Plasma and Magnetic Field Inside Magnetic Clouds: a Global Study

Data observed during spacecraft encounters with magnetic clouds have been extensively analyzed in the literature. Moreover, several models have been proposed for the magnetic topology of these events, and fitted to the observations. Although these interplanetary events present well-defined plasma features, none of those models have included a simultaneous analysis of magnetic field and plasma data. Using as a starting point a non-force-free model that we have developed previously, we present a global study of MCs that include both the magnetic field topology and the plasma pressure. In this paper we obtain the governing equations for both magnitudes inside a MC. The expressions deduced are fitted simultaneously to the measurements of plasma pressure and magnetic field vector. We perform an analysis of magnetic field and plasma WIND observations within several MCs from 1995 to 1998. The analysis is confined to four of these events that have high-quality data. Only in one fitting procedure we obtain the orientation of the magnetic cloud relative to the ecliptic plane and the current density of the plasma inside the cloud. We find that the equations proposed reproduce the experimental data quite well.     

Magnetic Fields and Solar Activities

We discuss the study of solar magnetic fields based on the photospheric vector magnetograms of solar active regions which were obtained at Huairou Solar Observing Station near Beijing in the period of 22nd and 23th solar cycles. The measurements of the chromospheric magnetic field and the spatial configuration of the field at the lower solar atmosphere inferred by the distribution of the solar photospheric and chromospheric magnetic field. After the analysis on the formation process of delta configuration in some super active regions based on the photospheric vector magnetogram observations, some results are obtained: (1) The analysis of magnetic writhe of whole active regions cannot be limited in the strong field of sunspots, because the contribution of the fraction of decayed magnetic field is non-negligible. (2) The magnetic model of kink magnetic ropes, proposed to be generated in the subatmosphere, is not consistent with the evolution of large-scale twisted photospheric transverse magnetic field and the relationship with magnetic shear in some delta active regions completely. (3) The proposition is that the large-scale delta active regions are formed from contribution by highly sheared non-potential magnetic flux bundles generated in the subatmosphere. We present some results of a study of the magnetic helicity. We also compare these results with other data sets obtained by magnetographs (or Stokes polarimeters) at different observatories, and analyze the basic chirality of the magnetic field in the solar atmosphere.     

Inference of Solar Magnetic Field Parameters from Data with Limited Wavelength Sampling

We investigate the diagnostic potential of polarimetric measurements with filtergraph instruments. Numerical simulations are used to explore the possibility of inferring the magnetic field vector, its filling factor, and the thermodynamics of model atmospheres when only a few wavelength measurements are available. These simulations assume the magnetic Sun to be represented by Milne–Eddington atmospheres. The results indicate that two wavelength measurements are insufficient to reliably determine the magnetic parameters, regardless of whether magnetograph techniques or least-squares fitting inversions are used. However, as few as four measurements analyzed with the inversion technique provide enough information to retrieve the intrinsic magnetic field with an accuracy better than 10% in most cases.     

Observations of Magnetic Fields on T Tauri Stars

We present measurements of magnetic field strength and geometry on the surfaces of T Tauri stars (TTS) with and without circumstellar disks. We use these measurements to argue that magnetospheric accretion models should not assume that a fixed fraction of the stellar surface contains magnetic field lines that couple with the disk. We predict the fractional area of accretion footpoints, using magnetospheric accretion models and assuming field strength is roughly constant for all TTS. Analysis of Zeeman broadened infrared line profiles shows that individual TTS each have a distribution of surface magnetic field strengths extending up to 6 kG. Averaging over this distribution yields mean magnetic field strengths of 1-3 kG for all TTS, regardless of whether the star is surrounded by a disk. These strong magnetic fields suggest that magnetic pressure dominates gas pressure in TTS photospheres, indicating the need for new model atmospheres. The He I 5876 Å emission line in TTS can be strongly polarized, so that magnetic field lines at the footpoints of accretion have uniform polarity. The circular polarization signal appears to be rotationally modulated, implying that accretion and perhaps the magnetosphere are not axisymmetric. Time series spectropolarimetry is fitted reasonably well by a simple model with one magnetic spot on the surface of a rotating star. On the other hand, spectropolarimetry of photospheric absorption lines rules out a global dipolar field at the stellar surface for at least some TTS.     

Magnetic Environments of Young Stellar Objects

We report on early results of magnetic field measurements towards a sample of young stellar objects. The results show a variety of field configurations, some of which can be explained by conventional models, while others cannot. We find that the field in some cases is curved over large scales and influenced by the gas kinematics in the local environment. This implies that, at these scales at least, the magnetic field plays a passive rôle in the star formation process.     

The Magnetic Environments of Young Stellar Objects

We report on early results of submillimetre polarimetric measurements towards a sample of young stellar objects. The results allow us to infer the magnetic field structure and show a variety of configurations, providing evidence for axial, helical and pinched (i.e. ‘hourglass’) magnetic field configurations. We find that in some cases the field is curved over large scales, implying that it is influenced by the gas kinematics in the local environment, and that at these scales at least, the magnetic field plays a passive rôle in the star formation process.     

Photospheric Injection of Magnetic Helicity: Connectivity-Based Flux Density Method

Magnetic helicity quantifies the degree to which the magnetic field in a volume is globally sheared and/or twisted. This quantity is believed to play a key role in solar activity due to its conservation property. Helicity is continuously injected into the corona during the evolution of active regions (ARs). To better understand and quantify the role of magnetic helicity in solar activity, the distribution of magnetic helicity flux in ARs needs to be studied. The helicity distribution can be computed from the temporal evolution of photospheric magnetograms of ARs such as the ones provided by SDO/HMI and Hinode/SOT. Most recent analyses of photospheric helicity flux derived a proxy to the helicity-flux density based on the relative rotation rate of photospheric magnetic footpoints. Although this proxy allows a good estimate of the photospheric helicity flux, it is still not a true helicity flux density because it does not take into account the connectivity of the magnetic field lines. For the first time, we implement a helicity density that takes this connectivity into account. To use it for future observational studies, we tested the method and its precision on several types of models involving different patterns of helicity injection. We also tested it on more complex configurations – from magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulations – containing quasi-separatrix layers. We demonstrate that this connectivity-based proxy is best-suited to map the true distribution of photospheric helicity injection.     

Magnetic fields of sunspots based on combined optical and radio observations

In the present paper we present the results of measurement of magnetic fields in some sunspots at different heights in the solar atmosphere, based on simultaneous optical and radio measurements. The optical measurements were made by traditional photographic spectral observations of Zeeman splitting in a number of spectral lines originating at different heights in the solar photosphere and chromosphere. Radio observations of the spectra and polarization of the sunspot - associated sources were made in the wavelength range of 2–4 cm using large reflector-type radio telescope RATAN-600. The magnetic field penetrating the hot regions of the solar atmosphere were found from the shortest wavelength of generation of thermal cyclotron emission (presumably in the third harmonic of electron gyrofrequency). For all the eight cases under consideration we have found that magnetic field first drops with height, increases from the photosphere to lower chromosphere, and then decreases again as we proceed to higher chromosphere and chromosphere-corona transition region. Radio measurements were found to be well correlated with optical measurements of magnetic fields for the same sunspot. An alternative interpretation implies that different lines used for magnetic field measurements refer to different locations on the solar surface. If this is the case, then the inversion in vertical gradients of magnetic fields may not exist above the sunspots. Possible sources of systematic and random errors are also discussed.     

How To Use Magnetic Field Information For Coronal Loop Identification

The structure of the solar corona is dominated by the magnetic field because the magnetic pressure is about four orders of magnitude higher than the plasma pressure. Due to the high conductivity the emitting coronal plasma (visible, e.g., in SOHO/EIT) outlines the magnetic field lines. The gradient of the emitting plasma structures is significantly lower parallel to the magnetic field lines than in the perpendicular direction. Consequently information regarding the coronal magnetic field can be used for the interpretation of coronal plasma structures. We extrapolate the coronal magnetic field from photospheric magnetic field measurements into the corona. The extrapolation method depends on assumptions regarding coronal currents, e.g., potential fields (current-free) or force-free fields (current parallel to magnetic field). As a next step we project the reconstructed 3D magnetic field lines on an EIT-image and compare with the emitting plasma structures. Coronal loops are identified as closed magnetic field lines with a high emissivity in EIT and a small gradient of the emissivity along the magnetic field.     

Comparative Analysis of Prominence Magnetic Field Measurements: Differences in Results Between Zeeman and Hanle Measurements

Results of magnetic field measurements in prominences using the Zeeman and Hanle methods are discussed critically. By considering an example of three prominences, for which magnetic field data from both methods are available, the discrepancies between the methods are demonstrated. The authors believe that the existing Hanle method does not reflect adequately the actual reality. To overcome the discrepancies calls for comparative analysis of prominence magnetic field measurements by both methods.     

Magnetic field measurement of the star HD 35298

Based on the spectropolarimetric data obtained at the 6-m telescope, a study of the magnetic field and physical parameters of the magnetic He-weak star HD 35298 was performed. A comparison of the results of magnetic field measurements by various methods has been carried out. The star’s magnetic field varies in the range from ?3 to +3 kG. The field geometry is explained in terms of the oblique rotator model. The obtained magnetic field variation curve can be described by a central dipole with the dipole axis inclined to the axis of rotation by β = 60°, and the magnetic field strength at the pole of B _p = 11.5 kG. The data on the variability of spectral lines of some metals are presented, allowing to make an assumption that the stellar surface is heavily spotted.     

Magnetic field measurements of ϵ Eridani from Zeeman broadening

We present new magnetic field measurements of the K2 main‐sequence star ϵ Eri based on principal components analysis (PCA) line‐profile reconstructions. The aim of this paper is to quantify the surface‐averaged magnetic field and search for possible variations. A total of 338 optical échelle spectra from our robotic telescope facility STELLA with a spectral resolution of 55 000 were available for analysis. This time‐series was used to search for the small line‐profile variations due to a surface magnetic field with the help of a PCA. Evidence for a spatial and temporal inhomogeneous magnetic field distribution is presented. The mean, surface averaged, magnetic field strength was found tobe 〈B〉 = 186 ± 47 G in good agreement with previous Zeeman‐broadening measurements. Clear short‐term variations of the surface averaged magnetic field of up to few tens Gauss were detected together with evidence for a three‐year cycle in the surface‐averaged magnetic field of ϵ Eri. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The Measurement of the Orientation of the Magnetic Field in Molecular Clouds

We discuss how the combination of polarimetry and ion-to-neutral molecular line width ratio measurements permits the determination of the magnitude and orientation of the magnetic field in the weakly ionized parts of molecular clouds. Polarimetry measurements give the field orientation in the plane of the sky and the ion-to-neutral molecular line width ratio determines the angle between the magnetic field and the line of sight. We show the first results obtained with this technique on the M17 and Orion A star-forming region using Hertz 350 μm polarimetry maps and HCO⁺-to-HCN molecular line width ratios to provide the first view of the spatial orientation of the magnetic field these molecular clouds.     

黑子磁场的Stokes光谱反演技术

对太阳大气磁场的可靠测量有助于人们更好地理解太阳活动区内外的许多活动现象,如耀斑的触发和能量释放过程、黑子的形态和黑子大气的平衡、日珥的形成等.由于原子在磁场中的一些能级会产生分裂(Zeeman效应),使对应这些能级的谱线分裂成若干个具有不同偏振特性的分量,因此目前对黑子磁场的测量主要是通过偏振光,即Stokes参量I、Q、U、V的观测来实现的.该文主要介绍近30年来太阳黑子光谱反演的方法以及所取得的成就;同时也对光谱反演和滤光器型的望远镜矢量磁场的测量进行了简单的比较.     

Magnetic field investigations during ROSETTA's 2867 Šteins flyby

During the 2867 Šteins flyby of the ROSETTA spacecraft on September 5, 2008 magnetic field measurements have been made with both the RPC orbiter magnetometer and the ROMAP lander magnetometer. These combined magnetic field measurements allow a detailed examination of any magnetic signatures caused either directly by the asteroid or indirectly by Šteins’ different modes of interaction with the solar wind. Comparing measurements with simulation results show that Šteins does not posses a significant remanent magnetization. The magnetization is estimated at less than 10⁻³ A m²/kg. This is significantly different from results at 9969 Braille and 951 Gaspra.     

Magnetic fields of extragalactic radio sources: Testing cosmological models

Based on the synchrotron radiation mechanism with self-absorption, we estimate the magnetic fields of compact (～0 _. ^″ 001) structures of radio galaxies. Using a model radial dependence of the magnetic field, we estimate the field strength near the event horizon of a supermassive black hole. The latter turns out to be higher than that followed from the popular Blandford-Znajek mechanism. The magnetic fields are determined by taking into account evolution, which allows the redshift dependence of the magnetic field of the plasma surrounding a supermassive black hole to be derived. We show that various cosmological models can be tested in principle using magnetic field measurements of compact radio sources. We estimate the magnetic field of the farthest radio-loud quasar SDSS J0836+0054.     

Magnetic field of the Ap star 52 Her

We investigate the variability of the magnetic field of a well-known Ap star 52 Her. The 15-year longmagnetic monitoring and analysis of the literature data demonstrates the lack of a long-period variability of the stellar magnetic field, and an absence of precession of the rotation axis of the binary’s main component. We refined the period of variability of the K Ca II line intensity, presumably being the rotation period of the main component. These measurements allowed to specify the parameters of the mean magnetic phase curve, obtained from the lines of metals, and to detect a significant difference from the phase curve, built from the hydrogen lines. Possible causes of the unusual variability of the stellar magnetic field are discussed.     

Magnetic Field Geometry in `Red' and `Blue' BL Lacs

We compare the systematics of the magnetic field geometry in the `red' low-energy peaked BL Lacs (LBLs) and `blue' high-energy peaked BL Lacs (HBLs) using VLBI polarimetric images. The LBLs are primarily `radio-selected' BL Lacs and the HBLs are primarily `X-ray selected'. In contrast to the LBLs, which show predominantly transverse jet magnetic fields, the HBLs show predominantly longitudinal fields. Thus, while the SED peaks of core-dominated quasars, LBLs and HBLs form a sequence of increasing frequency, the magnetic field geometry does not follow an analogous sequence. We briefly investigate possible connections between the observed parsec-scale magnetic field structures and circular polarization measurements in the literature on various spatial scales.     

Magnetic Field Observations of the Ap Star γ Equ

Further investigations of the Ap star γ Equ (SCHOLZ , 1975) showed that a very slow variation of the longitudinal magnetic field exists, with a change of sign in the years 1970/1971. In three spectrograms obtained near of the crossover points of the longitudinal magnetic field hints are given at the presence of a transversal magnetic field of about 3500 Gauß. The radial velocity measurements show no definitive variations.     

Magnetic field structure and distribution of helium on He-peculiar stars

The periodic variation of the equivalent width of Hei lines and of the magnetic field in six Bp stars is modeled by the oblique rotator model. The position of the magnetic poles and the structure of the helium distribution has been determined from the magnetic field observations and the line strength measurements of the Hei 4026 line. A comparison between the helium surface distribution and the structure of the magnetic field has been carried out.