Sun  ID: 3286

Flight through the Coronal Loops

Visualizations by Tom Bridgman Released on October 27, 2005
There is a newer version of this story located here: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4623
Here we illustrate the potential benefits of the 3-D views of the Sun which STEREO will provide. Starting with a simple 2-D EIT ultraviolet image from SOHO, we transition to a 3-D model and move through the coronal loops which are constructed along solar magnetic fields. The solar model is constructed from magnetogram data collected by SOHO/MDI. Because we do not see the full solar surface at any one time, the magnetograms collected over the course of a solar rotation are processed through a time-evolving solar surface model to provide a snapshot of the surface at a fixed time. The resulting magnetogram is then processed through the Potential Field Source Surface (PFSS) model. Coronal loops are visible at the higher temperatures of ultraviolet light, in this case, 195 angstroms, the filter wavelength of SOHO/EIT. For this version, we color the coronal loops green for ready comparison to the EIT 195 angstrom imagery using the EIT 'standard color table'.
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Transition from a 2-D solar image to a 3-D solar model and take a flight around the Sun, close to the solar surface.
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This is a stereo version of the movie. Note the stereo appearance is not that effective because of the predominant green coloration of the movie.
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A 2-D view of the Sun as seen from SOHO/EIT.
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A view of the coronal loops generated by the PFSS model for this time frame.
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Push-in to the solar surface, focused on a small dipolar active region, AR 9731.
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Rotating our view to the solar surface, we begin our flight through the upper regions of the solar atmosphere.
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We continue the flight throuh the loops, moving along the same heliographic latitude.
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We pass over another group of active regions.
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Finally ending our tour back at AR 9731.
 

Newer Versions

The Dynamic Solar Magnetic Field with Introduction
The Dynamic Solar Magnetic Field

Visualization Credits

Tom Bridgman (Global Science and Technology, Inc.): Lead Animator
Michael Kaiser (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Therese Kucera (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Don Michels (NRL): Scientist
Russ Howard (NRL): Scientist
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3286

Mission:
SOHO

Data Used:
PFSS/Magnetic Field Lines also referred to as: PFSS
Model - NASA and ESA - 2001-12-09
This model generated from SOHO/MDI magnetograms through the SolarSoft package.
view all stories where this data set is used
SOHO/Extreme-UV Imaging Telescope (EIT)/195 Filter also referred to as: SOHO/EIT 195
NASA and ESA - 2001-12-09
view all stories where this data set is used
SOHO/Michelson Doppler Interferometer (MDI)/Magnetogram
NASA and ESA - 2001-12-09
view all stories where this data set is used
Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.

This item is part of this series:
STEREO Pre-launch

Keywords:
SVS >> Coronal Loop
SVS >> SOHO
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Sun-earth Interactions >> Solar Activity
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Sun-earth Interactions >> Solar Activity >> Solar Ultraviolet
SVS >> Stereo Display
NASA Science >> Sun

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0