No Arabic abstract
In the present work we derive a Differential Emission Measure (DEM) dis- tribution from a region dominated by spicules. We use spectral data from the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) spectrometer on-board the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SoHO) covering the entire SUMER wavelength range taken off-limb in the Northern polar coronal hole to construct this DEM distribution using the CHIANTI atomic database. This distribution is then used to study the thermal properties of the emission contributing to the 171 {AA} channel in the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on-board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). From our off-limb DEM we found that the radiance in the AIA 171 {AA} channel is dominated by emission from the Fe ix 171.07 {AA} line and has sparingly little contribution from other lines. The product of the Fe ix 171.07 {AA} line contribution function with the off-limb DEM was found to have a maximum at logTmax (K) = 5.8 indicating that during spicule observations the emission in this line comes from plasma at transition region temperatures rather than coronal. For comparison, the same product with a quiet Sun and prominence DEM were found to have a maximum at logT max (K) = 5.9 and logTmax (K) = 5.7, respectively. We point out that the interpretation of data obtained from the AIA 171 {AA} filter should be done with foreknowledge of the thermal nature of the observed phenomenon. For example, with an off-limb DEM we find that only 3.6% of the plasma is above a million degrees, whereas using a quiet Sun DEM, this contribution rises to 15%.
The solar radiation in the Lyman-alpha spectral line of hydrogen plays a significant role in the illumination of chromospheric and coronal structures, such as prominences, spicules, chromospheric fibrils, cores of coronal mass ejections, and solar wind. Moreover, it is important for the investigation of the heliosphere, Earths ionosphere, and the atmospheres of planets, moons, and comets. We derive a reference quiet-Sun Lyman-alpha spectral profile that is representative of the Lyman-alpha radiation from the solar disk during a minimum of solar activity. This profile can serve as an incident radiation boundary condition for the radiative transfer modelling of chromospheric and coronal structures. Because the solar radiation in the Lyman lines is not constant over time but varies significantly with the solar cycle, we provide a method for the adaptation of the incident radiation Lyman line profiles (Lyman-alpha and higher lines) to a specific date. Moreover, we analyse how the change in the incident radiation influences the synthetic spectra produced by the radiative transfer modelling. To take into account the Lyman-alpha variation with the solar cycle, we used the LISIRD composite Lyman-alpha$ index. To estimate the influence of the change in the incident radiation in the Lyman lines on the results of radiative transfer models, we used a 2D prominence fine structure model. The analysis of the influence of the change in the incident radiation shows that the synthetic spectra are strongly affected by the modification of the incident radiation boundary condition. The hydrogen H alpha line can also be considerably affected, despite the fact that the H alpha radiation from the solar disk does not vary with the solar cycle.
To study motions and oscillations in the solar chromosphere and at the transition region (TR) level we analyze some extreme Doppler shifts observed off-limb with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). Raster scans and slit-jaw imaging observations performed in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) channels were used. Large transverse oscillations are revealed by the far wings profiles after accurately removing the bulk average line profiles of each sequence. Different regions around the Sun are considered. Accordingly, the cool material of spicules is observed in Mg II lines rather dispersed up to coronal heights. In the quiet Sun and especially in a polar coronal hole, we study dynamical properties of the dispersed spicules-material off-limb using a high spectral, temporal and spatial resolutions IRIS observations. We suggest that numerous small-scale jet-like spicules show rapid twisting and swaying motions evidenced by the large distortion and dispersion of the line profiles, including impressive periodic Doppler shifts. Most of these events repeatedly appear in red- and blue-shifts above the limb throughout the whole interval of the observation datasets with an average swaying speed of order +/-35 kms-1 reaching a maximum value of 50 km s-1 in the polar coronal hole region, well above the 2.2 Mm heights. We identified for the 1st time waves with a short period of order of 100 sec and less and transverse amplitudes of order of +/- 20 to 30 km s-1 with the definite signature of Alfven waves. No correlation exists between brightness and Doppler shift variations; the phase speed of the wave is very large and cannot definitely be determined from the spectral features seen along the quasi-radial features. Even shorter periods waves are evidenced, although their contrast is greatly attenuated by the overlapping effects along the line of sight.
During its sungrazing perihelion passage, comet ISON appeared in the field of view of the SUMER spectrometer and allowed unique observations at far-ultraviolet wavelengths with high spatial and temporal resolution. We report results of these observations completed on November 28, 2013, when the comet was only 2.82 R_Sun away from the Sun. Our data show the arrow-shaped dust tail in Ly-$alpha$ emission trailing behind the predicted position of the nucleus, but offset from the trajectory. We interpret the emission as sunlight that is scattered at micron-sized dust particles. We modeled the dust emission and dynamics to reproduce the appearance of the tail. We were unable to detect any signature of cometary gas or plasma around the expected position of the nucleus and conclude that the outgassing processes must have stopped before the observation started. Moreover, the model we used to reproduce the observed dust tail needs a sharp fall-off of the dust production hours before perihelion transit. We compare the radiances of the disk and the dust tail for an estimate of the dust column density and tail mass.
We present observations of a solar quiet region obtained using Hinode Solar Optical telescope (SOT) in Ca II H line with broadband filter taken on November 2006. We study offlimb and on disk spicules to find a counterpart of limb spicule on the disk. This investigation shows a strong correspondence between the limb and near limb spicules (ondisk spicules that historically were called dark or bright mottles especially when observed in Halpha rather cool line) from the dynamical behavior (e.g., periodicity). An excellent time sequence of images obtained near the equatorial region with a cadence of 8 s was selected for analysis. 1D Fourier power spectra made at different positions on the disk and above the limb are shown. We take advantage of the so-called madmax operator to reduce effects of overlapping and improve the visibility of these hair like features. A definite signature with strong power in the 3 min. (5.5 mHz) and 5 min. (3.5 mHz) oscillations for both places exist. A full range of oscillations was found and the high frequency intensity fluctuation (greater than 10 mHz or less than 100 sec.) corresponding to the occurrence of the so- called type II spicules and, even more impressively, dominant peaks of Fourier power spectra are seen in a wide range of frequencies and for all places of on and off disk spicules, in rough agreement with what historical works were reporting regarding the disk mottles and limb spicules. Also, some statistically significant behavior, based on power spectrum computed for different positions, is discussed. The power for all kind of power spectra are decreasing with the increasing distance from the limb, except for photospheric oscillations (5 min. or p mode), which show a dominate peak for on disk power spectra.
Determining the magnetic field related to solar spicules is vital for developing adequate models of these plasma jets, which are thought to play a key role in the thermal, dynamic and magnetic structure of the Chromosphere. Here we report on the magnetic properties of off-limb spicules in a very quiet region of the solar atmosphere, as inferred from new spectropolarimetric observations in the He I 10830 A triplet obtained with the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter. We have used a novel inversion code for Stokes profiles caused by the joint action of atomic level polarization and the Hanle and Zeeman effects (HAZEL) to interpret the observations. Magnetic fields as strong as ~40G were detected in a very localized area of the slit, which could represent a possible lower value of the field strength of organized network spicules.