A model of a penumbral chromosphere

A semi-empirical model of a penumbral chromosphere is presented which represents a specific region of the penumbra located approximately one-fourth the distance outward from the umbra-penumbra interface. The model is based on simultaneous observations of high-resolution spectra of Caii K, H, and 8498 made over a sunspot penumbra (SPO 5007) with the Echelle Spectrograph at the Vacuum Tower Telescope at Sacramento Peak Observatory on 18 December, 1979.Spectral profiles were calculated using a non-LTE line formation procedure with various chromospheric models where the optimum model is determined by matching the synthesized profiles with the observational features. The best fit yields a model with overlying column mass m ₀ of 8 × 10^–6 g cm^–2 which also agrees with the observed K₃/H₃ intensity ratio of 1.22.This work was supported by the US-Republic of Korea Cooperative Science Program (K-53).     

Five-minute oscillations of solar equivalent widths

Equivalent widths of weak and moderately strong Fraunhofer lines observed in an area roughly 3500 × 10000 km in extent are found to show small variations of the order of 1 mÅ, on a time scale of minutes. The dependence of amplitude on line strength and excitation closely fits that predicted for a compressional disturbance associated with temperature variations that manifest themselves in the equivalent widths. The rms amplitude is about 20K near τ₅₀₀₀ = 10^-2. These equivalent width variations frequently exhibit a 5-min periodicity and are accompanied by prominent oscillations of velocity. Power spectra of both quantities closely resemble each other and demonstrate that most of the equivalent width variations in the range 200 to 500 s are due to the thermal response of the atmosphere to 5-min oscillations. A systematic phase lag between velocity and equivalent width is observed, in the sense that temperature leads velocity by an average angle of 120°. This deviates significantly from 90° valid for standing adiabatic waves, showing that in the line-forming layers, τ₅₀₀₀ ≈ 10^-2, the 5-min oscillations are markedly affected by radiative exchange. The observed phase lag implies a radiative decay time of ≈40 s, a value which agrees with modelatmosphere predictions for the line-forming layers. Since the observed wave trains frequently show constant amplitude over a much longer time, a continuous feed-back of energy seems to occur.     

Remarks on statistical errors in equivalent widths

Equivalent width measurements for rapid line variability in atomic spectral lines are degraded by increasing error bars with shorter exposure times.We derive an expression for the error of the line equivalent width σ (W _λ ) with respect to pure photon noise statistics and provide a correction value for previous calculations. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the width distribution of penumbral filaments in sunspots

The mean width and distribution of penumbral filaments of a sunspot have been estimated, using white light photographs obtained with a vacuum, Newtonian type, telescope. Three areas corresponding to the penumbra of a sunspot have been analysed. Data were collected during the solar eclipse of June 1973. The photometric profiles of the Moon limb over the photosphere have been analysed to obtain useful information on both, atmospheric and instrumental perturbation on each exposure. The mean value of the width of penumbral filaments is 0.37 arc sec.Now at INTA-Villafranca, S.T.S., P.O. Box 54065, Madrid, Spain.     

The interstellar 217 nm band: a third catalogue of equivalent widths

Using the data obtained with the ultraviolet photometer in the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite the equivalent widths of the interstellar 217 nm band as well as other parameters characterizing the behaviour of the continuous interstellar extinction in the wavelength region of the band have been derived for 790 O, B stars with colour excesses E(B - V) ≥ 0·4 mag.     

Quality analysis of Moore,Minnaert, and Houtgast's equivalent widths

A quality analysis of the equivalent widths (W) for solar lines tabulated in the Atlas of Moore et al. (1966) is undertaken by comparison with other modern sources. No significant correlation with is detected, and only a weak systematic dependence with W turned out which may be neglected for most practical purposes. An approximate trend for the internal dispersion as a function of W is also derived.Fellowship holder of CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina.     

On the generation of umbral flashes and running penumbral waves

From a review of the observed properties of umbral flashes and running penumbral waves it is proposed that the source of these periodic phenomena is the oscillatory convection which Danielson and Savage (1968) and Savage (1969) ave shown is likely to occur in the superadiabatic subphotospheric layers of sunspot umbras. Periods and growth rates are computed for oscillatory modes arising in a simple two-layer model umbra. The results suggest that umbral flashes result from disturbances produced by oscillatory convection occurring in the upper subphotospheric layer of the umbra where the superadiabatic temperature gradient is much enhanced over that in lower layers, while running penumbral waves are due to oscillations in a layer just below this upper layer.     

Observations of the phase variation of Venus CO2 equivalent widths

We present equivalent widths of Venus CO₂ scans of the P branch (P8–P32) of the 5ν₃ band at 8689 Å, the P16 line of the 5ν₃ band, and the P14 line of the ν₁ + 5ν₃ band at 7820 Å covering phase angles between 5°.1 and 170°. The equivalent widths reach a minimum at 10°, in agreement with a phase function with a backward lobe at 160° which is caused by a single internal reflection within the cloud particles. This is evidence that Venus cloud particles are composed of liquid droplets. Maximum equivalent widths are observed at ～60°, a value which is closer to the maximum of single-layer Mie scattering models than to that of two-layer models. At high phase angles we observe equivalent widths greater than those computed from homogeneous scattering models, indicating that at high altitudes the mixing ratio of scattering particles to CO₂ increases with depth. At all phase angles, particularly at large phase angles, the temporal and spatial variations in the observed equivalent widths confuse the phase variation.     

A principal component analysis of the equivalent widths of spectral lines of star clusters

Using principal component analysis, we have studied the equivalent widths of optical spectral lines of 41 Galactic globular clusters and 22 young stellar clusters. We have discovered that some characteristic spectral lines, such as the CN, Ca IIK, Ca IIH and MgI+MgII lines, are rather sensitive to metallicity. We have also found some lines that may be used as indicators of age, e.g. Hδ, Hγ, Hβ and H. These lines can help us to disentangle the coupling effects of age and metallicity in the clusters.     

中等贫金属星高分辨率光谱分析 I.光谱数据与等值宽度

利用北京天文台兴隆观测基地2.16米望远镜的折轴阶梯光栅摄谱仪，获得了一批中等贫金属星的高分辨率，高信噪比光谱，通过MIDAS软件包对其中7颗中等贫金属星进行了光谱处理，得到了它们的等值宽度，最后给出院 样本恒星的等值宽度及误差分析。     

A new method for the analysis of equivalent widths and its application to solar photospheric oxygen

Six neutral atomic oxygen Fraunhofer multiplets were observed at nine disk positions at Sacramento Peak Observatory. I filtered the data, corrected them for the instrumental profile and obtained equivalent widths.The equation of transfer for a plane-parallel atmosphere is solved to yield an expression for the equivalent width of a line or multiplet as a function of disk position; line source function, S _L, and relative population of the lower energy level of the transition. Comparison with the observations gives the abundance, average levels of formation of the lines and S _L.The numerical results show that the weak lines are formed either in L.T.E. or pure scattering (i.e., S _L B _v (T _e) J _c), but for 7770 Å S _L/B (T _e) 0.6 ± 0.1 at _c = 0.1. An analysis of the central intensities of 7770 Å yields essentially the same results. The results for 8446 Å are not reliable due to a possible blend with an iron line. The abundance of oxygen in the photosphere may be slightly less than that found by previous investigators.The results are consistent with the assumption that all levels of photospheric oxygen are populated as in L.T.E. with the exception of 3⁵S, which is overpopulated by approximately 50% at _c = 0.1. The overpopulation may be due to the metastability of this level.Based on National Center for Atmospheric Research Cooperative Thesis No. 9.     

On the radio spectrum of CI Cygni: a test of popular models for symbiotic stars

We have determined the spectral energy distribution at wavelengths between 6 cm and 850 μm for the prototypical S(stellar)-type symbiotic star, CI Cygni, during quiescence. Data were obtained simultaneously with the Very Large Array and the SCUBA submillimetre (sub-mm) camera on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. The data have allowed us to determine the free–free turnover frequency of the ionized component, facilitating a model-dependent estimate of the binary separation to compare with the known orbital parameters of CI Cyg and to critically test the known models for radio emission from symbiotic stars. In particular, our data rule out the two most popular models: ionization of the giant wind by Lyman continuum photons from its hot companion, and emission resulting from the interaction of winds from the two binary components.     

Analysis of high-resolution spectra of mildly metal-poor stars I. Spectral data and equivalent widths

A number of high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio spectra of mildly metal-poor stars were obtained with the coudé echelle spectrograph attached to the 2.16m telescope at Xinglong Observation Base of Beijing Astronomical Observatory. The spectra of seven mildly metal-poor stars were processed with the MIDAS software package, and the equivalent widths of their spectral lines were measured. The measured equivalent widths together with an error analysis are presented.     

An explanation of the dimensions of penumbral filaments

Unstable pertubation modes exist in the magnetic field of penumbral electric current and I think the penumbral filaments are formed from the development of such modes. Under the short wave approximation the non-adiabatic dispersion equation is solved in the radial and transverse directions of the sunspot. From the condition of instability the length and width of the penumbral filament can be evaluated and it is found that the filament mode is static in the direction of the length and is non-moving in the direction of the width, that the penumbral filaments are a feature of the sunspot magnetic flow under gravity and that the presence of the filaments implies the existence of a twisted magnetic field.     

On the CN (0, 0) spectrum of Comet Mrkos 1957d

We have carried out an analysis of the (0, 0) vibrational band of the CN molecule in Comet Mrkos 1957d, including the effect of collisions. We found that the sum of the squares of the residuals can be reduced by a factor of ten, if collisions account for 46±3% of the population of the lower level. A rotational temperature can be assigned to the cometary gas. The best value found was 410±40 K. The best fit for the constantR ₁ was (1.07±0.10)×10^–4. The velocity of the comet was left as a free parameter. We found for it a value of 34.38±0.10 km s^–1. This result is in disagreement with the nuclear orbital velocity of 34.74 km s^–1. The discrepancy can be explained, if the CN molecules are ejected from the cometary nucleus preferentially in the sunward direction, with a mean velocity that corresponds to the above temperature.     

Magnetic field strength and inclination in the penumbral fine-structure

The uncertainty about a possible correlation between magnetic field strength, inclination, and the continuum intensity of sunspot penumbral fine-structure has been removed from detailed analysis of a spatially very well-resolved spectrum: the darker, long penumbral lanes host a 10% stronger and 30° flatter magnetic field as compared to the field in bright penumbral locations. This finding is not only based on the high spatial resolution but also on the use of a spectral line, here Fe 6842.7 Å, obtaining its essential contribution from those deep layers where the penumbral structure is seen, i.e. the continuum intensity level. The almost perfect correlation establishes that the penumbral structure is formed by the two magnetic components mainly differing by the field inclination. The different results from other Zeeman lines, as, e.g., Fe 6302.5 Å, indicate a different field structure above the white-light penumbral layers.     

Motions and lifetimes of the penumbral bright grains in sunspots

It is confirmed that the penumbral bright grains are moving towards the sunspots umbra. We find different proper motions of 0.08 to 0.33 km s^–1 for different penumbrae and different reduction methods. The lifetimes of these bright grains are about 1.5 to 3 hr depending on the position in the penumbra.     

Mass spectrum of giant molecular clouds in a coagulation model

Solutions of Smoluchovski’ equation, describing merging processes in a system of giant molecular clouds, are investigated in detail. Both the case of a constant spatial gas density in the clouds and the case of a constant radial gas density are considered. It is shown that the solution of the coagulation equation is not expressed by a power law that is the same for the entire mass range under consideration. It is also demonstrated that the form of the solution depends on the width of the mass range of the clouds. A comparison with observations shows that the Oort model and the coagulation mechanism can describe the observed cloud mass spectrum quite adequately. Ways of improving the Oort model are suggested.