Pulsations of optical radiation during the flare of YZ CMi occurred on February 9, 2008

One of the most powerful and long-lived flares on the active red dwarf YZ CMi is considered. The flare was observed in the U band at the Terskol Peak Observatory on February 9, 2008. During the formation of the flare over the course of 30 seconds, the flare-induced stellar luminosity increased and became more than 180 times the preflare value. The total duration of the flare was approximately one hour. At the flare maximum, quasi-periodic pulsations having a specified period of approximately 11 s, an initial modulation depth of 5.5%, and an exponential damping time of 29 s were discovered using wavelet analysis. Assuming that the pulsations were caused by fast magnetohydrodynamic oscillations of a flare loop, the following parameters were determined in the region of energy release using coronal seismology methods: plasma concentration (2 × 10¹⁰ cm⁻³), temperature (3 × 10⁷ K), and magnetic field strength (0.015 T).     

Double Relics in the Outskirts of A3376: Accretion Flows Meet Merger Shocks?

The case of spectacular ring-like double radio relics in the merging, rich galaxy cluster A3376 is of great interest to study non-thermal phenomena at cluster outskirts. We present the first low frequency (330 and 150 MHz) images of the double relics using the GMRT. With our GMRT 330 MHz map and the VLA 1400 MHz map (Bagchi et al. 2006), we have constructed and analyzed the distribution of spectral indices over the radio relics. We find flat spectral indices at the outer edges of both the relics and a gradual steepening of spectral indices toward the inner regions. This supports the model of outgoing merger shock waves. The eastern relic has a complex morphology and spectral index distribution toward the inner region. This will be discussed in the context of the effect of large-scale accretion flows on the outgoing merger shocks as reported in the recent simulations.     

Reflection and Ducting of Gravity Waves Inside the Sun

Internal gravity waves excited by overshoot at the bottom of the convection zone can be influenced by rotation and by the strong toroidal magnetic field that is likely to be present in the solar tachocline. Using a simple Cartesian model, we show how waves with a vertical component of propagation can be reflected when traveling through a layer containing a horizontal magnetic field with a strength that varies with depth. This interaction can prevent a portion of the downward traveling wave energy flux from reaching the deep solar interior. If a highly reflecting magnetized layer is located some distance below the convection zone base, a duct or wave guide can be set up, wherein vertical propagation is restricted by successive reflections at the upper and lower boundaries. The presence of both upward and downward traveling disturbances inside the duct leads to the existence of a set of horizontally propagating modes that have significantly enhanced amplitudes. We point out that the helical structure of these waves makes them capable of generating an α-effect, and briefly consider the possibility that propagation in a shear of sufficient strength could lead to instability, the result of wave growth due to over-reflection.     

Relationship of great soft X-ray flares with other solar activity phenomena

We present study of relationship of GSXR flares with Hα flares, hard X-ray (HXR) bursts, microwave (MW) bursts at 15.4 GHz, type II/IV radio bursts, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), protons flares (>10 MeV) and ground level enhancement (GLE) events we find that about 85.7%, 93%, 97%, 69%, 60%, 11.1%, 79%, 46%, and 23%% GSXR flares are related/associated with observed Hα flares, HXR bursts, MW bursts at 15.4 GHz, type II radio bursts, type IV radio bursts, GLE events, CMEs, halo CMEs, and proton flares (>10 MeV), respectively. In the paper we have studied the onset time delay of GSXR flares with Hα flares, HXR, and MW bursts which shows the during majority GSXR flares SXR emissions start before the Hα, HXR and MW emissions, respectively while during 15–20% of GSXR flares the SXR emissions start after the onset of Hα, HXT and MW emissions, respectively indicating two types of solar flares. The, onset time interval between SXR emissions and type II radio bursts, type IV radio bursts, GLE events CMEs, halo CMEs, and protons flares are 1–15 min, 1–20 min, 21–30 min, 21–40 min, 21–40 min, and 1–4 hrs, respectively. Following the majority results we are of the view that the present investigations support solar flares models which suggest flare triggering first in the corona and then move to chromospheres/ photosphere to starts emissions in other wavelengths. The result of the present work is largely consistent with “big flare syndrome” proposed by Kahler (1982).     

Solar Magnetic Carpet I: Simulation of Synthetic Magnetograms

This paper describes a new 2D model for the photospheric evolution of the magnetic carpet. It is the first in a series of papers working towards constructing a realistic 3D non-potential model for the interaction of small-scale solar magnetic fields. In the model, the basic evolution of the magnetic elements is governed by a supergranular flow profile. In addition, magnetic elements may evolve through the processes of emergence, cancellation, coalescence and fragmentation. Model parameters for the emergence of bipoles are based upon the results of observational studies. Using this model, several simulations are considered, where the range of flux with which bipoles may emerge is varied. In all cases the model quickly reaches a steady state where the rates of emergence and cancellation balance. Analysis of the resulting magnetic field shows that we reproduce observed quantities such as the flux distribution, mean field, cancellation rates, photospheric recycle time and a magnetic network. As expected, the simulation matches observations more closely when a larger, and consequently more realistic, range of emerging flux values is allowed (4×10¹⁶ – 10¹⁹ Mx). The model best reproduces the current observed properties of the magnetic carpet when we take the minimum absolute flux for emerging bipoles to be 4×10¹⁶ Mx. In future, this 2D model will be used as an evolving photospheric boundary condition for 3D non-potential modeling.     

Photometric analysis of V30 of open cluster NGC 7789

We present the photometric solutions of the variable star V30 that is in the foreground of intermediate open cluster NGC 7789.The observations were done in the V passband using the 2 m telescope at the IUCAA-Girawali Observatory in India.The analysis is done using the Wilson-Devinney Code (2003) and the fitted light curve is presented.The photometric solutions reveal a W-subtype contact configuration.The photometric mass ratio is found to be 0.395 and the absolute masses and radii for the components are ded...