An Airborne Infrared Spectrometer for Solar Eclipse Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samra, Jenna; DeLuca, Edward E.; Golub, Leon; Cheimets, Peter; Philip, Judge

2016-05-01

The airborne infrared spectrometer (AIR-Spec) is an innovative solar spectrometer that will observe the 2017 solar eclipse from the NSF/NCAR High-Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER). AIR-Spec will image five infrared coronal emission lines to determine whether they may be useful probes of coronal magnetism.The solar magnetic field provides the free energy that controls coronal heating, structure, and dynamics. Energy stored in coronal magnetic fields is released in flares and coronal mass ejections and ultimately drives space weather. Therefore, direct coronal field measurements have significant potential to enhance understanding of coronal dynamics and improve solar forecasting models. Of particular interest are observations of field lines in the transitional region between closed and open flux systems, providing important information on the origin of the slow solar wind.While current instruments routinely observe only the photospheric and chromospheric magnetic fields, AIR-Spec will take a step toward the direct observation of coronal fields by measuring plasma emission in the infrared at high spatial and spectral resolution. During the total solar eclipse of 2017, AIR-Spec will observe five magnetically sensitive coronal emission lines between 1.4 and 4 µm from the HIAPER Gulfstream V at an altitude above 14.9 km. The instrument will measure emission line intensity, width, and Doppler shift, map the spatial distribution of infrared emitting plasma, and search for waves in the emission line velocities.AIR-Spec consists of an optical system (feed telescope, grating spectrometer, and infrared detector) and an image stabilization system, which uses a fast steering mirror to correct the line-of-sight for platform perturbations. To ensure that the instrument meets its research goals, both systems are undergoing extensive performance modeling and testing. These results are shown with reference to the science requirements.

K2 & Solar System Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lissauer, Jack

2015-01-01

All of the fields that K2 observes are near the ecliptic plane in order to minimize the spin-up of the spacecraft in response to the effects of solar irradiation. The fields observed by K2 are thus rich in Solar System objects including planets, asteroids and trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). K2 has already performed observations of Neptune and its large moon Triton, 68 Trojan and Hilda asteroids, 5 TNOs (including Pluto) and Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Springs). About 10,000 main-belt asteroids that fell into the pixel masks of stars have been serendipitously observed. Observations of small bodies are especially useful for determining rotation periods. Uranus will be observed in a future campaign (C8), as will many more small Solar System bodies. The status of various K2 Solar System studies will be reviewed and placed within the context of our current knowledge of the objects being observed.

GAP: yet another image processing system for solar observations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, C. U.

GAP is a versatile, interactive image processing system for analyzing solar observations, in particular extended time sequences, and for preparing publication quality figures. It consists of an interpreter that is based on a language with a control flow similar to PASCAL and C. The interpreter may be accessed from a command line editor and from user-supplied functions, procedures, and command scripts. GAP is easily expandable via external FORTRAN programs that are linked to the GAP interface routines. The current version of GAP runs on VAX, DECstation, Sun, and Apollo computers. Versions for MS-DOS and OS/2 are in preparation.

Solar Observations with ALMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wedemeyer, Sven

2018-04-01

The continuum intensity at millimeter wavelengths can serve as an essentially linear thermometer of the plasma in a thin layer in the atmosphere of the Sun, whereas the polarisation of the received radiation is a measure for the longitudinal magnetic field component in the same layer. The enormous leap in terms of spatial resolution with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) now makes it possible to observe the intricate fine-structure of the solar atmosphere at sufficiently high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution, thus enabling studies of a wide range of scientific topics in solar physics that had been inaccessible at millimeter wavelengths before. The radiation observed by ALMA originates mostly from the chromosphere - a complex and dynamic layer between the photosphere and corona, which plays a crucial role in the transport of energy and matter and, ultimately, the heating of the outer solar atmosphere. ALMA observations of the solar chromosphere, which are offered as a regular capability since 2016, therefore have the potential to make important contributions towards the solution of fundamental questions in solar physics with implications for our understanding of stars in general. In this presentation, I will give a short description of ALMA's solar observing mode, it challenges and opportunities, and selected science cases in combination with numerical simulations and coordinated observations at other wavelengths. ALMA's scientific potential for studying the dynamic small-scale pattern of the solar chromosphere is illustrated with first results from Cycle 4.

Long-term solar-terrestrial observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The results of an 18-month study of the requirements for long-term monitoring and archiving of solar-terrestrial data is presented. The value of long-term solar-terrestrial observations is discussed together with parameters, associated measurements, and observational problem areas in each of the solar-terrestrial links (the sun, the interplanetary medium, the magnetosphere, and the thermosphere-ionosphere). Some recommendations are offered for coordinated planning for long-term solar-terrestrial observations.

Our Solar System, from the Outside

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-04-28

This graphic, based on data from NASA Voyager spacecraft, shows a model of what our solar system looks like to an observer outside in interstellar space, watching our solar system fly towards the observer.

Development of the prototype data management system of the solar H-alpha full disk observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Ka-Ning; Zhao, Shi-Qing; Li, Qiong-Ying; Chen, Dong

2004-06-01

The Solar Chromospheric Telescope in Yunnan Observatory generates about 2G bytes fits format data per day. Huge amounts of data will bring inconvenience for people to use. Hence, data searching and sharing are important at present. Data searching, on-line browsing, remote accesses and download are developed with a prototype data management system of the solar H-alpha full disk observation, and improved by the working flow technology. Based on Windows XP operating system and MySQL data management system, a prototype system of browse/server model is developed by JAVA and JSP. Data compression, searching, browsing, deletion need authority and download in real-time have been achieved.

Ion Acceleration in Solar Flares Determined by Solar Neutron Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, K.; Solar Neutron Observation Group

2013-05-01

Large amounts of particles can be accelerated to relativistic energy in association with solar flares and/or accompanying phenomena (e.g., CME-driven shocks), and they sometimes reach very near the Earth and penetrate the Earth's atmosphere. These particles are observed by ground-based detectors (e.g., neutron monitors) as Ground Level Enhancements (GLEs). Some of the GLEs originate from high energy solar neutrons which are produced in association with solar flares. These neutrons are also observed by ground-based neutron monitors and solar neutron telescopes. Recently, some of the solar neutron detectors have also been operating in space. By observing these solar neutrons, we can obtain information about ion acceleration in solar flares. Such neutrons were observed in association with some X-class flares in solar cycle 23, and sometimes they were observed by two different types of detectors. For example, on 2005 September 7, large solar neutron signals were observed by the neutron monitor at Mt. Chacaltaya in Bolivia and Mexico City, and by the solar neutron telescopes at Chacaltaya and Mt. Sierra Negra in Mexico in association with an X17.0 flare. The neutron signal continued for more than 20 minutes with high statistical significance. Intense gamma-ray emission was also registered by INTEGRAL, and by RHESSI during the decay phase. We analyzed these data using the solar-flare magnetic-loop transport and interaction model of Hua et al. (2002), and found that the model could successfully fit the data with intermediate values of loop magnetic convergence and pitch angle scattering parameters. These results indicate that solar neutrons were produced at the same time as the gamma-ray line emission and that ions were continuously accelerated at the emission site. In this paper, we introduce some of the solar neutron observations in solar cycle 23, and discuss the tendencies of the physical parameters of solar neutron GLEs, and the energy spectrum and population of the

Description and primary results of Total Solar Irradiance Monitor, a solar-pointing instrument on an Earth observing satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hongrui; Fang, Wei; Li, Huiduan

2015-04-01

Solar driving mechanism for Earth climate has been a controversial problem for centuries. Long-time data of solar activity is required by the investigations of the solar driving mechanism, such as Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) record. Three Total Solar Irradiance Monitors (TSIM) have been developed by Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics for China Meteorological Administration to maintain continuities of TSI data series which lasted for nearly 4 decades.The newest TSIM has recorded TSI daily with accurate solar pointing on the FY-3C meteorological satellite since Oct 2013. TSIM/FY-3C has a pointing system for automatic solar tracking, onboard the satellite designed mainly for Earth observing. Most payloads of FY-3C are developed for observation of land, ocean and atmosphere. Consequently, the FY-3C satellite is a nadir-pointing spacecraft with its z axis to be pointed at the center of the Earth. Previous TSIMs onboard the FY-3A and FY-3B satellites had no pointing system, solar observations were only performed when the sun swept through field-of-view of the instruments. And TSI measurements are influenced inevitably by the solar pointing errors. Corrections of the solar pointing errors were complex. The problem is now removed by TSIM/FY-3C.TSIM/FY-3C follows the sun accurately by itself using its pointing system based on scheme of visual servo control. The pointing system is consisted of a radiometer package, two motors for solar tracking, a sun sensor and etc. TSIM/FY-3C has made daily observations of TSI for more than one year, with nearly zero solar pointing errors. Short time-scale variations in TSI detected by TSIM/FY-3C are nearly the same with VIRGO/SOHO and TIM/SORCE.Instrument details, primary results of solar pointing control, solar observations and etc will be given in the presentation.

Coherent Backscattering and Opposition Effects Observed in Some Atmosphereless Bodies of the Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dlugach, Zh. M.; Mishchenko, M. I.

2013-01-01

The results of photometric and polarimetric observations carried out for some bright atmosphere-less bodies of the Solar system near the zero phase angle reveal the simultaneous existence of two spectacular optical phenomena, the so-called brightness and polarization opposition effects. In a number of studies, these phenomena were explained by the influence of coherent backscattering. However, in general, the interference concept of coherent backscattering can be used only in the case where the particles are in the far-field zones of each other, i.e., when the scattering medium is rather rarefied. Because of this, it is important to prove rigorously and to demonstrate that the coherent backscattering effect may also exist in densely packed scattering media like regolith surface layers of celestial bodies. From the results of the computer modeling performed with the use of numerically exact solutions of the macroscopic Maxwell equations for discrete random media with different packing densities of particles, we studied the origin and evolution of all the opposition phenomena predicted by the coherent backscattering theory for low-packing-density media. It has been shown that the predictions of this theory remain valid for rather high-packing densities of particles that are typical, in particular, of regolith surfaces of the Solar system bodies. The results allow us to conclude that both opposition effects observed simultaneously in some high-albedo atmosphereless bodies of the Solar system are caused precisely by coherent backscattering of solar light in the regolith layers composed of microscopic particles.

Investigating Extra-solar Planetary System Qatar-1 through Transit Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thakur, Parijat; Mannaday, Vineet Kumar; Jiang, Ing-Guey; Sahu, Devendra Kumar; Chand, Swadesh

2018-04-01

We report the results of the transit timing variation (TTV) analysis of the extra-solar planet Qatar-1b using thirty eight light curves. Our analysis combines thirty five previously available transit light curves with three new transits observed by us between June 2016 and September 2016 using the 2-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) at the Indian Astronomical Observatory (Hanle, India). From these transit data, the physical and orbital parameters of the Qatar-1 system are determined. In addition to this, the ephemeris for the orbital period and mid-transit time are refined to investigate the possible TTV. We find that the null-TTV model provides the better fit to the (O-C) data. This indicates that there is no evidence for TTVs to confirm the presence of additional planets in the Qatar-1 system. The use of the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT) operated by the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES, Nainital, India) could improve the photometric precision to examine the signature of TTVs in this system with a greater accuracy than in the present work.

High resolution solar observations from first principles to applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verdoni, Angelo P.

2009-10-01

The expression "high-resolution observations" in Solar Physics refers to the spatial, temporal and spectral domains in their entirety. High-resolution observations of solar fine structure are a necessity to answer many of the intriguing questions related to solar activity. However, a researcher building instruments for high-resolution observations has to cope with the fact that these three domains often have diametrically opposed boundary conditions. Many factors have to be considered in the design of a successful instrument. Modern post-focus instruments are more closely linked with the solar telescopes that they serve than in past. In principle, the quest for high-resolution observations already starts with the selection of the observatory site. The site survey of the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST) under the stewardship of the National Solar Observatory (NSO) has identified Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) as one of the best sites for solar observations. In a first step, the seeing characteristics at BBSO based on the data collected for the ATST site survey are described. The analysis will aid in the scheduling of high-resolution observations at BBSO as well as provide useful information concerning the design and implementation of a thermal control system for the New Solar Telescope (NST). NST is an off-axis open-structure Gregorian-style telescope with a 1.6 m aperture. NST will be housed in a newly constructed 5/8-sphere ventilated dome. With optics exposed to the surrounding air, NST's open-structure design makes it particularly vulnerable to the effects of enclosure-related seeing. In an effort to mitigate these effects, the initial design of a thermal control system for the NST dome is presented. The goal is to remediate thermal related seeing effects present within the dome interior. The THermal Control System (THCS) is an essential component for the open-telescope design of NST to work. Following these tasks, a calibration routine for the

Solar System Observations with Spitzer Space Telescope: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruikshank, Dale P.

2005-01-01

The programs of observations of Solar System bodies conducted in the first year of the operation of the Spitzer Space Telescope as part of the Guaranteed Observing Time allocations are described. Initial results include the determination of the albedos of a number of Kuiper Belt objects and Centaurs from observations of their flux densities at 24 and 70 microns, and the detection of emission bands in the spectra of several distant asteroids (Trojans) around 10 and 25 microns. The 10 Kuiper Belt objects observed to date have albedos in the range 0.08 - 0.15, significantly higher than the earlier estimated 0.04. An additional KBO [(55565) 2002 AW(sub l97)] has an albedo of 0.17 plus or minus 0.03. The emission bands in the asteroid spectra are indicative of silicates, but specific minerals have not yet been identified. The Centaur/comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 has a nucleus surface albedo of 0.025 plus or minus 0.01, and its dust production rate was calculated from the properties of the coma. Several other investigations are in progress as the incoming data are processed and analyzed.

Variations of Solar Radius Observed with RHESSI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fivian, M. D.; Hudson, H. S.; Lin, R. P.

2003-12-01

The Solar Aspect System (SAS) of the rotating (at 15 rpm) RHESSI spacecraft has three subsystems. Each of these measures the position of the limb by sampling the full solar chord profile with a linear CCD using a narrow bandwidth filter at 670 nm. With a resolution of each CCD of 1.7 arcsec/pixel, the accuracy of each of the 6 limb positions is theoretically better than 50 mas using 4 pixels at each limb. Since the launch of RHESSI early 2002, solar limbs are sampled with at least 100 Hz. That provides a database of currently 4 x 109 single radius measurements. The main function of SAS is to determine the RHESSI pointing relative to Sun center. The observed precision of this determination has a typical instantaneous (16 Hz) value of about 200 mas (rms). We show and discuss first results of variations of solar radius observed with RHESSI.

XMM-Newton Observations of Solar Wind Charge Exchange Emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snowden, S. L.; Collier, M. R.; Kuntz, K. D.

2004-01-01

We present an XMM-Newton spectrum of diffuse X-ray emission from within the solar system. The spectrum is dominated by O VII and O VIII lines at 0.57 keV and 0.65 keV, O VIII (and possibly Fe XVII) lines at approximately 0.8 keV, Ne IX lines at approximately 0.92 keV, and Mg XI lines at approximately 1.35 keV. This spectrum is consistent with what is expected from charge exchange emission between the highly ionized solar wind and either interstellar neutrals in the heliosphere or material from Earth's exosphere. The emission is clearly seen as a low-energy ( E less than 1.5 keV) spectral enhancement in one of a series of observations of the Hubble Deep Field North. The X-ray enhancement is concurrent with an enhancement in the solar wind measured by the ACE satellite. The solar wind enhancement reaches a flux level an order of magnitude more intense than typical fluxes at 1 AU, and has ion ratios with significantly enhanced higher ionization states. Whereas observations of the solar wind plasma made at a single point reflect only local conditions which may only be representative of solar wind properties with spatial scales ranging from less than half of an Earth radii (approximately 10 s) to 100 Earth radii, X-ray observations of solar wind charge exchange are remote sensing measurements which may provide observations which are significantly more global in character. Besides being of interest in its own right for studies of the solar system, this emission can have significant consequences for observations of more cosmological objects. It can provide emission lines at zero redshift which are of particular interest (e.g., O VII and O VIII) in studies of diffuse thermal emission, and which can therefore act as contamination in objects which cover the entire detector field of view. We propose the use of solar wind monitoring data, such as from the ACE and Wind spacecraft, as a diagnostic to screen for such possibilities.

Origins of Inner Solar Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, Rebekah Ilene

2017-06-01

Over the past couple decades, thousands of extra-solar planetshave been discovered orbiting other stars. The exoplanets discovered to date exhibit a wide variety of orbital and compositional properties; most are dramatically different from the planets in our own Solar System. Our classical theories for the origins of planetary systems were crafted to account for the Solar System and fail to account for the diversity of planets now known. We are working to establish a new blueprint for the origin of planetary systems and identify the key parameters of planet formation and evolution that establish the distribution of planetary properties observed today. The new blueprint must account for the properties of planets in inner solar systems, regions of planetary systems closer to their star than Earth’s separation from the Sun and home to most exoplanets detected to data. I present work combining simulations and theory with data analysis and statistics of observed planets to test theories of the origins of inner solars, including hot Jupiters, warm Jupiters, and tightly-packed systems of super-Earths. Ultimately a comprehensive blueprint for planetary systems will allow us to better situate discovered planets in the context of their system’s formation and evolution, important factors in whether the planets may harbor life.

COMPTEL solar flare observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, J. M.; Aarts, H.; Bennett, K.; Debrunner, H.; Devries, C.; Denherder, J. W.; Eymann, G.; Forrest, D. J.; Diehl, R.; Hermsen, W.

1992-01-01

COMPTEL as part of a solar target of opportunity campaign observed the sun during the period of high solar activity from 7-15 Jun. 1991. Major flares were observed on 9 and 11 Jun. Although both flares were large GOES events (greater than or = X10), they were not extraordinary in terms of gamma-ray emission. Only the decay phase of the 15 Jun. flare was observed by COMPTEL. We report the preliminary analysis of data from these flares, including the first spectroscopic measurement of solar flare neutrons. The deuterium formation line at 2.223 MeV was present in both events and for at least the 9 Jun. event, was comparable to the flux in the nuclear line region of 4-8 MeV, consistent with Solar-Maximum Mission (SSM) Observations. A clear neutron signal was present in the flare of 9 Jun. with the spectrum extending up to 80 MeV and consistent in time with the emission of gamma-rays, confirming the utility of COMPTEL in measuring the solar neutron flux at low energies. The neutron flux below 100 MeV appears to be lower than that of the 3 Jun. 1982 flare by more than an order of magnitude. The neutron signal of the 11 Jun. event is under study. Severe dead time effects resulting from the intense thermal x-rays require significant corrections to the measured flux which increase the magnitude of the associated systematic uncertainties.

Solar Eclipses Observed from Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pasachoff, Jay M.

2013-01-01

Aspects of the solar corona are still best observed during totality of solar eclipses, and other high-resolution observations of coronal active regions can be observed with radio telescopes by differentiation of occultation observations, as we did with the Jansky Very Large Array for the annular solar eclipse of 2012 May 20 in the US. Totality crossing Antarctica included the eclipse of 2003 November 23, and will next occur on 2021 December 4; annularity crossing Antarctica included the eclipse of 2008 February 7, and will next occur on 2014 April 29. Partial phases as high as 87% coverage were visible and were imaged in Antarctica on 2011 November 25, and in addition to partial phases of the total and annular eclipses listed above, partial phases were visible in Antarctica on 2001 July 2011, 2002 December 4, 2004 April 19, 2006 September 22, 2007 September 11, and 2009 January 26, and will be visible on 2015 September 13, 2016 September 1, 2017 February 26, 2018 February 15, and 2020 December 14. On behalf of the Working Group on Solar Eclipses of the IAU, the poster showed the solar eclipses visible from Antarctica and this article shows a subset (see www.eclipses.info for the full set). A variety of investigations of the Sun and of the response of the terrestrial atmosphere and ionosphere to the abrupt solar cutoff can be carried out at the future eclipses, making the Antarctic observations scientifically useful.

Fast Imaging Solar Spectrograph System in New Solar Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Y.-D.; Kim, Y. H.; Chae, J.; Goode, P. R.; Cho, K. S.; Park, H. M.; Nah, J. K.; Jang, B. H.

2010-12-01

In 2004, Big Bear Solar Observatory in California, USA launched a project for construction of the world's largest aperture solar telescope (D = 1.6m) called New Solar Telescope(NST). University of Hawaii (UH) and Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute(KASI) partly collaborate on the project. NST is a designed off-axis parabolic Gregorian reflector with very high spatial resolution(0.07 arcsec at 5000A) and is equipped with several scientific instruments such as Visible Imaging Magnetograph (VIM), InfraRed Imaging Magnetograph IRIM), and so on. Since these scientific instruments are focused on studies of the solar photosphere, we need a post-focus instrument for the NST to study the fine structures and dynamic patterns of the solar chromosphere and low Transition Region (TR) layer, including filaments/prominences, spicules, jets, micro flares, etc. For this reason, we developed and installed a fast imaging solar spectrograph(FISS) system on the NST withadvantages of achieving compact design with high spectral resolution and small aberration as well as recording many solar spectral lines in a single and/or dual band mode. FISS was installed in May, 2010 and now we carry out a test observation. In this talk, we introduce the FISS system and the results of the test observation after FISS installation.

Integrated Access to Solar Observations With EGSO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Csillaghy, A.

2003-12-01

{\\b Co-Authors}: J.Aboudarham (2), E.Antonucci (3), R.D.Bentely (4), L.Ciminiera (5), A.Finkelstein (4), J.B.Gurman(6), F.Hill (7), D.Pike (8), I.Scholl (9), V.Zharkova and the EGSO development team {\\b Institutions}: (2) Observatoire de Paris-Meudon (France); (3) INAF - Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (Italy); (4) University College London (U.K.); (5) Politecnico di Torino (Italy), (6) NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (USA); (7) National Solar Observatory (USA); (8) Rutherford Appleton Lab. (U.K.); (9) Institut d'Astrophysique Spatial, Universite de Paris-Sud (France) ; (10) University of Bradford (U.K) {\\b Abstract}: The European Grid of Solar Observations is the European contribution to the deployment of a virtual solar observatory. The project is funded under the Information Society Technologies (IST) thematic programme of the European Commission's Fifth Framework. EGSO started in March 2002 and will last until March 2005. The project is categorized as a computer science effort. Evidently, a fair amount of issues it addresses are general to grid projects. Nevertheless, EGSO is also of benefit to the application domains, including solar physics, space weather, climate physics and astrophysics. With EGSO, researchers as well as the general public can access and combine solar data from distributed archives in an integrated virtual solar resource. Users express queries based on various search parameters. The search possibilities of EGSO extend the search possibilities of traditional data access systems. For instance, users can formulate a query to search for simultaneous observations of a specific solar event in a given number of wavelengths. In other words, users can search for observations on the basis of events and phenomena, rather than just time and location. The software architecture consists of three collaborating components: a consumer, a broker and a provider. The first component, the consumer, organizes the end user interaction and controls requests

The solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system

PubMed

Lyon

2000-06-16

The solar wind, magnetosphere, and ionosphere form a single system driven by the transfer of energy and momentum from the solar wind to the magnetosphere and ionosphere. Variations in the solar wind can lead to disruptions of space- and ground-based systems caused by enhanced currents flowing into the ionosphere and increased radiation in the near-Earth environment. The coupling between the solar wind and the magnetosphere is mediated and controlled by the magnetic field in the solar wind through the process of magnetic reconnection. Understanding of the global behavior of this system has improved markedly in the recent past from coordinated observations with a constellation of satellite and ground instruments.

Baby Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Currie, Thayne; Grady, Carol

2012-01-01

What did our solar system look like in its infancy,...... when the planets were forming? We cannot travel back in time to take an image of the early solar system, but in principle we can have the next best thing: images of infant planetary systems around Sun-like stars with ages of 1 to 5 million years, the time we think it took for the giant planets to form. Infant exoplanetary systems are critically important because they can help us understand how our solar system fits within the context of planet formation in general. More than 80% of stars are born with gas- and dust-rich disks, and thus have the potential to form planets. Through many methods we have identified more than 760 planetary systems around middle-aged stars like the Sun, but many of these have architectures that look nothing like our solar system. Young planetary systems are important missing links between various endpoints and may help us understand how and when these differences emerge. Well-known star-forming regions in Taurus, Scorpius. and Orion contain stars that could have infant planetary systems. But these stars are much more distant than our nearest neighbors such as Alpha Centauri or Sirius, making it extremely challenging to produce clear images of systems that can reveal signs of recent planet formation, let alone reveal the planets themselves. Recently, a star with the unassuming name LkCa 15 may have given us our first detailed "baby picture" of a young planetary system similar to our solar system. Located about 450 light-years away in the Taurus starforming region. LkCa 15 has a mass comparable to the Sun (0.97 solar mass) and an age of l to 5 million years, comparable to the time at which Saturn and perhaps Jupiter formed. The star is surrounded by a gas-rich disk similar in structure to the one in our solar system from which the planets formed. With new technologies and observing strategies, we have confirmed suspicions that LkCa 15's disk harbors a young planetary system.

Origin of Outer Solar System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holman, Matthew J.; Lindstrom, David (Technical Monitor)

2005-01-01

Our ongoing research program combines extensive deep and wide-field observations using a variety of observational platforms with numerical studies of the dynamics of small bodies in the outer solar system in order to advance the main scientific goals of the community studying the Kuiper belt and the outer solar system. These include: (1) determining the relative populations of the known classes of KBOs as well as other possible classes; ( 2 ) determining the size distributions or luminosity function of the individual populations or the Kuiper belt as a whole; (3) determining the inclinations distributions of these populations; (4) establishing the radial extent of the Kuiper belt; ( 5 ) measuring and relating the physical properties of different types of KBOs to those of other solar system bodies; and, (6) completing our systematic inventory of the satellites of the outer planets.

Where the Solar system meets the solar neighbourhood: patterns in the distribution of radiants of observed hyperbolic minor bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de la Fuente Marcos, Carlos; de la Fuente Marcos, Raúl; Aarseth, Sverre J.

2018-05-01

Observed hyperbolic minor bodies might have an interstellar origin, but they can be natives of the Solar system as well. Fly-bys with the known planets or the Sun may result in the hyperbolic ejection of an originally bound minor body; in addition, members of the Oort cloud could be forced to follow inbound hyperbolic paths as a result of secular perturbations induced by the Galactic disc or, less frequently, due to impulsive interactions with passing stars. These four processes must leave distinctive signatures in the distribution of radiants of observed hyperbolic objects, both in terms of coordinates and velocity. Here, we perform a systematic numerical exploration of the past orbital evolution of known hyperbolic minor bodies using a full N-body approach and statistical analyses to study their radiants. Our results confirm the theoretical expectations that strong anisotropies are present in the data. We also identify a statistically significant overdensity of high-speed radiants towards the constellation of Gemini that could be due to the closest and most recent known fly-by of a star to the Solar system, that of the so-called Scholz's star. In addition to and besides 1I/2017 U1 (`Oumuamua), we single out eight candidate interstellar comets based on their radiants' velocities.

Preparation for the solar system observations with Herschel: Simulation of Jupiter observations with PACS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sagawa, Hideo; Hartogh, Paul; Rengel, Miriam; de Lange, Arno; Cavalié, Thibault

2010-11-01

Observations of the water inventory as well as other chemically important species on Jupiter will be performed in the frame of the guaranteed time key project of the Herschel Space Observatory entitled "Water and related chemistry in the Solar system". Among other onboard instruments, PACS (Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer) will provide new data of the spectral atlas in a wide region covering the far-infrared and submillimetre domains, with an improved spectral resolution and a higher sensitivity compared to previous observations carried out by Cassini/CIRS (Composite InfraRed Spectrometer) and by ISO (Infrared Space Observatory). In order to optimise the observational plan and to prepare for the data analysis, we have simulated the expected spectra of PACS Jupiter observations. Our simulation shows that PACS will promisingly detect several H 2O emission lines. As PACS is capable of spatially resolving the Jovian disk, we will be able to discern the external oxygen sources in the giant planets by exploring the horizontal distribution of water. In addition to H 2O lines, some absorption lines due to tropospheric CH 4, HD, PH 3 and NH 3 lines will be observed with PACS. Furthermore, owing to the high sensitivity of the instrument, the current upper limit on the abundance of hydrogen halides such as HCl will be also improved.

On the Performance of Multi-Instrument Solar Flare Observations During Solar Cycle 24

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milligan, Ryan O.; Ireland, Jack

2018-02-01

The current fleet of space-based solar observatories offers us a wealth of opportunities to study solar flares over a range of wavelengths. Significant advances in our understanding of flare physics often come from coordinated observations between multiple instruments. Consequently, considerable efforts have been, and continue to be, made to coordinate observations among instruments ( e.g. through the Max Millennium Program of Solar Flare Research). However, there has been no study to date that quantifies how many flares have been observed by combinations of various instruments. Here we describe a technique that retrospectively searches archival databases for flares jointly observed by the Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI), Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/ EUV Variability Experiment (EVE - Multiple EUV Grating Spectrograph (MEGS)-A and -B, Hinode/( EUV Imaging Spectrometer, Solar Optical Telescope, and X-Ray Telescope), and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). Out of the 6953 flares of GOES magnitude C1 or greater that we consider over the 6.5 years after the launch of SDO, 40 have been observed by 6 or more instruments simultaneously. Using each instrument's individual rate of success in observing flares, we show that the numbers of flares co-observed by 3 or more instruments are higher than the number expected under the assumption that the instruments operated independently of one another. In particular, the number of flares observed by larger numbers of instruments is much higher than expected. Our study illustrates that these missions often acted in cooperation, or at least had aligned goals. We also provide details on an interactive widget ( Solar Flare Finder), now available in SSWIDL, which allows a user to search for flaring events that have been observed by a chosen set of instruments. This provides access to a broader range of events in order to answer specific science questions. The difficulty in scheduling coordinated

Observations of an Eruptive Solar Flare in the Extended EUV Solar Corona

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seaton, Daniel B.; Darnel, Jonathan M.

2018-01-01

We present observations of a powerful solar eruption, accompanied by an X8.2 solar flare, from NOAA Active Region 12673 on 2017 September 10 by the Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) on the GOES-16 spacecraft. SUVI is noteworthy for its relatively large field of view, which allows it to image solar phenomena to heights approaching 2 solar radii. These observations include the detection of an apparent current sheet associated with magnetic reconnection in the wake of the eruption, and evidence of an extreme-ultraviolet wave at some of the largest heights ever reported. We discuss the acceleration of the nascent coronal mass ejection to approximately 2000 km s‑1 at about 1.5 solar radii. We compare these observations with models of eruptions and eruption-related phenomena. We also describe the SUVI data and discuss how the scientific community can access SUVI observations of the event.

The formation of the solar system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfalzner, S.; Davies, M. B.; Gounelle, M.; Johansen, A.; Münker, C.; Lacerda, P.; Portegies Zwart, S.; Testi, L.; Trieloff, M.; Veras, D.

2015-06-01

The solar system started to form about 4.56 Gyr ago and despite the long intervening time span, there still exist several clues about its formation. The three major sources for this information are meteorites, the present solar system structure and the planet-forming systems around young stars. In this introduction we give an overview of the current understanding of the solar system formation from all these different research fields. This includes the question of the lifetime of the solar protoplanetary disc, the different stages of planet formation, their duration, and their relative importance. We consider whether meteorite evidence and observations of protoplanetary discs point in the same direction. This will tell us whether our solar system had a typical formation history or an exceptional one. There are also many indications that the solar system formed as part of a star cluster. Here we examine the types of cluster the Sun could have formed in, especially whether its stellar density was at any stage high enough to influence the properties of today’s solar system. The likelihood of identifying siblings of the Sun is discussed. Finally, the possible dynamical evolution of the solar system since its formation and its future are considered.

Data on photovoltaic system using different perturb and observe methods under fast multi-changing solar irradiances.

PubMed

Peng, Lele; Zheng, Shubin; Xu, Wei; Xin, Li

2018-04-01

This article presents the data on photovoltaic (PV) system used different perturb and observe (P&O) methods under fast multi-changing solar irradiances. The mathematical modeling of the PV system and tangent error P&O method was discussed in our previous study entitled "A novel tangent error maximum power point tracking algorithm for photovoltaic system under fast multi-changing solar irradiances" by Peng et al. (2018) [1]. The data provided in this paper can be used directly without having to spend weeks to simulate the output performance. In addition, it is easy to apply the results for comparison with other algorithms (Kollimalla et al., 2014; Belkaid et al., 2016; Chenchen et al., 2015; Jubaer and Zainal, 2015) [2,3,4,5], and develop a new method for practical application.

The Hadean, Through a Glass Telescopically: Observations of Young Solar Analogs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaidos, E. J.

1998-01-01

Investigations into the Earth's surface environment during the Hadean eon (prior to 3.8 Ga) are hampered by the paucity of the geological and geochemical record and the relative inaccessibility of better-preserved surfaces with possibly similar early histories (i.e., Mars). One approach is to observe nearby, young solar-mass stars as analogs to the Hadean Sun and its environment. A catalog of 38 G and early K stars within 25 pc was constructed based on main-sequence status, bolometric luminosity, lack of known stellar companions within 800 AU, and coronal X-ray luminosities commensurate with the higher activity of solar-mass stars <0.8 b.y. old. Spectroscopic data support the assignment of ages of 0.2 - 0.8 Ga for most of these stars. Observations of these objects will provide insight into external forces that influenced Hadean atmosphere, ocean, and surface evolution (and potential ecosystems), including solar luminosity evolution, the flux and spectrum of solar ultraviolet radiation, the intensity of the solar wind, and the intensity and duration of a late period of heavy bombardment. The standard model of solar evolution predicts a luminosity of 0.75 solar luminosity at the end of the Hadean, implying a terrestrial surface temperature inconsistent with the presence of liquid water and motivating atmospheric greenhouse models. An alternative model fo solar evolution that invokes mass loss, constructed to explain solar Li depletion, attenuates or reverses this luminosity evolution of the atmospheres of Earth and the other terrestrial planets. This model can be tested by Li abundance measurements. The continuum emission from stellar wind plasma during significant mass loss may be detectable at millimeter and radio wavelengths. The Earth (and Moon) experienced a period of intense bombardment prior to 3.8 Ga, long after accretion was completed in the inner solar system and possibly associated with the clearing of residual planetesimals in the outer solar system. Such

Observational Evidence of Magnetic Waves in the Solar Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McIntosh, Scott W.

2012-03-01

The observational evidence in supporting the presence of magnetic waves in the outer solar atmosphere is growing rapidly - we will discuss recent observations and place them in context with salient observations made in the past. While the clear delineation of these magnetic wave "modes" is unclear, much can be learned about the environment in which they originated and possibly how they are removed from the system from the observations. Their diagnostic power is, as yet, untapped and their energy content (both as a mechanical source for the heating of coronal material and acceleration of the solar wind) remains in question, but can be probed observationally - raising challenges for modeling efforts. We look forward to the IRIS mission by proposing some sample observing sequences to help resolve some of the zoological issues present in the literature.

Distribution and solar wind control of compressional solar wind-magnetic anomaly interactions observed at the Moon by ARTEMIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halekas, J. S.; Poppe, A. R.; Lue, C.; Farrell, W. M.; McFadden, J. P.

2017-06-01

A statistical investigation of 5 years of observations from the two-probe Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of Moon's Interaction with the Sun (ARTEMIS) mission reveals that strong compressional interactions occur infrequently at high altitudes near the ecliptic but can form in a wide range of solar wind conditions and can occur up to two lunar radii downstream from the lunar limb. The compressional events, some of which may represent small-scale collisionless shocks ("limb shocks"), occur in both steady and variable interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions, with those forming in steady IMF well organized by the location of lunar remanent crustal magnetization. The events observed by ARTEMIS have similarities to ion foreshock phenomena, and those observed in variable IMF conditions may result from either local lunar interactions or distant terrestrial foreshock interactions. Observed velocity deflections associated with compressional events are always outward from the lunar wake, regardless of location and solar wind conditions. However, events for which the observed velocity deflection is parallel to the upstream motional electric field form in distinctly different solar wind conditions and locations than events with antiparallel deflections. Consideration of the momentum transfer between incoming and reflected solar wind populations helps explain the observed characteristics of the different groups of events.