Electron plasma oscillations associated with type III radio emissions and solar electrons

An extensive study of the IMP-6 and IMP-8 plasma and radio wave data has been performed to try to find electron plasma oscillations associated with type III radio noise bursts and low-energy solar electrons. This study shows that electron plasma oscillations are seldom observed in association with solar electron events and type III radio bursts at 1.0 AU. In nearly four years of observations only one event was found in which electron plasma oscillations are clearly associated with solar electrons. For this event the plasma oscillations appeared coincident with the development of a secondary maximum in the electron velocity distribution functions due to solar electrons streaming outwards from the Sun. Numerous cases were found in which no electron plasma oscillations with field strengths greater than 1 μV m^?1 could be detected even though electrons from the solar flare were clearly detected at the spacecraft. For the one case in which electron plasma oscillations are definitely produced by the electrons ejected by the solar flare the electric field strength is relatively small, only about 100 μV m^?1. This field strength is about a factor of ten smaller than the amplitude of electron plasma oscillations generated by electrons streaming into the solar wind from the bow shock. Electromagnetic radiation, believed to be similar to the type III radio emission, is also observed coming from the region of the more intense electron plasma oscillations upstream of the bow shock. Quantitative calculations of the rate of conversion of the plasma oscillation energy to electromagnetic radiation are presented for plasma oscillations excited by both solar electrons and electrons from the bow shock. These calculations show that neither the type III radio emissions nor the radiation from upstream of the bow shock can be adequately explained by a current theory for the coupling of electron plasma oscillations to electromagnetic radiation. Possible ways of resolving these difficulties are discussed.     

Peculiarities of the mode of oscillations in a floccule and its neighborhoods at different chromospheric levels

The behavior of oscillations in the quite solar chromosphere under a coronal hole at several heights has been investigated. The properties of oscillations in cell, network, and weak-floccule areas have been analyzed. A time series of spectrograms in three ionized calcium lines, the Ca II K and H resonance doublet lines and the infrared Ca II 849.8-nm triplet line, was used. The observations were carried out at the horizontal solar telescope of the Sayan Observatory. The goal of this study was to compare the distributions of spectral power in various frequency ranges and their variations for selected spatial areas at different heights of the chromosphere. Particular attention was paid to the weak floccule due to a noticeable difference in the central intensity distribution between the K and H lines and the 849.8-nm line. A spectral Fourier analysis was used. The central intensities of the observed spectral lines, the K-index, and the equivalent width (the latter for the 849.8-nm line) were chosen as oscillation parameters. The studies have shown that the main intensity oscillation power at both atmospheric levels is concentrated at frequencies below 9 mHz. In the distribution of intensity oscillation power at different chromospheric levels, there are differences clearly distinguishable in the floccule. Powerful five-minute oscillations whose main peak frequency decreases with height, while the amplitude increases have been detected in the central part of the floccule. This result confirms the assumptions recently pointed out in the literature that vertical magnetic field concentrations can serve as a channel for the passage of low-frequency oscillations from the photosphere to the chromosphere in faculae. The intensity oscillation power in the frequency ranges under consideration has turned out to decrease with height, on average, for the entire observed spatial area. This may be related to the loss of part of the wave energy through the reflection, dissipation, and transformation of wave modes in the magnetic canopy layer. An area with a low brightness but powerful oscillations at about 3.3 mHz covering a considerable range of heights probably pertaining to “magnetic flashers” has been isolated in the telescope’s field of view.     

The relationship of electron plasma oscillations to type III radio emissions and low-energy solar electrons

An extensive study of the IMP-6 and IMP-8 plasma and radio wave data has been performed to try to find electron plasma oscillations associated with type III radio noise bursts and low energy solar electrons. This study shows that electron plasma oscillations are seldom observed in association with solar electron events and type III radio bursts at 1.0 AU. In nearly four years of observations only one event was found in which electron plasma oscillations are clearly associated with solar electrons. Numerous cases were found in which no electron plasma oscillations with field strengths greater than 1 V/m could be detected even though electrons from the solar flare were clearly detected at the spacecraft.For the one case in which electron plasma oscillations are definitely produced by the electrons ejected by the solar flare, the electric field strength is very small, only about 100 V/m. This field strength is about a factor of ten smaller than the amplitude of electron plasma oscillations generated by electrons streaming into the solar wind from the bow shock. Electromagnetic radiation, believed to be similar to the type III radio emission, is also observed coming from the region of more intense electron plasma oscillations upstream of the bow shock. Quantitative calculations of the rate of conversion of the plasma oscillation energy to electromagnetic radiation are presented for plasma oscillations excited by both solar electrons and electrons from the bow shock. These calculations show that neither the type III radio emissions nor the radiation from upstream of the bow shock can be adequately explained by a current theory for the coupling of electron plasma oscillations to electromagnetic radiation. Possible ways of resolving these difficulties are discussed.     

Shock-associated kilometric radio emission and solar metric type II bursts

We present statistics relating shock-associated (SA) kilometric bursts (Cane et al., 1981) to solar metric type II bursts. An SA burst is defined here to be any 1980 kHz emission temporally associated with a reported metric type II burst and not temporally associated with a reported metric type III burst. In this way we extend to lower flux densities and shorter durations the original SA concept of Cane et al. About one quarter of 316 metric type II bursts were not accompanied by any 1980 kHz emission, another quarter were accompanied by emission attributable to preceding or simultaneous type III bursts, and nearly half were associated with SA bursts. We have compared the time profiles of 32 SA bursts with Culgoora Observatory dynamic spectral records of metric type II bursts and find that the SA emission is associated with the most intense and structured part of the metric type II burst. On the other hand, the generally poor correlation found between SA burst profiles and Sagamore Hill Observatory 606 and 2695 MHz flux density profiles suggests that most SA emission is not due to energetic electrons escaping from the microwave emission region. These results support the interpretation that SA bursts are the long wavelength extension of type II burst herringbone emission, which is presumed due to the shock acceleration of electrons.Also: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, U.S.A.     

Atomic-beam study of the 5-min solar wavelength oscillations

Long records of the wavelength oscillations of the solar 7699 Å potassium line have been obtained with an atomic-beam resonance-scattering apparatus taken to Kitt Peak. Data are presented giving the dependence of rms oscillation amplitude on the size of the area observed and power spectra of the oscillations are shown. The results are compared with recent work by others.

     

Polarization features of type IV bursts

Using both the polarization records of our institute at seven different frequencies and polarization records from other stations, the spectral diagrams of some important type IV bursts are completed by polarization diagrams. Combining both types of diagrams and adding the results of optical observations and X-ray data it is possible to come to a deeper understanding of the processes taking place during strong solar radio bursts.     

Automated Detection of Oscillating Regions in the Solar Atmosphere

Recently observed oscillations in the solar atmosphere have been interpreted and modeled as magnetohydrodynamic wave modes. This has allowed for the estimation of parameters that are otherwise hard to derive, such as the coronal magnetic-field strength. This work crucially relies on the initial detection of the oscillations, which is commonly done manually. The volume of Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) data will make manual detection inefficient for detecting all of the oscillating regions. An algorithm is presented that automates the detection of areas of the solar atmosphere that support spatially extended oscillations. The algorithm identifies areas in the solar atmosphere whose oscillation content is described by a single, dominant oscillation within a user-defined frequency range. The method is based on Bayesian spectral analysis of time series and image filtering. A Bayesian approach sidesteps the need for an a-priori noise estimate to calculate rejection criteria for the observed signal, and it also provides estimates of oscillation frequency, amplitude, and noise, and the error in all of these quantities, in a self-consistent way. The algorithm also introduces the notion of quality measures to those regions for which a positive detection is claimed, allowing for simple post-detection discrimination by the user. The algorithm is demonstrated on two Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) datasets, and comments regarding its suitability for oscillation detection in SDO are made.     

Observations of Transition Region Plasma

Recent space missions have changed our view of the solar transition region. In particular the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and NASA's TRACE satellite have provided a unique opportunity to explore the solar atmosphere in detail. The combination of high spatial, spectral and temporal observations has made it possible to derive three dimensional images of the emission and velocity structures of solar features. Active region loop structures at transition region temperatures appear to be extremely time variable and dynamic, a result with profound implications for our understanding and modeling of the upper solar atmosphere. Large Dopplershifts have also been observed in these structures. A 3-minute transition region oscillation has been observed above sunspots suggesting upward-propagating acoustic waves. Clear evidence of velocity oscillations in the internetwork regions has also been observed in both the chromosphere and the transition region. The longstanding and puzzling problem of the apparent net red shift of emission lines from the transition region has been revisited. The extensive wavelength coverage of the SOHO spectrometers has made it possible to extend the measurements to much higher temperatures compared to previous instruments. The combination of magnetograms, EUV spectral imaging and the high resolution broad-band images from TRACE has also given us new insight concerning the structure of the transition region and its relation with the photospheric magnetic field. Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1005224709046     

Model of local oscillations in sunspots

We have analyzed the properties of oscillations in a sunspot based on SDO observations with a duration of 6 h. The 3-min oscillation spectrum has turned out to consist of dozens of spectral lines. The line widths are at the spectral resolution limit. The oscillations in a sunspot have been broken down into individual areas with a size of a few arcseconds, each having its own oscillation spectrum. These oscillation properties cannot be explained in terms of the existing models based on the assumption that the sunspot oscillates as a whole. We propose a model of local oscillations that explains the complex spectrum of the oscillations and their locality. We show that in addition to the chromospheric resonator, there exists a subphotospheric resonator for slow MHD waves. The existence of this resonance layer allows the locality of the oscillations and their complex spectrum to be explained in terms of Parker’s model.     

Velocity fields in the solar atmosphere

Observations of velocity fields in the solar atmosphere made with the Mount Wilson solar magnetograph are analyzed. These observations, which were made with very high velocity sensitivity, cover nearly 250 hours and were made with apertures of several sizes and at various parts of the solar disk, and in strong and weak magnetic fields. The amplitudes of the 300-sec oscillations are about 25% weaker in regions where the magnetic field is greater than 80 gauss than where the field is less than 10 gauss. No difference in the frequencies of the oscillations could be found between strong-field and field-free regions. It is suggested that the oscillations occur only where the field is absent and the lower amplitude in a strong field represents the fraction of the magnetograph aperture occupied by a magnetic field. The element sizes for the 300-sec oscillations are probably at least 5–10 arc seconds.Observations made simultaneously with two lines formed at different depths in the solar atmosphere showed small phase differences in the 5-min oscillations. The upper level showed shorter period oscillations when the lower level oscillations underwent phase changes.A short period oscillation is found superposed on the 300-sec oscillation. These SPOs come in bursts that last for a minute or two and have average amplitudes that fall in the range 0.05–0.10 km/sec peak to peak. All attempts to explain them as instrumental or seeing effects have failed. Their periods fall in the range 1–5 seconds. The horizontal scale of these oscillations is smaller than that of the 300-sec oscillations, and the SPOs are more nearly isotropic oscillations than are these around 300 seconds. They do not represent a high-frequency tail of the latter. These observations did not have a digitizing interval short enough to analyze the SPOs for power spectra, but it is clear from the tracings that they are not a nearly monochromatic oscillation as are the longer waves. The amplitudes of the SPOs in the solar atmosphere must be very large and they contribute greatly to the non-radiative energy flux. It is suggested that they represent a large microturbulence line-broadening effect.     

Thermal models of flaring region based on observations by the SOLRAD 10 satellite

A number of solar X-ray bursts, observed with the SOLRAD 10 satellite on 1971 September 14, 17, November 28 and 1972 August 1, have been analysed. From the differential emission measure distribution deduced from the observations the temporal and spatial distribution in a flaring region has been evaluated and compared with models of instantaneous or continuous energy injection and conductive redistribution. Assuming a power law for the differential emission measure in dependence of electron temperature the ratios of the counting rates observed in different spectral bands have been compared with theoretical predictions so as to test the validity of this particular class of models.     

Nonradial stellar oscillations excited by turbulent convection

The resonant excitation of the large-scale nonradial oscillations of a star by turbulent convection is considered. In the case of an incompressible inhomogeneous liquid sphere and a spherical shell we have demonstrated the excitation of oscillations and have obtained the explicit analytic expressions for the oscillation amplitudes. The effect of uniform axial rotation of a star upon the oscillations has also been considered. The estimates of the r.m.s. velocities of the excited quadrupole oscillations based on solar parameters do not contradict the observations of the 160 min. solar oscillations. Results are briefly discussed and applications are also made to the case of nonradial oscillations of outer convection zones of white dwarfs, Jupiter and Saturn.     

On searching for observational manifestations of Alfvén waves in solar faculae

In an effort to detect torsional oscillations, we have studied the periodic half-width variations for several spectral lines in solar faculae. The duration of the series being analyzed was from 40 to 150 min. We have determined the dominant frequencies and amplitudes of the half-width oscillations and considered their phase relations to the intensity and line-of-sight velocity oscillations. Five-minute profile halfwidth oscillations with a peak-to-peak amplitude of ～10 m ?A are recorded with confidence in the upperphotospheric Si I 10 827 ?A line in faculae. The chromospheric He I 10 830 A? and Hα line profiles shows ～40–60 m ?A variations in two frequency bands, 2.5–4 and 1–1.9 mHz. No center-to-limb dependence that, according to the theory, must accompany the torsional oscillations has been revealed in the behavior of the oscillation amplitudes. According to present views, these variations cannot be caused by periodic temperature and magnetic field changes. Our observations do not allow us to explain these variations by the sausage mode action either, which should manifest itself at the double frequency.     

Multilevel Analysis of Oscillation Motions in Active Regions of the Sun

The nature of the three-minute and five-minute oscillations observed in sunspots is considered to be an effect of propagation of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves from the photosphere to the solar corona. However, the real modes of these waves and the nature of the filters that result in rather narrow frequency bands of these modes are still far from being generally accepted, in spite of a large amount of observational material obtained in a wide range of wave bands. The significance of this field of research is based on the hope that local seismology can be used to find the structure of the solar atmosphere in magnetic tubes of sunspots. We expect that substantial progress can be achieved by simultaneous observations of the sunspot oscillations in different layers of the solar atmosphere in order to gain information on propagating waves. In this study we used a new method that combines the results of an oscillation study made in optical and radio observations. The optical spectral measurements in photospheric and chromospheric lines of the line-of-sight velocity were carried out at the Sayan Solar Observatory. The radio maps of the Sun were obtained with the Nobeyama Radioheliograph at 1.76 cm. Radio sources associated with the sunspots were analyzed to study the oscillation processes in the chromosphere – corona transition region in the layer with magnetic field B=2000 G. A high level of instability of the oscillations in the optical and radio data was found. We used a wavelet analysis for the spectra. The best similarities of the spectra of oscillations obtained by the two methods were detected in the three-minute oscillations inside the sunspot umbra for the dates when the active regions were situated near the center of the solar disk. A comparison of the wavelet spectra for optical and radio observations showed a time delay of about 50 seconds of the radio results with respect to the optical ones. This implies an MHD wave traveling upward inside the umbral magnetic tube of the sunspot. For the five-minute oscillations the similarity in spectral details could be found only for optical oscillations at the chromospheric level in the umbral region or very close to it. The time delays seem to be similar. Besides three-minute and five-minute ones, oscillations with longer periods (8 and 15 minutes) were detected in optical and radio records. Their nature still requires further observational and theoretical study for even a preliminary discussion.     

A search for astrophysical burst signals at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) has confirmed the standard solar model and neutrino oscillations through the observation of neutrinos from the solar core. In this paper we present a search for neutrinos associated with sources other than the solar core, such as gamma-ray bursts and solar flares. We present a new method for looking for temporal coincidences between neutrino events and astrophysical bursts of widely varying intensity. No correlations were found between neutrinos detected in SNO and such astrophysical sources.     

Spectral Flattening During Solar Radio Bursts At Cm–mm Wavelengths and the Dynamics of Energetic Electrons in a Flare Loop

Until recently, most of the information on particle acceleration processes in solar flares has been obtained from hard X-ray and cm-microwave observations. As a rule they provide information on electrons with energies below 300 keV. During recent years it became possible to measure the gamma-ray and millimeter radio emission with improved sensitivities. These spectral ranges carry information on much higher energy electrons. We studied the temporal and spectral behaviour of the radio burst emission at centimeter-millimeter wavelengths (8–50 GHz) by using the data from the patrol instruments of IAP (Bern University). We have analyzed more than 20 impulsive and long duration radio bursts (of 10 s to several 100 s duration).The main finding of the data analysis is the presence of spectral flattening throughout the bursts, which occurs always during the decay phase of flux peaks, at frequencies well above the spectral peak frequency and independently of burst duration. Furthermore, for some of the bursts, the flux maxima at higher frequencies are delayed. These findings can serve as evidence of the hardening of the electron spectrum at energies above some hundreds of keV during the decay phase of cm–mm flux peaks. As a most likely reason for such a hardening we consider Coulomb collisions of energetic electrons continuously injected and trapped in a flaring loop.     

太阳射电宽带动态频谱仪步研究进展

介绍了围绕我国近年完成的太阳射电宽带动态频亦仪展开的研究工作进展，并提出了今后的努力方向，以期庐设备能在我国第23周太阳活动峰年研究中发展更大作用。     

Flare-time sudden enhancements of low frequency field strength and associated meter wave solar radio bursts

A number of meter wavelength solar radio bursts of spectral Type-III have been observed by means of a solar radio spectroscope (40–240 MHz) simultaneously with sudden enhancements of low frequency (164 KHz) field strength (SES's) of Radio Tashkent which are known to take place due to the enhancements of D-layer ionization caused by flare-time solar X-rays.The association between the solar X-ray flares as detected by the SES's and the Type-III meter-wave solar bursts is discussed. It is found that the association of SES's and meter wave solar bursts, which implies the ejection of flare-time electrons towards the photosphere as well as corona, is about 72%.     

太阳P模振动理论的研究

日震学是太阳物理的一个前沿分支学科,是根据太阳振动的观测来研究太阳的内部结构与运动的一种方法学。太阳５ｍｉｎ振动频率的理论计算和实测之间存在的显著偏差和振动模的激发问题一直是困扰日震学的两大难题,经过多年的研究仍然没有解决。然而太阳的表面层内绝热假设条件与真实情况有很大的偏差,我们认为绝大多数标准太阳模型的Ｐ模频率计算忽略了非绝热效应对频率的影响,忽略了振动的激发和衰减机制以及缺乏振动与对流湍流相互作用的知识。因此,我们必须发展非绝热理论来处理太阳５ｍｉｎ的振动问题     

On the Possible Connection between Photospheric 5-Min Oscillation and Solar Flare Microwave Emission

Dynamic spectra of low-frequency modulation of microwave emission from solar flares are obtained. Data of 15 bursts observed in 1989–2000 with Metsähovi radio telescope at 37 GHz have been used. During 13 bursts a 5-min modulation of the microwave emission intensity was detected with the frequency of ν _I = 3.2± 0.24 (1σ) mHz. Five bursts revealed a 5-min wave superimposed on a ～1 Hz, linear frequency modulated signal generated, presumably, by coronal magnetic loop, this wave frequency is ν_fm = 3.38± 0.37 (1σ) mHz. Both intensity and frequency modulations detected are in good agreement with the data on 5-min global oscillations of photosphere and with the data on the umbral velocity oscillations observed in the vicinity of sunspots. Possible role of p-mode photospheric oscillations in modulation of microwave burst emission is discussed.