the solar atmosphere in order to gain information on propagating waves. In this study we used a new method that combines the results of an oscillation study made in optical and radio observations. The optical spectral measurements in photospheric and chromospheric lines of the line-of-sight velocity were carried out at the Sayan Solar Observatory. The radio maps of the Sun were obtained with the Nobeyama Radioheliograph at 1.76 cm. Radio sources associated with the sunspots were analyzed to study the oscillation processes in the chromosphere – corona transition region in the layer with magnetic field B=2000 G. A high level of instability of the oscillations in the optical and radio data was found. We used a wavelet analysis for the spectra. The best similarities of the spectra of oscillations obtained by the two methods were detected in the three-minute oscillations inside the sunspot umbra for the dates when the active regions were situated near the center of the solar disk. A comparison of the wavelet spectra for optical and radio observations showed a time delay of about 50 seconds of the radio results with respect to the optical ones. This implies an MHD wave traveling upward inside the umbral magnetic tube of the sunspot. For the five-minute oscillations the similarity in spectral details could be found only for optical oscillations at the chromospheric level in the umbral region or very close to it. The time delays seem to be similar. Besides three-minute and five-minute ones, oscillations with longer periods (8 and 15 minutes) were detected in optical and radio records. Their nature still requires further observational and theoretical study for even a preliminary discussion.     

The diffuse interstellar bands: a dipolebound state hypothesis

It is proposed that some, possibly many, of the unidentified diffuse interstellar absorption bands arise from rovibronic transitions between the ground states of negatively charged molecules and/or small grains, and shallow dipolebound electronic states which lie close to the electron detachment threshold. Under this hypothesis the attributes for the neutral 'molecular' frameworks are electron affinities between 1 and 3 eV and permanent electric dipole moments of 2 debye or greater. Boundbound spectra involving the lowest rotational levels have not been detected in the laboratory, but these proposed carriers appear to be capable of satisfying the main observational astronomical constraints: transitions that lie in the range from the near-ultraviolet to the near-infrared; a wide range of widths; band wavelengths that are invariant; and a large number of related but distinct carriers. The wavelengths of the lowest rotational lines of the band of the transition between the ground and a dipolebound electronic state of the CH₂CN molecule appear to be consistent with a diffuse band near 8037 Å.     

Oscillations Above Sunspots

The 3-min oscillations in the sunspot atmosphere are discussed, based on joint observing with the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer – TRACE and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory – SOHO. We find that the oscillation amplitude above the umbra increases with increasing temperature, reaches a maximum for emission lines formed close to 1–2× 10⁵ K, and decreases for higher temperatures. Oscillations observed with a high signal-to-noise ratio show deviations from pure linear oscillations. The results do not support the sunspot filter theory, based on the idea of a chromospheric resonator. Whereas the filter theory predicts several resonant peaks in the power spectra, equally spaced 1 mHz in frequency, the observed power spectra show one dominating peak, close to 6 mHz. Spectral observations show that the transition region lines contribute less than 13 percent to the TRACE 171 Å channel intensity above the umbra. The 3-min oscillations fill the sunspot umbra in the transition region. In the corona the oscillations are concentrated to smaller regions that appear to coincide with the endpoints of sunspot coronal loops, suggesting that wave propagation along the magnetic field makes it possible for the oscillations to reach the corona.     

Identification of SrF molecular lines in the spectrum of sunspot umbra

A high resolution spectrum of a sunspot umbra is used for identification of rotational lines due to (0, 0) band of the A ²Π–X ²Σ⁺ system and (0, 0), (1, 1), and (2, 2) bands of the B ²Σ⁺–X ²Σ⁺ system of the molecule SrF. The published sunspot umbral spectrum obtained with Fourier Transform Spectrometer and solar telescope of National Solar Observatory/National Optical Astronomy Observatory at Kitt Peak was used for the study. The new identification of more than 200 SrF lines in the umbral spectrum confirms that this molecule accounts for the majority of lines in the spectral range 15050 to 15360 cm⁻¹ and 17240 to 17300 cm⁻¹. Equivalent widths have been measured for well-resolved lines of these bands and the effective rotational temperatures have been estimated for which the presence is confirmed.