nn 

/ I- ’/ 

Finai Report 

to the 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

for Grant NAGU-622 for 

Coordinated Observations in Support of the Solar Haximum Mission 

Barry LaBonte, Principal Investigator 

University of Hzwaii 

Institute for Astrononry 

2680 Woodla Drive 

Honolala, 

(508) 

Ha. 

949-6531 

L 

{NASA-CR- 1799 31) COORDINAIED CBSERVATIONS N87-13456 

IN SUPECRT OF TEE SOLEE IlAXIMOf4 BISSION 

Final Betort (Hawaii Uciv,, Hcaclulu,). 7 p 

CSCL 22A Unclas 

G3/12 43452 

\ 
--- Qhcitr;r=f. - The in-!?rf?it repair =4 the Solar xzxiiii?im HiSSiGrr 

satellite has provided an opportunity to continue observations of 

the Sun's outer corona, transition relion, and bolometric flux 

through the decay phase and ainimum of the solar cycle. The 

coordinated observation of the solar photosphere, chromosphere, and 

low corona from the ground is a necessary companion to understanding 

the full range of phenomna seen over the solar cycle by the 

spacecraft instruments. A program of such observations has been 

undertaken at the Mees Solar Observatory, and has established a 

broad database for the analysis of the solar atmosphere and 

interior a 

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b .$ 

A principal activity under this grant vas the Qbscrvation af tho Sun 

at Hees Solar Observatory in coordination with the SMM observing 

plans. Observer Sherry Thompson was fully supported by the grant to 

conduct the observations on a regular basis. A computer link to the 

SMM control center was used to receive the daily SMM observing plans 

and to direct the Mees observations accordingly. Some specialized 

observations, particularly those using the Stokes Polarimeter, were 

made by scientists from the Institute. 

The basic count of days with observations from the various 

instruments at Mees in the calendar year 1985 is as follows: 

Ha full dish flare patrol 201 

Coude csmera (Zeiss Sa filter) 77 

Green coronagraph (Fe XIY 5343h3 121 

Red coronagraph (Hu) 160 

Ca I1 K-line fall disk 145 

Excluding wekends, holidays, and vacations, a single observer works 

226 days in a year. The Coude Camera vas nnlg in ogeration fgr 9 

mnths in 1985 because of work on its controller. A detailed 

listing of the specific hours of observation on each date has been 

sent to the SMM ground-based data coordinator. 

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.-- 1 * - wnaae the ievni of soiar activity has been reiatiaeiy OW during S-m 

II, research and analysis has continued on SHM data which were 

obtained under an associated grant. M. McCahe has recently 

completed studies of several active regions and energetic events. 

With Z. Svestka and collaborators, she analyzed the coronal mass 

ejection associated with a ~11 known flare and post-flare arch on 

my 21 and 22$ 1988. X-ray {HXIS)I Ha (Rets)1 white light corona 

(Solwind), and zodiacal light (Helios) images showed the coexistence 

of coronal mass ejection with a stationary post-flare coronal arch. 

The mass ejection 9335 sccn as a prolon3atim of ;r powrfnl' spray, 

whereas the active region filamnt did not erupt. 

With M. Xundu and collaborators, McCaba is in process of studying 

and comparing simultaneous VLA observations a? 6 and 28 cm with HE 

data of an active region and flare seen on Msy 15, 1980 at 20:30 UT. 

fin active region (2779) of great interest during SMR I transited the 

snlar disk from Havcmbtr 5 ta 18, 1988. The earliesf HQ 

ubservations from Mees at 17:25 UT on November 6, 1980 shnwd large 

absorption loops with different Doppler shifts that were associated 

with an earlier (15:26 UT) X1.2 flare. Hot~e7.ter, another flare (28) 

WEIS also developing and reached mximm at 1?:25 UT, P, nmn!er of 

smsller events with associated Doppler mtinns then followed. 

McCabe, Swrestka, and S. Martin have begun to examine the HXIS X-ray 

and Ha data. The Meas data is most important because the off-band 

images during the flare yield data rlln the velocity distribution 

among the bright and dark features. 

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I 

C= line PIS yaaaj i 1.- azway=z irn3m-c ai- 3-p 3% im~~ta~t SGGiCe of data for 

studies of the solar irradiance variation, as measured by the ACRl?! 

instrument on SHH. B. LaBonte and graduate student D. Braun have 

analyzed the Ca images for a short interval of the SI" mission and 

find that plage and network emission can be readily measured from 

them. Research fellow D. Chon is beginning a mrc extensive 

analysis of the Ca image series, which now extends from the Skylab 

period. 

Special Observing Programs. 

A number of special programs were also undertaken in 1985. 

In June 1905 a filamnt study program was initiated by E, R. Lan3 

(Tufts University) to assemble SMM data and H-a ground-based 

observations to complement radio observations from the YU. On June 

7 WE were successful in obtaining good H-a coverage of the active 

region filamnt, Doppler ?notions *re seen throrrgh~ut the radio 

run, followed by a complex twp-ribbon flare. A data summary and 

sample exposures were sent to Drs. Lang and A. Poland (Coronal and 

Prominence Plasma group cocrdinatw). 

The Spacelab I1 Shuttle flight ms well supported, with excellent 

coverage throughoat most of the missiQn. The data incltlded 

photographs from all the Instrments ylgs vector mgneto3rams taken 

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----a at ~JWJH. ii summary -is pi=crviGrG to the S?iE gramind-tased data 

coordinator. M. McCabe has been collaborating with G. Brueckner of 

Naval Research Laboratory in an 1n~~Stigation of transient line 

broadenings seen with the NRL instrnmnt OR Spacelab 11, and the 

Hees data show that the site of %he strongest events was an emerging 

flux region near a pre-existing active region. This work is being 

prepared for publication. In addition, during Spacelab IIj VLA 

observations by ?I. Kundu of an evolving filament on August 3, 1985 

=re -11 covered by Mfes Hu observations and the data are presently 

being compared. 

In late Maroh 6985 a cmrdinatnd obaervin3 proqram was candtlcted in 

an attempt to obtain magnetic field information on a single sunspot 

over a wide range of heights. As part of this program D. L. Mickey 

obtained Stokes spectral raster5 of the spot in the lines C I 9112Aj 

Fe I 63938, and Ca I1 A5428# on tm consecutive days msr the 

central mridian crossing of the spot. Obseraati~ns yRrc also 

obtained by the Marshall Space Flight Center vector magnetograph in 

Fe I 52504 line, by the UVSP instrmnent on the SHM in the C IY 1540a 

transition region line, and be the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. 

The scientific anslysis of these dzta is now in progresss under the 

leadership of M. J. Hagyard of MSFC. 

A second collabwation involving Kckey and E. West of ?EFC ms 

directed toward a study of the magneto-optics effects in sunspots, 

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YY.Y na+a *. Cmnm Y.., hn+h YY.4. the Sf-kcs Polarimfer 2nd +,he mpC q~ectap 

magnetograph were obtained during the period June 6 through 14, 

19815, This study will also verify that these tm very different 

instruments do measure comparable polarization signals frum the Sun. 

Data reduction procedures are now being developed. 

The second of a series of workshops on Coronal and Prominence 

Plasmas, organized by A. Poland and sponsored by NASA, was held at 

Goddard Space Flight Center in April 1985. F. Orrall, D. Landman, 

D. Mickey, and 11. EcCabe attended frum Hswiiii. Three contributions 

from the Hawaii group appear in the published workshop proceedings. 

Other act i vi t ies . 

Refurbishmnt of the ph~tographic instrmxmts -5 completed in this 

grant year, with a11 new camera controllers for the Red and Green 

Coronagraphs and the Coude Camera. 

In mid-September 1985, Principal Investigator Dr. Donald Landman 

resigned from the University of Hawaii to accept an attractive 

position in industry. He was replaced by Dr. Barry LaBonte. 

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