J. Sýkora

The longitudinal distribution of the green corona activity

Two solar cycle observational material (1947–1968) from several corona stations brought to one intensity scale have been used to study the longitudinal distribution of the green corona activity. The ‘active longitudes’ rotating with a period of 28 days are visualized. There is only very small dependence of the rotational period on the heliographic latitude. This fact recalls the known theory of the underphotospheric rigid body rotation.

Quasibiennial oscillations of the north-south asymmetry

The north-south (N-S) asymmetry of the solar activity (A), which reflects differences in the behavior of the northern and southern hemispheres of the Sun, is studied using data on the brightness of the coronal green line, the total number and area of sunspots, and the net magnetic flux. The spatial and temporal distributions and correlations between the A values represented by these indices are considered. The characteristic time variations in A are similar for all the indices, on both long and short time scales. Quasibiennial oscillations (QBOs) can be traced in the asymmetries of all four indices. A detailed study of the QBOs is carried out based on spectral-variation and wavelet analyses. Long-term increases and decreases occur synchronously in the asymmetries of various indices and are much more pronounced in A than in the indices themselves. A negative correlation between the power of the QBOs and the asymmetry of A can be traced; it is most clearly manifest as a substantial diminishing of the QBOs during the mid-1960s, which coincided with an especially strong increase in A. Our analysis shows that the N-S asymmetry is probably a fundamental property that controls the coupling and degree of coincidence between the magnetic-field-generation mechanisms operating in the northern and southern hemispheres.

Cyclic variations in the differential rotation of the solar corona

The rotation of the solar corona is analyzed using the original database on the brightness of the FeXIV 530.3 nm coronal green line covering six recent activity cycles. The rate of the differential rotation of the corona depends on the cycle phase. In decay phases, there are only small differences in the rotation, which are similar to that of a rigid body. The differences are more significant (though less pronounced than in the photosphere) during rise phases, just before maxima, and sometimes at maxima. The total rate of the coronal rotation is represented as a superposition of two, i.e., fast and slow modes. The synodic period of the fast mode is approximately 27 days at the equator and varies slightly with time. This mode displays weak differences in rotation and is most pronounced in the middle of decay phases. The slow mode is manifested only at high latitudes during the rise phases of activity, and displays a mean period of 31 days. The relative contribution of each mode to the total rotational rate is determined as a function of time and heliographic latitude. These results indicate that the structure of the velocity field in the convective zone must also vary with time. This conclusion can be verified by helioseismology measurements in the near future.

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE WHITE-LIGHT ECLIPSE CORONA AND MAGNETIC FIELDS OVER THE SOLAR CYCLE

Observations of ten solar eclipses (1973–1999) enabled us to reveal and describe mutual relations between the white-light corona structures (e.g., global coronal forms and most conspicuous coronal features, such as helmet streamers and coronal holes) and the coronal magnetic field strength and topology. The magnetic field strength and topology were extrapolated from the photospheric data under the current-free assumption. In spite of this simplification the found correspondence between the white-light corona structure and magnetic field organization strongly suggests a governing role of the field in the appearance and evolution of local and global structures. Our analysis shows that the study of white-light corona structures over a long period of time can provide valuable information on the magnetic field cyclic variations. This is particularly important for the epoch when the corresponding measurements of the photospheric magnetic field are absent.

WHITE-LIGHT POLARIZATION AND LARGE-SCALE CORONAL STRUCTURES

The results of the white-light polarization measurements performed during three solar eclipses (1973, 1980, 1991) are presented. The eclipse images were processed and analysed by the same technique and method and, consequently, the distributions of the polarization and coronal intensity around the Sun were obtained in unified form for all three solar eclipses. The mutual comparisons of our results, and their comparison with the distributions found by other authors, allowed the real accuracy of the current measurements of the white-light corona polarization, which is not worse than ±5%, to be estimated. We have investigated the behaviour of the polarization in dependence on heliocentric distance in helmet streamers and coronal holes. Simultaneous interpretation of the data on polarization and intensity in white-light helmet streamers is only possible if a considerable concentration of coronal matter (plasma) towards the plane of the sky is assumed. The values obtained for the coronal hole regions can be understood within the framework of a spherically symmetrical model of the low density solar atmosphere. A tendency towards increasing polarization in coronal holes, connected with the decrease of the holes size and with the transition from the minimum to the maximum of the solar cycle, was noticed. The problem of how the peculiarities of the large-scale coronal structures are related to the orientation of the global (dipole) solar magnetic field and to the degree of the goffer character of the coronal and interplanetary current sheet is discussed briefly.

Relationship between the coronal shape and the magnetic field topology during the solar cycle

We have observed ten solar eclipses during the 1973–1999 period, three of them being recorded during the rising phase of the present solar cycle 23. The observed shapes of the white-light corona are confronted with the magnetic field topology, as calculated for the corresponding eclipse days. A close relationship of the distinctive large-scale coronal structures (coronal streamers, coronal holes, polar plumes, etc.) with the calculated magnetic field structures and with the actual position of the heliospheric current sheet (as derived for the source surface at r = 2.5R⊙) is evident. The found relations suggest a new understanding of the coronal shape evolution during the solar cycle. It is shown that “the isogausses” and the coronal isophotes create two systems of mutually orthogonal curves. The nature of this finding is also well confirmed by estimating of the magnetic field strength inside the coronal holes observed during “our” eclipses.

Polarization of the white-light corona and its large-scale structure in the period of solar cycle maximum

Distributions of brightness and polarization,p, were obtained for the February 16, 1980 solar corona. Isophotes have a circular shape, typical for the period of the solar cycle maximum. A variety of structural features are distinctly seen in the distribution ofp. The polarization reaches 55%, and thep values are comparatively high, not only in the well-defined streamers, but in the overlapping faint rays and small streamers, as well. A theoretical interpretation of the observed high degrees of polarization, taking into account the data on coronal brightness, is very difficult. This cannot be done within the scope of spherically symmetric models of the corona; the assumption of a high concentration of coronal matter into the plane of the sky is needed. With the most extreme densities in coronal structures, it is not, however, possible to exceed the observed valuep = 55%. Taking into account the accuracy of the polarization measurements, there are no reasons to reject the Thomson scattering as a basic mechanism to explain the origin of the white-light corona.

Cyclic variation in the spatial distribution of the coronal green line brightness

The spatial and temporal brightness distributions of the Fe XIV 530.3 nm coronal green line (CGL) and cyclic variations of these distributions are analyzed for a long time interval covering more than five 11-year cycles (1943–2001). The database of line brightnesses is visually represented in the form of a movie. Substantial restructuring of the spatial distribution of the CGL brightness occur over fairly short time intervals near the so-called reference points of the solar cycle; such points can be identified based on various sets of solar-activity indices. Active longitudes are observed in the CGL brightness over 1.5–3 yr. Antipodal and “alternating” active longitudes are also detected. The movie can be used to compare the CGL brightness data with other indicators of solar activity, such as magnetic fields. The movie is available at http://helios.izmiran.rssi.ru/hellab/Badalyan/green/.

Solar corona irradiance variability during the 1943–1999 period

Abstract We present different aspects of the large-scale distribution of the coronal Fe XIV 530.3 nm emission line brightness (the abbreviation CGL — coronal green line — is used below). Evolution of this line intensity over the solar cycles is demonstrated and the relevance of the solar middle-latitude zones in displaying the coronal activity and variability is underlined.

Structure of the inner corona derived from observations of the eclipse of 16 February 1980

The volume emission measure EM(V) of the arch systems of the inner corona, not immediately associated with developed active regions, has been determined by analyzing the pictures of the green corona. It was found that the EM(V)-values of these systems are substantially lower than those obtained from X-ray data for the active regions, and this fact should be taken into account in interpreting extra-atmospheric observations. The combined investigation of data on the radiation of the corona in the green line and in the continuum enables one to determine the total extension of the radiating matter, (0.5–1) × 1010 cm, as well as the density in the separate arches, ≈ 1.5 × 109 cm-3. It is assumed that matter exists between the arches with a density of ≤ 108 cm-3.