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This project aims to identify spatio-temporal patterns in past sunspot records and establish long-term standard photospheric indices of solar activity. It will also improve the predictive capability of solar cycle models and enhance the past record of solar activity. The project will digitize and encode past drawing collections and develop an image-based sunspot activity index. The delivered products include a standardized publication format of photospheric data and a base tool for detailed flare origin studies.
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SOTERIA Kick-Off, ESWW, Brussels ROB Lead: Frédéric Clette SOTERIA WP2 « Photosphere » : ROB contribution
Identifyspatio-temporal patterns in pastsunspot record (Durations=decades to centuries): • Constraints to physics-basedsolar cycle models: non-linear « dynamo waves », flux emergenceprocesses • Predictivecapability + enhancedpast record (> flare occurrence) • Establish long-term standard photospheric indices of solaractivity: • Pastreconstructedsunspot indices (unexploited information: hemispheric & cycle splitting, group class frequency, etc.) • Future extension based on new techniques (electronicimaging): matching the visual Ri index? • Multiple indices > optimizedproxies for solar, SW or climatologicalparameters(X-UV solar fluxes, TSI, flare index, closed/open solarmagneticfield, toroidal/poloidalmagneticfield, geomagnetic indices, NH temperatureanomaly) SOTERIA Kick-Off, ESWW, Brussels Science goals
Reconstruction of pastvisual information (access to new data): • Digitisation + encoding of pastdrawing collections: • Primary objective : ROB drawingseries (1940 -2008) • Planned extensions: Zürich-Locarno (1850-2008), Konkoly Obs., Kanzelhöhe, Skalnate-Pleso • Sunspot group tracking: history of all individual groups (cycles 18-23 + extension before cycle 18) • Birth-to-deathchronology • Type (morphology: Zürich, Mc Intosh classification), sunspot count, size (E-W, N-S, area?), rotation rate, dipole tilt. • Initial selection of standard descriptive parameters (subset of KO descriptors?) > standard publication format of photospheric data • Base tool for detailedflareoriginstudies (precursor scenarios, active longitudes, … > prediction) SOTERIA Kick-Off, ESWW, Brussels ROB Work item 1
Study and evaluation of an image-basedsunspotactivity index (standardization): • Step 1: Set of possible definitions(Joint WP2 input) • Step 2: Application of proposeddefinitions to availableseries(> 1 solar cycle): • Data sets: SOHO-MDI, Debrecen-RGO digitized collection, Kanzelhöhe WL CCD images, Uccle WL CCD images, …. • Step 3: comparative studies of generatedseries • Reference: SIDC relative sunspot index Ri • Statisticalcorrelativemeasures: indices vs Ri, inter-index • Relative meritassessment of differentdefinitions: • Correlationwith the Ri long-termreference • Sensitivity to seriesproperties (instrument resolution, seeing conditions) and to solar cycle phase. • Relation facular/sunspot indices SOTERIA Kick-Off, ESWW, Brussels ROB Work ITEM 2
Manpower • SOTERIA: (32 ManxMonth, ~105k€) • 0.5 fte/3 years (0.5 fte) Operator (digitization, data acquisition/distribution) • 1 fte/6 months (0.15 fte) Post-doc (image-based index study) • 1 fte/1 month (0.03 fte) Senior scientist (image-based index study ) • 1 fte/6 months (0.15 fte) ICT (support to VO) • ROB (12 ManxMonth): 0.1 fte Senior scientist, 0.1 fte ICT, 2x0.25 fteoperator + 4 part-time observers (opticaltelescopes). • STCE (36 ManxMonth): 0.5 fteoperator, 0.5 ftescientist (graduate?). • Material ressources: • SOTERIA: 2.5 k€ (desktop PCs) • STCE: digitizing hardware (A3 scanners, 5k€) • LOTTO: new 2kx2k CCD camera + matchedoptics (60 k€) • ROB: • Infrastructure: USET Uccle solartelescopes, technical maintenance, ICT infrastructure (servers, storage) • Heritage: ROB solardrawing collection, RWC « Sunspot » extensive experience. SOTERIA Kick-Off, ESWW, Brussels Availablemeans
Digitizeddrawing collections + database: ROB-Uccle (+ Zürich-Locarno) • Visual sunspot group catalog/database (1940-2008) (mergedwith SDD?) • Objective evaluation of proposed image-based photospheric activity indices (+ faculae?) >> Standard image-based global activity index/indices (Publication) • applicable to anypast and future image collection (photographic/CCD, ground/space-based) • White-light CCD images from the USET (Uccle station, ROB) • Opening of future prospects: • Networking and collaborations between SOTERIA-contributing GB observatories • Encoding of otherdrawing archives: extension of individual group tracking to past centuries. • Establishment of a new international referencesunspot index based on electronicimaging (« SOTERIA number »?). • Multi-secularirradiance proxy: Ri vs image index calibration (incl. facular proxy) SOTERIA Kick-Off, ESWW, Brussels Deliveredproducts