MAX MILLENNIUM COORDINATED OBSERVING PLAN # 001

Scientific Goals  |  Participating Observatories  |  Space Mission Observing Program  | Target | Scheduling Considerations


TITLE: 3-D Structure of Flaring Active Regions
AUTHORS:  Dale E. Gary (dgary@njit.edu) NJIT Center for Solar Research
Neale Ranns (ndrr@mssl.ucl.ac.uk) MSSL
Richard Canfield (canfield@mithra.physics.montana.edu) Montana State University
VERSION: Version 5: 12 June 1999 
SUMMARY: As the first Max Millennium Coordinated Observing Campaign, this campaign is a "warm-up exercise" with several purposes: 
  • To obtain multi-wavelength observations before, during and after solar flares over a wide range of temperatures and heights in the solar atmosphere, for the purpose of building a three-dimensional, topological framework for interpreting HESSI data when they become available, and to bring forth questions that joint studies with HESSI should try to answer;
  • To work out methods and lines of communication among ground-based and space-based observers that can be utilized during future HESSI observations; 
  • To form collaborative groups to work on joint analysis of data, so that such groups will be in place and familiar with available data from current instruments. 

SCIENTIFIC GOALS

The procedure envisioned and the scientific goals of this campaign are: Although not a goal of the campaign, observations of ejecta such as CMEs, filaments, and surges are also of interest in placing the flare in context.

GBO OBSERVING PROGRAM

Participating Observatories:
OVRO Solar Array details Contact: Dale E. Gary, NJIT or Kjell Nelin, OVRO
Big Bear Solar Observatory details Contact: Haimin Wang, NJIT or Bill Marquette, BBSO
Mees Solar Observatory details Contact: Barry Labonte, Mees Solar Obs, IfA
Siberian Solar Radio Telescope details Contact: Alexander Altyntsev, SSRT
Kitt Peak details Contact: Jack Harvey, NSO
Nobeyama Radioheliograph details Contact: Kiyoto Shibasaki, NRO
Marshall Space Flight Center details Contact: Mona Hagyard, MSFC
Meudon Observatory details Contact: Jean-Marie Malherbe, Observatoire de Paris
Alfred University H-alpha Video System details Contact: F. David Toot, Alfred U
RATAN 600 Radiotelescope details Contact: Vladimir Bogod, Ratan
HAO Mauna Loa Observatory details Contact: Joan Burkepile, HAO
Nançay Radioheliograph details Contact: Nicole Vilmer, Meudon
Kharkov Astronomical Observatory details Contact: Gennady Marchenko, Kharkov State U
Crimean Astrophysical Observatory details Contact: N.N. Stepanian, CRAO
Mitaka/Tokyo, NAOJ details Contact: Takashi Sakurai, NAOJ
Oporto Radiospectrograph details Contact: A. S. de Magalhaes, U Porto
Hiraiso Solar Terrestrial Research Center details Contact: Maki Akioka, NRC
Trieste Astronomical Observatory details Contact: Mauro Messerotti, TAO
IZMIRAN details Contact: Boris Ioshpa, IZMIRAN
San Fernando Observatory details Contact: Gary Chapman, CSUN
PHOENIX Radio Spectrometer details Contact: Arnold Benz, ETH, Zurich
Hida Solar Observatory details Contact: Hiroki Kurokawa, Kyoto University
Ondrejov Observatory details Contact: Petr HEINZEL or  Karel JIRICKA Ondrejov Obs
Very Large Array Radiotelescope details Contact: Rob Willson, Tufts University
Sac Peak Coronal Photometer details Contact: Dick Altrock, NSO
Brazilian Solar Spectroscope details Contact: Francisco Fernandes, INPE
Kanzelhoehe Solar Observatory details Contact: Wolfgang Otruba, KSO, or Michael Steinegger, Univ. Graz
Kodaikanal Observatory details Contact: K. M. Hiremath, Indian Institute of Astrophysics


SPACE MISSION OBSERVING PROGRAM

SOHO
This campaign is linked with SOHO JOP098. CDS and MDI have preliminarily agreed to support our JOP starting from June 15. A new CDS observing sequence will observe the target active region with a 3 by 3 arcmin field of view, with 4 arcsecond resolution, at just less than ten minute cadence. The lines presently selected are FeXIX, FeXVI, MgIX, OV and HeI, which give us a view of the high temperature corona down to the chromosphere. EIT will provide full Sun FeXII synoptic imaging.

 
Yohkoh
Standard observing modes with SXT and HXT providing thermal and nonthermal
plasma diagnostics and 3D structural evolution, as well as high-energy
electron parameters during flares.

 
TRACE
Will utilize the flare response sequence and observe the flare in either solely Lyman Alpha or CIV. Early in the campaign, the line to be used in CIV.  Later, after some flares have been successfully observed, observations will be done in Lyman Alpha.  Lyman Alpha combined with Halpha and Hard X-ray data will allow some interesting science on flare energetics. Interspersing of the CIV/Lalpha sequence with some EUV images every ten minutes for contextual and co-alignment purposes (must check feasibility).


TARGET

The target for this campaign is any flare-producing active region, although the preferred one would be near disk center in the first days of the campaign to establish good photospheric magnetogram measurements. Generally the region should be at least beta-gamma and in a growth phase early in the campaign. The region will be followed over several days, and ideally could be tracked over the west limb.

Target selection will be announced by e-mail daily by 18:00 UT for the day following, using the Max Millennium MOTD list.
If you are not on that list but would like to subscribe, go to the MOTD list at


SCHEDULING CONSIDERATIONS

The start of the first observing campaign is 15 June, and it will continue approximately two weeks.  We will try to follow a chosen region unless it ceases to be flare-active or rotates over the west limb.  In this case, a new active region target may be selected, or the campaign may be ended early.