Astronomy/Solar flares

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Expert: - 3/28/2008


Question
When looking at the sun, what quadrant would an eruption have the greatest chance of affecting the Earth? Based on radial velocity and orbital motion.

Answer
Hello,

In going through my past papers, I only found two studies - both by Russians - that attempted to correlate geoeffective flares to solar (heliographic) location. Neither one included any facets of radial velocity or orbital motion.

In one study (1986) by N.K. Pereyslova et al, a small correlation was found between solar cosmic ray proton onset and the heliographic longitude (cf. Fig. 2 in referenced paper appearing in 'Solar Terrestrial Predictions Proceedings, Meudon, France, p. 221)

In the other study by I.M. Chertok and V.V. Fomichev, a fairly high correlation (non-linear) was found between the (corrected) proton energy spectral index, and flare longitude. It seems that (cf. Fig. 4, op. cit, p. 274) there is excellent correspondence when the flares occur in the NE quadrant of the Sun (from -90E to the meridian at 0 degrees).

Hopefully, this sheds some light!

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Philip Stahl

Expertise

I have forty years of experience in Astronomy, specifically solar and space physics. My specialties include the physics of solar flares, sunspots, including their effects on Earth and statistics as applied to astronomical investigations.

Experience

Astronomy: more than forty years experience starting with construction of my own simple telescopes. Worked at university observatory in college, doing astrographic measurements. M.Phil. degree in Physics/Solar Physics and more than ten years as researcher.

Organizations
American Astronomical Society (Solar Physics and Dynamical Astronomy divisions), American Mathematical Society, American Geophysical Union

Publications
Solar Physics (journal), The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, The Proceedings of the Meudon Solar Flare Workshop (1986), The Proceedings of the Caribbean Physics Conference (1985). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level'.

Education/Credentials
B.A. Astronomy, M. Phil. Physics

Awards and Honors
American Astronomical Society Studentship Award (1984), Barbados Government Award for Solar Research

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