Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Angular Dependence of the Facular–Sunspot Coverage Relation as Derived by MDI Magnetograms

  • Published:
Solar Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that the variation over the solar magnetic activity cycle of the area of facular/network features identified from broad-band and narrow-band imagery is positively correlated with the sunspot area and number, the relation being described as either linear or quadratic. On the other hand, the temporal variation of the spatial distributions of faculae, network and sunspots follows patterns that are less obviously correlated, so that we expect the relation that describes variation of the area coverage of different types of magnetic features to vary with the position over the disk. In this work we employ Michelson Doppler Interferometer (MDI) full-disk magnetograms acquired during solar cycle 23 and at the beginning of cycle 24 to investigate the relation between the coverage of magnetic elements characterized by different amounts of magnetic flux and located at different angular distances from disk center with the sunspot number. In agreement with some previous studies we find that daily data are best described by a quadratic function while data averaged over six months are best described by a linear function. In both cases the coefficients of the fits show large dependence on the position over the disk and the magnetic flux. We also find that toward disk center six-month averaged data show asymmetries between the ascending and the descending phases. The implications for solar irradiance modeling are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ball, W.T., Unruh, Y.C., Krivova, N.A., Solanki, S., Wenzler, T., Mortlock, D.J., Jaffe, A.H.: 2012, Reconstruction of total solar irradiance 1974 – 2009. Astron. Astrophys. 541, A27. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Bertello, L., Ulrich, R.K., Boyden, J.E.: 2010, The Mount Wilson Ca II K plage index time series. Solar Phys. 264, 31. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonomo, A.S., Lanza, A.F.: 2008, Modelling solar-like variability for the detection of Earth-like planetary transits. I. Performance of the three-spot modelling and harmonic function fitting. Astron. Astrophys. 482, 341. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, G.M., Evans, D.R.: 1980, The use of solar faculae in studies of the sunspot cycle. Solar Phys. 66, 233. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Carrington, R.C.: 1858, On the distribution of the solar spots in latitudes since the beginning of the year 1854, with a map. Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc. 19, 1. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, G.A., Cookson, A.M., Dobias, J.J.: 1997, Solar variability and the relation of facular to sunspot areas during Solar Cycle 22. Astrophys. J. 482, 541. ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, G.A., Dobias, J.J., Arias, T.: 2011, Facular and sunspot areas during Solar Cycles 22 and 23. Astrophys. J. 728, 150. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Clette, F., Svalgaard, L., Vaquero, J.M., Cliver, E.W.: 2014, Revisiting the sunspot number. A 400-year perspective on the Solar Cycle. Space Sci. Rev. 186, 35. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Couvidat, S., Rajaguru, S.P., Wachter, R., Sankarasubramanian, K., Schou, J., Scherrer, P.H.: 2012, Line-of-sight observables algorithms for the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instrument tested with Interferometric Bidimensional Spectrometer (IBIS) observations. Solar Phys. 278, 217. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Criscuoli, S.: 2013, Comparison of physical properties of quiet and active regions through the analysis of magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the solar photosphere. Astrophys. J. 778, 27. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Criscuoli, S., Rast, M.P.: 2009, Photometric properties of resolved and unresolved magnetic elements. Astron. Astrophys. 495, 621. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Criscuoli, S., Uitenbroek, H.: 2014, Interpretation of solar irradiance monitor measurements through analysis of 3D MHD simulations. Astrophys. J. 788, 151. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Criscuoli, S., Ermolli, I., Del Moro, D., Giorgi, F., Tritschler, A., Uitenbroek, H., Vitas, N.: 2011, Line shape effects on intensity measurements of solar features: brightness correction to SOHO MDI continuum images. Astrophys. J. 728, 92. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Demidov, M.L., Balthasar, H.: 2009, Spectro-polarimetric observations of solar magnetic fields and the SOHO/MDI calibration issue. Solar Phys. 260, 261. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Domingo, V., Ermolli, I., Fox, P., Fröhlich, C., Haberreiter, M., Krivova, N., Kopp, G., Schmutz, W., Solanki, S.K., Spruit, H.C., Unruh, Y., Vögler, A.: 2009, Solar surface magnetism and irradiance on time scales from days to the 11-year cycle. Space Sci. Rev. 145, 337. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Dumusque, X., Glenday, A., Phillips, D.F., Buchschacher, N., Collier Cameron, A., Cecconi, M., Charbonneau, D., Cosentino, R., Ghedina, A., Latham, D.W., Li, C.-H., Lodi, M., Lovis, C., Molinari, E., Pepe, F., Udry, S., Sasselov, D., Szentgyorgyi, A., Walsworth, R.: 2015, HARPS-N observes the Sun as a star. Astrophys. J. Lett. 814, L21. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ermolli, I., Criscuoli, S., Giorgi, F.: 2011, Recent results from optical synoptic observations of the solar atmosphere with ground-based instruments. Contrib. Astron. Obs. Skaln. Pleso 41, 73. ADS .

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ermolli, I., Criscuoli, S., Centrone, M., Giorgi, F., Penza, V.: 2007, Photometric properties of facular features over the activity cycle. Astron. Astrophys. 465, 305. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ermolli, I., Solanki, S.K., Tlatov, A.G., Krivova, N.A., Ulrich, R.K., Singh, J.: 2009, Comparison among Ca II K spectroheliogram time series with an application to solar activity studies. Astrophys. J. 698, 1000. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ermolli, I., Criscuoli, S., Uitenbroek, H., Giorgi, F., Rast, M.P., Solanki, S.K.: 2010, Radiative emission of solar features in the Ca II K line: comparison of measurements and models. Astron. Astrophys. 523, A55. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ermolli, I., Matthes, K., Dudok de Wit, T., Krivova, N.A., Tourpali, K., Weber, M., Unruh, Y.C., Gray, L., Langematz, U., Pilewskie, P., Rozanov, E., Schmutz, W., Shapiro, A., Solanki, S.K., Woods, T.N.: 2013, Recent variability of the solar spectral irradiance and its impact on climate modelling. Atmos. Chem. Phys. 13, 3945. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ermolli, I., Shibasaki, K., Tlatov, A., van Driel-Gesztelyi, L.: 2014, Solar cycle indices from the photosphere to the corona: measurements and underlying physics. Space Sci. Rev. 186, 105. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Fligge, M., Solanki, S.K.: 1998, Long-term behavior of emission from solar faculae: steps towards a robust index. Astron. Astrophys. 332, 1082. ADS .

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Fligge, M., Solanki, S.K.: 2000, The solar spectral irradiance since 1700. Geophys. Res. Lett. 27, 2157. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Fontenla, J.M., Harder, J., Livingston, W., Snow, M., Woods, T.: 2011, High-resolution solar spectral irradiance from extreme ultraviolet to far infrared. J. Geophys. Res., Atmos. 116, D20108. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Foukal, P.: 1993, The curious case of the Greenwich faculae. Solar Phys. 148, 219. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Foukal, P.: 1996, The behavior of solar magnetic plages measured from Mt. Wilson observations between 1915 – 1984. Geophys. Res. Lett. 23, 2169. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Foukal, P.: 1998, What determines the relative areas of spots and faculae on Sun-like stars? Astrophys. J. 500, 958. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Győri, L.: 2012, Study of differences between sunspot and white light facular area data determined from SDO/HMI and SOHO/MDI observations. Solar Phys. 280, 365. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hagenaar, H.J., Schrijver, C.J., Title, A.M.: 2003, The properties of small magnetic regions on the solar surface and the implications for the solar dynamo(s). Astrophys. J. 584, 1107. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, K.L.: 1993, Magnetic Bipoles on the Sun. PhD thesis, Univ. Utrecht (1993). ADS .

  • Hathaway, D.H.: 2010, The solar cycle. Living Rev. Solar Phys. 7, 1. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jin, C.L., Wang, J.X.: 2012, The latitude distribution of small-scale magnetic elements in Solar Cycle 23. Astrophys. J. 745, 39. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jin, C.L., Wang, J.X., Song, Q., Zhao, H.: 2011, The Sun’s small-scale magnetic elements in Solar Cycle 23. Astrophys. J. 731, 37. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Kobel, P., Solanki, S.K., Borrero, J.M.: 2011, The continuum intensity as a function of magnetic field. I. Active region and quiet Sun magnetic elements. Astron. Astrophys. 531, A112. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Krivova, N.A., Balmaceda, L., Solanki, S.K.: 2007, Reconstruction of solar total irradiance since 1700 from the surface magnetic flux. Astron. Astrophys. 467, 335. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Krivova, N.A., Solanki, S.K., Unruh, Y.C.: 2011, Towards a long-term record of solar total and spectral irradiance. J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys. 73, 223. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lanza, A.F., Messina, S., Pagano, I., Rodonò, M.: 2006, A model to simulate synthetic light curves of solar-like stars. Astron. Nachr. 327, 21. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Y., Hoeksema, J.T., Scherrer, P.H., Schou, J., Couvidat, S., Bush, R.I., Duvall, T.L., Hayashi, K., Sun, X., Zhao, X.: 2012, Comparison of line-of-sight magnetograms taken by the solar dynamics observatory/helioseismic and magnetic imager and solar and heliospheric observatory/Michelson Doppler imager. Solar Phys. 279, 295. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Mackay, D., Yeates, A.: 2012, The Sun’s global photospheric and coronal magnetic fields: observations and models. Living Rev. Solar Phys. 9, 6. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Mathew, S.K., Martínez Pillet, V., Solanki, S.K., Krivova, N.A.: 2007, Properties of sunspots in cycle 23. I. Dependence of brightness on sunspot size and cycle phase. Astron. Astrophys. 465, 291. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Maunder, E.W.: 1904, Note on the distribution of sun-spots in heliographic latitude, 1874 – 1902. Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc. 64, 747. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Muller, R., Roudier, T.: 1984, Variability of the quiet photospheric network. Solar Phys. 94, 33. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ortiz, A., Solanki, S.K., Domingo, V., Fligge, M., Sanahuja, B.: 2002, On the intensity contrast of solar photospheric faculae and network elements. Astron. Astrophys. 388, 1036. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Petrie, G.J.D., Petrovay, K., Schatten, K.: 2014, Solar polar fields and the 22-year activity cycle: observations and models. Space Sci. Rev. 186, 325. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Pietarila, A., Bertello, L., Harvey, J.W., Pevtsov, A.A.: 2013, Comparison of ground-based and space-based longitudinal magnetograms. Solar Phys. 282, 91. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Press, W.H., Teukolsky, S.A., Vetterling, W.T., Flannery, B.P.: 1992, Numerical Recipes in FORTRAN. The Art of Scientific Computing. ADS .

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Priyal, M., Singh, J., Ravindra, B., Priya, T.G., Amareswari, K.: 2014, Long term variations in chromospheric features from Ca–K images at Kodaikanal. Solar Phys. 289, 137. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Rajaguru, S.P., Sankarasubramanian, K., Wachter, R., Scherrer, P.H.: 2007, Radiative transfer effects on Doppler measurements as sources of surface effects in sunspot seismology. Astrophys. J. Lett. 654, L175. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Romano, P., Berrilli, F., Criscuoli, S., Del Moro, D., Ermolli, I., Giorgi, F., Viticchié, B., Zuccarello, F.: 2012, A comparative analysis of photospheric bright points in an active region and in the quiet Sun. Solar Phys. 280, 407. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Scherrer, P.H., Bogart, R.S., Bush, R.I., Hoeksema, J.T., Kosovichev, A.G., Schou, J., Rosenberg, W., Springer, L., Tarbell, T.D., Title, A., Wolfson, C.J., Zayer, I., MDI Engineering Team: 1995, The solar oscillations investigation – Michelson Doppler imager. Solar Phys. 162, 129. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwabe, M.: 1844, Sonnenbeobachtungen im Jahre 1843. Von Herrn Hofrath Schwabe in Dessau. Astron. Nachr. 21, 233. ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Sheeley, N.R. Jr., Cooper, T.J., Anderson, J.R.L.: 2011, Carrington maps of Ca II K-line emission for the years 1915 – 1985. Astrophys. J. 730, 51. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J., Belur, R., Raju, S., Pichaimani, K., Priyal, M., Gopalan Priya, T., Kotikalapudi, A.: 2012, Determination of the chromospheric quiet network element area index and its variation between 2008 and 2011. Res. Astron. Astrophys. 12, 201. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Solanki, S.K., Brigljevic, V.: 1992, Continuum brightness of solar magnetic elements. Astron. Astrophys. 262, L29. ADS .

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Solanki, S.K., Schüssler, M., Fligge, M.: 2002, Secular variation of the Sun’s magnetic flux. Astron. Astrophys. 383, 706. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Spruit, H.C.: 1976, Pressure equilibrium and energy balance of small photospheric fluxtubes. Solar Phys. 50, 269. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Steiner, O.: 2005, Radiative properties of magnetic elements. II. Center to limb variation of the appearance of photospheric faculae. Astron. Astrophys. 430, 691. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Tran, T., Bertello, L., Ulrich, R.K., Evans, S.: 2005, Magnetic fields from SOHO MDI converted to the Mount Wilson 150 foot solar tower scale. Astrophys. J. Suppl. 156, 295. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ulrich, R.K., Bertello, L., Boyden, J.E., Webster, L.: 2009, Interpretation of solar magnetic field strength observations. Solar Phys. 255, 53. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Utz, D., Muller, R., Thonhofer, S., Veronig, A., Hanslmeier, A., Bodnárová, M., Bárta, M., del Toro Iniesta, J.C.: 2016, Long-term trends of magnetic bright points. I. Number of magnetic bright points at disc centre. Astron. Astrophys. 585, A39. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Wachter, R., Schou, J., Sankarasubramanian, K.: 2006, Line shape changes and Doppler measurements in solar active regions. I. A method for correcting dopplergrams from SOHO MDI. Astrophys. J. 648, 1256. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Worden, J.R., White, O.R., Woods, T.N.: 1998, Evolution of chromospheric structures derived from Ca II K spectroheliograms: implications for solar ultraviolet irradiance variability. Astrophys. J. 496, 998. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Yeo, K.L., Krivova, N.A., Solanki, S.K.: 2014, Solar cycle variation in solar irradiance. Space Sci. Rev. 186, 137. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Yeo, K.L., Solanki, S.K., Krivova, N.A.: 2013, Intensity contrast of solar network and faculae. Astron. Astrophys. 550, A95. DOI . ADS .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Luca Bertello for reading the manuscript and for providing useful comments and suggestions about the analysis of MDI magnetograms.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Solar Observatory, 3665 Discovery Dr., Boulder, CO, 80303, USA

    S. Criscuoli

Authors
  1. S. Criscuoli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Criscuoli.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Criscuoli, S. Angular Dependence of the Facular–Sunspot Coverage Relation as Derived by MDI Magnetograms. Sol Phys 291, 1957–1975 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-016-0947-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-016-0947-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation