Irradiance Variations of Stars

Using a nine-year time series of photometric observations of 33 stars similar in temperature and mass to the Sun, but covering a wide range of age and mean chromospheric activity, we found that a majority varies from year to year, some by as much as several percent. We describe the methodology, circumstances of the observations, and photometric results. Stars most similar in mean chromospheric activity to the Sun varied by amounts several times greater than the Sun over a comparable time interval. Thus, the Sun’s present low level of variability, as measured from 1980 to 1989 by the Solar Maximum Mission, appears unusual.

Irradiance Observations of SMM, Spacelab 1, UARS, and ATLAS Experiments

Detection of intrinsic solar variability on the total flux level was made using results from the first Active Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM) experiment, launched on the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) in early 1980. ACRIM I, specifically designed to start the high precision total solar irradiance database as part of the U.S. Climate Research Program, produced high precision results throughout the 9.75 years of the Solar Maximum Mission. The second ACRIM experiment was flown aboard the Space Shuttle as part of the NASA/ESA Spacelab 1 Mission in late 1983. Its primary function has been to provide a comparison with ACRIM I that could be used to relate its observations with future satellite solar monitors, should they and ACRIM I fail to overlap in time. The second ACRIM satellite solar monitoring experiment (ACRIM II) has provided high precision total solar irradiance observations since its launch as part of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) mission in late 1991 and continues at present. The shuttle ACRIM instrumentation has been flown on the ATLAS 1 and 2 missions in 1992 and 1993, providing comparisons with the UARS/ACRIM II.

Large-Scale Coronal Magnetic Field and Density Structures

We have modelled the large-scale magnetic field and density structures in the corona using the magnetostatic model of Bogdan and Low (1986) and white light images from both NASA’s Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) Coronagraph/Polarimeter and the High Altitude Observatory Mark III (MkIII) K-coronameter (Bagenal and Gibson, 1991; Gibson and Bagenal, 1992.)We have used the magnetostatic model to calculate the magnetic field, density, pressure, and temperature distribution in the corona. Moreover, we have studied how, if at all, photospheric magnetic field observations could be used to improve predictions of coronal fields.We are at present examining the implications of our predictions of magnetic field and density structures have for coronal heating and solar wind acceleration. We are also analysing the robustness of these predictions, studying both observational and model related errors.