A mean electromotive force induced by magnetic buoyancy instabilities

For a variety of reasons, based on results from magnetoconvection, self-consistent dynamo calculations and helioseismology, it seems plausible that the bulk of the solar magnetic field is located in the overshoot zone. Furthermore, it has also been suggested that the solar dynamo is operating in this region. The aim of this paper is then to show that it is possible to obtain a mean electromotive force (EMF), and hence an α -effect, in the convectively stable overshoot zone, which is driven by magnetic buoyancy instabilities.
By investigating the stability of a layer of magnetic field embedded between two non-magnetic layers of plasma we are able to show the following: first, that magnetic buoyancy instabilities indeed give rise to a mean EMF and, secondly, that the electromotive force is largest in the region where the magnetic layer is unstable, i.e. where the field strength decreases fastest with height.
Moreover, the influence of the rotation rate and the magnetic field strength on the magnetic buoyancy instability has been investigated in order to determine for which values of these parameters dynamo action might occur.     

Studies of grand minima in sunspot cycles by using a flux transport solar dynamo model

We propose that grand minima in solar activity are caused by simultane- ous fluctuations in the meridional circulation and the Babcock-Leighton mechanism for the poloidal field generation in the flux transport dynamo model. We present the following results： （a） fluctuations in the meridional circulation are more effective in producing grand minima; （b） both sudden and gradual initiations of grand minima are possible; （c） distributions of durations and waiting times between grand minima seem to be exponential; （d） the coherence time of the meridional circulation has an effect on the number and the average duration of grand minima, with a coherence time of about 30 yr being consistent with observational data. We also study the occurrence of grand maxima and find that the distributions of durations and waiting times between grand maxima are also exponential, like the grand minima. Finally we address the question of whether the Babcock-Leighton mechanism can be operative during grand minima when there are no sunspots. We show that an a-effect restricted to the upper portions of the convection zone can pull the dynamo out of the grand minima and can match various observational requirements if the amplitude of this a-effect is suitably fine-tuned.     

The Prediction of Maximum Amplitudes of Solar Cycles and the Maximum Amplitude of Solar Cycle 24

We present a brief review of predictions of solar cycle maximum amplitude with a lead time of 2 years or more. It is pointed out that a precise prediction of the maximum amplitude with such a lead-time is still an open question despite progress made since the 1960s. A method of prediction using statistical characteristics of solar cycles is developed: the solar cycles are divided into two groups, a high rising velocity (HRV) group and a low rising velocity (LRV) group, depending on the rising velocity in the ascending phase for a given duration of the ascending phase. The amplitude of Solar Cycle 24 can be predicted after the start of the cycle using the formula derived in this paper. Now, about 5 years before the start of the cycle, we can make a preliminary prediction of 83.2-119.4 for its maximum amplitude.     

Vector Magnetic Field Measurement of NOAA AR 10197

A set of two-dimensional Stokes spectral data of NOAA AR 10197 obtained by the Solar Stokes Spectral Telescope (S3T) at the Yunnan Observatory are qualitatively analyzed. The three components of the vector magnetic field, the strength H, inclinationγand azimuth X, are derived. Based on the three components, we contour the distributions of the longitudinal magnetic field and transverse magnetic field. The active region (AR) has two different magnetic polarities apparent in the longitudinal magnetic map due to projection effect. There is a basic agreement on the longitudinal magnetic fields between the S3T and SOHO/MDI magnetograms, with a correlation coefficientρBl = 0.911. The transverse magnetic field of the AR has a radial distribution from a center located in the southwest of the AR. It is also found that the transverse magnetic fields obtained by Huairou Solar Observing Station (HRSOS) have a similar radial distribution. The distributions of transverse magnetic field obtained by S3T and HRSOS have correlation coefficients,ρAzimu = 0.86 andρBt = 0.883, in regard to the azimuthal angle and intensity.     

一个新型分米波太阳微耀斑现象的观测分析

本文介绍一组短分米波（1．42GHz）太阳微耀斑的射电和光学辐射特征，它们包含53个叠加在连续辐射背景上的射电快速精细结构（FFS），即准周期快速脉冲链（称微耀斑），它们的形态相似，强度大约在150－200sfu范围内，其寿命（半功率宽）大多为15－50ms，有18个分离的双峰结构，该事件产生的7646活动区中出现两处新浮现的几个小黑子，呈现复杂极性，可能存在多重交叉小磁流环多次重联的复杂状况．本文定性地讨论了其产生机制，支持电流环爆炸性聚合模型的理论。     

What do the solar activity indices represent?

Sunspot number, sunspot area, and radio flux at 10.7 cm are the indices which are most frequently used to describe the long‐term solar activity. The data of the daily solar full‐disk magnetograms measured at Mount Wilson Observatory from 19 January 1970 to 31 December 2012 are utilized together with the daily observations of the three indices to probe the relationship of the full‐disk magnetic activity respectively with the indices. Cross correlation analyses of the daily magnetic field measurements at Mount Wilson observatory are taken with the daily observations of the three indices, and the statistical significance of the difference of the obtained correlation coefficients is investigated. The following results are obtained: (1) The sunspot number should be preferred to represent/reflect the full‐disk magnetic activity of the Sun to which the weak magnetic fields (outside of sunspots) mainly contribute, the sunspot area should be recommended to represent the strong magnetic activity of the Sun (in sunspots), and the 10.7 cm radio flux should be preferred to represent the full‐disk magnetic activity of the Sun (both the weak and strong magnetic fields) to which the weak magnetic fields mainly contribute. (2) On the other hand, the most recommendable index that could be used to represent/reflect the weak magnetic activity is the 10.7 cm radio flux, the most recommendable index that could be used to represent the strong magnetic activity is the sunspot area, and the most recommendable index that could be used to represent the full‐disk magnetic activity of the Sun is the 10.7cm radio flux. Additionally, the cycle characteristics of the magnetic field strengths on the solar disk are given. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The association between sunspot magnetic fields and superpenumbral fibrils

Spectropolarimetric observations of a sunspot were carried out with the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter at Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife, Spain. Maps of the physical parameters were obtained from an inversion of the Stokes profiles observed in the infrared Fe I line at 15648 Å The regular sunspot consisted of a light bridge which separated the two umbral cores of the same polarity. One of the arms of the light bridge formed an extension of a penumbral filament which comprised weak and highly inclined magnetic fields. In addition, the Stokes V profiles in this filament had an opposite sign as the sunspot and some resembled Stokes Q or U. This penumbral filament terminated abruptly into another at the edge of the sunspot, where the latter was relatively vertical by about 30°. Chromospheric Hα and He II 304 Å filtergrams revealed three superpenumbral fibrils on the limb‐side of the sunspot, in which one fibril extended into the sunspot and was oriented along the highly inclined penumbral counterpart of the light bridge. An intense, elongated brightening was observed along this fibril that was co‐spatial with the intersecting penumbral filaments in the photosphere. Our results suggest that the disruption in the sunspot magnetic field at the location of the light bridge could be the source of reconnection that led to the intense chromospheric brightening and facilitated the supply of cool material in maintaining the overlying superpenumbral fibrils. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A Statistical Study of the Relation between the Amplitude of Solar Cycle and the Area of Active Regions

Based on the observational data of sunspots, the relation between the amplitude of solar cycle and the total area of all active regions occurred in a solar cycle has been investigated. The result shows that the amplitude of solar cycle has a good correlation with the total area of all active regions occurred in the solar cycle. The relation between the amplitude of solar cycle and the area of the largest active region during a solar cycle has also been investigated. The result shows that the amplitude of solar cycle has a poor correlation with the area of the largest active region during a solar cycle, and there is no fixed relation between the peak time of a solar cycle and the time when the largest active region occurred in the solar cycle.