Frequency of coronal transients and solar activity

The High Altitude Observatory's white light coronagraph aboard Skylab observed some 110 coronal transients - rapid changes in appearance of the corona - during its 227 days of operation. The longitudes of the origins of these transients were not distributed uniformly around the solar surface (51 of the 100 events observed in seven solar rotations arose from a single quadrant of longitude). Further, the frequency of transient production from each segment of the solar surface was well correlated with the sunspot number and Ca ii plage (area × brightness) index in the segment, rotation by rotation. This correlation implies that transients occur more often above strong photospheric and chromospheric magnetic fields, that is, in regions where the coronal magnetic field is stronger and, perhaps, more variable. This pattern of occurrence is consistent with our belief that the forces propelling transient material outward are, primarily, magnetic. A quantitative relation between transient production from an area and the Zürich sunspot number appropriate to that area is derived, and we speculate that the relation is independent of phase in the solar activity cycle. If true, the Sun may give rise to as many as 100 white light coronal transients per month at solar cycle maximum.Currently at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M., U.S.A.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Relationships between garnet shape, rotational inclusion fabrics and strain in some Moine metamorphic rocks of Skye, Scotland

Study of rotational inclusion fabrics in garnet porphyroblasts demonstrates that angles of rotation are dependent not only on the amounts of strain suffered by the host rocks but also on porphyroblast shape: near-spherical crystals suffer considerably more rotation than discoidal for a given amount of strain. Angles ranging from 160° to 0° have been measured but rotation took place during two distinct phases of deformation each associated with the formation of folds and attendant axial planar fabrics.The rotational inclusion fabrics permit a study to be made of the geometry and state of strain around two minor folds and thus suggest that the main mechanism of fold development was flexural flow. The differences in the amounts of strain, as recorded by rotational inclusion fabrics, around the two folds further suggest that there was unequal limb rotation during fold development and that the maximum compressive stress lay obliquely to the layering at the onset of folding.     

The solar coronal mass ejection of 20–21 November, 1973

The coronal transient event of 20–21 November is unusual in that its appearance is distinctly non-loop-like; rather, the transient resembles a confined ray or fan-like volume. Studies of the distribution of the coronal material with time indicate that this is a mass ejection event, involving about 1 × 10¹⁵ g of material from the lower corona. Analysis of the polarization signal of the event suggests that the event is associated with chromospheric activity in a region near longitude E68. The observed properties (distributions in brightness and polarization) of the transient are compared with the properties of a well-studied event of typical loop-like appearance, but rotated to simulate an edge-on appearance; the differences suggest that the 20–21 November event is not such an edge-on, loop-like transient, but rather is most simply described as an axisymmetric-cylindrical or conical volume, the boundaries of which remain constant over the events' lifetime. On this basis, the variation of the transient spatial density with height and the variation of density with time can be specified rather more certainly than for previously-studied coronal mass ejection events. Densities are found to range from 3 × 10^–16 g cm^–3 at 2.1 R heliocentric height early in the event to 1 × 10^–18 g cm^–3 at 4.0 R late in the event. Typical temporal variations of the ejected material (at a given heliocentric height) are found to be on the order of 10^–18 g cm^–3 s^–1. The mass and momentum balance in the event have been estimated from the observed parameters, employing a multiparameter approach. We find that a model with modest mass flux typified by material speed u ₀ 50 km s^–1 and a near balance between the event's pressure gradient force and gravity — with possibly a small hydromagnetic wave contribution to the total pressure — is consistent with the observations. The kinetic energy of the event, determined from the motion of the center of mass of the ejected material, is only about 10²⁶ ergs, and thus is the smallest for any solar mass ejection studied to date.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Skylab observations of the coronal structure overlying a type III producing active region

The coronal structure overlying, and presumably associated with, an isolated active region, McMath 12686, is identified during its west limb passage 15–17 January 1974. The region had a flaring site on its border close to a plage filament and exhibited various forms of activity, including type III burst production, during the three days of study. Although the coronal structure overlying the region was of small scale, its estimated electron density was 10 × that of the background corona, and it varied in density by a factor of two over a time scale of hours. Some implications of such a structure on the interpretation of type III emission are considered.On leave from Meudon Observatory, D.A.S.O.P., E.R.A. 07306, Meudon, France.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

The kinematics of solar inner coronal transients

Solar Physics - The kinematic properties of a dozen ‘loop-like’ coronal transients have been examined over the range 1.2–2.4 R⊙ from Sun center. Values and trends of...     

The properties of coronal voids

Observations of the outer solar corona obtained by the High Altitude Observatory's coronagraph aboard Skylab reveal the presence of dark, ray-like structures in the corona. A systematic identification of these voids, which exist for periods of about 24 hr, is presented and their existence as a coronal phenomenon, as opposed to a subtle photographic effect, verified. Photometric analysis indicates that these features represent reductions in the coronal radiance on the order of 5% - or about 2–3 × 10^?10 B _⊙ at 3 R _⊙. The use of a previously determined model of the electron component of the corona permits specification of the electron density in the voids over the range 2.5–4.5 R _⊙. In spite of the inevitable uncertainties regarding their longitudinal extent, we estimate that their electron density is comparable to, or less than, that in coronal holes at similar heights. Projection of the phenomena onto synoptic surface maps indicates a close relationship with filaments and neutral lines; a potentially significant temporal correlation between the void formation and that of the underlying prominence is noted. The spatial and temporal resolution of the data set places stringent restrictions on any model which may be used to infer the physical processes of formation or decay of voids; several possibilities are suggested which involve either changes in the coronal base temperature or the magnetic flux.     

Temporal evolution of the equatorialK-corona

Observations of the equatorialK-coronal radiance at 2.5R from Sun center and its variation with time, on a daily basis, during the Skylab mission (May 1973–February 1974) are presented. The observations are subdivided into three periods, each characterized by a different variation of the radiance pattern with time. During the initial period, encompassing two solar rotations, there are several data gaps, but the radiance pattern shows a more or less smooth variation with time; however, during the second period (also about two solar rotations duration) the radiance signal is neither persistent on the short term nor recurrent from one limb passage to the next. Finally, during the last period, of five solar rotations duration, the radiance signal exhibits an orderly periodic behavior of increasing intensity. These results are interpreted as indicating a general simplification of the coronal magnetic field through the mission and, in comparison with harmonic analysis of the surface magnetic field (Levine, 1977), as indicating a rapid response of equatorial outer coronal structures to abrupt changes in the global surface field structure.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

The high altitude observatory of the national center for atmospheric research Boulder,Colorado

Summary The High Altitude Observatory attempts to carry out a balanced program of theoretical and experimental research in solar, solar-terrestrial, and stellar-related physics. The scientific efforts are carried out within a sectional structure including the major areas of Solar Atmosphere and Magnetic Fields, Coronal/Interplanetary Physics, and Solar Variability. As one division of a National Center, the Observatory attempts to provide leadership through operation and sponsorship of seminars on specialized topics and organization of workshops to exploit data collections. In addition to the examples given, the Observatory, under NASA sponsorship, has organized a workshop series on solar flares, a central theme of which was the interpretation of Skylab results. This effort has resulted in the publication of a volume Solar Flares, edited by P. Sturrock, Colorado Associated University Press, 1979. Through these efforts, and the participation of individual staff members on advisory committees and working groups within the national and international framework, the Observatory continues to play a role in the guidance of research in solar and related physics.     

The association of coronal mass ejection transients with other forms of solar activity

Coronal mass ejection transients observed with the white light coronagraph on Skylab are found to be associated with several other forms of solar activity. There is a strong correlation between such mass ejection transients and chromospheric H activity, with three-quarters of the transients apparently originating in or near active regions. We infer that 40% of transients are associated with flares, 50% are associated with eruptive prominences solely (without flares), and more than 70% are associated with eruptive prominences or filament disappearances (with or without flares). Nine of ten flares which displayed apparent mass ejections of H-emitting material from the flare site could be associated with coronal transients. Within each class of activity, the more energetic events are more likely to be associated with an observable mass ejection.Now at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratories, Los Alamos, NM., U.S.A.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.