Coronal polar plumes

The purpose of this investigation was to determine what connection exists between coronal plumes and polar surface features. To this end the properties of plumes were re-examined by making a detailed statistical analysis of photographs of three eclipses (1962, 1963, and 1965) of the last sunspot minimum. It is found that a ‘typical’ plume has a core density ≈ 10⁸ cm^?3, a half width ≈ 3.3 × 10⁴km, and a density profile with distance r from its axis characterized by $$N \approx {\text{10}}^{\text{8}} \left( {1 - \frac{r}{{3.9 \times 10^4 }}} \right)^{1.6} $$ There is some (although only weak) regularity in the projected spacing of plumes with a mean separation of ≈ 7 × 10⁴ km. The relation between plumes and various surface features is examined. Although little direct evidence can be assembled, we conclude that a direct connection exists between plumes and photospheric faculae, bright K₃ faculae, and the small-scale magnetic structure present in the chromospheric network. It is hypothesized that plumes originate at the bright cores of the rosettes which lie along the chromospheric network. The distribution of magnetic field in the corona above a surface covered with idealized chromospheric network cells is calculated. The fact that the shape and size of the magnetic flux tubes originating from the rosette agrees with that of observed plumes supports the hypothesis.     

Thermal and density structure of polar plumes

Normal incidence multilayer coated EUV/XUV optical systems provide a powerful technique for the study of the structure of the solar corona. Such systems permit the imaging of the full solar disk and corona with high angular resolution in narrow wavelength bands that are dominated by a single line or a line multiplet excited over a well defined range of temperatures. We have photometrically analysed, and derived temperature and density information from, images of polar plumes obtained with a multilayer Cassegrain telescope operating in the wavelength interval = 171 to 175 , which is dominated by FeIX and FeX emission. This observation was obtained in October 1987, and is the first high resolution observation of an astronomical object obtained with normal incidence multilayer optics techniques. We find that photometric data taken from this observation, applied to a simple, semi-empirical model of supersonic solar wind flow, are consistent with the idea that polar plumes are a source of the solar wind. However, we are not able to uniquely trace high speed streams to polar plumes. The temperatures that we observed are typically 1 500 000 K for both the plumes and the interplume regions, with the plume temperatures slightly higher than those of the surrounding atmosphere. Typical electron densities of the plume and interplume regions, respectively, are 5 × 10⁹ cm^–3 and 1 × 10⁸ cm^–3 at the limb of the Sun.     

Core electron densities of coronal polar plumes

The electron density in the cores of coronal polar plumes that is determined from observations will depend upon the assumed electron density distribution through the plume in a direction normal to its axis. Core electron densities obtained by Saito (1965) and by Newkirk and Harvey (1968) were derived using different assumed electron density profiles, and are not in agreement. We have re-discussed Saito's data using Newkirk and Harvey's electron density profile and find that the disagreement persists. Whether this indicates a true variation in electron density in plume cores cannot now be stated. Errors in the electron densities derived here may arise through errors in measuring the angles and which enter into the analysis. While plausible variations in produce no appreciable errors in core electron density, plausible variations in may introduce appreciable errors into the determinations of that quantity.Now at Department of Earth and Space Sciences, SUNY at Stony Brook, New York.     

The EUV spectrum of sunspot plumes observed by SUMER on SOHO

We present results from sunspot observations obtained by SUMER on SOHO. In sunspot plumes the EUV spectrum differs from the quiet Sun; continua are observed with different slopes and intensities; emission lines from molecular hydrogen and many unidentified species indicate unique plasma conditions above sunspots. Sunspot plumes are sites of systematic downflow. We also discuss the properties of sunspot oscillations     

Evidence for temporal variations in polar plumes

In order to place empirical constraints on possible plasma heating processes and acceleration mechanisms for mass flows in polar plumes, we studied the variability of the O vi and Mgx emissions from four plumes observed by the Harvard Skylab experiment. The observations consist of a 40 min sequence of spectroheliograms acquired with ～2 min temporal resolution. We found that the Mgx emission from each plume had a strong ‘dc’ component and that any variations, if present, occurred at approximately the 10% (of the mean) level or less. This implies that temporal variations in the density and/or temperature were 5% or less. There were some statistically significant variations in the measured Mgx signals. Two of the plumes decreased in brightness by approximately 10% during the 40 min period of the observations. In addition two plumes exhibited short-term (few minute) variations which appear to be statistically significant at a confidence level of >90%. The latter variations (if real) appear to be due to small (～2 × 10⁴ K) fluctuations in temperature caused by fluctuations in the local plasma heating rate.     

Dynamics of polar plumes observed at the 1998 February 26 eclipse

Solar Physics - This paper presents first observations of dynamics of the white-light solar corona detected during the few minutes of totality of a solar eclipse. Perturbations of a polar plume...     

EUV analysis of an active region

A sequence of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectroheliograms of McMath region No. 10283 were obtained by the Harvard College Observatory experiment on OSO-6. The lines Ovi λ1032 Mg × λ625, Si xii λ499 and Fe xvi λ 335 were used to determine coronal temperatures and densities above the active region. A comparison of theoretical and observed line ratios yielded coronal temperatures of 2.2 to 2.3 × 10⁶K above the active region and 2.0 to 2.1 × 10⁶K in the surrounding area. The temperatures derived from ratios involving the O vi intensities are systematically higher than the others. This is attributed to an error in the theoretical O vi intensities. The intensities observed above the limb are compared with intensities predicted with a simple model based on cylindrical geometry. The overall agreement shows that the assumption of an iso-thermal corona in hydrostatic equilibrium above the active region is a reasonable working hypothesis and that the adopted geometrical model for the electron density distribution is adequate.     

Metasomatic clathrate xenoliths as a possible source for the south polar plumes of Enceladus

The composition and abundance of volatile gases observed in the jets emanating from fissures near the south pole of Saturn's moon Enceladus are strongly indicative of outgassing from clathrate hydrates which formed as a result of hydrothermal activity rather than nebula condensation. I suggest that fluids must be able to permeate the ice shell, extensively metasomatising the mantle by emplacement of clathrates along fractures and grain boundaries, which subsequently are entrained in rising cryomagmas as xenoliths. These are carried upwards to the point where they dissociate, releasing their gas load into the magma and promoting the vigorous ice fountaining observed—a direct analogue of terrestrial basaltic fire fountains caused by volatile exsolution. This clathrate xenolith model can explain the measured volatile abundances, eruption velocities, the ice to vapour ratio in the plumes, and the vent temperatures.     

X-ray analysis of a polar plume

Polar plumes have been detected in X-rays with the Skylab S-054 experiment. Observations of one well observed plume are analyzed and the plasma pressure is determined. An isothermal model in hydrostatic equilibrium is found to require unacceptably low temperatures. A hydrodynamic model is proposed which is consistent with earlier white light and EUV observations. Calculations indicate that the total outward mass flux in polar plumes is comparable to that in high speed solar wind streams expected from a polar coronal hole.     

The EUV Unresolved Corona

The unresolved corona for three active regions (ARs) above the solar limb is investigated. Intensities measured for ions formed above 1 MK are presented as a function of height above the solar surface. The observed decrease in intensity with altitude is found to be best fit by an exponential. Furthermore, this exponential decrease is approximately the decrease in emission expected for a hydrostatic planar geometry atmosphere, where the scale height temperature is dependent on the dynamics of the AR. For two of the ARs analyzed, we have found that the best-fit temperature derived from the exponential fits is consistent with an isothermal hydrostatic unresolved corona.     

Polar coronal plumes

Polar coronal plumes are modeled using concentrations of magnetic flux at 1.01R , and assuming the field is current-free, or a potential field. Identifying the density enhancement of plumes with magnetic flux concentration produces good agreement between 1.01R and 1.10R , for model conditions of a large background magnetic field and a plume separation of 50 000 to 70 000 km at the base. Beyond 1.10R , both plumes and the potential field diverge very nearly as r ².Also Department of Astrogeophysics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo. 80309, U.S.A. Presently visiting Stanford University Institute for Plasma Research, Via Crespi, Stanford, Calif. 94303, U.S.A.     

Wavelength-dependence of EUV continuum absorption

The weakening of EUV line emission due to continuum absorptions of neutral hydrogen and neutral helium is investigated to examine its wavelength-dependence. After convolving the intensities predicted from multilevel calculations over an instrumental profile, we found a systematic, linear weakening for lines shortward of 912 Å, which can be attributed to Lyman continuum absorption in the cool chromospheric cloud. The degree of the weakening at the quiet Sun seems to be constant in the temperature range of 4.3 < log T < 5.4. We also find that the lines shortward of 504 Å are somewhat weakened by He i continuum absorption. From the comparison of both weakenings the temperature of the absorber is estimated to be rather low (T _e 7 × 10³ K).     

Automated Detection of EUV Prominences

We present methods to detect automatically off-limb prominences in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV), using synoptic images taken by the extreme-ultraviolet imaging telescope (EIT) on board SOHO. The 304 Å line is essential for the detection of EUV prominences, but the optimal detection is achieved through a combined image processing of the four synoptic EIT images. In addition, the difference between consecutive 304 Å images serves to identify erupted prominences. Representation maps of the quiescent EUV prominences for a given Carrington rotation are generated and used for further analysis of the detected structures. Longitudinal profiles of long-lived prominences are investigated for three examples at different latitudes, in conjunction with on-disk intensity profiles in the EUV. The observations coincide with theoretically predicted apparent longitudinal profiles, which can be distinguished from the profile of a prominence rising before eruption. The developed algorithms may be relevant to study the 3D geometry of features seen in the EUV and may facilitate the analysis of data from the future STEREO mission.     

Photometric analysis of the eclipsing polar MN Hya

As an eclipsing polar with a 3.39 h orbital period, MN Hya was going through a state change when we observed it during 2009–2016. Ten new mid-eclipse times, along with others obtained from literature, allow us to give a new ephemeris. The residuals of a linear fit show that period decreased during the phase of state change, which means angular momentum was lost during this phase. The associated X-ray observation indicates the mass accretion rate was about 3.6 × 10~(-9) M⊙yr~(-1). The period decrease indicates that at least 60% of mass being transferred from the secondary was lost,maybe in the form of spherically symmetric stellar wind. In the high state, the data show the intensity of flickering reduced when the system had a higher accretion rate, and that flickering sticks out with a primary timescale of about 2 min, which implies the position of the threading point was about 30 white dwarf radii above its surface. The trend of light curves for the system in its high state follows that of the low state for a large fraction of the phase interval from phase 0 to phase 0.4 since, starting at phase0.4, the cyclotron feature is visible, and the primary intensity hump of the light curves near phase 0.7 when the system is in the high state did not appear on the curve when it was in the low state. Those facts contradict predictions of the two-pole model.     

EUV observations of the chromospheric network

Extreme ultraviolet observations of a quiet region of the Sun on August 18, 1969, with the Harvard spectroheliometer on OSO 6 indicate that the chromospheric network can be observed in lines of the chromosphere and transition region (T = 8.4 × 10⁵ K) with almost identical structure. At coronal heights, the network changes but some residual structure can still be discerned in Mgx and perhaps Sixii (T = 2.3 × 10⁶ K), although there is little or no evidence remaining in Fexvi (T = = 3.5 × 10⁶ K).     

EUV observations of subflares and surges

EUV observations of two subflares and associated surges have been analyzed. At maximum brightness the emission measures and radiative outputs of the subflares were approximately 20% of the corresponding values for the active region. Multiple EUV surges were observed during and following each subflare, with surge material being ejected in a variety of directions, including toward a coronal bright point located outside of the active region. The total energy of the surges appears to be comparable to that radiated by the subflares, a few times 10²⁸ erg. As reported in previous studies of surges, we find that there was no significant emission from these features in spectral lines formed at temperatures T>10⁶K. The ejection of surges in several different directions and nearly simultaneous flaring of various areas of the active region suggest that the primary site of the subflares was magnetically connected to a variety of different areas in the active region and the surrounding quiet region.     

EUV structure of a small flare

Observations of a small flare are presented using data from the Harvard spectroheliometer on Skylab. The event is discussed in terms of the magnetic structure of the active region as deduced from the EUV observations and from field line extrapolations. The role of emerging flux in the initial flare brightenings is emphasized. A detailed model of one loop is deduced using the EUV data. This self-consistent model indicates initial heating of the loop modelled near its top, and mass flow into the cool core of the loop, with matter preferentially concentrating in a few distinct knots along the loop. Implications for theories of the flare process are discussed.     

EUV and radio spectrum of coronal holes

From the intensity of 19 EUV lines whose formation temperature {ovT} ranges from 3 × 10⁴ to 1.4 × 10⁶, two different models of the transition region and corona for the cell-centre and the network are derived. It is shown that both these models give radio brightness temperatures systematically higher than the observed ones. An agreement with radio data can be found only with lines formed at low temperature ({ovT} < 8.5 × 10⁵) by decreasing the coronal temperature and the emission measure. The possibility of resolving the discrepancy by using different ion abundances has been also investigated with negative results.     

EUV and FUV observations of cataclysmic variables

In this paper we present recent results from a continuing investigation of cataclysmic variables in the 500 to 1700 A region with the Voyager ultraviolet spectrometers. Observations of outbursts show a substantial delay (0.5 day) in the rise to maximum in the FUV (912–1200 ) with respect to optical wavelengths. Both FUV and optical light decline simultaneously. Flux distributions show a significant flattening in the FUV and with the possible exception of CPD-48 1577 no EUV flux has been observed in any catalclysmic variable. CPD-48 1577 shows a maxginal, 2 , EUV flux.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Developments, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986     

Analysis of EUV limb-brightening observations from ATM

Limb-brightening curves for EUV resonance lines of O vi and Mg x have been constructed from spectroheliograms (5″ resolution) of quiet limb regions observed with the Harvard experiment on Skylab. The observations are interpreted with a simple model for the transition layer and the corona. A comparison of theoretical and observed limb-brightening curves indicates that the lower boundary of the corona, where T _e= 10⁶K, is at a height of about 8000 km in typical quiet areas. For 1.01 R _⊙?r1.25 R _⊙, the corona can be represented by a homogeneous model in hydrostatic equilibrium with a temperature of 10₆K for 1.01 R _⊙?r<1.1 R _⊙ and 1.1 × 10₆K for r?1.1 R _⊙. The model for the transition layer is inhomogeneous, with the temperature gradient a factor of 3 shallower in the network than in the intranetwork regions. It appears that spicules should be included in the model in order to account for the penetration into the corona of cool (T _e<10⁶K) EUV-emitting material to heights up to 20000 km above the limb.