- In combination with space and ground-based observations, H-alpha
full disk observations of high temporal and spatial resolution
have been proven to be a key diagnostic for determining the
magnetic field topology between the photosphere, chromosphere,
transition region, and corona.
- Continuous H-alpha network observations will ensure the
tracking of features near the poles continuously. By
this the accuracy of solar rotation rate measurements
will be increased.
- Studying prominences and corresponding filaments simultaneously
provides deeper insight into their temporal evolution and their
supporting magnetic field configuration.
- Flares can occur anywhere and at any time on the solar disk.
High resolution solar images with 24 hour coverage are essential
to catch all the flares on the visible disk of the Sun.
- High spatial resolution and cadence will allow to obtain a detailed
picture of the evolution of flares as well as of the associated
active regions.
- Until now, H-alpha full disk images depicting solar flares were
normally saturated because the exposure time was set to a
constant value and optimized to yield high contrast images of
the quiet Sun. The bright flaring regions were therefore
over-exposed. Since the H-alpha intensity gives a minimum
temperature for the flare region, it is important to obtain
proper photometric data even when the full disk brightness
is suddenly rising during a flare.
- Monitoring every new flux emergence and try to understand why
some become super-active regions and other decay quickly.
- Providing high quality data for solar activity forecasting.
- Providing complete data sets for correlative studies with other
ground-based and space observations.
- Observing and classifying all the flares and filament/prominence
eruptions obtained by the network.
- One of the ongoing research projects at BBSO is to understand
the correlation between filament/prominence disappearance and
coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and to study their possible
driving mechanisms. Round-the-clock high-resolution full disk
H-alpha data are extremely important for this study, as CMEs
may occur anywhere and at any time on the Sun.
- Mini-filament eruptions are the small scale analog to large scale
filament eruptions. The energy release and mass ejection of
erupting mini-filaments is of particular importance since
both can contribute to coronal heating and solar wind
acceleration. With high contrast and high cadence H-alpha
images the position and therefore the spatial distribution
of mini-filaments as well as their temporal behavious is easy
to measure.
- Round-the-clock high-resolution H-alpha observations will be able
to provide data with sufficient resolution and cadence to
support the observing targets of space observations, anywhere
on the face of the Sun and at any time.
|