Fractal properties of solar magnetic fields

We study the spatial properties of solar magnetic fields using data from the Solar Vector Magnetograph of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) (FeI 5250.2 Å) and SOHO/MDI longitudinal magnetic field measurements (Ni 6767.8 Å) (96-min full-disk maps). Our study is focused on two objects: the fractal properties of sunspots and the fractal properties of the spatial magnetic field distribution of active and quiet regions considered as global structures. To study the spatial structure of sunspots, we use a well-known method of determining the fractal dimension based on an analysis of the perimeter—area relation. To analyze the fractal properties of the spatial magnetic field distribution over the solar surface, we use a technique developed by Higuchi. We have revealed the existence of three families of self-similar contours corresponding to the sunspot umbra, penumbra, and adjacent photosphere. The fractal coefficient has maxima near the umbra—penumbra and penumbra—photosphere boundaries. The fractal dependences of the longitudinal and transverse magnetic field distributions are similar, but the fractal numbers themselves for the transverse fields are larger than those for the longitudinal fields approximately by a factor of 1.5. The fractal numbers decrease with increasing mean magnetic field strength, implying that the magnetic field distribution is more regular in active regions.     

Reproducible characteristics of the solar wind acceleration

In experiments that were regularly carried out in 1999–2002 with Pushchino radio telescopes (Russian Academy of Sciences), the study of the radial dependence of the scattering of radio emission from compact natural sources was extended to regions of circumsolar plasma farther from the Sun. Based on a large body of data, we show that, apart from the standard transonic acceleration region located at distances of 10–40 R_⊙ from the Sun, there is a region of repeated acceleration at distances of 34–60 R_⊙ attributable to the equality between the solar wind velocity and the Alfvénic velocity. The repetition in the trans-Alfvénic region of the characteristic features of the radial stream structure observed in the transonic region (the existence of a precursor, a narrow region of reduced scattering that precedes a wide region of enhanced scattering) suggests that the main characteristic features of the resonant acceleration of solar wind streams are preserved up to distances of the order of 60 R_⊙.     

A generalized polarity rule for solar magnetic fields

It is shown that, when all components of the large-scale solar magnetic field are longitudinally averaged, the N polarity and the eastward transverse component of the B _φ field associated with both local and large-scale fields over the Northern hemisphere are somewhat stronger and occupy a smaller area during odd cycles than does the field of opposite polarity. This behavior is reversed for even cycles or the Southern hemisphere. The regular Hale law is a particular form of the above rule. The nature of this asymmetry seems to be rooted in the dynamo mechanism itself, and should be important for fields on any scale.     

On the history of the solar wind discovery

The discovery of the solar wind has been an outstanding achievement in heliophysics and space physics. The solar wind plays a crucial role in the processes taking place in the Solar System. In recent decades, it has been recognized as the main factor that controls the terrestrial effects of space weather. The solar wind is an unusual plasma laboratory of giant scale with a fantastic diversity of parameters and operating modes, and devoid of influence from the walls of laboratory plasma systems. It is also the only kind of stellar wind accessible for direct study. The history of this discovery is quite dramatic. Like many remarkable discoveries, it had several predecessors. However, the honor of a discovery usually belongs to a scientist who was able to more fully explain the phenomenon. Such a man is deservedly considered the US theorist Eugene Parker, who discovered the solar wind, as we know it today, almost “with the point of his pen”. In 2017, we will celebrate the 90^th anniversary birthday of Eugene Parker.     

Meridional component of the large-scale magnetic field at minimum and characteristics of the subsequent solar activity cycle

The polar magnetic field near the cycle minimum is known to correlate with the height of the next sunspot maximum. There is reason to believe that the hemispheric coupling can play an important role in forming the next cycle. The meridional component of the large-scale magnetic field can be one of the hemispheric coupling indices. For our analysis we have used the reconstructed data on the large-scale magnetic field over 1915–1986. We show that in several cycles not only the height but also the general course of the cycle can be described in this way about 6 years in advance. This coupling has been confirmed by the currently available data from 1976 to 2016, but the ratio of the meridional field to the total absolute value of the field vector has turned out to be a more promising parameter. In this paper it was calculated at a height of ～70 Mm above the photosphere. The date of the forthcoming minimum is estimated using this parameter to be mid-2018; using the global field as a forecast parameter gives a later date of the minimum, early 2020.     

Solar Activity Indices for Ionospheric Parameters in the 23rd and 24th Cycles

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - Characteristics of changes in the solar activity indices (the flux of the solar radio emission at a wavelength of 10.7 cm F and the new version of the relative sunspot...     

Contrast of Coronal Holes and Parameters of Associated Solar Wind Streams

It is shown that the contrast of coronal holes, just as their size, determines the velocity of the solar wind streams. Fully calibrated EIT images of the Sun have been used. About 450 measurements in 284 Å have been analyzed. The time interval under examination covers about 1500 days in the declining phase of cycle 23. All coronal holes recorded for this interval in the absence of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have been studied. The comparison with some other parameters (e.g. density, temperature, magnetic field) was carried out. The correlations with the velocity are rather high (0.70?–?0.89), especially during the periods of moderate activity, and could be used for everyday forecast. The contrast of coronal holes is rather small.     

Extrema of long-term modulation of the cosmic ray intensity in the last five solar cycles

Modulation of galactic cosmic rays in cycles 19–23 of solar activity has been determined based on observations of their long-term variations on the ground and in the near-Earth space. The extreme values of long-term variations in cosmic rays, obtained from the data of continuous cosmic radiation monitoring on the ground and in the near-Earth space in the last five solar cycles, have been analyzed. The results are compared with the extrema in the characteristics of solar magnetic fields and the sunspot numbers in these cycles. The similarities and differences in cosmic ray modulation between different cycles are discussed.     

Comparison of Magnetic Properties and Shadow Area of Leading and Trailing Spots with Different Asymmetries

The magnetic properties of the shadow of magnetic-related leading and trailing spots (those connected by forces lines of magnetic field, which are calculated from a field in potential approximation) are studied in this work. The correlations are established between individual characteristics of the field in the spot shadow and these characteristics from the shadow area S for spot pairs, for which the minimum angle between the measured vector of magnetic induction B in the shadow of the leading (L) spot and positive normal to the solar surface is lower than in the trailing (F) spot (α_min-L < α_min-F) and, vice versa, when α_min-L > α_min-F. It is shown that the α_min-L(S_L), α_min-F(S_F), B_max-L(S_L) and B_max-F(S_F) correlations are similar behaviorally and quantitatively for two groups of spots with different asymmetries of a magnetically connected field (B_{max-L, F} is the maximum of magnetic induction in the shadow of leading and trailing spots). The correlation between the average angles within the spot shadow 〈α_{L, F}〉 and the area of the spot shadow S_{L, F} and between the average value of magnetic induction in the spot shadow 〈B_{L, F}〉 differ in two cases. In most studied spot pairs, the leading spot is closer to the dividing line of polarity between the spots rather than the trailing one.     

On the energy release by magnetic field dissipation in the solar atmosphere

The energy release by Joule magnetic-field dissipation in the solar atmosphere is discussed. It is shown that the heating is unimportant in the case of granulation and intergranular space. In the case of spot features the additional temperatures T_r with the accounting of the radiation losses are no more than 30° for small new spots, 1° for the large umbrae and 300° for bright points in large umbrae. This effect gives the possibility to suggest a hypothesis on the source of temperature inhomogeneity in the spot umbra and the nature of bright points. In the chromosphere the dissipation is negligible.On leave from the Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation (IZMIRAN), U.S.S.R., Moscow region, p/o Academgorodok.