Stray-Light Effect on Magnetograph Observations

To examine the stray-light effect in magnetograph observations, we have determined the point spread functions of the vector magnetograph mounted on the Japanese Solar Flare Telescope based on two indirect methods, one analyzing the solar limb intensity profile, and the other using the Fourier power spectra of photospheric intensity distributions. Point spread functions consist of two parts: a blurring part which describes seeing and small-spread-angle stray light, and a scattering part which describes large-spread-angle stray light. The FWHM spatial resolution is typically 3.0, and the amount of scattered light is about 15% on clear days. We find that the blurring part is well described by a Moffat function whose Fourier transform is given by an exponential function. Our results indicate that polarization measurements of low-intensity magnetic elements like sunspots may be significantly underestimated due to the large-spread-angle stray light, and polarization measurements of magnetic elements which are smaller than 5–7 appear to be disturbed by small-spread-angle stray light.     

Magnetic equilibria and instabilities

Solar flares are understood as a process of explosive liberation of magnetic energy, coming after a slow phase of energy build-up. The slow evolution of magnetic equilibria may end up with (a) the termination of an equilibrium sequence, or (b) an instability. The distinction between the two can be made by drawing schematic potential curves. Case (a) has been extensively studied in two-dimensional models. The appearance of multiple solutions, or disappearance of a solution takes place as the system evolves away from the current-free configuration. Case (b) can be discussed in terms of ideal MHD or resistive MHD instabilities. A possible route to explosive energy release is suggested by combining these two cases.     

Solar meridional motions derived from sunspot observations

Sunspot drawings obtained at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan during the years 1954–1986 were used to determine meridional motions of the Sun. A meridional flow of a few ms^–1 was found, which is equatorward in the latitude range from -20° to +15° and is poleward at higher latitudes in both hemispheres. A northward flow of 0.01° day^–1 or 1.4 ms^–1 at mid-latitudes (between 10° and 20°) was also detected. From our limited data-set of three solar cycles, an indication of solar-cycle dependence of meridional motions was found.     

Active solar radio regions at metric frequencies and the interplanetary sector structures

The possible relation between type I noise active regions and the polarity distribution of the interplanetary magnetic field is examined for the period from 13 March to 21 August, 1968 (Solar Rotation Numbers 1842–1847) by using data from ground-based and satellite observations. In general four type I radio regions appeared during each solar rotation period except for Rotation No. 1842. The number of type I regions is the same as the number of sector boundaries. This result suggests that the configuration of the photospheric magnetic field extending into the interplanetary space may be related to the origin of the type I radio regions. Statistically the passage of the sector boundaries is delayed by approximately 5 days after the central meridian passage of the type I noise regions on the solar disk.The position of the source of the sector boundaries and its relation to the type I radio regions are investigated by taking into account the mean bulk velocity of solar winds as observed by space probes. A model of the large-scale structure of type I radio regions and their relation to the sector structure of the magnetic field as observed in the interplanetary space is briefly discussed.NASA Research Associate at the University of Maryland.     

The acceleration and propagation of solar cosmic rays as deduced from the relative abundance of protons to helium nuclei

Except for protons, the chemical composition of solar cosmic rays is very similar to the abundance of the elements at the photosphere of the Sun. If we consider the relative abundance ratio of protons to -particles (P/) at constant rigidity, this ratio is highly variable from one solar cosmic ray event to another. This ratio observed at the Earth, however, decreases monotonically with time from the onset of solar flares and, furthermore, is dependent on the heliocentric distance of the parent flares from the central meridian of the solar disk. P/'s which have been measured before the onset of SC geomagnetic storms change from 1.5 to 50 or more, being a function of the westward position of the source from the east limb of the Sun. These variations with respect to time and heliocentric distance suggest that the propagation of solar cosmic rays is strongly modulated in the interplanetary space. The major part of the -particles seem to propagate as if they are trapped within the magnetic clouds which produce SC geomagnetic and cosmic ray storms at the earth.The chemical composition and rigidity spectra of solar cosmic rays suggest that solar cosmic rays are mainly accelerated by the Fermi mechanism in solar flares. The observed variation of P/'s is produced mainly through the difference between the propagation characteristics of protons and -particles.NAS-NRC Associate with NASA.