scholarly journals Solar and Stellar Magnetic Fields and Atmospheric Structures: Theory

1989 ◽  
Vol 104 (1) ◽  
pp. 271-288
Author(s):  
E. N. Parker

AbstractThis presentation reviews selected ideas on the origin of the magnetic field of the Sun, the dynamical behavior of the azimuthal field in the convective zone, the fibril state of the field at the photosphere, the formation of sunspots, prominences, the spontaneous formation of current sheets in the bipolar field above the surface of the Sun, coronal heating, and flares.

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.


1970 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 168-183
Author(s):  
E. N. Parker

The topic of this presentation is the origin and dynamical behavior of the magnetic field and cosmic-ray gas in the disk of the Galaxy. In the space available I can do no more than mention the ideas that have been developed, with but little explanation and discussion. To make up for this inadequacy I have tried to give a complete list of references in the written text, so that the interested reader can pursue the points in depth (in particular see the review articles Parker, 1968a, 1969a, 1970). My purpose here is twofold, to outline for you the calculations and ideas that have developed thus far, and to indicate the uncertainties that remain. The basic ideas are sound, I think, but, when we come to the details, there are so many theoretical alternatives that need yet to be explored and so much that is not yet made clear by observations.


Author(s):  
Clare E. Parnell ◽  
Ineke De Moortel

Determining the heating mechanism (or mechanisms) that causes the outer atmosphere of the Sun, and many other stars, to reach temperatures orders of magnitude higher than their surface temperatures has long been a key problem. For decades, the problem has been known as the coronal heating problem, but it is now clear that ‘coronal heating’ cannot be treated or explained in isolation and that the heating of the whole solar atmosphere must be studied as a highly coupled system. The magnetic field of the star is known to play a key role, but, despite significant advancements in solar telescopes, computing power and much greater understanding of theoretical mechanisms, the question of which mechanism or mechanisms are the dominant supplier of energy to the chromosphere and corona is still open. Following substantial recent progress, we consider the most likely contenders and discuss the key factors that have made, and still make, determining the actual (coronal) heating mechanism (or mechanisms) so difficult.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 26-36
Author(s):  
Sergei Plachinda ◽  
Varvara Butkovskaya

A research on stellar magnetism in Crimea was initiated by pioneer works of A.B. Severny, V.E. Stepanov, and D.N. Rachkovsky. Today, the study of stellar magnetic fields is a key field of research at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory (CrAO). The 2.6 m Shajn telescope equipped with the echelle spectrograph ESPL, CCD, and Stokesmeter (a circular polarization analyzer) allows us to study the magnetic field of bright stars up to 5m–6m. The Single Line (SL) technique is developed for measuring magnetic fields at CrAO. This technique is based on the calculation of the Zeeman effect in individual spectral lines. A key advantage of the SL technique is its ability to detect local magnetic fields on the surface of stars. Many results in the field of direct measurements of stellar magnetic fields were obtained at CrAO for the first time. In particular, the magnetic field on supergiants (ǫ Gem), as well as on a number of subgiants, giants, and bright giants was first detected. This, and investigations of other authors, confirmed the hypothesis that a magnetic field is generated at all the stages of evolution of late-type stars, including the stage of star formation. The emergence of large magnetic flux tubes at the surface of stars of V-IV-III luminosity classes (61 Cyg A, β Gem, β Aql) was first registered. In subgiants, the magnetic field behavior with the activity cycle was first established for β Aql. Using the long-term Crimean spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric observations of α Lyr, the 22-year variability cycle of the star, supposedly associated with meridional flows, is confirmed. Magnetic field variability with the pulsation period was first detected for different types of pulsating variables: the classical Cepheid β Aql, the low-amplitude β Cep-type variable γ Peg, and others. In this review we cover more than a half-century history of the formation of the Crimean scientific school for high-precision direct measurements of stellar magnetic fields.


Author(s):  
Robert Cameron

The solar dynamo is the action of flows inside the Sun to maintain its magnetic field against Ohmic decay. On small scales the magnetic field is seen at the solar surface as a ubiquitous “salt-and-pepper” disorganized field that may be generated directly by the turbulent convection. On large scales, the magnetic field is remarkably organized, with an 11-year activity cycle. During each cycle the field emerging in each hemisphere has a specific East–West alignment (known as Hale’s law) that alternates from cycle to cycle, and a statistical tendency for a North-South alignment (Joy’s law). The polar fields reverse sign during the period of maximum activity of each cycle. The relevant flows for the large-scale dynamo are those of convection, the bulk rotation of the Sun, and motions driven by magnetic fields, as well as flows produced by the interaction of these. Particularly important are the Sun’s large-scale differential rotation (for example, the equator rotates faster than the poles), and small-scale helical motions resulting from the Coriolis force acting on convective motions or on the motions associated with buoyantly rising magnetic flux. These two types of motions result in a magnetic cycle. In one phase of the cycle, differential rotation winds up a poloidal magnetic field to produce a toroidal field. Subsequently, helical motions are thought to bend the toroidal field to create new poloidal magnetic flux that reverses and replaces the poloidal field that was present at the start of the cycle. It is now clear that both small- and large-scale dynamo action are in principle possible, and the challenge is to understand which combination of flows and driving mechanisms are responsible for the time-dependent magnetic fields seen on the Sun.


1996 ◽  
Vol 176 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Carolus J. Schrijver

Looking at the Sun forges the framework within which we try to interpret stellar observations. The stellar counterparts of spots, plages, flux tubes, chromospheres, coronae, etc., are readily invoked when attempting to interpret stellar data. This review discusses a selection of solar phenomena that are crucial to understand stellar atmospheric activity. Topics include the interaction of magnetic fields and flows, the relationships between fluxes from different temperature regimes in stellar atmospheres, the photospheric flux budget and its impact on the measurement of the dynamo strength, and the measurement of stellar differential rotation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (S340) ◽  
pp. 198-199
Author(s):  
Nancy Narang ◽  
Kalugodu Chandrashekhar ◽  
Vaibhav Pant ◽  
Dipankar Banerjee

AbstractRecent dedicated HINODE polar region campaign revealed the presence of concentrated kilogauss patches of magnetic field in the polar regions of Sun which are also shown to be correlated with facular bright points at the photospheric level. In this work, we demonstrate that this spatial intermittency of the magnetic field persists even up to the chromospheric heights. Polar network bright points are the ones which are present in the polar regions of the Sun (above 70° latitudes). We use special HINODE campaigns devoted to observe polar regions of the Sun to study the polar network bright points during the phase of last extended solar minimum. We are able to find a considerable association between the polar network bright points and magnetic field concentrations which led us to conclude that these bright points can serve as a good proxy for polar magnetic fields where the direct and regular measurements of polar magnetic fields are not available (before 1970).


1990 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 21-25
Author(s):  
Mark J. Reid

Observations of circular polarization of molecular masers associated with late type giant and supergiant stars can be used to estimate the magnetic field strength in the masing region. Magnetic field strengths of ~ 5 mG are deduced for OH masers in circumstellar envelopes at distances of ~ 1016 cm from the star, and magnetic field strengths of ~ 50 G are deduced for SiO masers that reside above the photosphere. Extrapolation to the stellar photosphere suggests that average surface magnetic fields are on the order of 103 G.


1998 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 1163-1170 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. C. CHAUHAN ◽  
U. C. PANDEY ◽  
S. DEV

Even though the standard solar model (SSM) has been very successful in predicting the thermal and nuclear evolution of the Sun, it does not throw enough light on solar magnetic activity. In the absence of a generally accepted theory of solar dynamo, various general arguments have been put forth to constrain solar magnetic fields. In the absence of reliable knowledge of solar magnetic fields from available astrophysical data, it may be worthwhile to constrain the solar magnetic fields from solar neutrino observations assuming Resonant Spin-Flavor Precession (RSFP) to be responsible for the solar neutrino deficit. The configuration of solar magnetic field derived in this work is in reasonably good agreement with the magnetic field distribution proposed by Akhmedov et al. (Sov. Phys. JETP68, 250 (1989)). However, the magnetic field distribution in the radiation zone used by Pulido (Phys. Rep.211, 167 (1992)) is ruled out. The magnitude of the magnetic field in the radiation and convective zones of the Sun are very sensitive to the value chosen for the neutrino magnetic moment. However, any change in the value of neutrino magnetic moment does not affect the magnetic field distribution as it only scales the magnetic field strength at different points by the same amount.


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