太阳与地磁活动的1.3–1.7 yr振荡关系分析

太阳和地磁活动中的1.3–1.7 yr周期研究对于理解日地空间耦合系统中可能发生的物理过程十分重要.黑子是太阳光球层上最突出的磁场结构, Ap指数则是表征全球地磁活动水平的重要指标.使用同步压缩小波变换得到太阳黑子数和地磁Ap指数的1.3–1.7yr周期,并用互相关方法分析研究它们之间的相位关系.结果如下:(1)太阳黑子数和地磁Ap指数的1.3–1.7 yr周期呈现间歇性的演化特征,且随着时间的变化而不断变化;(2)地磁Ap指数在奇数活动周比相邻的偶数活动周的周期分量更高,表现出上下波动的变化特性;(3)地磁Ap指数和太阳黑子数的相位关系不是一成不变的,在大多数情况下地磁Ap指数滞后太阳黑子数,仅在第18和第22活动周黑子数在相位上滞后.

与耀斑双带重合的一对共轭电流带

利用SDO (Solar Dynamics Observatory)/HMI (Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager)观测到的矢量磁图,研究了与活动区AR12673上爆发的一个X9.3级耀斑(2017年9月6日)的相关电流分布和演化.结果显示,在该活动区的磁中性线两边存在一对方向相反的电流密度约为0.4 A/m^2的长电流带,可称其为一对共轭电流带.这对共轭电流带在耀斑发生之前、期间以及之后一直存在;并且观测到,该耀斑的两个亮带的位置几乎刚好与两个电流带重叠,它们的形状也极其相似. 9月6日电流总强度演化曲线表明,电流强度在X9.3级强耀斑爆发期间出现快速增加的现象,这种现象持续了几个小时.这一研究结果有力支持了磁准分界面(Quasi-Separatrix Layer, QSL) 3维重联模型.

Cluster of solar active regions and onset of coronal mass ejections

round-the-clock solar observations with full-disk coverage of vector magnetograms and multi-wavelength images demonstrate that solar active regions(ARs) are ultimately connected with magnetic field. Often two or more ARs are clustered, creating a favorable magnetic environment for the onset of coronal mass ejections(CMEs). In this work, we describe a new type of magnetic complex: cluster of solar ARs. An AR cluster is referred to as the close connection of two or more ARs which are located in nearly the same latitude and a narrow span of longitude. We illustrate three examples of AR clusters, each of which has two ARs connected and formed a common dome of magnetic flux system. They are clusters of NOAA(i.e., National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) ARs 11226 & 11227, 11429 & 11430, and 11525 & 11524. In these AR clusters, CME initiations were often tied to the instability of the magnetic structures connecting two partner ARs, in the form of inter-connecting loops and/or channeling filaments between the two ARs. We show the evidence that, at least, some of the flare/CMEs in an AR cluster are not a phenomenon of a single AR, but the result of magnetic interaction in the whole AR cluster. The observations shed new light on understanding the mechanism(s) of solar activity. Instead of the simple bipolar topology as suggested by the so-called standard flare model, a multi-bipolar magnetic topology is more common to host the violent solar activity in solar atmosphere.

Origin and structures of solar eruptions Ⅱ: Magnetic modeling

The topology and dynamics of the three-dimensional magnetic field in the solar atmosphere govern various solar eruptive phenomena and activities, such as flares, coronal mass ejections, and filaments/prominences. We have to observe and model the vector magnetic field to understand the structures and physical mechanisms of these solar activities. Vector magnetic fields on the photosphere are routinely observed via the polarized light, and inferred with the inversion of Stokes profiles. To analyze these vector magnetic fields, we need first to remove the 180° ambiguity of the transverse components and correct the projection effect. Then, the vector magnetic field can be served as the boundary conditions for a force-free field modeling after a proper preprocessing. The photospheric velocity field can also be derived from a time sequence of vector magnetic fields.Three-dimensional magnetic field could be derived and studied with theoretical force-free field models, numerical nonlinear force-free field models, magnetohydrostatic models, and magnetohydrodynamic models. Magnetic energy can be computed with three-dimensional magnetic field models or a time series of vector magnetic field. The magnetic topology is analyzed by pinpointing the positions of magnetic null points, bald patches, and quasi-separatrix layers. As a well conserved physical quantity,magnetic helicity can be computed with various methods, such as the finite volume method, discrete flux tube method, and helicity flux integration method. This quantity serves as a promising parameter characterizing the activity level of solar active regions.

Plasma draining and replenishing near a solar active region inferred from cross-correlation between radiation intensity and Doppler shift

Using observations from the EUV Imaging Spectrometer （EIS） onboard Hinode, we exam the plasma dynamics around the edge of the active region 10977, possibly associated with the source of nascent slow/intermediate solar wind. The correlation between the temporal profiles of the radiation intensity and Doppler shift for each emission line are analyzed. And three small regions with positive correlations for all the five emission lines are selected for a detailed analysis. In this work, Doppler blue （red） shift is defined as negative （positive）. We find that in Region 1, the radiation intensity （Doppler velocity） decreases by about 15% （about 3 km s-X）, and logarithmical differential emission measures （lg（DEMs）） reduces by about 0.06-0.10% at all temperatures, called ＂weak dimming＂, during a 30-min interval. In Region 2 and Region 3, however, the radiation intensity （Doppler velocity） increases by about 15% （about 3 km s-l）, and lg（DEMs） increases by about 0.06%~0.10% at all tempera- tures, called ＂weak brightening＂. Such weak dimming （weak brightening） could reflect a slow draining （replenishing） of plas- ma in the solar wind flux tubes, possibly due to a larger （smaller） outflow flux at high altitude than at low altitude. These sug- gest that the plasma supply could be intermittent with an alternation of draining and replenishing, for which the underlying physical process is yet unknown, at the source region of slow/intermediate solar wind.

Nighttime electron density enhancements at middle and low latitudes in East Asia

Nighttime enhancements in ionospheric electron density at mid- and low-latitudes are investigated by using the critical frequency of the F2-1ayer （foF2） data measured from ionosonde stations at Okinawa （26.3°N, 127.8°E, Geomagnetic 15.3°N）, Yamagawa （31.2°N, 130.6°E, Geomagnetic 20.4°N）, Kokubunji （35.7°N, 139.5°E, Geomagnetic 25.5°N）, and Wakkanai （45.4°N, 141.7°E, Geomagnetic 35.4°N） in East Asia during several solar cycles. The results show that there are obvious seasonal and solar activity dependencies of the nighttime electron density enhancements. The enhancements are termed pre-midnight enhancement and post-midnight enhancement, according to the local time when the enhancement appeared. The former has a higher occurrence probability in summer months than in winter months. In contrast, the latter has a larger occurrence probability in winter months than in summer months. Moreover, the nighttime enhancements in electron density are more likely to occur at lower solar activity. These seasonal and solar activity variations of the nighttime enhancements in electron density can be explained in terms of the combined effects of downward plasma flux from the plasmasphere and the neutral winds.

Modeling the global ionospheric total electron content with empirical orthogonal function analysis

In the present work we model the global ionospheric total electron content (TEC) with the analysis of empirical orthogonal functions (EOF). The obtained statistical eigen modes, which makeup the modeled TEC, consist of two factors: the eigen vectors mapping TEC patterns at latitude and longitude (or local time LT), and the corresponding coefficients displaying the TEC variations in different time scales, i.e., the solar cycle, the yearly (annual and semiannual) and the diurnal universal time variations. It is found that the EOF analysis can separate the TEC variations into chief processes and the first two modes illustrate the most of the ionospheric climate properties. The first mode contains both the semiannual component which shows the semiannual ionospheric anomaly and the annual component which shows the annual or non-seasonal ionospheric anomaly. The second mode contains mainly the annual component and shows the normal seasonal ionospheric variation at most latitudes and local time sectors. The annual component in the second mode also manifests seasonal anomaly of the ionosphere at higher mid-latitudes around noontime. It is concluded that the EOF analysis, as a statistical eigen mode method, is resultful in analyzing the ionospheric climatology hence can be used to construct the empirical model for the ionospheric climatology.