NSF Award
8912841
Studies of solar activity and solar flares are funded by this grant during the current solar maximum (MAX '91) using observations to be obtained at the Swedish Solar Observatory (SSO) on LaPalma in the Canary Islands. These data will allow the study of magnetic fields, velocities, and energy release down to 200 km scales. The goal is to further our understanding of solar flares and active regions by studying the evolution of the magnetic field and the details of the energy release process at the highest possible spatial resolution. The data will be collected initially using an existing ultra-narrowband tunable filter imaging system which has been developed for the Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter (SOUP) and the Orbiting Solar Laboratory (OSL). After the SOUP filter becomes committed to the model will be left at the SSO for the duration of the Solar Maximum observations. The 1024 x 1024 pixel CCD camera and data system have been developed by the OSL project and Lockheed Independent Research Funds. Based on an observing run made at the SSO in the Fall of 1988, it is expected that these observations will provide long sequences of at least several hours with spatial resolution between 200 and 300 km. This grant will support observations in 1989, 1990 and 1991, a one man-year level of data analysis per year, and some minor equipment specific to this effort. Additional support for graduate students and visiting scientists involved in the data analysis will come from Lockheed Independent Research funds. Most of the equipment will be borrowed from other programs or provided by Lockheed. The primary goal of these observations is to understand how magnetic flux emerges, evolves, combines, and disappears down to 200 km scales. The development of field configurations and sheared magnetic structures in active regions will be tracked with measurements of magnetic fields, horizontal and vertical flows, and chromospheric structures in active regions will be tracked with measurements of magnetic fields, horizontal and vertical flows, and chromospheric structures. These will permit more accurate estimates of the magnetic energy buildup in complex active regions. Energy release in flares, micro-flares, and non-explosive magnetic events will be observed in detail. The causes for many of these phenomena may become apparent with observations of very high resolution.//
