The Connection of Fine-Structure Photospheric Features in Active Regions with Magnetic Fields

Author(s):  
N. V. Steshenko
1971 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 279-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Harvey ◽  
D. Hall

Several advantages of near infrared spectral lines for magnetic field measurements are listed. In particular, the 10830 Å multiplet of HeI is well suited for observations of chromospheric magnetic fields.New photoelectric spectroheliograms made with the 10830 Å line reveal a large amount of filamentary fine structure in active regions. This fine structure has important consequences on the interpretation of 10830 Å magnetograms. Except for an association of 10830 Å disk filaments with polarity reversals there is little correlation between absorption features and the 10830 Å longitudinal field. Comparisons of chromospheric and photospheric observations show that the chromospheric field is spatially more diffuse and weaker than the photospheric field.


1968 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 201-201
Author(s):  
N. V. Steshenko

1.The fine structure of the proton sunspot group of July 4–8, 1966 was studied on the basis of high-resolution heliograms. The comparison of the orientation between penumbral filaments and the transverse magnetic fields (observed by A.B. Severny and T.T. Tsap) shows that the direction of the filaments coincides in general with that of the magnetic field.2.Measurements of the magnetic fields of smallest pores (1·5″-2″) showed that the pores are always connected with strong magnetic field (in average 1400 gauss), which is localized at the same small area as the pore.3.Magnetic fields of faculae are concentrated in small elements with the dimension not exceeding 1·5″-3″. Magnetic-field strength H|| of about 45% of facular granules is within the limits of photographic measuring errors (approximately 25 gauss). For a quarter of all facular granules the strength H|| is from 25–50 gauss; about 30% of facular granules have H|| > 50 gauss, and sometimes there appear faculae with field strength of about 200 gauss. The magnetic-field strength of facular granules, which are found directly above spots, is 10–20 times less than the field strength of spots. This field is 80–210 gauss only.4.All observational data mentioned above show that the appearance of the fine-structure features in active regions is directly connected with the fine structure of magnetic field of different strength and different orientation. The study of high-resolution heliograms gives additional information about the fine structure of the magnetic field.


1979 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. 272-274
Author(s):  
V. Gaizauskas

The motions of flare-associated filaments and prominences produce such large Doppler shifts that the morphology of these active phenomena cannot be studied without filtergrams taken in rapid succession at a number of wavelengths across the Hα line. It is therefore standard practice at the Ottawa River Solar Observatory (ORSO) to photograph single active regions through a Zeiss filter while the pass-band (0.25A) of the filter is stepped continously back and forth across the Hα line. A typical scan consists of 17 steps in the range Hα ± 1.4A and is completed in 42 seconds. Important by-products result from this procedure, especially when the seeing allows the full resolution (0.7 arc-sec) of the 25 cm objective of the ORSO photoheliograph to be realized. First, filtergrams taken outside the core of Hα (Δλ≥ 0.9A) reveal the bright photospheric network (Vrabec, 1971; Dunn and Zirker, 1973; Dravins, 1974) which is, within the resolution capabilities of this instrument, co-spatial with strong magnetic fields near photospheric levels. In active regions the photospheric network is enhanced in brightness and becomes plainly visible as an aggregation of interlocking cells of various sizes. These data supplement magnetograms which are still needed to identify polarities and to furnish quantitative measurements of magnetic flux. Second, the visibility of the multi-threaded fine structure of filaments is usually much improved at wavelengths displaced from the centre of Hα. Thus a single instrument can provide the spatial data for investigating the relationship between the fine structure of filaments and highly localized concentrations of strong photospheric magnetic fields.


2005 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 89-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Pevtsov

AbstractTo fully understand the origin, evolution and topology of solar magnetic fields, one should comprehend their magnetic helicity. Observationally, non-zero helicity reveals itself in the patterns of electric currents inside active regions, superpenumbral sunspot whirls, the shape of coronal loops and the fine structure of chromospheric filaments. Some patterns may bear information about deep sub-photospheric processes (e.g., dynamo, turbulent convection). Others may originate at or near the photosphere. This presentation reviews the observations of magnetic and current helicity on the Sun, discusses the possible mechanisms of helicity generation, and compares them with the observations.


1994 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 21-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. B. Gelfreikh

AbstractA review of methods of measuring magnetic fields in the solar corona using spectral-polarization observations at microwaves with high spatial resolution is presented. The methods are based on the theory of thermal bremsstrahlung, thermal cyclotron emission, propagation of radio waves in quasi-transverse magnetic field and Faraday rotation of the plane of polarization. The most explicit program of measurements of magnetic fields in the atmosphere of solar active regions has been carried out using radio observations performed on the large reflector radio telescope of the Russian Academy of Sciences — RATAN-600. This proved possible due to good wavelength coverage, multichannel spectrographs observations and high sensitivity to polarization of the instrument. Besides direct measurements of the strength of the magnetic fields in some cases the peculiar parameters of radio sources, such as very steep spectra and high brightness temperatures provide some information on a very complicated local structure of the coronal magnetic field. Of special interest are the results found from combined RATAN-600 and large antennas of aperture synthesis (VLA and WSRT), the latter giving more detailed information on twodimensional structure of radio sources. The bulk of the data obtained allows us to investigate themagnetospheresof the solar active regions as the space in the solar corona where the structures and physical processes are controlled both by the photospheric/underphotospheric currents and surrounding “quiet” corona.


2000 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 263-264
Author(s):  
K. Sundara Raman ◽  
K. B. Ramesh ◽  
R. Selvendran ◽  
P. S. M. Aleem ◽  
K. M. Hiremath

Extended AbstractWe have examined the morphological properties of a sigmoid associated with an SXR (soft X-ray) flare. The sigmoid is cospatial with the EUV (extreme ultra violet) images and in the optical part lies along an S-shaped Hαfilament. The photoheliogram shows flux emergence within an existingδtype sunspot which has caused the rotation of the umbrae giving rise to the sigmoidal brightening.It is now widely accepted that flares derive their energy from the magnetic fields of the active regions and coronal levels are considered to be the flare sites. But still a satisfactory understanding of the flare processes has not been achieved because of the difficulties encountered to predict and estimate the probability of flare eruptions. The convection flows and vortices below the photosphere transport and concentrate magnetic field, which subsequently appear as active regions in the photosphere (Rust & Kumar 1994 and the references therein). Successive emergence of magnetic flux, twist the field, creating flare productive magnetic shear and has been studied by many authors (Sundara Ramanet al.1998 and the references therein). Hence, it is considered that the flare is powered by the energy stored in the twisted magnetic flux tubes (Kurokawa 1996 and the references therein). Rust & Kumar (1996) named the S-shaped bright coronal loops that appear in soft X-rays as ‘Sigmoids’ and concluded that this S-shaped distortion is due to the twist developed in the magnetic field lines. These transient sigmoidal features tell a great deal about unstable coronal magnetic fields, as these regions are more likely to be eruptive (Canfieldet al.1999). As the magnetic fields of the active regions are deep rooted in the Sun, the twist developed in the subphotospheric flux tube penetrates the photosphere and extends in to the corona. Thus, it is essentially favourable for the subphotospheric twist to unwind the twist and transmit it through the photosphere to the corona. Therefore, it becomes essential to make complete observational descriptions of a flare from the magnetic field changes that are taking place in different atmospheric levels of the Sun, to pin down the energy storage and conversion process that trigger the flare phenomena.


1977 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
pp. 143-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.O. Stenflo

It is well-known that solar activity is basically caused by the Interaction of magnetic fields with convection and solar rotation, resulting in a great variety of dynamic phenomena, like flares, surges, sunspots, prominences, etc. Many conferences have been devoted to solar activity, including the role of magnetic fields. Similar attention has not been paid to the role of magnetic fields for the overall dynamics and energy balance of the solar atmosphere, related to the general problem of chromospheric and coronal heating. To penetrate this problem we have to focus our attention more on the physical conditions in the ‘quiet’ regions than on the conspicuous phenomena in active regions.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (S320) ◽  
pp. 167-174
Author(s):  
M. S. Wheatland ◽  
S. A. Gilchrist

AbstractWe review nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) modeling of magnetic fields in active regions. The NLFFF model (in which the electric current density is parallel to the magnetic field) is often adopted to describe the coronal magnetic field, and numerical solutions to the model are constructed based on photospheric vector magnetogram boundary data. Comparative tests of NLFFF codes on sets of boundary data have revealed significant problems, in particular associated with the inconsistency of the model and the data. Nevertheless NLFFF modeling is often applied, in particular to flare-productive active regions. We examine the results, and discuss their reliability.


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