Coronal Holes in Solar Cycles 21 to 23

We present identifications of coronal holes (CHs) from observations in the He?i 10?830 Å line made at Kitt Peak Observatory (from 1975 to 2003) and in the EUV 195 Å wavelength with SOHO/EIT (from 1996 to 2012). To determine whether a feature is a CH we have developed semi-automatic techniques for delineating CH borders on synoptic charts and for subsequent mapping of these borders on magnetic-field charts. Using these techniques, we superimposed CH borders on magnetic-field charts over the time interval from 1975 to 2012. A major contribution to the total area was made by high-latitude CHs, but in the declining phase of solar cycle 23, the contribution from low-latitude CHs increased substantially. Variations in the flux of Galactic cosmic rays and those in the inclination angle of the heliospheric current sheet followed the cyclic variations of CH areas. High-latitude CHs affect the properties of the solar wind in the ecliptic plane.     

Solar transients disturbing the terrestrial magnetic environment at higher latitudes

Geomagnetic field variations during five major Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events of solar cycle 23 have been investigated in the present study. The SEP events of 1 October 2001, 4 November 2001, 22 November 2001, 21 April 2002 and 14 May 2005 have been selected to study the geomagnetic field variations at two high-latitude stations, Thule (77.5^° N, 69.2^° W) and Resolute Bay (74.4^° E, 94.5^° W) of the northern polar cap. We have used the GOES proton flux in seven different energy channels (0.8–4 MeV, 4–9 MeV, 9–15 MeV, 15–40 MeV, 40–80 MeV, 80–165 MeV, 165–500 MeV). All the proton events were associated with geoeffective or Earth directed CMEs that caused intense geomagnetic storms in response to geospace. We have taken high-latitude indices, AE and PC, under consideration and found fairly good correlation of these with the ground magnetic field records during the five proton events. The departures of the H component during the events were calculated from the quietest day of the month for each event and have been represented as ΔH _THL and ΔH _RES for Thule and Resolute Bay, respectively. The correspondence of spectral index, inferred from event integrated spectra, with ground magnetic signatures ΔH _THL and ΔH _RES along with Dst and PC indices have been brought out. From the correlation analysis we found a very strong correlation to exist between the geomagnetic field variation (ΔHs) and high-latitude indices AE and PC. To find the association of geomagnetic storm intensity with proton flux characteristics we derived the correspondence between the spectral indices and geomagnetic field variations (ΔHs) along with the Dst and AE index. We found a strong correlation (0.88) to exist between the spectral indices and ΔHs and also between spectral indices and AE and PC.     

The SUMER Data in the SOHO Archive

We have released an archive of all observational data of the VUV spectrometer Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) on SOHO that have been acquired until now. The operational phase started with ‘first light’ observations on 27 January 1996 and will end in 2014. Future data will be added to the archive when they become available. The archive consists of a set of raw data (Level 0) and a set of data that are processed and calibrated to the best knowledge we have today (Level 1). This communication describes step by step the data acquisition and processing that has been applied in an automated manner to build the archive. It summarizes the expertise and insights into the scientific use of SUMER spectra that has accumulated over the years. It also indicates possibilities for further enhancement of the data quality. With this article we intend to convey our own understanding of the instrument performance to the scientific community and to introduce the new, standard FITS-format database.     

Modulational instability of dust ion acoustic waves in dusty plasmas with superthermal electrons

The propagation of dust ion acoustic waves is studied in plasmas composed of superthermal distributed electrons and stationary dust particles. The nonlinear Schrödinger equation is derived using the reductive perturbation technique and the modulational instability of dust ion acoustic waves is analyzed. Parametric investigations indicate that the presence of superthermal distributed electrons significantly modify the modulational instability and its growth rate. The effect of particle relative density on the wave characters is also investigated.     

Oblique collision effects on nonlinear quantum dust-acoustic solitary waves in magnetized dense dusty plasmas

The oblique collision of nonlinear quantum dust-acoustic (NQDA) solitary waves in a three-dimensional (3D) magnetized dense dusty plasma is investigated. Furthermore, two coupled Kortwege–de Vries equations for describing our model and the analytical phase shifts after the oblique collision of two NQDA solitary waves are derived using the extended Poincaré–Lighthill–Kuo (PLK) method. The modification in the phase shift and the trajectory of the NQDA solitary waves structures due to the inclusion of oblique collision and external magnetic field are discussed numerically. The numerical results are applied to high density astrophysical situations such as in superdense white dwarfs.     

North–South Asymmetry in the Distribution of Solar Background Magnetic Field

The aim of this article is to investigate how the background magnetic field of the Sun behaves in different hemispheres. We used SOHO/MDI data obtained during a period of eight years from 2003 to 2011 to analyze the intensity distribution of the background magnetic field over the solar surface. We find that the background fields of both polarities (signs) are more intense in the southern than in the northern hemisphere. Mixed polarities are observed in the vicinity of the equator. In addition to the main field, a weaker field of opposite polarity is always present in the polar regions. In the declining phase of the cycle, the main field dominates, but at the minimum and in the rising phase of the cycle, it is gradually replaced by the growing stronger secondary field.     

Multicolour CCD Photometric Study of Galactic Star Clusters SAI 63 and SAI 75

We present U B V I CCD photometric observations obtained in the field of open clusters SAI 63 and SAI 75. CCD optical data obtained for the first time for these clusters are used to derive the fundamental parameters of the clusters. Stellar surface density profile indicates that radii of SAI 63 and SAI 75 are ～3^′.5 and 2^′.5 respectively. The reddenings E(B?V) are 0.44±0.05 and 0.34±0.05 mag for SAI 63 and SAI 75 respectively while the corresponding distances are 2.2 ± 0.2 and 3.5±0.3 kpc. An age of 450 ± 50 Myr for SAI 63 and 90 ± 10 Myr for SAI 75 is determined using the theoretical isochrones of Z=0.019. Our analysis shows that reddening law is normal towards SAI 75.     

A note on gravitational memory in F(R)-theories and their equivalent scalar-tensor theories

In this paper we consider the implications that the effect gravitational memory would have on primordial black holes, within the theoretical context of F(R) related scalar-tensor theories. As we will demonstrate, under the assumption that the initial mass of the primordial black hole is such so that it evaporates today, this can potentially constrain the F(R) related theories of gravity. We study two scalar-tensor models and discuss the evolution of primordial black holes created at some initial time t _f in the early universe. The results between the two models vary significantly which shows us that, if the effect of gravitational memory is considered valid, some of the scalar-tensor models and their corresponding F(R) theories must be further constrained.     

Finite orbital angular momentum states and Laguerre–Gaussian potential in two-temperature electron plasmas

Electron-acoustic waves are studied with orbital angular momentum (OAM) in an unmagnetized collisionless uniform plasma, whose constituents are the Boltzmann hot electrons, inertial cold electrons and stationary ions. For this purpose, we employ the fluid equations to obtain a paraxial equation in terms of cold electron density perturbations, which admits both the Gaussian and Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) beam solutions. Furthermore, an approximate solution for the electrostatic potential problem is found, which also allows us to express the components of the electric field in terms of LG potential perturbations. Calculating the energy flux of the electron-acoustic waves, an OAM density for these waves is obtained. Numerically, it is found that the parameters, such as, azimuthal angle, radial and angular mode numbers, and the beam waist strongly modify the LG potential profiles associated with electron-acoustic waves. The present results should be helpful to study the trapping and transportation of plasma particles and energy as well as to understand the electron-acoustic mode excitations produced by the Raman backscattering of laser beams in a uniform plasma.