Sun ID: 3346

Grand Tour of the Coronal Loops Model

Visualizations by Tom Bridgman Released on March 30, 2006

There is a newer version of this story located here: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4623

This is a longer coronal loops tour combining components of the two previous versions (Animation IDs 3286 and 3287). 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 which provides a snapshot of the surface at a fixed time. The resulting magnetogram is then processed through the Potential Field Source Surface (PFSS) model which constructs the magnetic field above the solar surface. The magnetic field around the Sun is then analyzed for field lines, which creates the loop structures we see in the model. Hot plasma tends to flow along the magnetic field lines, creating the coronal loops. These loops are only visible at the higher temperatures corresponding to ultraviolet light, in this case, 195 angstroms, one of the filter wavelengths 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.

We open with a time-series of EIT/195 Ångstrom images. The ultraviolet corona has been extended beyond the EIT image using a power-law falloff function fitted to the data.

We move closer to the surface of the model, near a small sunspot where we see the dipole structure of the field lines and spot region.

We begin our flight through the loops, noting that the more prominent regions on the surface have a higher density of field lines.

Newer Versions

Visualization Credits

Tom Bridgman (Global Science and Technology, Inc.): Lead Animator
Michael Kaiser (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Therese Kucera (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Russ Howard (NRL): Scientist
Don Michels (NRL): Scientist
Marc L. DeRosa (LMSAL): Scientist

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

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https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/3346

Mission:
SOHO

Data Used:

PFSS/Magnetic Field Lines also referred to as: PFSS

Model - NASA and ESA - 2009-12-09

This model generated from SOHO/MDI magnetograms through the SolarSoft package.

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/solarsoft/

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 - 2009-12-09

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov

view all stories where this data set is used

SOHO/Michelson Doppler Interferometer (MDI)/Magnetogram

NASA and ESA - 2009-12-09

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov

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 >> HDTV
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