Evaporation causes flare-related radio burst continuum depressions

We study the active region NOAA 6718 and the development of a (2N, M3.6) flare in radio and H. Due to our knowledge of the magnetic field structure in the active region we are able to associate the different radio flare burst components with the stages in the H flare evolution. A discussion of the data in terms of chromospheric flare kernel heating reveals that in the present case the observed flare-related radio burst continuum switch-off is caused by the penetration of hot, ablated gas into the coronal radio source.     

Magnetic field configuration of active region NOAA 6555 at the time of a long-duration flare on 23 March 1991 – An Exception to Standard Flare Reconnection Model

The high-resolution H images observed during the decay phase of a long-duration flare on 23 March 1991 are used to study the three-dimensional magnetic field configuration of the active region NOAA 6555. Whereas all the large flares in NOAA 6555 occurred at the location of high magnetic shear and flux emergence, this long-duration flare was observed in the region of low magnetic shear at the photosphere. The H loops activity started soon after the maximum phase of the flare. There were a few long loop at the initial phase of the activity. Some of these were sheared in the chromosphere at an angle of about 45° to the east-west axis. Gradually, an increasing number of shorter loops, oriented along the east-west axis, started appearing. The chromospheric Dopplergrams show blue shifts at the end points of the loops. By using different magnetic field models, we have extrapolated the photospheric magnetograms to chromospheric heights. The magnetic field lines computed by using the potential field model correspond to most of the observed H loops. The height of the H loops were derived by comparing them with the computed field lines. From the temporal evolution of the H loop activity, we derive the negative rate of appearance of H features as a function of height. It is found that the field lines oriented along one of the neutral lines were sheared and low lying. The higher field lines were mostly potential. The paper also outlines a possible scenario for describing the post-flare stage of the observed long-duration flare.     

Time-match semi-empirical models of the chromospheric flare on 3 February, 1983

Spectra of a 2B flare on 3 February, 1983 were observed simultaneously at H, H, and Can H, K lines with a multichannel spectrograph in the solar tower telescope of Nanjing University. The flare occurred in an extended region of penumbra at S 17 W07 from 05 : 41 to 07 : 00 UT. By use of an iterative method to solve the equations describing hydrostatic, radiative, and statistical equilibrium for hydrogen and ionized calcium atoms, five semi-empirical models corresponding to different times of the chromospheric flare have been computed. The results show that after the beginning of the flare, the heating of the chromosphere starts and the transition layer begins to be displaced downwards. However, during the impulsive phase the flare chromospheric region has a rapid outward expansion followed by a quick downward contraction. At the same time the transition layer starts to ascend and then descend again. After the H intensity maximum, the flare chromospheric region continues to condense and attains its most dense phase more than ten minutes after the maximum. Finally, the flare chromospheric region returns slowly to the normal chromospheric situation.     

Loop interaction scenario of a trace flare

We analyzed simultaneous EUV images from the Transition Region And Coronal Explorer (TRACE) and H and H filtergrams from Huairou Solar Observing Station (HSOS). In active region NOAA 8307, an H C5.5 flare occurred near 06:10 UT on 23 August 1998. In this paper, we concentrated on loop–loop interaction, as well as their relationship to the C5.5 flare. We find that while opposite polarity magnetic fields cancelled each other, H bright points appeared, and then the flare occurred. Looking at EUV images, we noticed that a TRACE flare, associated with the C5.5 flare in H and H filtergrams, first appeared as patch-shaped structures, then the flare patches expanded to form bright loops. We used a new numerical technique to extrapolate the chromospheric and coronal magnetic field. Magnetic field loops, which linked flare ribbons, were found. It was suggested that loop interaction in the active region was the cause of the TRACE and H flare; the magnetic topological structures were clearly demonstrated and the TRACE flare was probably due to the interaction among energetic low-lying and other longer (higher) magnetic loops. Each primary flare kernel, seen from H, H filtergrams, and EUV images, was located near the footpoints of several interacting loops.     

Active-Region Filaments and X-ray Sigmoids

We use Yohkoh soft X-ray telescope data and H full-disk observations to study the evolution of chromospheric filaments and coronal sigmoids in 6 active regions in association with coronal mass ejections (CMEs). In two cases, CMEs are directly observed by the SOHO/LASCO C2 coronagraph. In four cases, other observations (magnetic clouds, geomagnetic storms, sigmoid-arcade evolution) are used as CME indicators. Prior to eruption, each active region shows a bright coronal sigmoidal loop and underlying H filament. The sigmoid activates, erupts and gets replaced by a cusp, or an arcade. In contrast, the H filament shows no significant changes in association with sigmoid eruption and CME. We explain these observations in a framework of the classical two-ribbon flare model.     

Impulsive phenomena in a small active region

The temporal and spatial variations of EUV emission from a small growing active region were investigated. Frequent localized short term ( few minutes) fluctuations in EUV emission were observed throughout the 7.2 hr interval when the most continuous observations were acquired. Approximately 20% of the 5 x 5 pixels had intensity variations exceeding a factor of 1.3 for the chromospheric L line, a factor of 1.5 for lines formed in the chromospheric-coronal transition region and a factor of 1.4 for the coronal Mg x line. A subflare in the region produced the largest intensity enhancements, ranging from a factor of 2.3 for the chromospheric L line to 8 for the transition region and coronal lines. The EUV fluctuations in this small active region are similar to those observed in coronal bright points, suggesting that impulsive heating is an important, perhaps dominant form of heating the upper chromospheric and lower coronal plasmas in small magnetic bipolar regions. The responsible mechanism most likely involves the rapid release of magnetic energy, possibly associated with the emergence of magnetic flux from lower levels into the chromosphere and corona.     

The influence of chromospheric condensation on Hα line profiles

The influence of the chromospheric condensation on H line profiles for the thermal model of a solar flare has been empirically studied in this paper. The so-called thermal model here means that there is no temperature increase relative to the quiet-Sun chromosphere but with a chromospheric condensation in the lower part of its transition region, which case is assumed to represent the early stage of the impulsive phase. The main results include: when the temperature within the condensation region is assumed to be equal to that in front of it, the influence is to create an additional absorption profile overlapping on the original one; by increasing the condensation strength, the H line profile changes from a little line-center increase to broadened red asymmetry, then to the reversed red asymmetry, and finally to two independent absorption profiles; the thickness of the condensation determines the absorption of the additional profile; descending the transition region has no obvious effect on the basic characteristic of the H line profile except a little increase in the line center. Assuming that the temperature within the condensation is higher than that ahead of the condensation, the calculated H line profiles may be strong enough to be comparable with the observations. This means that if the condensation in the purely thermal model can reach a higher temperature, we may also use only thermal origin to explain a chromospheric flare.Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow, on leave from Purple Mountain Observatory, Nanjing, China.     

On the position of sunspots in the core of Hα relative to the continuum

The relative position of sunspots as observed in the core of H and in the continuum has been studied in 316 spectra of 84 different sunspots. We find that chromospheric features surrounding sunspots may produce apparent shifts of the spots in the core and in the wing of H. In addition a shift directed towards the limb is found. This shift is found to be a height effect. The difference in height between the levels of the H core and the continuum varies from 2300 km to 1000 km for different sunspots.     

X-ray emission associated with solar prominences,sprays and surges

Using H observations made at the Astronomical Observatory of Wroclaw University, and 3.5–5.5 keV X-ray data from the Hard X-ray Imaging Spectrometer on board the Solar Maximum Mission, sites of solar X-ray emission are identified which are associated with active H features, such as prominences, sprays and surges. The X-ray emission is found to be highly localized within the active (H) structures. For example, in the prominences examined, 3.5–5.5 keV X-rays were found only in compact sites near the feet of the prominences. Models predicting that, during the active phase of these structures, the energy release should be evenly distributed along the structure are clearly brought into question. It is argued that these X-ray sites are indicative of the cause of the expulsion and transport of chromospheric material. Models which satisfy these observations are discussed.This work was started during a visit to the High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO 80307, U.S.A. (NCAR is sponsored by the National Science Foundation).     

Fine Structure of the Quiet Solar Chromosphere: Limb-Crossing Features

In this article we study chromospheric structures (spicules) crossing the solar limb in H images corrected for limb darkening. This correction enabled us to view structures both on the disk and beyond the limb in the same image. The observations were obtained at the Sacramento Peak Observatory at H±0.75 Å. The processed images reveal both bright and dark (relative to the local background) features crossing the limb. We also observed bushes (rosettes) crossing the limb, as well as structures indicating probably arch-shaped mottles beyond the limb.     

A search for 5 min periodic structure in solar 2 cm emission

Two hundred and eighty-five hours of solar data obtained from the University of Iowa 2 cm radiometer during 1968–1969 were analyzed for evidence of periodic structure related to the 5 min periodic chromospheric oscillations detected in optical line emissions. A power spectral analysis of the data failed to show any statistically significant (> 96 % confidence) periodic activity in the frequency range 1–15 mHz (periods of 1–16 min) for data organized according to solar activity in H, soft solar X-rays (2–12 ), and several microwave frequencies (3–15 GHz).A small shift in power from low to higher frequencies in the power spectrum of the 2 cm data was found to be correlated with H and X-ray activity. This power shift is attributed to a relative increase in chromospheric turbulence at altitudes common to H, X-ray, and 2 cm emission.Consistent statistical analyses of previous works reporting evidence for oscillations at microwave and extreme-ultraviolet frequencies indicate that confidence in these previous results is marginal.A model for chromospheric oscillation bursts in quiescent supergranules is incorporated into a statistical analysis of the power spectrum detectability of the oscillations to understand the negative results obtained.     

Some observational results on moustaches

The results of new observations of moustaches in H filtergrams and in H spectra are presented and their relations to photospheric and chromospheric phenomena are studied. The main findings and conclusions are: (1) previous results on basic data (size, brightness, lifetime, etc.) are essentially confirmed; (2) limb observations located the moustaches at the base of the structured H chromosphere, just above the level of the emission of H±1 Å. At the disk moustaches are, in general, covered by absorbing and slightly Doppler-shifted chromospheric elements which determine the H core in the moustache spectrum. However, absorption-free moustaches with an H emission core revealing a pure (true) moustache spectrum have also been found; (3) moustaches have been found to coincide with continuous facular granules; it is suggested that they are an extension of facular granules into the chromosphere rather than a low-level flare-like phenomenon.Mitteilung aus dem Fraunhofer Institut, No. 114.     

Study of the post-flare loops on 29 July 1973

Bright and dark curvilinear structures observed between the two major chromospheric ribbons during the flare of 29 July 1973 on films from the Big Bear Solar Observatory are interpreted as a typical system of coronal loops joining the inner boundaries of the separating flare ribbons. These observations, made through a 0.25 Å H filter, only show small segments of the loops having Doppler shifts within approximately ± 22 km s^–1 relative to the filter passband centered at H, H -0.5 Å or H +0.5 Å. However, from our knowledge of the typical behavior of such loop systems observed at the limb in H and at 5303 Å, it has been possible to reconstruct an appoximate model of the probable development of the loops of the 29 July flare as they would have been viewed at the limb relative to the position of a prominence which began to erupt a few minutes before the start of the flare. It is seen that the loops ascended through the space previously occupied by the filament. On the assumption that H fine structures parallel the magnetic field, we can conclude that a dramatic reorientation of the direction of the magnetic field in the corona occurred early in the flare, subsequent to the start of the eruption of the filament and prior to the time that the H loops ascended through the space previously occupied by the filament.     

Investigation of Galaxies of the Second Byurakan Sky Survey. III. Spectroscopic Observations in the Fields of 09h47m, +51° and 09h50m, +55°

The results of observations of 49 objects from the second Byurakan spectroscopic sky survey are given; they complete the recent spectroscopy of galactic samples in the fields centered on the coordinates = 09^h47^m, = +51° and = 09^h50^m, = +55°. The spectra were obtained on the 2.6-m telescope of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, and the 6-m telescope of the Special Astrophysical Observatory, Russian Academy of Sciences, during 1998-2000. Redshifts and absolute stellar magnitudes were determined for all the galaxies.     

The Velocity Field and Kinematics of the Galaxy NGC 784 in the Hα Line

In this paper we present the H map, the 2D velocity field and the rotation curve of the galaxy NGC 784 obtained with the ByuFOSC2 scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer, attached at the prime focus of the 2.6-m telescope of Byurakan Observatory. The H image shows several HII condensations along the major axis of the galaxy. The galaxy has an asymmetric distribution of the H emission. The rotation curve is quite symmetric with a low gradient in the central part of the galaxy.     

On the size of the structure elements in the solar chromosphere

Photometric reductions of the spectrograms obtained during the third flight of the Soviet Stratopsheric Solar Station are discussed. A comparison of photometric scans in H and its far wings near to the continuum leads to the conclusion that chromospheric mottles are at least several times broader than photospheric granules. The optimum size of mottles is about 0.8–1.1. The H profiles of mottles are practically the same as those obtained from the ground observations. The broadening of mottles is considered as an effect of expansion of magnetic arcs growing up to chromospheric levels.     

Synoptic Hα Full-Disk Observations of the Sun from Big Bear Solar Observatory – I. Instrumentation,Image Processing,Data Products,and First Results

The Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) has a long tradition of synoptic full-disk observations. Synoptic observations of contrast enhanced full-disk images in the Caii K-line have been used with great success to reproduce the Hi L irradiance variability observed with the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). Recent improvements in data calibration procedures and image- processing techniques enable us now to provide contrast enhanced H full-disk images with a spatial resolution of approximately 2 and a temporal resolution of up to 3 frames min–1.In this first paper in a series, we describe the instruments, the data calibration procedures, and the image-processing techniques used to obtain our daily H full-disk observations. We also present the final data products such as low- and high-contrast images, and Carrington rotation charts. A time series of an erupting mini- filament further illustrates the quality of our H full-disk observations and motivate one of the future research projects. This lays a solid foundation for our subsequent studies of solar activity and chromospheric fine structures. The high quality and the sunrise- to-sunset operation of the H full-disk observations presented in this paper make them an ideal choice to study statistical properties of mini-filament eruptions, chromospheric differential rotation, and meridional flows within the chromosphere, as well as the evolution of active regions, filaments, flares, and prominences.     

Comparison between some Hα and X-ray flares

In the present paper, H-evolutive curves of chromospheric events are compared with flux evolutive curves of X-ray events observed at the same time in different spectral regions. A correspondence between the emissions E(I _H/I _chr)'s at higher and higher H-intensity levels, and the X-ray fluxes F()'s in harder and harder -ranges is shown. Further, the present observations seem to indicate the existence of a single triggering mechanism during the flash-phase of a flare. It is also shown that these results may be in agreement with Brown's model for chromospheric flares.     

Soft X-ray emission and chromospheric flares

A study is made of several ATM flares, to investigate the effect of soft X-ray heating at chromospheric levels. It is shown that the amount of energy released in Ly and Lyman continuum emissions, and their spatial and temporal behavior, in compact flares correspond to what is expected from model calculations. An additional source of heating, which could be heat conduction, has to be postulated to explain ribbons of enhanced L and C ii 1336 Å emission in large flares. As expected, the effect of X-ray heating is more important in small compact flares than in large ones.     

Observations of solar X-ray bursts in the energy range 5–15 keV

We simultaneously solve the equations of radiative transfer and statistical equilibrium for a model hydrogen atom including Lyman-, Lyman-, Balmer- and the Lyman, Balmer and Paschen continua. The model atmospheres we use are the results of Nakagawa et al. (1973) for a kinematic model of the chromospheric solar flare.We find that the models adequately predict the total intensity of B, its wing broadening, the presence of a red-shifted wing, the maximum electron density, the total line-of-sight second-level population and the narrowness in height of the B emitting region. The profile of B is strongly self-reversed, however, and agrees with observations only in the presence of 40–70 km s^–1 macroturbulent motion.We find that Nakagawa et al. (1973) seriously overestimate the radiative loss function, which will have a large effect on their models. Proper radiative loss calculations must be included in any physically realistic model.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.