Large-Scale Magnetic Field of the Sun and Evolution of Sunspot Activity

The evolution of the large-scale magnetic field of the Sun has been studied using an algorithm of tomographic inversion. By analyzing line-of-sight magnetograms, we mapped the radial and toroidal components of the Sun??s large-scale magnetic field. The evolution of the radial and toroidal magnetic field components in the 11-year solar cycle has been studied in a time?Clatitude aspect. It is shown that the toroidal magnetic field of the Sun is causally related to sunspot activity; i.e., the sunspot formation zones drift in latitude and follow the toroidal magnetic fields. The results of our analysis support the idea that the high-latitude toroidal magnetic fields can serve as precursors of sunspot activity. The toroidal fields in the current cycle are anomalously weak and also show a barely noticeable equatorward drift. This behavior of the toroidal magnetic field suggests low activity levels in the current cycle and in the foreseeable future.     

The Quest to Understand Supergranulation and Large-Scale Convection in the Sun

Surface granulation of the Sun is primarily a consequence of thermal transport in the outer 1 % of the radius. Its typical scale of about 1?–?2 Mm?is set by the balance between convection, free-streaming radiation, and the strong density stratification in the surface layers. The physics of granulation is well understood, as demonstrated by the close agreement between numerical simulation, theory, and observation. Superimposed on the energetic granular structure comprising high-speed flows, are larger-scale long-lived flow systems (≈?300 m?s^?1) called supergranules. Supergranulation has a typical scale of 24?–?36 Mm. It is not clear if supergranulation results from the interaction of granules or is causally linked to deep convection or a consequence of magneto–convection. Other outstanding questions remain: how deep are supergranules? How do they participate in global dynamics of the Sun? Further challenges are posed by our lack of insight into the dynamics of larger scales in the deep convection region. Recent helioseismic constraints have suggested that convective-velocity amplitudes on large scales may be overestimated by an order of magnitude or more, implying that Reynolds stresses associated with large-scale convection, thought to play a significant role in the sustenance of differential rotation and meridional circulation, might be two orders of magnitude weaker than theory and computation predict. While basic understanding on the nature of convection on global scales and the maintenance of global circulations is incomplete, progress is imminent, given substantial improvements in computation, theory, and helioseismic inferences.     

Comparison of Large-Scale Flows on the Sun Measured by Time-Distance Helioseismology and Local Correlation Tracking

We present a direct comparison between two different techniques: time-distance helioseismology and a local correlation tracking method for measuring mass flows in the solar photosphere and in a near-surface layer. We applied both methods to the same dataset (MDI high-cadence Dopplergrams covering almost the entire Carrington rotation 1974) and compared the results. We found that, after necessary corrections, the vector flow fields obtained by these techniques are very similar. The median difference between directions of corresponding vectors is 24°, and the correlation coefficients of the results for mean zonal and meridional flows are 0.98 and 0.88, respectively. The largest discrepancies are found in areas of small velocities where the inaccuracies of the computed vectors play a significant role. The good agreement of these two methods increases confidence in the reliability of large-scale synoptic maps obtained by them.     

The Sun’s Large-Scale Magnetic Field and Its Long-Term Evolution

The Sun’s large-scale external field is formed through the emergence of magnetic flux in active regions and its subsequent dispersal over the solar surface by differential rotation, supergranular convection, and meridional flow. The observed evolution of the polar fields and open flux (or interplanetary field) during recent solar cycles can be reproduced by assuming a supergranular diffusion rate of 500 – 600 km² s⁻¹ and a poleward flow speed of 10 –20 m s⁻¹. The nonaxisymmetric component of the large-scale field decays on the flow timescale of ∼1 yr and must be continually regenerated by new sunspot activity. Stochastic fluctuations in the longitudinal distribution of active regions can produce large peaks in the Sun’s equatorial dipole moment and in the interplanetary field strength during the declining phase of the cycle; by the same token, they can lead to sudden weakenings of the large-scale field near sunspot maximum (Gnevyshev gaps). Flux transport simulations over many solar cycles suggest that the meridional flow speed is correlated with cycle amplitude, with the flow being slower during less active cycles.     

Modeling helioseismic modes in the magnetic atmosphere of the Sun

The pulsation of the solar surface is caused by acoustic waves traveling in the solar interior. Thorough analyses of observational data indicate that these f and p helioseismic oscillation modes are not bounced back completely at the surface but they partially penetrate into the atmosphere. Atmospheric effects and their possible observational application are investigated in one‐dimensional magnetohydrodynamic models. It is found that f and p mode frequencies are shifted of the order of μHz due to the presence of an atmospheric magnetic field. This shift varies with the direction of the wave propagation.Resonant coupling of global helioseismic modes to local Alfvén and slow waves reduce the life time of the global modes. The resulting line width of the frequency line is of the order of nHz, and it also varies with propagation angle. These features enable us to use helioseismic observations in magnetic diagnostics of the lower atmosphere. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Large-Scale Structure of the Atmosphere of the Quiet Sun,Coronal Holes,and Plages as Deduced by Tomography Study

We present here the results of emission tomography studies, based on a new differential deconvolution method (DDM) of Laplace transform inversion, which we use for reconstruction of the coronal emission measure distributions in the quiet Sun, coronal holes and plage areas. Two methods are explored. The first method is based on the deconvolution of radioemission brightness spectra in a wide wavelength range (1 mm–100 cm) for temperature profile reconstructions from the corona to the deeper chromosphere. The second method uses radio brightness measurements in the cm–dm range to give a coronal column emission measure (EM).Our results are based on RATAN-600 observations in the range 2.0–32 cm supplemented by the data of other observatories during the period near minimum solar activity. This study gives results that agree with known estimates of the coronal EM values, but reveals the absence of any measurable quantities of EM in the transition temperature region 3 × 10⁴ –10⁵ K for all studied large-scale structures. The chromospheric temperature structure (T _e = 20,000–5800 K) is quite similar for all objects with extremely low-temperature gradients at deep layers.Some refraction effects were detected in the decimeter range for all Types of large-scale structures, which suggests the presence of dense and compact loops (up to N _e =(1–3)× 10⁹ cm^-3 number density) for the quiet-Sun coronal regions with temperature T _e > 5× 10^-5 K.     

Observation and Modeling of the Solar-Cycle Variation of the Meridional Flow

We present independent observations of the solar-cycle variation of flows near the solar surface and at a depth of about 60 Mm, in the latitude range ±?45°. We show that the time-varying components of the meridional flow at these two depths have opposite sign, whereas the time-varying components of the zonal flow are in phase. This is in agreement with previous results. We then investigate whether the observations are consistent with a theoretical model of solar-cycle-dependent meridional circulation based on a flux-transport dynamo combined with a geostrophic flow caused by increased radiative loss in the active region belt (the only existing quantitative model). We find that the model and the data are in qualitative agreement, although the amplitude of the solar-cycle variation of the meridional flow at 60 Mm is underestimated by the model.     

Perspectives on the interior of the Sun

The interior of the Sun is not directly accessible to observations. Nonetheless, it is possible to infer the physical conditions inside the Sun with the help of structure equations governing its equilibrium and with the powerful observational tools provided by the neutrino fluxes and oscillation frequencies. The helioseismic data show that the internal constitution of the Sun can be adequately represented by a standard solar model. It turns out that a cooler solar core is not a viable solution for the measured deficit of neutrino fluxes, and the resolution of the solar neutrino puzzle should be sought in the realm of particle physics.     

Energetic flare zones on the Sun

In this investigation, we have studied the latitudinal, longitudinal (northern and southern hemispheric) distributions based on 1737 major flares observed during solar cycles 19 and 20 (see subsequent paragraphs) and have arrrived at some interesting results which go to show that as far major flares are concerned latitudewise 11–20° belts, and longitudewise 5–8 places are most prolific in producing major flares in each hemisphere. During the above cycles at least 5 flare zones are present in each hemisphere. In fact these zones seem to produce more than 50% of the total number of energetic flares investigated by us and occupy only <4% area of the Sun.     

Small-scale magnetic structures on the Sun

Summary The Sun provides us with a unique astrophysics laboratory for exploring the fundamental processes of interaction between a turbulent, gravitationally stratified plasma and magnetic fields. Although the magnetic structures and their evolution can be observed in considerable detail through the use of the Zeeman effect in photospheric spectral lines, a major obstacle has been that all magnetic structures on the Sun, excluding sunspots, are smaller than what can be resolved by present-day instruments. This has led to the development of indirect, spectral techniques (combinations of two or more polarized spectral lines), which overcome the resolution obstacle and have revealed unexpected properties of the small-scale magnetic structures. Indirect empirical and theoretical estimates of the sizes of the flux elements indicate that they may be within reach of planned new telescopes, and that we are on the verge of a unified understanding of the diverse phenomena of solar and stellar activity.In the present review we describe the observational properties of the smallscale field structures (while indicating the diagnostic methods used), and relate these properties to the theoretical concepts of formation, equilibrium structure, and origin of the surface magnetic flux.On leave from Institute of Astronomy, ETH-Zentrum, CH-8092 Zürich, SwitzerlandThe National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation     

Planetary waves on the Sun?

Some recent observations of the Sun suggest a class of wave-like motions moving both eastward and westward at a uniform velocity with respect to the mean solar angular velocity. It is suggested that these may be hydromagnetic planetary waves. An estimate of the mean toroidal magnetic field is made, based on a theoretical treatment of such waves already in the literature, and a slight correction to the mean rate of rotation of the Sun is inferred.     

Imbalance of magnetic fields on the Sun

Differences of magnetic field flows of “+” and “?” polarities, i.e. the imbalance of magnetic fields for 26 years—from January 1, 1977, to September 30, 2003—are investigated,. The synoptic maps of the longitudinal vector of Sun’s magnetic field strength obtained at the Kitt Peak National Observatory (United States) and kindly given to us by Dr. J. Harvey have served as the initial material. The imbalance of magnetic fields’ cyclicity features and the deviations from the dipole structure of Sun’s magnetic field are determined. The contribution of latitude zones and fields of various strength into the general magnetic flux from the Sun is found. The latter characteristic was compared with the Sun’s mean magnetic field (MMF) obtained from the observations of the Sun as a star (Kotov et al., 2002; Kotov, 2008). The obtained results testify that the imbalance is one of physical characteristics of the Sun. The confirmations of this conclusion are the strict regularities of the Sun’s dipole structure changing; the complicated character of the imbalance cyclicity, i.e., the multiplicity of cycles; the solar nature of MMF changing; and the distinction between two classes of magnetic fields in the imbalance characteristics.     

Large-Scale Transport of Magnetic Flux on the sun

The structure of the large-scale background magnetic field evolves in time and space. The large-scale horizontal transport velocity field of the magnetic flux patterns was inferred over the whole solar photosphere in the course of two solar activity cycles from year 1976 to 1999. The method of velocity determination and the testing procedures of the velocity accuracy are presented. The non-axially symmetric component of the horizontal velocity was found and both zonal and meridional velocity regions were described. The horizontal large-scale transport velocity regions vary in shape and the intensity during different phases of the 11-year solar activity cycle. The total horizontal transport velocity is characterized by the presence of variable amounts of the vector field vortices with symmetric orientation relative to the solar equator. The zonal velocity regions, distributed inside of the zonal belt limited by latitudes ± 35°, are persistent for about 4 Carrington rotations. Recurrent structures of similar velocity distributions are not coherent over the whole solar photosphere.     

1982年12月2日耀斑随时间变化的半经验模型

我们利用南京大学太阳塔中的多波段光谱仪,在H_α、H_β和CaⅡ H、K三个波段同时拍到了1982年12月2日日面S15W11处的一个SB级耀斑的光谱。本文给出其中七个时刻的谱线轮廓及有关参数的序列。在非局部热动平衡条件下计算了耀斑随时间变化的半经验模型,结果显示了色球耀斑的演化过程。利用模型得到了一些色球物质蒸发参数,结果同根据SMM的X射线观测所作的估计相一致。     

A mechanism of helicity variations on the Sun

Helicity of solar magnetic fields plays an important role in dynamo theories of the solar cycle. The helicity has been known to vary with the main 11-year period (Hale's cycle). Recent observations have revealed significant helicity variations on a shorter time scale, with a characteristic period of approximately 2 years. We suggest an explanation for the observed variations of the magnetic helicity, based on our model of the double magnetic cycle of solar activity. The quasi-biennial variations of the helicity are the consequence of the influence of erupted magnetic fields of the main cycle on the helicity in the regions of generation of the high-frequency component of magnetic field. This model suggests that the low-frequency component is generated at the base of the convective zone due to large-scale radial shear /r of angular velocity . The high-frequency component may be generated in the subsurface region due to latitudinal shear / or due to the radial shear in this region.     

Properties of Flares-Generated Seismic Waves on the Sun

The purpose of this article is to carry out a power-spectrum analysis of the Super-Kamiokande five-day dataset that takes account of the asymmetry in the error estimates. Whereas for symmetrical error estimates the likelihood analysis involves a linear optimization procedure, for asymmetrical error estimates it involves a nonlinear optimization procedure. For most frequencies there is little difference between the power spectra derived from analyses of symmetrized error estimates and from asymmetrical error estimates, but this is not the case for the principal peak in the power spectrum at 9.43 yr ⁻¹. A likelihood analysis that takes account of the error asymmetry leads to a peak with power 13.24 at that frequency, and a Monte Carlo analysis shows that there is a chance of only 0.1% of finding a peak this big or bigger in the search band 1 – 36 yr ⁻¹. From this perspective, power-spectrum analysis that takes account of asymmetry of the error estimates gives evidence for variability that is significant at the 99.9% level. We comment briefly on an apparent discrepancy between power-spectrum analyses of the Super-Kamiokande and SNO solar neutrino experiments.     

Simulations of small-scale explosive events on the Sun

Small-scale explosive events or microflares occur throughout the chromospheric network of the Sun. They are seen as sudden bursts of highly Doppler-shifted spectral lines of ions formed at temperatures in the range 2×104–5×105 K. They tend to occur near regions of cancelling photospheric magnetic fields and are thought to be directly associated with magnetic field reconnection. Recent observations have revealed that they have a bi-directional jet structure reminiscent of Petschek reconnection. In this paper compressible MHD simulations of the evolution of a current sheet to a steady Petschek, jet-like configuration are computed using the Versatile Advection Code. We obtain velocity profiles that can be compared with recent ultraviolet line-profile observations. By choosing initial conditions representative of magnetic loops in the solar corona and chromosphere, it is possible to explain the fact that jets flowing outward into the corona are more extended and appear before jets flowing towards the chromosphere. This model can reproduce the high Doppler-shifted components of the line profiles, but the brightening at low velocities, near the center of the bi-directional jet, cannot be explained by this simple MHD model.     

Thermal effect on the pulses of the rotating Sun

In this paper, a theoretical investigation is undertaken of the group travel-time for the Sun's pulses to travel from the source of the pulse to the solar surface. For mathematical simplicity, we consider a simple ionized model of the Sun that includes the thermal effect and rotation with uniform angular velocity. The expression for the group travel time gives two terms: the term arising from the linear theory which varies inversely to (2-)^1/2 and the term introduced by the thermal effect which is inversely proportional to (2-)^7/2. The thermal effect variation has been shown and an estimation of the temperature of the medium has been made. Furthermore, the velocity distribution and the amplitude of the magnetic field of the wave, arising from the damping of ionized particles, have been calculated.     

Evolution of the magnetic field imbalance on the Sun

The time and latitude change of the flux and rotation of magnetic-field imbalance structures with various strengths has been determined from observations at the Kitt-Peak observatory for 26 years. The regularities revealed during the work allow this change to be explained as follows. The structure of the imbalance of the magnetic field of a particular strength emerges at the photosphere surface while possessing a rotation typical for the area of this structure formation. After this, the structure begins to drift along the meridian (toward the pole or toward the equator) while rotating at the same velocity and occupying several interval of latitudes. Having displaced to the poles from the emerging latitude by about 20° (or more, depending on the rotation period), structures that have a certain significant period cease to exist as a whole, giving rise to other structures with other significant rotation periods. From here it follows that the differential rotation of the layers responsible for forming the imbalance structures of fields with various strengths can be determined from the dependence of the rotation period on the latitude of the emergence of the imbalance structure.