Solar Astronomy

We do research in a variety of topics in solar astronomy, some of which are described below. In New Mexico, we have ongoing partnerships with the National Solar Observatory (NSO) and the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) and its Space Weather Center for Excellence.

Helioseismology


Helioseismology is the study of oscillations in the Sun to ultimately understand and image the solar interior. For a short overview of helioseismology, click here.

Helioseismology is entering a very exciting period with the November 2009 launch of NASA's biggest helioseismic mission of the 21st century, the Solar Dynamics Observatory. We will be using SDO data for high-resolution measurements of sub-surface conditions in the Sun. SDO complements other helioseismic observations that have existed for over a decade, most importantly NASA's SOHO mission (in particular the MDI instrument), and that National Solar Observatory's (NSO) GONG project. A very true statement is that there is an abundance of high-quality helioseismic data available for analysis.

Some NMSU-led projects involving helioseismology research are the NASA EPSCoR and the NSF PAARE.

Collaborators on this work with our group include, among others: Laurent Gizon (MPS), Aaron Birch (NWRA CoRA), Tom Duvall (NASA GSFC), Doug Braun (NWRA CoRA), Joyce Guzik (LANL), Michael Thompson (U. Sheffield).

For more information about helioseismology research, check out some of our papers, as well as some of the following works:

Chromospheric brightenings


Solar sequential chromospheric brightenings (SCBs) are noticed in conjunction with energetic events such as solar flares, prominence eruptions, and coronal mass ejections. A new automated method for detecting and tracking SCBs and the associated flare ribbons is needed to better understand the system. Using a series of H-alpha images taken by the Improved Solar Observing Optical Network (ISOON) telescope during two SCB events in May 2005, we are developing an automated tracking algorithm that follows the SCB event as well as the evolving flare ribbons. With a bright-point detection and tracking fully automated, we will be able to efficiently identify and track both the evolution of the SCBs which are seen as precursors to the flare and the evolution of the ribbons within the flare itself. The tracked points allow us to characterize each of the flare's components: speed, distance traveled, and changing brightness. Automated recognition and characterization of SCBs will eventually allow real-time image analysis of active regions for SCBs which can give some indication of the nature of the flare to follow.

This work is carried out with K. S. Balasubramaniam (AFRL).

REFERENCES:

Detection of polar coronal holes


One method of forecasting the peak amplitude of future solar cycles uses the polar magnetic field strength at solar minimum to predict the value of the upcoming maximum. Because the polar field is closely related to the polar coronal hole, we would like to consider the size and shape of the polar hole on the prediction. We measure the perimeter of polar coronal holes as they appear on the limb of the sun in solar images from the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) on SOHO and H-alpha images from ground-based data. The area within the perimeter can easily be determined. Taking measurements on the limb minimizes the effects of differences in scale height between the material emitting the various wavelengths. Perimeter tracking also allows for the coronal rotation rate to emerge organically from the data rather than forcing a period on the data. This method should help to improve our estimates of the size and shape of the polar coronal holes as well as measure the evolution of polar holes over several solar cycles.

This research is done collaboratively with Dean Pesnell (NASA).

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