Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Historical Heliophysical Series of the Ebro Observatory

  • Sunspot Number Recalibration
  • Published:
Solar Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We present the contents of the historical heliophysical series collected at the Ebro Observatory, as well as the actions carried out to restore and save these data and to conserve the physical media containing the data and the telescopes that helped to obtain them. We also discuss the results obtained with these measurements, describe how we disseminated them, and report on the investigations that we have carried out with this information. We show the evolution of the local solar indices such as the Ebro Sunspot Number (ESN), the Ebro Group Sunspot Number (EGSN), or the Ebro Sunspot Area (ESA), which are derived directly from our data. For verification purposes, these local solar indices have been compared to the international sunspot numbers published by SILSO. Our data are reliable and correlate well with the respective international series. Finally, as an example of the possibilities that the Ebro series offer, we explain the use of these data to elucidate one of the recent problems in solar physics: the discontinuity in international data known as the Waldmeier discontinuity and, in general, the ratio between sunspots and sunspot groups. In the Ebro Observatory series, no discontinuity such as this is detected. We instead observe a rather stable ratio in the spot or group rates. This result is in agreement with the hypothesis of Svalgaard (2010, ASP CS-428, 297) that the Waldmeier discontinuity is produced only on a procedural level, perhaps by a change in the criteria used in Zürich by Waldmeier or by changing external conditions.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

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
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12
Figure 13
Figure 14
Figure 15
Figure 16
Figure 17
Figure 18
Figure 19
Figure 20
Figure 21
Figure 22

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albiñana, J.: 1916a, La mayor protuberancia solar observada, Ibérica Year III, v. VI, n. 146, 247.

  • Albiñana, J.: 1916b, A propósito de una protuberancia solar. Ibérica Year III, n. 129, v. V, 394.

  • Altadill, D., Curto, J.J., Gaya-Piqué, Ll., Solé, G., Torta, J.M.: 2000, Coherency between solar activity and meteorologic parameters at 11 year period. In: Wilson, A. (ed.) Proc. 1st Solar and Space Weather Euroconference: The Solar Cycle and Terrestrial Climate SP-463, ESA, Noordwijk, 473.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aparicio, A.J., Vaquero, J.M., Gallego, M.C.: 2012, The proposed “Waldmeier discontinuity”: How does it affect to sunspot cycle characteristics? J. Space Weather Space Clim. 2, A12. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aparicio, A.J., Vaquero, J.M., Carrasco, V.M.S., Gallego, M.C.: 2014, Sunspot numbers and areas from the Madrid astronomical observatory (1876 – 1986). Solar Phys. 289, 4335. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Apostolov, E.M., Alberca, L.F., Altadill, D.: 1994, Solar cycle and seasonal behaviour of the quasi two and five-day oscillations in the variations of the fOF2. Ann. Geophys. 37, 187.

    Google Scholar 

  • Apostolov, E.M., Altadill, D., Todorova, M.: 2004, The 22-year cycle in the geomagnetic 27-day recurrences reflecting on the F2-layer ionization. Ann. Geophys. 2(2), 1171.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Balcells, M.: 1908, La Observación Solar. Memorias del Observatorio del Ebro 2, G. Gili, Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balmaceda, L.A., Solanki, S.K., Krivova, N.A., Foster, S.: 2009, A homogeneous database of sunspot areas covering more than 130 years. J. Geophys. Res. 114, A07104. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Cacho, J., Gil, M., Sainz de Aja, M.J., Alberca, L.F.: 1984, Possible influence of solar radiation variability on the stratospheric temperature. Adv. Space Res. 4, 37.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Cardús, J.O.: 1952, Influencia de la posición heliográfica de las fulguraciones cromosféricas en la producción de corchetes geomagnéticos. Urania 231, 144. Sociedad Astronómica de España y América, Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cardús, J.O.: 1983. El Observatorio del Ebro, Memoria Num. 14, Sugrañes, Roquetes.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cardús, J.O., Alberca, L.F.: 1978, Control estacional y por el ciclo solar de las capas ionosféricas F1 y E1. In: II Asamblea Nacional de Geodesia Y geofísica. Comunicaciones II, Comisión Nacional de Geodesia y Geofísica, D.L. Madrid, 1299.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cid Palacios, E.: 1960, Fulguraciones cromosféricas y sus relaciones con los fenómenos magnéticos. Urania 252, 157. Sociedad Astronómica de España y América, Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cirera, R.: 1906, Noticia del Observatorio del Ebro y de Algunas Observaciones del Eclipse de 30 de Agosto de 1095. Memorias del Observatorio del Ebro, No. 1, G. Gili, Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cirera, R., Balcells, M.: 1907a, Étude des rapports entre l’activité solaire et les variations magnétiques et eléctriques enregistrées à Tortose (Espagne). C. R. Séances Acad. Sci., Sér. 1 Math. 144(18), 959.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cirera, R., Balcells, M.: 1907b, Remarques sur le rapport entre l’activité solaire et les perturbations magnétiques. C. R. Séances Acad. Sci., Sér. 1 Math. 145(21), 862.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clette, F., Berghmans, D., Vanlommel, P., van der Linden, R.A.M., Koeckelenbergh, A., Wauters, L.: 2007, From the Wolf number to the International Sunspot Index: 25 years of SIDC. Adv. Space Res. 40, 919.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Clette, F., Lefèvre, L.: 2016, The new Sunspot Number: assembling all corrections. Solar Phys. in press, arXiv.

  • 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.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Cortie, A.L.: 1901, On the types of sun-spot disturbances. Astrophys. J. 13, 260.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Curto, J.J., Blanca, M., Martínez, E.: 2008, Automatic sunspots detection on full-disk solar images using mathematical morphology. Solar Phys. 250, 411. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Curto, J.J., Amory-Mazaudier, C., Torta, J.M., Menvielle, M.: 1994a, Solar flare effects at Ebre: Regular and reversed solar flare effects, statistical analysis (1953 to 1985), a global case study and a model of elliptical ionospheric currents. J. Geophys. Res. 9, 3945.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Curto, J.J., Amory-Mazaudier, C., Torta, J.M., Menvielle, M.: 1994b, Solar flare effectes at Ebre: Unidimensional physical integrated model. J. Geophys. Res. 99, 23289.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Galdón, E., Alberca, L.F.: 1970, Solar activity and total electron content correlation in the ionosphere at Tortosa. Urania 271, 229. Sociedad Astronómica de España y América, Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaya-Pique, L.R., Batlló, J.: 2000, La Secció Solar de L’Observatori de L’Ebre. In: Actes de les V trobades d’història de la Ciència i de la Tècnica 191, Societat Catalana d’Història de la Ciència i de la Tècnica, Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gómez, A., Curto, J.J., Gras, C.: 2013, Evolution of sunspot’s characteristics in cycle 23. Solar Phys. 289, 91. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoyt, D.V., Schatten, K.H.: 1998a, Group sunspot numbers: a new solar activity reconstruction. Solar Phys. 179, 189. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoyt, D.V., Schatten, K.H.: 1998b, Group sunspot numbers: a new solar activity reconstruction. Solar Phys. 181, 491. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Kilcik, A., Yurchyshyn, V.B., Abramenko, V., Goode, P.R., Ozguc, A., Rozelot, J.P., Cao, W.: 2011, Time distributions of large and small sunspot groups over four solar cycles. Astrophys. J. 731, 30.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lefèvre, L., Clette, F.: 2011, A global small sunspot deficit at the base of the index anomalies of solar cycle 23. Astron. Astrophys. 536, L11.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lyot, B.: 1933, Un monochromateur à grand champ utilisant les interferences en lumière polarisée. C. R. Math. 197, 1593.

    Google Scholar 

  • Owens, B.: 2013, Slow science. Nature 495, 300.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Pericas, J.: 1912, Algunas instrucciones para medir la posición de las manchas y fáculas solares por medio de gráficas. Bol. Soc. Astron. Barc. Año III 23, 5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pericas, J.: 1914, Tres Ábacos para las Mediciones Heliográficas. Memoires de l’Observatoire de l’Ebre 5, 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Príncep-Curto, J.M.: 1947, Las fulguraciones cromosféricas y sus efectos inmediatos sobre el campo magnético terrestre. Urania 32(217), 1, 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Puig, I.: 1927, El Observatorio del Ebro: Idea General Sobre el Mismo, Algueró y Baiges, Tortosa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodés, L.: 1928, Sur une nouvelle méthode pour mesurer la parallaxe solaire. C. R. Math. 187(13), 527.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodés, L.: 1929a, Una Nueva Determinación de la Distancia Solar, Algueró y Baiges, Tortosa.

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Rodés, L.: 1929b, Un nuevo índice de actividad solar. In: XII Congreso de la Asociación Española Para el Progreso de las Ciencias, Barcelona, 20 – 27 Mayo 1929, Huelves, Madrid.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rodés, L.: 1936, Resumen 1910 – 1934. Cuadros sinópticos. Estadísticas y resultados referentes a 25 años de Observación, Fascículo I. Heliofísica. Bol. Obs. Ebro XXV, 18. Moderna del Ebro de Algueró y Baiges, Tortosa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romañá, A.: 1945, Nuevas orientaciones en el estudio del período undecenal y en el pronóstico de la actividad solar. Urania 210, 39. Sociedad Astronómica de España y América, Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romañá, A.: 1947, Nota relativa a la actividad solar y geomagnética. Rev. Geofís. 23, 458. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romañá, A., Torroja, J.M.: 1948, El Predominio de las Manchas Solares al Este del Meridiano Central y la Inclinación de Sus Ejes Hacia el Oeste, Urania 218, 1. Sociedad Astronómica de España y América, Barcelona.

    Google Scholar 

  • Svalgaard, L.: 2010, Updating the historical sunspot record. In: Cranmer, S.R., Hoeksema, J.T., Kohl, J.L. (eds.) SOHO-23: Understanding a Peculiar Solar Minimum CS-428, Astron. Soc. Pac., San Francisco, 297.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turmon, M., Pap, J.M., Mukhtar, S.: 2002, Statistical pattern recognition for labeling solar active regions: Application to SOHO/MDI imagery. Astrophys. J. 568, 396.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Vaquero, J.M.: 2007, Historical sunspot observations: A review. Adv. Space Res. 40, 929.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Waldmeier, M.: 1947, Heliographische Karten der Photosphäre für das Jahr 1946, Publ. Eidgenöss. Sternwarte Zür. 9(1), 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolf, R.: 1851, Sonnenflecken Beobachtungen in der zweiten Hälfte des Jahres 1850. Mitt. Nat.forsch. Ges. Bern 207, 89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolf, R.: 1856, Mitteilungen über die Sonnenflecken, I. Astron. Mitt. Eidgenöss. Sternwarte Zür. 1, 3.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to express their gratitude for the work done by the solar observers at the Ebro Observatory throughout its long history – a human chain that has provided an invaluable historical series of over one hundred years. We dedicate this article to all of these observers.

As regards international data, we thank the World Solar Data Centre (WDC) at the Royal Observatory of Belgium for its work in collecting, filtering, and storing the data it receives regularly from collaborating centres, and all the infrastructure it has in place for users to be able to freely download solar data from its web (SILSO).

We also thank the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which provides a huge amount of geophysical and solar data that are essential for studies in the field of space weather and the TOSCA project (ESSEM COST action ES1005 of the European Union).

J.M. Vaquero acknowledges the support from the Junta de Extremadura (Research Group Grants GR15137) and from the Spanish Government (AYA2011-25945 and AYA2014-57556-P).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Observatori de l’Ebre (OE), CSIC, Universitat Ramon Llull, Roquetes, Spain

    J. J. Curto, J. G. Solé, M. Genescà & M. J. Blanca

  2. Departamento de Física, Universidad de Extremadura, Mérida, Spain

    J. M. Vaquero

Authors
  1. J. J. Curto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. G. Solé
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Genescà
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. J. Blanca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. M. Vaquero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. J. Curto.

Additional information

Sunspot Number Recalibration

Guest Editors: F. Clette, E.W. Cliver, L. Lefèvre, J.M. Vaquero, and L. Svalgaard

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Curto, J.J., Solé, J.G., Genescà, M. et al. Historical Heliophysical Series of the Ebro Observatory. Sol Phys 291, 2587–2607 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-016-0896-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-016-0896-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation