Dynamics of line-of-sight velocities and magnetic field in the solar photosphere during the formation of the large active region NOAA 10488

Analysis of SOHO longitudinal magnetograms and Dopplergrams has revealed the appearance of a region of enhanced upflow of matter in the photosphere when the top of a loop-shaped magnetic flux tube forming a large active region passed through it. The maximum upflow velocity reached 2 km s^?1, the maximum size exceeded 20 000 km, and the lifetime was about 2 h.     

Direct Propagation of Photospheric Acoustic <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis> Modes into Nonmagnetic Solar Atmosphere

Solar p modes are one of the dominant types of coherent signals in Doppler velocity in the solar photosphere, with periods showing a power peak at five minutes. The propagation (or leakage) of these p-mode signals into the higher solar atmosphere is one of the key drivers of oscillatory motions in the higher solar chromosphere and corona. This paper examines numerically the direct propagation of acoustic waves driven harmonically at the photosphere, into the nonmagnetic solar atmosphere. Erdélyi et al. (Astron. Astrophys. 467, 1299, 2007) investigated the acoustic response to a single point-source driver. In the follow-up work here we generalise this previous study to more structured, coherent, photospheric drivers mimicking solar global oscillations. When our atmosphere is driven with a pair of point drivers separated in space, reflection at the transition region causes cavity oscillations in the lower chromosphere, and amplification and cavity resonance of waves at the transition region generate strong surface oscillations. When driven with a widely horizontally coherent velocity signal, cavity modes are caused in the chromosphere, surface waves occur at the transition region, and fine structures are generated extending from a dynamic transition region into the lower corona, even in the absence of a magnetic field.     

Observational Evidence for Rising Penumbral Flux Tubes?

On 13 May 2000 parts of a penumbra were observed in an active region NOAA 8990 with the La Palma Stokes Polarimeter attached to the Swedish Vacuum Solar Telescope. The stratification over the solar atmosphere of different physical parameters is retrieved from these data by using the Stokes inversion based on response functions. The results confirm the previous findings of the penumbral structure. In general, the magnetic field becomes weaker and more horizontal with increasing distance from the umbra and the line-of-sight velocities are increasing towards the outer boundary of the penumbra. The results also suggest the existence of the unresolved fine structure of the penumbra. The stratifications of the temperature and of the magnetic field strength indicate the presence of rising flux tubes, which were predicted theoretically by Schlichenmaier, Jahn and Schmidt (1998, Astron. Astrophys. 337, 897).     

Prediction of Space Weather Using an Asymmetric Cone Model for Halo CMEs

Halo coronal mass ejections (HCMEs) are responsible of the most severe geomagnetic storms. A prediction of their geoeffectiveness and travel time to Earth’s vicinity is crucial to forecast space weather. Unfortunately, coronagraphic observations are subjected to projection effects and do not provide true characteristics of CMEs. Recently, Michalek (Solar Phys. 237, 101, 2006) developed an asymmetric cone model to obtain the space speed, width, and source location of HCMEs. We applied this technique to obtain the parameters of all front-sided HCMEs observed by the SOHO/LASCO experiment during a period from the beginning of 2001 until the end of 2002 (solar cycle 23). These parameters were applied for space weather forecasting. Our study finds that the space speeds are strongly correlated with the travel times of HCMEs to Earth’s vicinity and with the magnitudes related to geomagnetic disturbances.     

Meridional circulation in the radiation zones of rotating stars: Origins,behaviors and consequences on stellar evolution

Stellar radiation zones are the seat of meridional currents. This circulation has a strong impact on the transport of angular momentum and the mixing of chemicals that modify the evolution of stars. First, we recall in details the dynamical processes that are taking place in differentially rotating stellar radiation zones and the assumptions which are adopted for their modelling in stellar evolution. Then, we present our new results of numerical simulations which allow us to follow in 2D the secular hydrodynamics of rotating stars, assuming that anisotropic turbulence enforces a shellular rotation law and taking into account the transport of angular momentum by internal gravity waves. The different behaviors of the meridional circulation in function of the type of stars which is studied are discussed with their physical origin and their consequences on the transport of angular momentum and of chemicals. Finally, we show how this work is leading to a dynamical vision of the evolution of rotating stars from their birth to their death. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Rapid rotation,active nests of convection and global-scale flows in solar-likestars

In the solar convection zone, rotation couples with intensely turbulent convection to build global-scale flows of differential rotation and meridional circulation. Our sun must have rotated more rapidly in its past, as is suggested by observations of many rapidly rotating young solar-type stars. Here we explore the effects of more rapid rotation on the patterns of convection in such stars and the global-scale flows which are self-consistently established. The convection in these systems is richly time dependent and in our most rapidly rotating suns a striking pattern of spatially localized convection emerges. Convection near the equator in these systems is dominated by one or two patches of locally enhanced convection, with nearly quiescent streaming flow in between at the highest rotation rates. These active nests of convection maintain a strong differential rotation despite their small size. The structure of differential rotation is similar in all of our more rapidly rotating suns, with fast equators and slower poles. We find that the total shear in differential rotation, as measured by latitudinal angular velocity contrast, ΔΩ, increases with more rapid rotation while the relative shear, ΔΩ/Ω, decreases. In contrast, at more rapid rotation the meridional circulations decrease in both energy and peak velocities and break into multiple cells of circulation in both radius and latitude. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Turbulent viscosity and Λ-effect from numerical turbulence models

Homogeneous anisotropic turbulence simulations are used to determine off-diagonal components of the Reynolds stress tensor and its parameterization in terms of turbulent viscosity and Λ-effect. The turbulence is forced in an anisotropic fashion by enhancing the strength of the forcing in the vertical direction. The Coriolis force is included with a rotation axis inclined relative to the vertical direction. The system studied here is significantly simpler than that of turbulent stratified convection which has often been used to study Reynolds stresses. Certain puzzling features of the results for convection, such as sign changes or highly concentrated latitude distributions, are not present in the simpler system considered here. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A dynamo model for axisymmetric and non-axisymmetric solar magnetic fields

More and more observations are showing a relatively weak, but persistent, non-axisymmetric magnetic field co-existing with the dominant axisymmetric field on the Sun. Its existence indicates that the non-axisymmetric magnetic field plays an important role in the origin of solar activity. A linear non-axisymmetric  α²– Ω  dynamo model is derived to explore the characteristics of the axisymmetric  ( m = 0)  and the first non-axisymmetric  ( m = 1)  modes and to provide a theoretical basis with which to explain the 'active longitude', 'flip-flop' and other non-axisymmetric phenomena. The model consists of an updated solar internal differential rotation, a turbulent diffusivity varying with depth, and an α-effect working at the tachocline in a rotating spherical system. The difference between the  α²–Ω  and the  α–Ω  models and the conditions that favour the non-axisymmetric modes under solar-like parameters are also presented.