Solar convective zone and acoustic oscillations

The influence of the superadiabatic convection region and the hydrogen-helium ionization region on the spectrum of acoustic oscillations are considered. The spectrum peculiarities are studied by means of the phase-shift function which describes the reflection of the acoustic waves by the outermost layers of the Sun. This function permits us to investigate the influence of the envelope structure upon the oscillations without all the model data. It is shown that in spite of the strong influence of the superadiabatic convection upon acoustic oscillations, its structural changes cannot explain the discrepancy between observations and theory. It is emphasized that the explanation of the discrepancy between observations and standard model calculations requires taking into account the non-ideal nature of the plasma.     

Acoustic Imaging of Solar Active Regions – (Invited Review)

Acoustic imaging is a new method to construct the acoustic signal at a point on the solar surface or in the solar interior with the signals measured at the solar surface. The constructed signals contain both intensity information and phase information. The intensity is computed by summing the squared amplitude of the constructed signal over time. The phase of constructed signals can be studied by the cross-correlation function between the time series constructed with ingoing waves and outgoing waves. The location of the envelope peak of the cross-correlation function and the phase of the cross-correlation function contain different information on the physical conditions of the plasma along the wave path. From the constructed signals, one can form the two-dimensional outgoing intensity map, absorption map, phase-shift map, and envelope-shift map of a target region at different focal depths. The perturbed physical conditions caused by the magnetic fields of active regions manifest in these maps. The outgoing intensity is lower in magnetic regions than the quiet Sun. The group travel time and phase travel time are smaller in magnetic regions than in the quiet Sun. In this paper, we review the studies of active regions, including emerging flux regions, with acoustic imaging.     

Multi-height Scattering Phase Shifts from Sunspots and Phase Differences Between Photospheric Heights with SDO/HMI and AIA Data

Following Couvidat (Solar Phys. 282, 15, 2013), we analyze data from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instruments onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Doppler velocity and continuum intensity at 6173 Å as well as intensity maps at 1600 Å and 1700 Å are studied on 14 active regions and four quiet-Sun regions at four heights in the solar photosphere. A Hankel–Fourier analysis is performed around these regions of interest. Outgoing–ingoing scattering phase shifts at a given atmospheric height are computed, as well as ingoing–ingoing and outgoing–outgoing phase differences between two atmospheric heights. The outgoing–ingoing phase shifts produced by sunspots show little dependence on measurement height, unlike the acoustic power reduction measured in Couvidat (2013). Phenomena happening above the continuum level, like acoustic glories, appear not to have a significant effect on the phases. However, there is a strong dependence on sunspot size, line-of-sight magnetic flux, and intensity contrast. As previously suggested by other groups, the region of wave scattering appears both horizontally smaller and vertically less extended than the region of acoustic power suppression, and occurs closer to the surface. Results presented here should help refine theoretical models of acoustic wave scattering by magnetic fields. Ingoing–ingoing phase differences between two measurement heights are also computed and show a complex pattern highly dependent on atmospheric height. In particular, a significant sensitivity of AIA signals to lower chromospheric layers is shown. Finally, ingoing–ingoing minus outgoing–outgoing phase differences between various measurement heights are discussed.     

Variations of microwave emission from solar active regions

Based on observational data obtained with the RT-22 Crimean Astrophysical Observatory radio telescope at frequencies of 8.6 and 15.4 GHz, we investigate the quasi-periodic variations of microwave emission from solar active regions with periods T_p<10 min. As follows from our wavelet analysis, the oscillations with periods of 3–5 min and 10–40 s have the largest amplitudes in the dynamic power spectra, while there are virtually no oscillations with T_p<10 s. Our analysis shows that acoustic modes with T_p?1 min strongly dissipate in the lower solar corona due to thermal conduction losses. The oscillations with T_p=10–40 s are associated with Alfvén disturbances. We analyze the influence of acoustic and Alfvén oscillations on the thermal mechanisms of microwave emission in terms of the homogeneous model. We discuss the probable coronal heating sources.     

p-mode absorption in the giant active region of 10 March, 1989

A time series of velocity oscillations is observed in the vicinity of NOAA region 5395 with the Kitt Peak vacuum telescope for 6.8 hours on 1989 March 10 as part of a program to study the interaction of solar p-mode oscillations with solar active regions. The data is transformed in a cylindrical coordinate system centered on the visible sunspot, then Hankel- and Fourier-transformed to produce the power spectra of in- and outgoing acoustic waves. It is observed that a maximum of nearly 70% of the power of incident high-degree modes is absorbed by this unusually large sunspot group. The absorptive properties of this active region are compared with those of more typical regions studied previously.A major flare occurred within this region during the observing sequence, providing a rare opportunity to test the hypothesis that flares may excite acoustic waves in the photosphere. A comparison is made of the amount of outgoing p-mode power in equal 200 min time intervals before and after the time of the flare. No significant difference in outgoing acoustic waves is observed within a one-sigma error of about 5% averaged over the interval. A search for acoustic pulses emanating from the flare is made by filtering the data and performing appropriate inverse transforms. No such pulses were detected to a level of about 20% of the background power.NAS-NRC Resident Research Associate.     

Oscillatory Behavior in the Corona

We detect and analyze the oscillatory behavior of waves using a coronal seismology tool on sequences of coronal images. We study extreme-ultraviolet image sequences of active and quiet Sun regions and of coronal holes we identify 3- and 5-minute periodicities. In each studied region the 3- and 5-minute periodicities are similarly frequent. The number of pixels exhibiting a 3-minute periodicity is between 6 %?–?8 % and those pixels exhibiting a 5-minute periodicity is between 5 %?–?9 % of the total number of observed pixels. Our results show 3-minute oscillations along coronal loop structures but do not show 5-minute oscillations along these same loop structures. The number of pixels exhibiting 3- and 5-minute periodicities in one type of region (active Sun, quiet Sun, and coronal holes) is roughly the same for all observed regions, leading us to infer that the 3- and 5-minute oscillations are the result of a global mechanism.     

The Intensity–Velocity Phase Spectra of Evanescent Oscillations and Acoustic Sources

There are three major issues in modeling solar evanescent oscillations: the variation of the intensity [I]–velocity [V] phase difference of p-modes close to the base of photosphere; the existence of a plateau of negative I–V phase differences below and between the ridges of the low-frequency p-modes; the explanation of the I–V cross-spectra of the evanescent oscillations. We present new interpretations for the first two issues, based on modeling intensity fluctuations taking steep temperature gradients, opacity, and non-adiabatic cooling into account. We also discuss consequences of our model for the explanation of power spectra and cross-power spectra of p-modes. In particular, we present evidence that the acoustic sources that generate evanescent waves produce a coherent background that explains the plateau–interridge regime of negative I–V phase difference.     

On the sunspot transition region

The EUV line emission and relative line-of-sight velocity in the transition region between the chromosphere and corona of 36 sunspot regions are investigated, based on observations with the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer – CDS and the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation – SUMER on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory – SOHO. The most prominent features in the transition-region intensity maps are the sunspot plumes. In the temperature range between log T=5.2 and log T=5.6 we find that 29 of the 36 sunspots contain one or two sunspot plumes. The relative line-of-sight velocity in sunspot plumes is high and directed into the Sun in the transition region, for 19 of the sunspots the maximum velocity exceeds 25 km s^?1. The velocity increases with increasing temperature, reaches a maximum close to log T=5.5 and then decreases abruptly.

Attention is given to the properties of oscillations with a period of 3 min in the sunspot transition region, based on observations of six sunspots. Comparing loci with the same phase we find that the 3-min oscillations affect the entire umbral transition region and part of the penumbral transition region. Above the umbra the observed relation between the oscillations in peak line intensity and line-of-sight velocity is compatible with the hypothesis that the oscillations are caused by upward-propagating acoustic waves. Information about intensity oscillations in the low corona is obtained from observations of one sunspot in the 171 Å channel with the Transition Region And Coronal Explorer – TRACE. We conclude that we observe the 3-min sunspot oscillations in the chromosphere, the transition region and the low corona. The oscillations are observable over a wider temperature range than the sunspot plumes, and show a different spatial distribution than that of the plumes.

     

Phase-sensitive Holography of Solar Activity

Phase-correlation statistics comparing acoustic radiation coming out of a particular point on the solar photosphere with acoustic radiation going into it show considerably reduced sound travel times through the subphotospheres of active regions. We have now applied techniques in phase-sensitive seismic holography to data from the Solar Oscillations Investigation – Michelson Doppler Imager (SOI-MDI) on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft to obtain high resolution phase-correlation maps of a large, complex active region and the `acoustic moat' which surrounds it. We report the following new results: First, the reduced sound travel-time perturbations in sunspots, acoustic moats, and isolated plages increase approximately in proportion to the logarithm of the surface magnetic flux density, for flux densities above 10 G. This is consistent with an interpretation of the travel-time anomalies, observed with holographic and other local-helioseismic procedures, as caused by acoustic Wilson-like depressions in photospheres of magnetic regions. Second, we find that, compared with isolated plages, the acoustic moats have an additional sound travel-time reduction on the order of 3–5 s which may be explained by a thermal excess due to the blockage of convective transport by the sunspot photosphere. Third, the combined effect of the Wilson depression in plages, acoustic moats, and sunspots may explain the observed variation of global p-mode frequencies with the solar cycle. Fourth, we find that active regions, including sunspots, acoustic moats, and plages, significantly reflect p modes above the acoustic cut-off frequency, where the surface of the quiet Sun acts as a nearly perfect absorber of incident acoustic radiation.     

The Role of Active Regions in the Generation of Torsional Oscillations

We present a model for torsional oscillations where the inhibiting effect of active region magnetic fields on turbulence locally reduces turbulent viscous torques, leading to a cycle- and latitude-dependent modulation of the differential rotation. The observed depth dependence of torsional oscillations as well as their phase relationship with the sunspot butterfly diagram are reproduced quite naturally in this model. The resulting oscillation amplitudes are significantly smaller than observed, though they depend rather sensitively on model details. Meridional circulation is found to have only a weak effect on the oscillation pattern.     

Acoustic power mapping for active regions from MDI, HLH, and TON data

Based on the HLH and TON ground-based helioseismological projects and the SOHO/MDI spaceborne project, we obtained acoustic power maps of active regions averaged over 1 mHz intervals. These maps allowed the spatial and frequency distributions of acoustic power in an active region and its surroundings to be studied. The time step of the HLH data is 42 s, which makes it possible to investigate the acoustic power up to 11.9 mHz. Data in the Ca II K and Ni I lines, which originate in the middle chromosphere and the photosphere, respectively, give an idea of the height distribution of acoustic oscillation energy in the solar atmosphere. The acoustic halo produced by excess acoustic power around sunspots clearly shows up on acoustic maps in the Ca II K line and, to a lesser degree, in the Doppler Ni I line shifts. Ground-based observations also reveal a large enhancement of acoustic power inside sunspots. Our tests show that this effect results from the combination of a high intensity gradient in the data and atmospheric seeing. The latter was reduced by referencing each image to the sunspot. The spatial distribution of power inside the sunspot due to atmospheric seeing was found to depend on the exposure time of the data used. Excluding the nonsolar effects, a common property of all acoustic maps is the suppression of the solar-oscillation acoustic power in active regions.     

Oscillations in the Umbral Atmosphere

The results of simultaneous observations of oscillations in the chromosphere, transition region, and corona above nine sunspots are presented. The data are obtained through coordinated observing with the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory — SOHO and the Transition Region And Coronal Explorer — TRACE. Oscillations are detected above each umbra. The power spectra show one dominant frequency corresponding to a period close to 3 min. We show that the oscillations in the sunspot transition region can be modeled by upwardly propagating acoustic waves. In the corona the oscillations are limited to small regions that often coincide with the endpoints of sunspot coronal loops. Spectral observations show that oscillations in the corona contribute to the observed oscillations in the TRACE 171 Å channel observations. We show that a recent suggestion regarding a connection between sunspot plumes and 3-min oscillations conflicts with the observations.     

Effect of Variable Background on an Oscillating Hot Coronal Loop

We investigate the effect of a variable, i.e. time-dependent, background on the standing acoustic (i.e. longitudinal) modes generated in a hot coronal loop. A theoretical model of 1D geometry describing the coronal loop is applied. The background temperature is allowed to change as a function of time and undergoes an exponential decay with characteristic cooling times typical for coronal loops. The magnetic field is assumed to be uniform. Thermal conduction is assumed to be the dominant mechanism for damping hot coronal oscillations in the presence of a physically unspecified thermodynamic source that maintains the initial equilibrium. The influence of the rapidly cooling background plasma on the behaviour of standing acoustic (longitudinal) waves is investigated analytically. The temporally evolving dispersion relation and wave amplitude are derived by using the Wenzel–Kramers–Brillouin theory. An analytic solution for the time-dependent amplitude that describes the influence of thermal conduction on the standing longitudinal (acoustic) wave is obtained by exploiting the properties of Sturm–Liouville problems. Next, numerical evaluations further illustrate the behaviour of the standing acoustic waves in a system with a variable, time-dependent background. The results are applied to a number of detected loop oscillations. We find a remarkable agreement between the theoretical predictions and the observations. Despite the emergence of the cooling background plasma in the medium, thermal conduction is found to cause a strong damping for the slow standing magneto–acoustic waves in hot coronal loops in general. In addition to this, the increase in the value of thermal conductivity leads to a strong decay in the amplitude of the longitudinal standing slow MHD waves.     

The Inversion Problem of Phase Travel Time Perturbations in Acoustic Imaging

The three-dimensional distribution of change in phase travel time of an active region below the solar surface can be constructed with the technique of acoustic imaging. The interpretation of the distribution of measured phase travel time perturbation suffers from the finite spatial resolution of the acoustic lenses. In the ray approximation, the phase travel time perturbation measured in acoustic imaging can be expressed as an integral of the product of the relative sound-speed perturbation and a kernel. Forward computations show that the vertical resolution of phase travel time perturbation is poor even in the ray approximation. In this study, we discuss the inversion of phase travel time perturbations to estimate the relative sound-speed perturbation with a regularized least-squares inversion method. The tests with model perturbations of sound speed show that the inversion reasonably recovers the distribution of the model perturbation. We also apply the inversion method to the measured phase travel time perturbation of active region NOAA 7981.     

Properties of High-Frequency Wave Power Halos Around Active Regions: An Analysis of Multi-height Data from HMI and AIA Onboard SDO

We study properties of waves of frequencies above the photospheric acoustic cut-off of ≈5.3 mHz, around four active regions, through spatial maps of their power estimated using data from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) and Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The wavelength channels 1600 Å and 1700 Å from AIA are now known to capture clear oscillation signals due to helioseismic p-modes as well as waves propagating up through to the chromosphere. Here we study in detail, in comparison with HMI Doppler data, properties of the power maps, especially the so-called “acoustic halos” seen around active regions, as a function of wave frequencies, inclination, and strength of magnetic field (derived from the vector-field observations by HMI), and observation height. We infer possible signatures of (magneto)acoustic wave refraction from the observation-height-dependent changes, and hence due to changing magnetic strength and geometry, in the dependences of power maps on the photospheric magnetic quantities. We discuss the implications for theories of p-mode absorption and mode conversions by the magnetic field.     

Diagnostics of a flare on EQ Peg B from optical pulsations

Based on the methods of coronal seismology, we have investigated the ten-second quasi-periodic pulsations of the optical flare emission from the active red dwarf EQ Peg B detected with the William Herschel Telescope on La Palma. We propose and analyze a model in which they could be produced by sausage oscillations of a coronal flare loop. The amplitude and phase relations between the displacement components of the radial oscillations and the conditions for their excitation in loops with footpoints frozen into the photosphere are considered. The temperature (≈6 × 10⁷ K), plasma density (≈2.7 × 10¹¹ cm⁻³), and magnetic field strength (≈540 G) in the region of energy release have been determined. Our estimate of the flare loop length (≈0.4R _⋆) provides evidence for the existence of extended coronae on red dwarf stars.     

Jovian seismology

Standing acoustic waves, with periods between about 4.5 and 9 min, may be trapped in a wave duct beneath Jupiter's tropopause. Detection of these oscillations by observations of Doppler shifting of infrared and ultraviolet absorption lines would offer a new important method for probing the giant planet's deep atmosphere and interior. Information would be revealed on Jupiter's thermal and density structure and the depth to which its zonal winds penetrate. Standing oscillations in the molecular hydrogen envelope are modeled and their theoretical eigenfrequencies are presented as they might appear in actual data analysis. Several forcing functions for wave generation are considered. These include coupling with turbulent and convective motions, thermal overstability due to radiative transfer, effects of wave propagation in a saturated atmosphere, and consequences of ortho- to parahydrogen conversion. Altjough the forcing mechanisms couple well with the acoustic waves, allowing for possible maintenance of the oscillations, the contribution they make to velocity amplitudes is very small, between 1.0 and 0.1 m sec⁻¹. This implies that the Doppler shifting caused by the waves may be unresolvable except, perhaps, by methods of superposing time records of oscillations to enhance acoustic signals and diminish random noise.     

Signatures of Emerging Subsurface Structures in Acoustic Power Maps of the Sun

We show that under certain conditions, subsurface structures in the solar interior can alter the average acoustic power observed at the photosphere above them. By using numerical simulations of wave propagation, we show that this effect is large enough for it to be potentially used for detecting emerging active regions before they appear on the surface. In our simulations, simplified subsurface structures are modeled as regions with enhanced or reduced acoustic wave speed. We investigate the dependence of the acoustic power above a subsurface region on the sign, depth, and strength of the wave-speed perturbation. Observations from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Michelson Doppler Imager (SOHO/MDI) prior and during the emergence of NOAA active region 10488 are used to test the use of acoustic power as a potential precursor of the emergence of magnetic flux.     

Time–Distance Helioseismology Data-Analysis Pipeline for Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager Onboard Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO/HMI) and Its Initial Results

The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO/HMI) provides continuous full-disk observations of solar oscillations. We develop a data-analysis pipeline based on the time–distance helioseismology method to measure acoustic travel times using HMI Doppler-shift observations, and infer solar interior properties by inverting these measurements. The pipeline is used for routine production of near-real-time full-disk maps of subsurface wave-speed perturbations and horizontal flow velocities for depths ranging from 0 to 20?Mm, every eight hours. In addition, Carrington synoptic maps for the subsurface properties are made from these full-disk maps. The pipeline can also be used for selected target areas and time periods. We explain details of the pipeline organization and procedures, including processing of the HMI Doppler observations, measurements of the travel times, inversions, and constructions of the full-disk and synoptic maps. Some initial results from the pipeline, including full-disk flow maps, sunspot subsurface flow fields, and the interior rotation and meridional flow speeds, are presented.     

Comparison of Helioseismic Far-Side Active Region Detections with STEREO Far-Side EUV Observations of Solar Activity

Seismic maps of the Sun’s far hemisphere, computed from Doppler data from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) are now being used routinely to detect strong magnetic regions on the far side of the Sun ( http://jsoc.stanford.edu/data/farside/ ). To test the reliability of this technique, the helioseismically inferred active region detections are compared with far-side observations of solar activity from the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO), using brightness in extreme-ultraviolet light (EUV) as a proxy for magnetic fields. Two approaches are used to analyze nine months of STEREO and HMI data. In the first approach, we determine whether new large east-limb active regions are detected seismically on the far side before they appear Earth side and study how the detectability of these regions relates to their EUV intensity. We find that while there is a range of EUV intensities for which far-side regions may or may not be detected seismically, there appears to be an intensity level above which they are almost always detected and an intensity level below which they are never detected. In the second approach, we analyze concurrent extreme-ultraviolet and helioseismic far-side observations. We find that 100% (22) of the far-side seismic regions correspond to an extreme-ultraviolet plage; 95% of these either became a NOAA-designated magnetic region when reaching the east limb or were one before crossing to the far side. A low but significant correlation is found between the seismic signature strength and the EUV intensity of a far-side region.