Astronomy at Evergreen, 2003

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Astronomy at Evergreen, 2003
an update from Dr. E.J. Zita (zita_at_evergreen.edu)
Wed.8 Jan. 2003 at SPSCC, 800 pm for the
Southwest Washington Astronomical Society (SWWAS)
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Studying the Sun

• 3-year NASA grant
• colleagues at High Altitude Observatory, Boulder
• students study the Sun
• Zita calculates equations
• Magnetic fields heat the solar atmosphere
• Magnetic outbursts affect Earth

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Magnetic dynamics heat the Sun
Solar atmospheric temperature rises to millions
of degrees K!
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High Altitude Observatory

• Part of the National Center for Atmospheric
  Research
• Boulder, CO
• Evergreen students and faculty visit HAO each
  July
• Supercomputer models calculate magnetic waves
• Satellite data from TRACE and SOHO

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Satellite data photospheric sound waves become
chromospheric magnetic waves

• SOHO telescope carries
• SUMER, which measures ultraviolet (UV) light
• UV is bright where
• plasma is hot or where
• magnetic field is strong
• Evergreen Students analyze satellite data with HAO

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Supercomputer data magnetic waves heat the
chromosphere

• Model sound waves near
• magnetic sunspots.
• Students write programs to analyze supercomputer
  data from HAO.
• Magnetic waves heat the chromosphere.

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Zita calculates magnetic waves
Observations
Schematic
Mathematical model
x
Magnetic energy travels on twisted magnetic field
lines. Large twists ? explosive release of
magnetic energy.
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Magnetic outbursts affect Earth

• Solar Max
• more magnetic sunspots
• strong and twisted magnetic fields
• magnetic tearing releases energy and radiation
• cell phones go out
• great Northern Lights
• Solar flares, prominences, and coronal mass
  ejections
• Global warming
• next peak in about 2011

CME movie
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(No Transcript)
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Meanwhile, on the ground...

• New little observatory at Evergreen
• Fancier observatory in the planning process
• Goals observe the Sun, home for Meade LX-200,
  serve astronomy students, and welcome the public.s

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Lets observe together

• Spring Astronomy class
• Joint star parties?
• Share astronomy with local schools (OHS, BH, CHS)
• email me
• ltzita_at_evergreen.edugt

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References
NCAR National Center for Atmospheric Research
http//www.ncar.ucar.edu/ncar/ HAO High
Altitude Observatory http//www.hao.ucar.edu/pub
lic/inside/inside.html TESC The Evergreen State
College http//www.evergreen.edu Dr. E.J. Zita
zita_at_evergreen.edu, http//192.211.16.13/z/zita/h
ome.htm SOHO Solar Heliospheric Observatory
http//sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/ SUMER Solar
Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation
http//www.linmpi.mpg.de/english/projekte/sumer/