A1S3WP2
From Soteria
Contents |
Brief Summary of the Status
The WP2 community consists of 6 partner institutes, HVAR, KO, OBSPARIS, ROB, UNIGRAZ, Uoulu, the working group is lead by KO. The goal of the working group is to achieve a substantial progress in the documentation of photospheric activity by data and to achieve new results in the analysis of photospheric phenomena.
Corresponding to the requirements formulated in the FP7 call, most of the efforts are devoted to the production of new photospheric data. Two datasets are based on SOHO/MDI observations, the catalogues of sunspots and continuum faculae, their status corresponds to the schedule (KO), see: fenyi.solarobs.unideb.hu/SDD/SDD.html . Along with the space-born observations, and to complete them, the ground-based observations are also maintained and developed (HVAR, KO, OBSPARIS, ROB, UNIGRAZ). One data program, the NaD1 observations, encountered some technical difficulties, certain progress has been achieved, but the final aim, the high resolution needs some further developments (OBSPARIS) but, considering the recent low activity level, this doesn't cause a significant drawback to the project. One deliverable, however, the start of publications of refereed papers on photospheric subjects is at a more advanced state than scheduled. The main topics of investigations are the differential rotation at coronal, photospheric and subphotospheric levels, on long-term variations of solar activity cycle on both millenial and centennial scales, phase relations of hemispheric cycles and related rotational and tilt behaviour as well as possible geophysical impacts (HVAR, KO, UNIGRAZ, Uoulu).
Major achievements
- First year (1996) of the pioneering catalogue of continuum light faculae has been released (D2.1).
- A sunspot group tilt dataset has been produced for the years 1986-2003. This is a gap-filling material needed for flux transport dynamo studies and it was not planned in the proposal.
- The progress in D2.4 (common publications) allows to expect that the final output will substantially surpass the planned amount.
Major inter-beneficiary collaborations
- KO cooperates with ROB in the comparative analysis of the international sunspot number and the sunspot catalogues of KO.
- HVAR, KO, ROB and UNIGRAZ cooperate in the evaluation of their full-disc solar photospheric observations, by intercomparison of their measurements.
- KO, ROB and UNIGRAZ makes the digitization of their historical full-disc observations.
- Common investigations are conducted by HVAR, KO and UNIGRAZ on temporal properties of solar dynamo, rotation, active region dipole orientation, hemispheric phase relation.
Further collaborations are in the state of preparation following several discussions at SOTERIA meetings on the extension of the above topics, such as the variations of north-south differences in rotation, active region tilt, recurrent sunspot groups and geomagnetic activity. Partners are HVAR, KO, UNIGRAZ and UOulu.
Progress toward completion of milestones and deliverables
D2.1 - The publication of the catalogue of continuum faculae has been started, milestone goal is fulfilled.
D2.2 - The publication of the SDD sunspot catalogue has been started, the work is going on by schedule, the milestone (at 14 month) will surely be fulfilled.
D2.3 - Some progress has been made in the magnetic measurements of OBSPARIS but the instrument needs further development, the level of readiness is 50% of what was planned.
D2.4 - The publication of photospheric analyses is in a more advanced state than scheduled, one paper has been published, one paper is in press and seven manuscripts are submitted.
Major problems
The D2.3 deliverable suffered some delay for technical reasons. We support the suggestion of OBSPARIS to shift the date of the milestone from the 12th to the 18th month. This isn't a serious drawback at the end of the first year because of the currently almost missing solar activity.
No further problems were encountered.
Suggestions for new directions and improvements
A WP2 workshop could be held during 2010 at about the half-time of the project.
