Irina N. Kitiashvili

A PRECISE ASTEROSEISMIC AGE AND RADIUS FOR THE EVOLVED SUN-LIKE STAR KIC 11026764

The primary science goal of the Kepler Mission is to provide a census of exoplanets in the solar neighborhood, including the identification and characterization of habitable Earth-like planets. The asteroseismic capabilities of the mission are being used to determine precise radii and ages for the target stars from their solar-like oscillations. Chaplin et al. published observations of three bright G-type stars, which were monitored during the first 33.5 days of science operations. One of these stars, the subgiant KIC 11026764, exhibits a characteristic pattern of oscillation frequencies suggesting that it has evolved significantly. We have derived asteroseismic estimates of the properties of KIC 11026764 from Kepler photometry combined with ground-based spectroscopic data. We present the results of detailed modeling for this star, employing a variety of independent codes and analyses that attempt to match the asteroseismic and spectroscopic constraints simultaneously. We determine both the radius and the age of KIC 11026764 with a precision near 1%, and an accuracy near 2% for the radius and 15% for the age. Continued observations of this star promise to reveal additional oscillation frequencies that will further improve the determination of its fundamental properties.

APPLICATION OF DATA ASSIMILATION METHOD FOR PREDICTING SOLAR CYCLES

Despite the known general properties of the solar cycles, a reliable forecast of the 11 yr sunspot number variations is still a problem. The difficulties are caused by the apparent chaotic behavior of the sunspot numbers from cycle to cycle and by the influence of various turbulent dynamo processes, which we are far from understanding. For predicting the solar cycle properties we make an initial attempt to use the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF), a data assimilation method, which takes into account uncertainties of a dynamo model and measurements, and allows us to estimate future observational data. We present the results of forecasting of the solar cycles obtained by the EnKF method in application to a low-mode nonlinear dynamical system modeling the solar α Ω -dynamo process with variable magnetic helicity. Calculations of the predictions for the previous sunspot cycles show a reasonable agreement with the actual data. This forecast model predicts that the next sunspot cycle will be significantly weaker (by ~30%) than the previous cycle, continuing the trend of low solar activity.

TRAVELING WAVES OF MAGNETOCONVECTION AND THE ORIGIN OF THE EVERSHED EFFECT IN SUNSPOTS

Discovered in 1909 the Evershed effect represents strong mass outflows in sunspot penumbra, where the magnetic field of sunspots is filamentary and almost horizontal. These flows play important role in sunspots and have been studied in detail using large ground-based and space telescopes, but the basic understanding of its mechanism is still missing. We present results of realistic numerical simulations of the Suns subsurface dynamics, and argue that the key mechanism of this effect is in non-linear magnetoconvection that has properties of traveling waves in the presence of strong, highly inclined magnetic field. The simulations reproduce many observed features of the Evershed effect, including the high-speed Evershed clouds, the filamentary structure of the flows, and the non-stationary quasi-periodic behavior. The results provide a synergy of previous theoretical models and lead to an interesting prediction of a large-scale organization of the outflows.

Explanation of the sea-serpent magnetic structure of sunspot penumbrae

Recent spectro-polarimetric observations of a sunspot showed the formation of bipolar magnetic patches in the mid-penumbra and their propagation toward the outer penumbral boundary. The observations were interpreted as being caused by sea-serpent magnetic fields near the solar surface. In this Letter, we develop a three-dimensional radiative MHD numerical model to explain the sea-serpent structure and the wave-like behavior of the penumbral magnetic field lines. The simulations reproduce the observed behavior, suggesting that the sea-serpent phenomenon is a consequence of magnetoconvection in a strongly inclined magnetic field. It involves several physical processes: filamentary structurization, high-speed overturning convective motions in strong, almost horizontal magnetic fields with partially frozen field lines, and traveling convective waves. The results demonstrate a correlation of the bipolar magnetic patches with high-speed Evershed downflows in the penumbra. This is the first time that a three-dimensional numerical model of the penumbra results in downward-directed magnetic fields, an essential ingredient of sunspot penumbrae that has eluded explanation until now.

Spectro-polarimetric properties of small-scale plasma eruptions driven by magnetic vortex tubes

Highly turbulent nature of convection on the Sun causes strong multi-scale interaction of subsurface layers with the photosphere and chromosphere. According to realistic 3D radiative MHD numerical simulations ubiquitous small-scale vortex tubes are generated by turbulent flows below the visible surface and concentrated in the intergranular lanes. The vortex tubes can capture and amplify magnetic field, penetrate into chromospheric layers and initiate quasi-periodic flow eruptions that generates Alfvenic waves, transport mass and energy into the solar atmosphere. The simulations revealed high-speed flow patterns, and complicated thermodynamic and magnetic structures in the erupting vortex tubes. The spontaneous eruptions are initiated and driven by strong pressure gradients in the near-surface layers, and accelerated by the Lorentz force in the low chromosphere. In this paper, the simulation data are used to further investigate the dynamics of the eruptions, their spectro-polarimetric characteristics for the Fe I 6301.5 and 6302.5 A spectral lines, and demonstrate expected signatures of the eruptions in the Hinode SP data. We found that the complex dynamical structure of vortex tubes (downflows in the vortex core and upflows on periphery) can be captured by the Stokes I profiles. During an eruption, the ratio of down and upflows can suddenly change, and this effect can be observed in the Stokes V profile. Also, during the eruption the linear polarization signal increases, and this also can be detected with Hinode SP.

Numerical Modeling of Solar Convection and Oscillations in Magnetic Regions

Solar observations show that the spectra of turbulent convection and oscillations significantly change in magnetic regions, resulting in interesting phenomena, such as high‐frequency “acoustic halos” around active regions. In addition, recent observations from SOHO/MDI revealed significant changes of the wave properties in inclined magnetic field regions of sunspots, which affect helioseismic inferences. We use realistic 3D radiative MHD numerical simulations to investigate properties of solar convection and excitation and propagation of oscillations in magnetic regions. A new feature of these simulations is implementation of a dynamic sub‐grid turbulence model, which allows more accurate description of turbulent dissipation and wave excitation. We present the simulation results for a wide range of the field strength and inclination in the top 6 Mm layer of the convection zone. The results show interesting and unexpected effects in the dynamics and large‐scale organization of the magnetoconvection (includ...

Prediction of solar activity cycles by assimilating sunspot data into a dynamo model

Solar activity is a determining factor for space climate of the Solar system. Thus, predicting the magnetic activity of the Sun is very important. However, our incomplete knowledge about the dynamo processes of generation and transport of magnetic fields inside Sun does not allow us to make an accurate forecast. For predicting the solar cycle properties use the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) to assimilate the sunspot data into a simple dynamo model. This method takes into account uncertainties of both the dynamo model and the observed sunspot number series. The method has been tested by calculating predictions of the past cycles using the observed annual sunspot numbers only until the start of these cycles, and showed a reasonable agreement between the predicted and actual data. After this, we have calculated a prediction for the upcoming solar cycle 24, and found that it will be approximately 30% weaker than the previous one, confirming some previous expectations. In addition, we have investigated the properties of the dynamo model during the solar minima, and their relationship to the strength of the following solar cycles. The results show that prior the weak cycles, 20 and 23, and the upcoming cycle, 24, the vector-potential of the poloidal component of magnetic field and the magnetic helicity substantial decrease. The decrease of the poloidal field corresponds to the well-known correlation between the polar magnetic field strength at the minimum and the sunspot number at the maximum. However, the correlation between the magnetic helicity and the future cycle strength is new, and should be further investigated.

Realistic MHD simulations of magnetic self-organization in solar plasma

Filamentary structure is a fundamental property of the magnetized solar plasma. Recent high-resolution observations and numerical simulations have revealed close links between the filamentary structures and plasma dynamics in large-scale solar phenomena, such as sunspots and magnetic network. A new emerging paradigm is that the mechanisms of the filamentary structuring and large-scale organization are natural consequences of turbulent magnetoconvection on the Sun. We present results of 3D radiative MHD large-eddy simulations (LES) of magnetic structures in the turbulent convective boundary layer of the Sun. The results show how the initial relatively weak and uniformly distributed magnetic field forms the filamentary structures, which under certain conditions gets organized on larger scales, creating stable long-living magnetic structures. We discuss the physics of magnetic self-organization in the turbulent solar plasma, and compare the simulation results with observations.

Realistic MHD numerical simulations of solar convection and oscillations in inclined magnetic field regions

Irina N. Kitiashvili1, Alexander G. Kosovichev2, Alan A. Wray3 and Nagi N. Mansour3 Center for Turbulence Research, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA email: irinasun@stanford.edu Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA email: AKosovichev@solar.stanford.edu Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94040, USA email: Alan.A.Wray@nasa.gov and nagi.n.mansour@nasa.gov

Magnetic and tidal interactions in spin evolution of exoplanets

The axis-rotational evolution of exoplanets on close orbits strongly depends on their magnetic and tidal interactions with the parent stars. Impulsive perturbations from a star created by periodical activity may accumulate with time and lead to significant long-term perturbations of the planet spin evolution. I consider the spin evolution for different conditions of gravitational, magnetic and tidal perturbations, orbit eccentricity and different angles between the planetary orbit plane and the reference frame of a parent star. In this report I present a summary of analytical and numerical calculations of the spin evolution, and discuss the problem of the star-planet magnetic interaction.