Rotation Characteristics of the Fe XIV (5303 A) Solar Corona
Abstract
Synoptic photoelectric observations of the coronal Fe XIV line at 5303 A have been analyzed to reveal the rotational behavior of the solar corona as detected in that line. A correlation analysis shows that the average synodic rotation period for a band from 30N to 30S was 27.52 days. Although the lifetimes for features in the Fe XIV corona are slightly less than those for the electron corona, overall, their rotation properties are more similar to the white-light corona than to those of active regions on the Sun with which they are generally thought to be associated. However, there appears to be a significant and time varying component which shows differential rotation. This component appears during cycle 21 at high 7 or 60 deg latitudes in the late ascending phase and moves toward the equator. As the cycle progresses, the component becomes indistinguishable from faster rotating features near the equator and the effect is to produce a net differential rotation which is intermediate between that of the photosphere and that of the white-light corona. The observations appear to be consistent with the interpretation that the Fe XIV coronal signal arises from the effects of local heating on the large-scale density structure of the corona. Reprints.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA205764
Entities
People
- D. G. Sime
- R. C. Altrock
- R. R. Fisher
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory