Large-scale structure of the sun's corona from radio observations using the Clark Lake Radioheliograph

Abstract

We present meterwave maps of the solar corona made with the Clark Lake Radioheliograph at 30.9, 50, and 73.8 MHz for one solar rotation. We compare and contrast them with optical data: 10830 Å maps, white-light coronagraph images (SOLWIND and Mauna Loa K coronameter) and forbidden line scans. Most of the sources in the radio maps persist for two days or more, and appear to rotate approximately with the solar rate. A coronal hole seen against the disk at all three frequencies shows interesting similarities and significant differences with the optical signatures of the hole. Elongated features of the 50 MHz corona correspond rather well to the azimuthal position of white light streamers seen in SOLWIND images. Synoptic charts made from the radio maps show overall similarities to synoptic charts constructed from (limb) coronagraph data. Some of the differences may result from the different weightings given by the radio and optical data to density and temperature, or by the different sensitivities to non-radial geometries. We show that the combined use of meter wave and optical images provide considerable new insights into the three-dimensional structure of the low to middle corona.