Coronal Holes and Open Magnetic Flux over Cycles 23 and 24

Lowder, Chris; Qiu, Jiong; Leamon, Robert

Abstract

As the observational signature of the footprints of solar magnetic field lines open into the heliosphere, coronal holes provide a critical measure of the structure and evolution of these lines. Using a combination of Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SOHO/EIT), Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO/AIA), and Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory/Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (STEREO/EUVI A/B) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) observations spanning 1996 – 2015 (nearly two solar cycles), coronal holes are automatically detected and characterized. Coronal hole area distributions show distinct behavior in latitude, defining the domain of polar and low-latitude coronal holes. The northern and southern polar regions show a clear asymmetry, with a lag between hemispheres in the appearance and disappearance of polar coronal holes.

Citation

Lowder, C., Qiu, J., & Leamon, R. (2016). Coronal Holes and Open Magnetic Flux over Cycles 23 and 24. Solar Physics, 292(1), Article 18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-016-1041-8

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 9, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Dec 27, 2016
• Publication Date: Dec 27, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jan 3, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 5, 2017
• Journal: Solar Physics
• Print ISSN: 0038-0938
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-093X
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 292
• Issue: 1
• Article Number: 18
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-016-1041-8
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1367073
• Related Public URLs: https://arxiv.org/abs/1612.07595