Author name code: bentley ADS astronomy entries on 2022-09-14 author:"Bentley, Robert D." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Title: Constraining the Binarity of the S-stars Orbiting the Central Supermassive Black Hole Using Radial Velocities Authors: Chu, D. S.; Do, T.; Ghez, A.; Hees, A.; Ciurlo, A.; Gautam, A.; O'neil, K. K.; Hosek, M. W., Jr.; Chen, Z.; Sakai, S.; Lu, J. R.; Bentley, R. Bibcode: 2021ASPC..528..321C Altcode: The formation mechanism of the young S-stars located within an arcsecond of the central supermassive black hole remains a mystery. While binaries are important for understanding the young star cluster at the Galactic Center, there have been limited surveys for binaries in the region. We present a framework for searching for spectroscopic binaries. With over two decades of integral field spectroscopy data and advanced tools for fitting mid-infrared stellar spectra, it is feasible to conduct a spectroscopic binary search of the Galactic Center S-stars. After subtracting a star's motion around the supermassive black hole, we search for a periodic signal using a Lomb-Scargle analysis and fitting the residual radial velocity curve to a binary system radial velocity curve. We find no significant periodic detections in our sample, suggesting there are no binaries among the S-stars. These results favor formation mechanisms that result in the S-stars being single stars. Title: Search for a variation of the fine-structure constant around the supermassive Black Hole in our Galactic Center Authors: Roberts, Benjamin; Hees, A.; Do, T.; Ghez, A. M.; Nishiyama, S.; Bentley, R.; Gautam, A. K.; Jia, S.; Kara, T.; Lu, J. R.; Saida, H.; Sakai, S.; Takahashi, M.; Takamori, Y. Bibcode: 2020APS..DMPE01155R Altcode: Searching for space-time variations of the constants of Nature is a promising way to search for new physics beyond General Relativity and the standard model motivated by unification theories and models of dark matter and dark energy. We propose a new way to search for a variation of the fine-structure constant using measurements of late-type evolved giant stars from the S-star cluster orbiting the supermassive black hole in our Galactic Center. A measurement of the difference between distinct absorption lines (with different sensitivity to the fine structure constant) from a star leads to a direct estimate of a variation of the fine structure constant between the star's location and Earth. Using spectroscopic measurements of 5 stars, we obtain a constraint on the relative variation of the fine structure constant below 1e-5. This is the first time a varying constant of Nature is searched for around a black hole and in a high gravitational potential. This analysis shows new ways the monitoring of stars in the Galactic Center can be used to probe fundamental physics. Title: Solar Windsocks - A service to derive estimates of solar wind speeds from comets' ion tails Authors: Jones, Geraint; Bentley, Robert; Ramanjooloo, Yudish Bibcode: 2018cosp...42E1635J Altcode: Comets' ion tails show material being carried away from cometary nuclei by the solar wind. As we know where each comet is, how fast it's moving, and in what direction, we can use the orientation of the tail to estimate the solar wind speed at the comet. Solar Windsocks is based on the assumption that the solar wind flow is radial, i.e. that it flows directly away from the Sun. This is known to not quite be true, with the solar wind often deviating a few degrees from the radial direction, but this assumption is necessary in order to derive solar wind speed estimates from comet images. The service takes a user's image, and projects it onto the comet's orbital plane. The position of the ion tail is then identified manually in the image, and the solar wind speed corresponding to each marked position in the tail is calculated. Using this technique, several solar wind speed estimates can be provided from each image. It is hoped that amateur and professional comet observers will donate their images and the resultant solar wind speed estimates to the project, to build up a database of point measurements of the flow speed in the inner heliosphere. The Solar Windsocks project is only possible through the financial support of the Europlanet-2020 Research Infrastructure, funded by the European Commission. Solar Windsocks is part of the Europlanet Planetary and Space Weather Services activity. Title: The Economic Impact of Space Weather: Where Do We Stand? Authors: Eastwood, J. P.; Biffis, E.; Hapgood, M. A.; Green, L.; Bisi, M. M.; Bentley, R. D.; Wicks, R.; McKinnell, L. A.; Gibbs, M.; Burnett, C. Bibcode: 2017RiskA..37..206E Altcode: Space weather describes the way in which the Sun, and conditions in space more generally, impact human activity and technology both in space and on the ground. It is now well understood that space weather represents a significant threat to infrastructure resilience, and is a source of risk that is wide-ranging in its impact and the pathways by which this impact may occur. Although space weather is growing rapidly as a field, work rigorously assessing the overall economic cost of space weather appears to be in its infancy. Here, we provide an initial literature review to gather and assess the quality of any published assessments of space weather impacts and socioeconomic studies. Generally speaking, there is a good volume of scientific peer-reviewed literature detailing the likelihood and statistics of different types of space weather phenomena. These phenomena all typically exhibit "power-law" behavior in their severity. The literature on documented impacts is not as extensive, with many case studies, but few statistical studies. The literature on the economic impacts of space weather is rather sparse and not as well developed when compared to the other sections, most probably due to the somewhat limited data that are available from end-users. The major risk is attached to power distribution systems and there is disagreement as to the severity of the technological footprint. This strongly controls the economic impact. Consequently, urgent work is required to better quantify the risk of future space weather events. Title: The Heliophysics Feature Catalogue, a tool for the study of solar features Authors: Bonnin, Xavier; Fuller, Nicolas; Renié, Christian; Aboudarham, Jean; Cecconi, Baptiste; Bentley, Robert D.; Csillaghy, André Bibcode: 2014IAUS..300..512B Altcode: The behavior of filaments and prominences during the Solar Cycle is a signature of Sun's activity. It is therefore important to follow their evolution during the cycle, in order to be able to associate it with the various phases of the Solar Cycle as well as with other Solar features or events. The virtual observatory HELIO provides information that can be used for such studies, especially its Heliophysics Feature Catalogue gives a unique access to the description of various features during around one cycle. Features available are: filaments, prominences, photospheric and coronal active regions, coronal radio emission, type III radio bursts, coronal holes and sunspots. Web interfaces allow the user to query data for these features. Useful information can also be shared with other HELIO services, such as Heliophysics Event Catalogue, which provides access to dozens of tables of events such as flares, CMEs, . . . Title: HELIO - Discovering solar effects in all the heliosphere Authors: Pérez-Suárez, D.; Bentley, R. D.; Aboudarham, J.; Brooke, J.; Csillaghy, A.; Gallagher, P. T.; Jacquey, C.; Messerotti, M.; Pierantoni, G. Bibcode: 2013EPSC....8..328P Altcode: HELIO, the HELiophysics Integrated Observatory, consists of a set of integrated software tools developed by an international consortium under the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). HELIO is designed to help scientists easily search heliophysical data and discover any possible connections. This is achieved by merging information from feature and event catalogues and services that know about the locations and capabilities of instruments to find all the data available that contain information on a certain event by propagating it through the whole solar system. There are then tools to access data archives and processing tools that allow the users to create their own workflows.

HELIO is definitely making the research in heliophysics more accessible to different scientists [1] but it capabilities goes further than this. It can be adapted to other fields in science, where multiple observations in different observatories are used to study a particular event. The interfaces of the HELIO services are based onWeb services and, as far as possible, are compliant with IVOA standards. This simplifies access to the capabilities via different tools like Web browsers, scripting languages (IDL, Python, etc.), and workflow tools (Taverna, Kepler, etc.). The overall capabilities of the system can greatly increased when the services are combined using workflows or scripting languages. While we try to hide the use of these tools for most users, those who choose to gain familiarity with such tools can address more complex problems.

A brief introduction to HELIO services and a use case demonstration will be presented. Title: SHEBA - HELIO's propagation model: a walk through its possibilities Authors: Pérez-Suárez, David; Pierantoni, Gabriele; Maloney, Shane A.; Higgins, Paul A.; Gallagher, Peter T.; Bentley, Robert D. Bibcode: 2013EGUGA..1513919P Altcode: The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory (HELIO) is a software infrastructure involving a collection of web services, heliospheric data sources (e.g., solar, planetary, etc.), and event catalogues - all of which are accessible through a unified front end. HELIO brings to the scientist the possibility to search an event occurred in the heliosphere and find out which other events are linked with the one under study. To get the relation between events HELIO uses SHEBA (Solar-Heliospheric Event Ballistic Algorithm), a simple propagation model for Coronal Mass Ejections, Solar Energetic Particle and Co-rotating Interaction Regions. This poster explains the basics of SHEBA and it walks through real-case scenarios of its use. Title: Automation of the Filament Tracking in the Framework of the HELIO Project Authors: Bonnin, X.; Aboudarham, J.; Fuller, N.; Csillaghy, A.; Bentley, R. Bibcode: 2013SoPh..283...49B Altcode: 2012arXiv1202.2072B; 2012SoPh..tmp..132B; 2012SoPh..tmp..103B We present a new method to automatically track filaments over the solar disk. The filaments are first detected on Meudon Spectroheliograph Hα images of the Sun, applying the technique developed by Fuller, Aboudarham, and Bentley (Solar Phys. 227, 61, 2005). This technique combines cleaning processes, image segmentation based on region growing, and morphological parameter extraction, including the determination of filament skeletons. The coordinates of the skeleton pixels, given in a heliocentric system, are then converted to a more appropriate reference frame that follows the rotation of the Sun surface. In such a frame, a co-rotating filament is always located around the same position, and its skeletons (extracted from each image) are thus spatially close, forming a group of adjacent features. In a third step, the shape of each skeleton is compared with its neighbours using a curve-matching algorithm. This step will permit us to define the probability [P] that two close filaments in the co-rotating frame are actually the same one observed on two different images. At the end, the pairs of features, for which the corresponding probability is greater than a threshold value, are associated using tracking identification indices. On a representative sample of filaments, the good agreement between automated and manual tracking confirms the reliability of the technique to be applied on large data sets. This code is already used in the framework of the Heliophysics Integrated Observatory (HELIO) to populate a catalogue dedicated to solar and heliospheric features (HFC). An extension of this method to other filament observations, and possibly sunspots, faculae, and coronal-holes tracking, can also be envisaged. Title: The Philosophy of User Interfaces in HELIO and the Importance of CASSIS Authors: Bonnin, X.; Aboudarham, J.; Renié, C.; Csillaghy, A.; Messerotti, M.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2012ASPC..461..303B Altcode: 2012adass..21..303B HELIO is a European project funded under FP7 (Project No. 238969). One of its goals as a Heliospheric Virtual Observatory is to provide an easy access to many datasets scattered all over the world, in the fields of Solar physics, Heliophysics, and Planetary magnetospheres. The efficiency of such a tool is very much related to the quality of the user interface. HELIO infrastructure is based on a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), regrouping a network of standalone components, which allows four main types of interfaces: - HELIO Front End (HFE) is a browser-based user interface, which offers a centralized access to the HELIO main functionalities. Especially, it provides the possibility to reach data directly, or to refine selection by determination of observing characteristics, such as which instrument was observing at that time, which instrument was at this location, etc. - Many services/components provide their own standalone graphical user interface. While one can directly access individually each of these interfaces, they can also be connected together. - Most services also provide direct access for any tools through a public interface. A small java library, called Java API, simplifies this access by providing client stubs for services and shields the user from security, discovery and failover issues. - Workflows capabilities are available in HELIO, allowing complex combination of queries over several services. We want the user to be able to navigate easily, at his needs, through the various interfaces, and possibly use a specific one in order to make much-dedicated queries. We will also emphasize the importance of the CASSIS project (Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructure and Science) in encouraging the interoperability necessary to undertake scientific studies that span disciplinary boundaries. If related projects follow the guidelines being developed by CASSIS then using external resources with HELIO will be greatly simplified. Title: Combining observations to study heliospheric phenomena Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2012epsc.conf..556B Altcode: 2012espc.conf..556B There is currently a more diverse range of observatories scattered around the solar system than at any time in the past. As a consequence, heliophysics - the study of the effect of the Sun on the Solar System - has entered a boom period. The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, HELIO, has established a collaborative environment where scientists can discover, understand and model the connection between solar phenomena, interplanetary disturbances and their effects on the planets. The project is designed around a serviceoriented architecture with needed capabilities that support metadata curation and search, data location and retrieval, and data processing and storage being established as independent services. HELIO provides integrated access to the data and metadata from the domains that constitute heliophysics - solar, heliospheric, geophysics and planetary. More than 50 event catalogues can be used in the search, together with10 feature catalogues; data from more than 150 instruments from nearly 50 observatories can be accessed. A comprehensive user interface is available and the services can also be accessed through IDL; a workflow tool provides the ability to combine services together and it is possible to execute programmes on demand including propagation models. We will show how HELIO can be used to explore how phenomena evolve as they propagate through the Solar System. Effects related to structures in the solar wind, coronal mass ejections and particle events are reported using observations from multiple platforms, including occasions where the same phenomenon interacts with multiple planetary environments. The HELIO Consortium includes thirteen groups from the UK, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and the US; the project started in June 2009 and has a duration of 42 months. Title: HELIO: A Heliospheric Virtual Observatory Authors: Aboudarham, J.; Bentley, R. D.; Csillaghy, A. Bibcode: 2012ASPC..461..255A Altcode: 2012adass..21..255A HELIO, the Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, is a Research Infrastructure funded under EC's FP7 Capacities Specific Programme. It began in June 2009 for three years. It will provide the heliophysics research community with an integrated e-infrastructure that has no equivalent anywhere else. The project objectives are as follows: - to create a collaborative environment where scientists can discover, understand and model the connection between solar phenomena, interplanetary disturbances and their effects on the planets (esp. the Earth) - to establish a consensus on standards for describing all heliophysical data and champion them within international standards bodies, e.g. the IVOA - to develop new ways to interact with a virtual observatory that are more closely aligned with the way researchers wish to use the data. HELIO is based on a Service-Oriented architecture. For this purpose, HELIO developed a Front End, which facilitates the search for data, using series of search metadata services covering different domains (many Events and Features available; use of context information to refine selection); Services to identify and retrieve observations based on search results (knows which data are stored where and how to access them); Enabling services such as tools to find and track events/phenomena in 4D environment (i.e. including the propagation of phenomena). Services can be used individually or combined through workflow capability. Heliophysics Event Catalogue and Heliophysics Features Catalogue provide a specific access to information concerning phenomena that occur in the Solar system. A semantic-driven approach is used to integrate data from different domains, based on ontology derived from existing data models. Thirteen partners from Europe and US are involved in this project. And although it is not completed, a prototype is already available, which can be accessed through HELIO web site (<a href='http://www.helio-vo.eu/'>http://www.helio-vo.eu/</a>). Title: The role of e-Infrastructures supporting Solar System science within general research environments Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2012epsc.conf..557B Altcode: 2012espc.conf..557B Many aspects of Solar System science are related with phenomena observed on the Sun subsequently causing effects in other parts of the Solar System; similarly, effects that originate in heliopshere or the near planetary environments can have impacts low down in planetary atmospheres. However, combining and comparing observations from the different domains is more difficult that it should be, partly because the communities have evolved independently without any consideration of the need for interoperability. A number of e-Infrastructures have been established to support the analysis in different aspect of science within the Solar System - some have been funded under FP7 including Europlanet RI and HELIO. Now that the Research Infrastructures are reaching maturity it is important to examine how they might work better together and be combined to support new types of science. The infrastructure established by HELIO follows a service oriented architecture where required capabilities are implemented as independent services that cam be combined as needed. If the capabilities of other infrastructures can be made available in a similar way then it is possible to consider them all as components in a larger and more general collaborative research environment that can be used to address science use cases that were previously not possible. We discuss how this might be achieved and describe some of the ideas being developed under the Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructure and Science (CASSIS). Title: A Collaborative Research Environment for Heliophysics Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Berghmans, D.; Csillaghy, A. Bibcode: 2012EGUGA..1412873B Altcode: Heliophysics is the study of the effect of the Sun on the Solar System; it is a relatively new science that combines the solar, heliospheric, geophysics and planetary communities. The subject is an example of the increasing desire to address science problems that span disciplinary boundaries and provides a good example of the issues involved. The communities that constitute heliophysics have grown up independently and there are differences in the way that their data are stored and used. Although a number of capabilities relevant to heliophysics have been established under auspices of various projects and organisations, the fact that they have not followed any underlying strategy is now inhibiting our ability to do this type of science. The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory (HELIO), a research infrastructure funded under Capacities programme of the EC's 7th Framework Programme (FP7), was designed around a service-oriented architecture with needed capabilities that support metadata curation and search, data location and retrieval, and data processing and storage being established as independent services. In addition, a number of virtual observatories have been established that address aspects of the overall problem of heliophysics within the NASA's Heliophysics Science Division. We examine the capabilities of these resources and look at where their strengths and weaknesses lie. We identify some of the steps that are needed to improve interoperability between the initiatives and consider how they could be brought together to form a Collaborative Research Environment for Heliophysics (CREH). The Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructure and Science (CASSIS) has the objective of exploring ways to improve interoperability for all aspects of Solar System Science. CASSIS is funded under Capacities specific programme of the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and grew out of the HELIO, Europlanet RI and SOTERIA projects; it also includes other key partners such as NASA, ESA, and NOAA. We welcome participation by other interested organisations Title: HELIO - A Research Environment for Heliophysics Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Abourdarham, J.; Csillaghy, A.; Messerotti, M.; Gallagher, P.; Bocchialini, K.; Jacquey, C.; Hapgood, M. Bibcode: 2012EGUGA..1411634B Altcode: HELIO, the Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, is a research infrastructure funded under Capacities programme of the EC's 7th Framework Programme (FP7). It provides a collaborative environment where scientists can discover, understand and model the connection between solar phenomena, interplanetary disturbances and their effects on the planets. The project is designed around a service-oriented architecture with needed capabilities that support metadata curation and search, data location and retrieval, and data processing and storage being established as independent services. HELIO provides integrated access to the data and metadata from the domains that constitute heliophysics - solar, heliospheric, geophysics and planetary. More than 50 event catalogues can be used in the search, together with just under 10 feature catalogues; data from more than 150 instruments from nearly 50 observatories can be accessed. A comprehensive user interface is available and the serves can also be accessed through IDL; a workflow tool provides the ability to combine services together and it is possible to execute programmes on demand including propagation models. We will report on the status of HELIO and the services that are available and demonstrate how these resources can be used to address use cases involving multiple spacecraft and modelling. We will also describe how we hope to combine the tools developed by HELIO into a Collaborative Research Environment for Heliophysics. We have been holding a series of Coordinated Data Analysis Workshops (CDAW) in which we demonstrate the capabilities of the project and participants are able to use them to address science use cases. Two CDAWs have been held so far, in Dublin and Trieste; a third will be held in February 2012 in Orsay, and a fourth is planned in May/June 2012. Typical use cases relate to phenomena propagating from the Sun and being observed by at least two observatories in different parts of the inner Solar System. The HELIO Consortium includes thirteen groups from the UK, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and the US; the project started in June 2009 and has a duration of 36 months Title: Automated detection and tracking of solar and heliospheric features in the frame of the European project HELIO Authors: Bonnin, X.; Aboudarham, J.; Fuller, N.; Renie, C.; Perez-Suarez, D.; Gallagher, P.; Higgins, P.; Krista, L.; Csillaghy, A.; Bentley, R. Bibcode: 2011sf2a.conf..373B Altcode: In the frame of the European project HELIO, the Observatoire de Paris-Meudon is in charge of the Heliophysics Feature Catalogue (HFC), a service which provides access to existing solar and heliospheric feature data. In order to create a catalogue as exhaustive as possible, recognition codes are developed to automatically detect and track features. At the time, HFC contains data of filaments, active regions, coronal holes, sunspots and type III radio bursts for a full solar cycle. The insertion of prominences and type II radio bursts should be done in the short term. We present here an overview of some of the algorithms used to populate HFC. The development of such fast and robust techniques also addresses the needs of the Space Weather community in terms of near real-time monitoring capabilities. Title: The need for Standards when building Virtual Observatories Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Csillaghy, A.; Aboudarham, J.; Messerotti, M.; Jacquey, C.; Capria, M. T. Bibcode: 2011AGUFMSM21A2002B Altcode: The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, HELIO, has been established based on a service-oriented architecture (SAO) under which the required capabilities are provided as set of independent services that can be used and combined as required. The main services fall into two general groups: identifying interesting events and phenomena and locating and retrieving suitable observations; there are also a number of enabling services such as the Registry, processing and storage services, coordinate transformation, etc. The HELIO services can be addresses through SOAP and REST interfaces that are based on protocols developed by the IVOA; for several services Web GUIs are also provided. Most services can produce outputs in a number of formats although the preferred one is VOTable, another product of the IVOA. It is important that projects are able to build on each other's services. By developing and employing standards, some services of HELIO are of immediate use to other projects while other could be with some modifications. Adopting the VOTable format has meant that it is possibly to fully describe each parameter in the table using annotation, unambiguously defining what the parameter represents. This approach makes it simpler for a service from a different domain to use the products of HELIO; the same ought to be true for other projects. In this paper we will present what has been achieved so far and how this can help define and refine a broader set of protocols. Some of this work is being done in conjunction with the CASSIS project that is trying to encourage the adoption of standards to increase the interoperability between domains. The HELIO and CASSIS projects are funded under the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). Title: Using HELIO to address use cases involving multi-point observations from different parts of the Solar System. Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2011epsc.conf..861B Altcode: 2011DPS....43..861B The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, HELIO, is creating a distributed network of services that will address the needs of a broad community of researchers in heliophysics. It provides integrated access to data from the solar and heliospheric communities, and to magnetospheric and ionospheric data from the geophysics and planetary communities. HELIO is now in its third year and almost all the services define in the architectural design have been deployed and can be used by the community. It can be used to address science use cases that span disciplinary boundaries and the capabilities of the project are evolving as the system is being used in this way. Many of the services have important capabilities but two key achievements are that the event catalogue contains more than 40 event lists from various communities and the access service provides access to more than 160 instruments from over 45 observatories. We will report on the current status of the and illustrate how HELIO can be used to address some of the use cases. HELIO is a Research Infrastructures funded under the Capacities Specific Programme within the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7; Project No. 238969). Title: CASSIS - Standards and Interoperability in Solar System Science Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2011epsc.conf..862B Altcode: 2011DPS....43..862B There is an increasing desire to address science problems that span many disciplines; in heliophysics this includes solar and heliospheric physics, planetary science, and magnetospheric and ionospheric physics. However, differences in the way that data are stored and used by the communities involves are inhibiting our ability to do this type of science. We examine virtual observatories and data archives that are available in heliophysics and related disciplines, compare their capabilities and look at where their strengths and weaknesses lie. We identify some of the steps that are needed to improve interoperability between the VO initiatives and propose that discussions under the auspices of CASSIS could help us globally to move towards this overall objective. The Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructure and Science, CASSIS, is funded under Capacities specific programme of the European Commission' Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and has the objective of exploring ways to improve interoperability for all aspects of Solar System Science. CASSIS grew out of the HELIO, Europlanet RI and SOTERIA projects and also includes other key partners, including NASA, ESA, and NOAA. We welcome participation by other interested organisations. Title: HELIO: The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Csillaghy, A.; Aboudarham, J.; Jacquey, C.; Hapgood, M. A.; Bocchialini, K.; Messerotti, M.; Brooke, J.; Gallagher, P.; Fox, P.; Hurlburt, N.; Roberts, D. A.; Duarte, L. Sanchez Bibcode: 2011AdSpR..47.2235B Altcode: Heliophysics is a new research field that explores the Sun-Solar System Connection; it requires the joint exploitation of solar, heliospheric, magnetospheric and ionospheric observations.HELIO, the Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, will facilitate this study by creating an integrated e-Infrastructure that has no equivalent anywhere else. It will be a key component of a worldwide effort to integrate heliophysics data and will coordinate closely with international organizations to exploit synergies with complementary domains.HELIO was proposed under a Research Infrastructure call in the Capacities Programme of the European Commission’s 7th Framework Programme (FP7). The project was selected for negotiation in January 2009; following a successful conclusion to these, the project started on 1 June 2009 and will last for 36 months. Title: The First Steps of the Heliophysics Integrated Observatory Authors: Csillaghy, A.; Felix, S.; Bentley, R. D.; Blanc, A. L.; Helio Team Bibcode: 2010ASPC..434..237C Altcode: 2010adass..19..237C HELIO is the new European VO for solar and heliophysics. It develops a collection of web services that span an information space and make it possible to study solar activity and its effects on the solar system. The infrastructure is developed iteratively, where functionality slowly adds up in frequent releases and short iterations. The services are integrated by the Taverna workflow orchestration tool. Title: VOs and Heliophysics: Would anyone like some CASSIS? Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Lapenta, G.; Blanc, M.; Fox, P.; Walker, R. J.; Cassis Team Bibcode: 2010AGUFMIN23B1358B Altcode: Virtual Observatories related to heliophysics have emerged in various regions of the World. Partly because of their sources of funding the emphasis they place on aspects of the problem differ and how well they can be integrated with other capabilities varies to a greater or lesser degree. We examine virtual observatories that are available in heliophysics and related disciplines and compare their capabilities and look at where their strengths lie. We also identify some of the steps that are needed to improve interoperability between the VO initiatives and propose that discussions under the auspices of CASSIS could help us globally to move towards this overall objective. CASSIS, the Coordination Action for the integration of Solar System Infrastructure and Science, is funded under Capacities specific programme of the European Commission' Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and has the objective of exploring ways to improve interoperability for all aspects of Solar System Science. CASSIS grew out of the HELIO, Europlanet RI and SOTERIA projects and also includes other key partners, including NASA, ESA, and NOAA. We welcome participation by other interested organisations. Title: HELIO - First Services of The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory Authors: Csillaghy, A.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2010AGUFMIN23B1359C Altcode: Heliophysics is a new science exploring the Sun-Solar System connection. It spans the existing domains of solar, heliospheric, magnetospheric and ionospheric physics. Heliophysics influences the environments studied by the planetary and geosciences and also has relevance for the astrophysics community. HELIO is an e-Infrastructure project funded by the European Union 7th Framework Program. It develops services to support integrated access to metadata and data from the domains that constitute heliophysics. It also develop services to explore and mine the data space spanned by the information providers of the domains. Building up on these services, it constructs complex queries, for instance to find observations that track phenomena as they propagate through interplanetary space and affect the planetary environments. The infrastructure is based on a service-oriented architecture. It is designed to support locating and retrieving of data associated with the desired observations. Services in development are divided into four categories: catalog services (what phenomena are interesting?), instrument location services (what instruments observed the phenomena?), data access services (where are the associated data?), and advanced services (what can I do with these data?). A registry service allows keeping track of the resources managed by the infrastructure. HELIO services are established as stand-alone, so they can be used individually. Nevertheless, constructing complex queries requires combining services into workflows. The workflow orchestration tool used is called Taverna. To combine the resources from the different heliophysics communities, HELIO uses a semantic-driven approach which describe the relationships between the domains involved, therefore avoiding to impose a specific name space. HELIO is in its 2nd year of development. At this time, the basic services are available and being tested. For instance, the Heliophysics Event Catalog compiles an exhaustive list of solar phenomena. Focus is increasingly given on constructing classes of workflows able to address specific science objectives. Title: HELIO - A step into the Future Authors: Bentley, R. Bibcode: 2010epsc.conf..870B Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: HELIO - The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Csillaghy, A.; Abourdarham, J. Bibcode: 2010EGUGA..1215437B Altcode: HELIO, the Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, is a research infrastructure funded under Capacities programme of the EC's 7th Framework Programme (FP7). The project is creating a collaborative environment where scientists can discover, understand and model the connection between solar phenomena, interplanetary disturbances and their effects on the planets (esp. the Earth) HELIO will provide integrated access to metadata from the domains that constitute heliophysics - solar, heliospheric, magnetospheric and ionospheric physics - in order to track phenomena as they propagate through inter planetary space and affect the planetary environments. It will provide services to locate and retrieve the desired observations and return them to the user. HELIO is designed around a service-oriented architecture (SAO); many of the resources are being established as stand-alone services that support metadata curation and search, data location and retrievel, data processing and storage; it will be possible to use the services independently or bound into a system through a workflow capability. We will describe the architecture of HELIO report on the status of its development, including when individual services will become available and what their capabilities will be. The project has a strong Networking component and through this we wish to involve other groups and individuals who can help us achieve our goals. One of the main ways that we will involve the community is through a series of Coordinated Data Analysis Workshops (CDAWs); we will describe the preparation for the first of these which will be held in November 2010. The HELIO Consortium includes thirteen groups from the UK, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and the US; the project started in June 2009 and has a duration of 36 months. Title: Using HELIO as tool for Research into Space Weather Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Messerotti, M.; Aboudarham, J.; Hapgood, M.; Jacquey, C.; Helio Team Bibcode: 2010EGUGA..1215417B Altcode: HELIO, the Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, is a research infrastructure funded under Capacities programme of the EC's 7th Framework Programme (FP7). The project is creating a collaborative environment where scientists can discover, understand and model the connection between solar phenomena, interplanetary disturbances and their effects on the planets. HELIO will provide integrated access to metadata from the domains that constitute heliophysics - solar, heliospheric, magnetospheric and ionospheric physics - in order to track phenomena as they propagate through inter planetary space and affect the planetary environments. It will provide services to locate and retrieve the desired observations and return them to the user. The capabilities provided by HELIO will allow the user to undertake extensive studies of the origins of events that produce space weather effects on the Earth's environment. It will also make it possible to follow the causal phenomena as they pass through other parts of the Solar System. We will discuss these possibilities giving examples of how the services provided by HELIO can be used as part of a work flow or as stand-alone capabilities. Although the HELIO infrastructure is not specifically designed to provide real-time access to data, it might be possible to support such access if resources that are included have this capability. This will also be discussed. The HELIO Consortium includes thirteen groups from the UK, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and the US; the project started in June 2009 and has a duration of 36 months Title: Data Management within the HELIO project Authors: Bentley, Robert; Jacquey, Christian; Messerotti, Mauro; Csillaghy, Andre; King, Todd; Perry, Chris Bibcode: 2010cosp...38..813B Altcode: 2010cosp.meet..813B The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, HELIO, is creating a collaborative environment where scientists can discover, understand and model the connection between solar phenomena, inter-planetary disturbances and their effects on the planets. Of necessity HELIO has to address data providers in a number of different and well established communities, each with its own way of describing and handling the data; the capabilities of the providers and means of access to the data also vary considerably. HELIO is being developed around a service-oriented architecture and the search for interesting events an phenomena, and the task of then finding and retrieving the data has been split into a number of services that can be used either as part of a work flow or independently. We will describe the techniques that we are developing for the project and will also highlight some areas where a joint approach by the the wider community is required to address some issues. The type of access that HELIO will afford is also of interested to related communities, including the planetary and geo-sciences, and astrophysics. It is therefore important that the products of HELIO are interoperable those communities and where possible we have tried to build on standards developed by bodies such as the IVOA, IPDA, IAU, etc. HELIO is a research infrastructure funded under Capacities programme of the EC's 7th Frame-work Programme (FP7); the project started in June 2009 and has a duration of 36 months. The HELIO Consortium includes thirteen groups from the UK, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and the US. Title: Using HELIO to study cross-disiplinary science problems using data from multiple spacecraft Authors: Bentley, Robert; Aboudarham, Jean; Messerotti, Mauro; Jacquey, Christian; Gallagher, Peter T.; Hapgood, Mike; Bocchialini, Karine Bibcode: 2010cosp...38.1917B Altcode: 2010cosp.meet.1917B The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, HELIO, is creating a collaborative environment where scientists can discover, understand and model the connection between solar phenomena, inter-planetary disturbances and their effects on the planets. HELIO will provide integrated access to data from the solar, heliospheric, geophysics and plan-etary domains and allow the user to undertake a search for interesting events and phenomena based solely on metadata and data products. The HELIO infrastructure will provide services to support the search that can either be used independently or as part of a work flow. The services include event and feature catalogues derived from data from all the domains and a processing capability that will use models to relate observations made in different part of the solar system. We will describe how HELIO can be used to address science problems that span the domains by allowing the user to track phenomena as they propagate through the solar system and report on progress to date. HELIO is a research infrastructure funded under Capacities programme of the EC's 7th Frame-work Programme (FP7); the project started in June 2009 and has a duration of 36 months. The HELIO Consortium includes thirteen groups from the UK, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and the US. Title: HELIO as a Space Weather tool Authors: Bentley, Robert; Hapgood, Mike; Messerotti, Mauro; Aboudarham, Jean; Jacquey, Christian; Fox, Peter Bibcode: 2010cosp...38.4171B Altcode: 2010cosp.meet.4171B The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, HELIO, is primarily designed to support research into the connection between solar phenomena, interplanetary disturbances and their effects on the planets. However, many of the techniques that are being developed and standards that we are proposing have direct relevance to the more immediate requirements of the space weather community. HELIO is being developed around a service-oriented architecture and the services that can be used either independently or as part of a work flow. The HELIO event and feature catalogues, context service and metadata evaluation service may all be of use to the community as capa-bilities in their own right; they could also be combined in workflows that are specific to the needs of research into space-weather. We have been examining ways of enhancing the quality of the output produced by the services by adding annotation that is compliant with standards proposed by the IVOA, IPDA and IAU; if adopted across the space weather community these additions could improve the interoperability of our data products with related communities. Of necessity HELIO has to address data providers in a number of different and well estab-lished communities, each with its own way of describing and handling the data; in addition, the capabilities of the providers and means of access to the data also vary considerably. We have therefore had to develop techniques to handle this, including archives where interesting observations may be available but not easily accessible. HELIO is a research infrastructure funded under Capacities programme of the EC's 7th Frame-work Programme (FP7); the project started in June 2009 and has a duration of 36 months. The HELIO Consortium includes thirteen groups from the UK, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and the US. Title: Addressing Science Use Cases with HELIO Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Aboudarham, J.; Csillaghy, A.; Jacquey, C.; Hapgood, M. A.; Messerotti, M.; Gallagher, P.; Bocchialini, K.; Hurlburt, N. E.; Roberts, D.; Sanchez Duarte, L. Bibcode: 2009AGUFMSH54A..06B Altcode: The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory (HELIO) is a new VO project funded under the EC's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). It includes thirteen partners scattered over six countries and is led by University College London. HELIO is designed to support the heliophysics community and is based on a Service Oriented Architecture. The services developed by and integrated into HELIO can be used to address a wide range of science problems; they can be used individually or as part of a work-flow driven search engine that can use a propagation (or other) model to help locate obervations that describe interesting phenomena. We will describe and discuss how the components of HELIO could be used to address science use cases, particularly how a user can adapt the work flow to their own science interests. Networking is one of the three Activities of the HELIO Integrated Infrastructure Initiatives (I3) project. Within this activity we plan to involve the community in all aspects of the design and testing of the HELIO system, including determining which data and metadata should be included, how the quality and content of metadata can be included, etc. We are investigating ways of making HELIO "domain-aware" so that researchers who are specialists in one of the communities that constitute heliophysics can easily identify, access and use data they need from the other communities. We will discuss how the community can help us develop this capability. Title: Science, VxOs and Just In Time Information Authors: King, T. A.; Walker, R. J.; Merka, J.; Bentley, R. D.; Roberts, A.; Rankin, R.; Candey, R. M.; Narock, T. W. Bibcode: 2009AGUFMSH51B1285K Altcode: The scientific method is a system for acquiring knowledge based on the collection of data through observation, experimentation and the integration of previous knowledge. This is followed by the formulation and testing of hypotheses resulting in new knowledge and possibly the correction previous knowledge. From a system design perspective the scientific method is a well defined system, use cases are abundant, requirements are readily accessible and guiding principles are fully articulated. With advancement of technology new implementations emerge to support and enable science. We are now in the age of Virtual Observatories where distributed data are coupled through services and well-defined metadata. The paradigm is one in which information is sought and retrieved just in time for its use. We discuss a system model for a Just In Time Information (JITI) system that addresses the clearly identified needs of scientists. It includes tasks such as coordinate system conversion, file format transformation, subsetting, aggregation, and rendering. We also discuss the discovery needs of the scientist which range from the initial discovery of available resources to complex scientific queries. Overall the system is composed of a collection of small services which are tied together on a task-by-task basis, similar to that of a workflow, but with distributed and loosely coupled components. In a JITI system each service is invoked as needed with unique resource identifiers passed as the common reference thread that enables the service integration. The services that are part of a JITI system can be utilized in a number of ways to implement portals, search engines, aggregators, and mash-ups. JITI-like systems are emerging in the Virtual Observatory communities. We look at NASA's Virtual Magnetospheric Observatory, the Heliophysics Event List Manager (HELM), Europe's HELIO project and Canada's CSSDP project as examples. Title: HELIO and EuroPlaNet IDIS Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2009epsc.conf..814B Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: HELIO - The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Csillahghy, A.; Aboudarham, J. Bibcode: 2009epsc.conf..744B Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: Payloads with Resource-Efficient Integration for Science Missions (PRISM) Authors: Emam, O.; FitzGeorge, T.; Whittaker, A.; Wishart, A.; Fowell, S.; Prochazka, M.; Bentley, R.; Cole, R.; Brown, P.; Carr, C.; Cupido, E.; Oddy, T. Bibcode: 2009ESASP.669E...7E Altcode: PRISM is a collaborative industry and academia project to demonstrate the practicality of a highly integrated payload processing architecture, in order to exploit improvements in spacecraft computer performance to reduce multi-instrument payload mass and power requirements. Integrated architectures also provide opportunities for a greater degree of autonomy and advanced target selection (e.g. inter-instrument triggering). The PRISM architecture has potential advantages for missions such as EJSM (Europa Jupiter System Mission) or Solar Orbiter. The key technology objectives of PRISM are application partitioning on a qualifiable operating system, supported by the software required for fault-tolerant centralised processing, and the development of an application development environment for writing and testing instrument control applications. A working demonstrator has been implemented on a LEON3 platform, with representative payload applications from an in-situ magnetometer and a remote sensing extreme ultra-violet imager, both proposed for Solar Orbiter. PRISM is supported by the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Title: HELIO - The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Csillaghy, A.; Abourdarham, J. Bibcode: 2009EGUGA..1110375B Altcode: Heliophysics is a new science that explores the Sun-Solar System connection and spans the existing domains of solar, heliospheric, magnetospheric and ionospheric physics. Heliophysics influences the environments studied by the planetary and geo-sciences and also has relevance for the astrophysics community. HELIO, the Heliophysics Integrated Observatory, with provide integrated access to metadata from the domains that constitute heliophysics in order to facilitate the search for observations that track phenomena as they propagate through inter planetary space and affect the planetary environments. It will provide services to locate and retrieve the desired observations and return them to the user in the format they require. HELIO is designed around a service-oriented architecture (SAO); many of the resources will be established as stand-alone services that support metadata curation and search, data location and retrievel, data processing and storage. It will be possible to use the services independently or bound into a system through a workflow capability. A semantic-driven approach will be used to describe the relationships between the domains and support the search and data retrieval capabilities. The HELIO Consortium includes twelve groups from the UK, France, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and the US. The project has a strong Networking component and through this we wish to involve other groups and individuals who can help us achieve our goals. The HELIO proposal was submitted under the EC's 7th Framework Programme. Title: Building a Virtual Observatory for Heliophysics Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2009EM&P..104...87B Altcode: Heliophysics is a new discipline that studies of the effect of the Sun on the Solar System and spans a number of existing scientific domains—solar physics, heliospheric physics, and magnetospheric and ionospheric physics. In order to build a virtual observatory for heliophysics we have to find ways to conduct searches that span the domains and track the evolution of phenomena in 4 dimensions as they propagate through interplanetary space. To facilitate this it will be necessary to improve the quality of the metadata that are used in the search and to describe the observations. We describe some of the issues and how these can be addressed. Title: Division XII / Commission 5 / Working Group Virtual Observatories, Data Centers & Networks Authors: Hanisch, Robert J.; Barbuy, Beatriz; Bentley, Robert D.; Benvenuti, Piero; Egret, Daniel; Fukushima, Toshio; Genova, Françoise; Grosbol, Preben J.; Helou, George; Norris, Raymond P.; Quinn, Peter Bibcode: 2009IAUTA..27..369H Altcode: The Working Group Virtual Observatories, Data Centers, and Networks was established under Commission 5 at the Prague General Assembly in 2006. The purpose of the WG is to provide IAU oversight of the activities of the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA, <www.ivoa.net/>), to encourage data centers and other data providers to archive and publish data according to IVOA standards, and to help assure that astronomical research facilities are electronically linked with current network technologies. The WG coordinates activities closely with the WG-FITS, as the IVOA uses FITS as its primary format for binary data exchange, and the WG on Astronomical Data. Title: Accessing the EGSO Grid through a WSRF-Enabled API Authors: Csillaghy, A.; Soldati, M.; Kunz, P.; Bentley, R. D.; Scholl, I. Bibcode: 2006ASPC..351..536C Altcode: 2006adass..15..536C EGSO is part of the Virtual Solar Observatory. It provides a Grid for integrated access to distributed and heterogeneous solar data archives. Here we describe the motivation and approach we have chosen to implement the Grid access as a stateful web service. Using this kind of service allows us to consider the search and retrieval of data as an interaction between the client and the Grid. This way, the EGSO service can be merged into interactive data analysis systems such as Python or IDL. Title: The VO in Sunlight Authors: Csillaghy, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Scholl, I.; Egso Team Bibcode: 2006vopc.conf..343C Altcode: The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO, www.egso.org) is a grid test platform that has been funded by the European Commission's Fifth Framework Program under its Information Society Technologies (IST) thematic priority. The goal of this 3-year project was to provide enhanced access to solar and related data around the world. In this paper we present the generic query model on which EGSO is built. We then show, from a user point of view, how it can be used for evaluating integrated queries that involve a large number of distributed data archives. We further introduce the search registries and catalogs on which EGSO services rely, and finally discuss the architecture of our system. Title: A New Way to look at Observations with EGSO Authors: Aboudarham, J.; Scholl, I.; Fuller, N.; Csillaghy, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Antonucci, E.; Ciminiera, L.; Finkelstein, A.; Ipson, S.; Messerotti, M.; Pike, D.; Vial, J. C.; Zharkova, V. Bibcode: 2006IAUS..233..229A Altcode: The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) is a Solar virtual observatory (see Hill et al., 2002). It has been funded through the 5th Framework Program of the European Community. A dozen of laboratories, mixing Solar Physics and Information Technology, in Great Britain, France, Italy and Swiss have been involved in this project during 3 years. A grid accessing several dozens of databases and archives scattered all around the world has been developped as well as a Solar Event Catalogue and a Solar Feature Catalogue. The original aspect of this work consists in the possibility not only to search through the characteristics of observations, but also search for available data corresponding to specific kinds of events. So it is now very important to be able to follow the Sun 24 hours a day in order to enrich the events database for future queries. More informations on EGSO, catalogues and user interface can be accessd through the web site: http://www.egso.org/ Title: European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) Authors: Aboudarham, J.; Scholl, I.; Csillaghy, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Antonucci, E.; Ciminiera, L.; Finkelstein, A.; Ipson, S.; Messerotti, M.; Pike, D.; Vial, J. C.; Zharkova, V. Bibcode: 2006ihy..conf...18A Altcode: The EGSO project addresses the problem of combining heterogeneous data into a single "virtual" solar data resource. Wider access to other catalogues is enabled, including both pre-existing lists and new compilations generated using feature-recognition techniques on existing data. Scientists are also able to perform much richer data searches, based on solar events. Informations concerning EGSO can be found at http://www.egso.org/ Title: Active region AR484 tracking with Solar Feature Catalogue Authors: Zharkova, V.; Benkhalil, A.; Zharkov, S.; Ipson, S.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2006AdSpR..37.1152Z Altcode: This paper presents a morphological analysis of the active region NOAA AR 484 as well as its intensity and magnetic field variations associated with flare occurrences. The active region is tracked during a one solar rotation with the automated technique used in Solar Feature Catalogue (SFC). The location and intensity parameters of region AR484 were extracted from 1 minute cadence Hα solar images from the Big Bear observatory (BBSO), SOHO/EIT images in Fe XII, 195 Å and the SOHO/MDI magnetograms. During the whole period of tracking from October, 19 until November, 11, 2003 the AR484 produced many flares of different significance including a few X-class flares. We investigate the total AR intensity variations in each band leading to a flare production and compare these with the magnetic field changes before and during a flare for five flares of different significance. Based on this comparison the key parameters defining the region activity in a flare production are found that include the resulting, or excess, flux and the ratio between areas covered by negative and positive pixels. These parameters can be used for a preliminary pre-flare classification of active regions in addition to other classifiers associated with a magnetic field. Title: EGSO - A maturing VO for Solar Physics Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Scholl, I.; Csillaghy, A.; Aboudarham, J.; Antonucci, E.; Gurman, J.; Hill, F.; Pike, D.; Vial, J.; Zharkova, V. Bibcode: 2005AGUSMSH43B..01B Altcode: The European Grid of Solar Observations, EGSO, is a Grid test-bed funded under the Information Societies Thematic Priority of the European Commission's Fifth Framework Programme (FP5). In the case of EGSO, the application chosen was the use of Grid technology to establish a virtual observatory for solar physics, and the project addresses the generic problem of how to provide access to a distributed, heterogeneous data set for a scattered user community. In order to identify observations that match a user's search criteria, EGSO has been building an environment that will support complex searches. Because of the absence of the metadata needed to tie the heterogeneous data together, EGSO has placed emphasis on the provision of databases that can be accessed from the Internet through special providers. The provision of appropriate metadata is of extreme importance in establishing a virtual observatory, and the approach used can be adapted to facilitate the inclusion of any data, including non-solar data. We report on the capabilities of EGSO and discuss experience gained in creating the facility. We also discuss how EGSO has been working with other virtual observatories that support the solar, heliospheric and space plasma communities in order to try to achieve interoperability between the numerous data sets. We highlight what we consider are the most profitable ways of doing this. Title: Using the Collaborative Sun-Earth Connector for integrating data systems Authors: Hurlburt, N.; Freeland, S.; Slater, G.; Bentley, R.; Hill, F.; Bose, P. Bibcode: 2005AGUSMSH43B..05H Altcode: We demonstrate the coupling of disjoint data systems into virtual collaborative operations using the Collaborative Sun-Earth Connector (CoSEC). In addition to demonstrating possible interactions between Virtual observatories, we will present how individual missions and researchers can integrate their systems with space science services already incorporated into CoSEC. We present more advanced concepts of how to create collaborative data environments using upcoming solar missions as examples. This research has been supported through NASA contract NNH04CC00C. Title: The User Interface of the European Grid of Solar Observations Authors: Scholl, I. F.; Bentley, R. D.; Csillaghy, A. Bibcode: 2005AGUSMSP51A..05S Altcode: The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) is a grid testbed funded by the European Commission's Fifth Framework Program under its Information Society Technologies (IST) thematic priority. This 3-year project was designed to provide enhanced access to solar and related data around the world. The services provided by EGSO can be accessed through different interfaces. The main access is a Web-based Graphical User Interface (GUI) that allows the user to access the services offered by the grid in a common and integrated way. Also, an Application Programming Interface (API) is available in the SolarSoft package, that allows access to the services from IDL applications. Furthermore, various dedicated web interfaces allow to access individual catalogs built in the framework of this project, such as the Solar Event Catalog (SEC), the Solar feature Catalog (SFC), and the Unified Observing Catalog (UOC). In this paper we present the final version of the Grid, featuring the latest GUI, the new IDL API, as well as the access to the different catalogs and registries that help resolving complex queries and route them through the appropriate nodes of the Grid. The featured version of the GUI also provides users with a new function that helps them to search for instruments based only on some observational characteristics. In this final version, all major and recent solar data sets are now accessible from EGSO. EGSO is also closely coupled to the Collaborative Sun-Earth Connector (CoSEC), another virtual observatory-related project, from which it uses processing services. More information about EGSO can be found under http://www.egso.org/ Title: Filament Recognition and Image Cleaning on Meudon Hα Spectroheliograms Authors: Fuller, Nicolas; Aboudarham, Jean; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2005SoPh..227...61F Altcode: This paper presents the techniques developed for the automated detection of filaments on Meudon Hα spectroheliograms, and, by extension, on any full-disk Hα Sun observations. Some cleaning processes are first applied to the images to correct them from defects characteristic of the instrument. Indeed, these defects may lead to spurious detections. From the cleaned images, filament areas are then segmented using a region growing method which efficiently returns the full extent of these dark areas. The filaments are finally described by means of their pruned skeleton. This representation allows one to compare the automatically segmented filaments with those manually recorded for Meudon Synoptic Maps. The very good agreement observed on a representative set of images confirms that this method can effectively be used in the frame of the EGSO (European Grid of Solar Observations) project in order to produce a reliable catalog dedicated to solar features. Title: Space weather and commercial airlines Authors: Jones, J. B. L.; Bentley, R. D.; Hunter, R.; Iles, R. H. A.; Taylor, G. C.; Thomas, D. J. Bibcode: 2005AdSpR..36.2258J Altcode: Space weather phenomena can effect many areas of commercial airline operations including avionics, communications and GPS navigation systems. Of particular importance at present is the recently introduced EU legislation requiring the monitoring of aircrew radiation exposure, including any variations at aircraft altitudes due to solar activity. With the introduction of new ultra-long-haul “over-the-pole” routes, “more-electric” aircraft in the future, and the increasing use of satellites in the operation, the need for a better understanding of the space weather impacts on future airline operations becomes all the more compelling. This paper will present the various space weather effects, some provisional results of an ongoing 3-year study to monitor cosmic radiation in aircraft, and conclude by summarising some of the identified key operational issues, which must be addressed, with the help of the science community, if the airlines want to benefit from the availability of space weather services. Title: Resik: A Bent Crystal X-ray Spectrometer for Studies of Solar Coronal Plasma Composition Authors: Sylwester, J.; Gaicki, I.; Kordylewski, Z.; Kowaliński, M.; Nowak, S.; Płocieniak, S.; Siarkowski, M.; Sylwester, B.; Trzebiński, W.; Bakała, J.; Culhane, J. L.; Whyndham, M.; Bentley, R. D.; Guttridge, P. R.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Lang, J.; Brown, C. M.; Doschek, G. A.; Kuznetsov, V. D.; Oraevsky, V. N.; Stepanov, A. I.; Lisin, D. V. Bibcode: 2005SoPh..226...45S Altcode: We describe the RESIK (REntgenovsky Spektrometr s Izognutymi Kristalami) instrument, consisting of two double-channel X-ray spectrometers, designed to observe solar active region and flare plasmas. RESIK is one of the instruments making up the scientific payload of the Russian CORONAS-F solar mission. The uncollimated spectrometer uses two silicon and two quartz bent crystals observing flare, active region and coronal spectra in four wavelength bands with a resolving power (λ/Δ λ) of ∼1000. The wavelength coverage, 3.3-6.1 Å, includes emission lines of Si, S, Cl, Ar, and K and in the third diffraction order, the wavelength range includes He-like Fe lines (1.85 Å) and Ni lines (1.55 Å) with dielectronic satellites, emitted during intense, hot flares. The instrument is believed to be the best calibrated space-borne crystal spectrometer flown to date. The spectrometer dynamically adjusts the data gathering intervals from 1 s to 5 minutes, depending on the level of solar X-ray emission at the time of observation. The principal aims of RESIK are the measurements of relative and absolute element abundances in the emitting plasma and the temperature distribution of plasma (differential emission measure) over the temperature interval 3 and 50 MK. This paper summarizes the scientific objectives of RESIK and describes the design, characteristics, and performance of the instrument. Title: User Access to the European Grid of Solar Observations Authors: Scholl, I. F.; Bentley, R. D.; Csillaghy, A. Bibcode: 2004AGUFMSH21B0416S Altcode: The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) is a grid testbed funded by the European Commission's Fifth Framework Programme under its Information Society Technologies (IST) thematic priority. The project started in 2002 and is designed to provide enhanced access to solar and related data around the world. One front-end of EGSO is a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that allows the user to access all the services offered by the grid from a common and integrated interface. Other front-ends are an IDL API and various dedicated web interfaces to access all the different catalogs built in the frame of this project like the Solar Event Catalog (SEC) the Solar feature Catalog (SFC) the Unified Observing Catalog (UOC). The GUI, as well as the API, provides also users with external processing services like those offered by the Collaborative Sun-Earth Connector (CoSEC), another virtual observatory-like project. In this paper we will present the EGSO front-ends with a special focus on the GUI. We will also demonstrate interactions between catalogs and the query system underlying the user interfaces in order to help the user when specifying complex scientific queries and eventually retrieving the corresponding solar data. More information about EGSO can be found under http://www.egso.org/ Title: Solving Science Use Cases that relate to the Sun and Heliosphere with EGSO Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Scholl, I.; Csillaghy, A.; Aboudarham, J.; Antonucci, E.; Gurman, J. B.; Hill, F.; Pike, D.; Vial, J.; Zharkova, V. Bibcode: 2004AGUFMSH21B0415B Altcode: The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) is a grid testbed funded by the European Commission's Fifth Framework Programme under its Information Society Technologies (IST) thematic priority. The project started in 2002 and is designed to provide enhanced access to solar and related data around the world. The EGSO grid is composed of two main components, Roles to set up the grid and, catalogs and registries to allow roles to answer users queries. Catalogs are made of lists of observations, events and features (a new service provided by EGSO). Registries are built from these catalogs and organized in order to enhance search capabilities. EGSO is working closely with other virtual observatory (VO) projects in the solar physics and related domains. This includes the US Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO) and the Collaborative Sun-Earth Connector (CoSEC). More recently we have been working with the Virtual Space Plasma Observatory (VSPO) and have contact with the Virtual Heliospheric Observatory (VHO). Through discussions with future missions, and within the new IAU Working Group on ``International Data Access'' (Solar and Heliospheric), the VOs are studying ways of ensuring interoperability from the ``sun to dirt''. This type of integrated access will be particularly important to missions such as STEREO and Living Witha Star. In this paper we will report the current status of EGSO, demonstrate how the catalogs and registries model serves within the user interface, and show how the user can retrieve solar and heliospheric data to match a scientific query. EGSO Release 4 is now being Beta-tested by users and anyone interested should view the Web page detailing all the EGSO capabilities under http://www.egso.org/demo Title: Effect of solar energetic particle (SEP) events on the radiation exposure levels to aircraft passengers and crew: Case study of 14 July 2000 SEP event Authors: Iles, R. H. A.; Jones, J. B. L.; Taylor, G. C.; Blake, J. B.; Bentley, R. D.; Hunter, R.; Harra, L. K.; Coates, A. J. Bibcode: 2004JGRA..10911103I Altcode: We investigate the circumstances required for aircrew and passengers to experience an increased radiation exposure rate from a solar energetic particle (SEP) event occurring during a flight. The effects of the 14 July 2000 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration S3 class SEP event are examined using ground-based and satellite measurements together with coincident measurements made using a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) on board a Virgin Atlantic Airways flight from London Heathrow to Hong Kong. In this paper we present the first measurements made during a SEP event using a TEPC at flight altitudes. Our results indicate that there were no increased radiation levels detected during the flight due to the SEPs, but the measurements agreed well with the CARI-6 model calculations made using a heliocentric potential value derived immediately prior to the SEP event. In addition, a prolonged increase in the >85 MeV particle flux is observed for up to 2 days after the SEP onset by the SAMPEX spacecraft at latitudes >55°. Title: The European grid of solar observations Authors: Bentley, Robert D.; Csillaghy, Andre; Scholl, Isabelle Bibcode: 2004SPIE.5493..170B Altcode: The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) is a Grid test-bed that will change the way users analyze solar data. One of the major hurdles in the analysis of solar data is finding what data are available and retrieving those required. EGSO is integrating the access to solar data by building a Grid including solar archives around the world. The Grid relies on metadata and tools for selecting, processing and retrieving distributed and heterogeneous solar data. EGSO is also creating a solar feature catalogue giving for the first time the ability to select solar data based on phenomena and events. In essence, EGSO is providing the fabric of a virtual observatory. Since the first release of EGSO in September 2003, members of the solar community have been involved in product testing. The constant testing and feedback allows us to assure the usability of the system. The capabilities of the latest release will be described, and the scientific problems that it addresses discussed. EGSO is funded under the IST (Information Society Technologies) thematic priority of the European Commission's Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) Ð it started in March 2002 and will last for three years. The EGSO Consortium comprises 11 institutes from Europe and the US and is led by the Mullard Space Science Laboratory of University College London. EGSO is collaborating with other groups in the US who are working on similar virtual observatory projects for solar and heliospheric data with the objective of providing integrated access to these data. Title: Virtual Solar Inc. Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Hill, F.; Hurlburt, N. Bibcode: 2004ASPC..314..311B Altcode: 2004adass..13..311B The need to develop new ways of accessing solar observations, coupled with rapidly increasing volumes of data and the desire to share data with other communities, has led to several projects intended to create virtual solar observatories. We outline the three main initiatives, EGSO, VSO and CoSEC, and describe how the the combined effort will result in a facility that will better match the needs of the community. Interaction with related communities are discussed, including similarities and differences with the IVOA and interoperability. Title: TWiki: A Collaboration Platform for VO Projects Authors: Leoni, M. C.; Dolensky, M.; Bentley, R.; Goodwin, T.; Linde, T. Bibcode: 2004ASPC..314..307L Altcode: 2004adass..13..307L Finding an easy way of sharing knowledge and experience in a geographically dispersed project team is not easy. The TWiki is a Web-based collaboration platform. It looks like a normal Internet web site, but everybody can change pages or add content by just using a browser. A revision control keeps track of changes.

Several Virtual Observatory projects use this type of web site to share info among project members and across projects. This is an experience report on the usage and maintenance of TWiki sites in Astronomy.

Even if at first it seems almost the opposite of how the Web and on-line communications "normally" work, it is intuitive and aspires to the Zen ideals known as Wabi-Sabi: "It finds beauty in the imperfect and ephemeral and constantly evolving". Title: A Solar Data Model for Use in Virtual Observatories Authors: Reardon, K. P.; Bentley, R. D.; Messerotti, M.; Giordano, S. Bibcode: 2004AAS...204.7003R Altcode: 2004BAAS...36Q.796R The creation of a virtual solar observatories relies heavily on the merging of the metadata describing different datasets into a common form so that it can be handled in a standard way for all associated resources. In order to bring together the varied data descriptions that already exist, it is necessary to have a common framework on which all the different datasets can be represented. The definition of this framework is done through a data model which attempts to provide a simplified but realistic description of the various entities that make up a data set or solar resource.

We present the solar data model which has been developed as part of the European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) project. This model attempts to include many of the different elements in the field of solar physics, including data producers, data sets, event lists, and data providers. This global picture can then be used to focus on the particular elements required for a specific implementation. We present the different aspects of the model and describe some systems in which portions of this model have been implemented. Title: The European Grid of Solar Observations Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Scholl, I.; Csillaghy, A.; Antonucci, E.; Zharkova, V. V.; Abourdarham, J.; Pike, C. D.; EGSO Team Bibcode: 2004AAS...204.5206B Altcode: 2004BAAS...36R.754B The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) is a Grid test-bed funded by the European Commission that will change the way users analyze solar data. The project is tackling one of the major hurdles in the analysis of solar data - identifying what data are available and retrieving those that are needed. To do this, EGSO is creating new forms of metadata that will speed the search process and for the first time provide the ability to select data based on features,phenomena and events.

The project completed its second year in March 2004 and is now on Release 4 of the code. Since the first release in September 2003, members of the solar community have been involved in product testing. The constant testing and feedback allows us to assure the usability of the system.

We will describe the capabilities of the latest release and discuss the scientific problems that it is currently able to address. Title: Integrated Access to Solar Data using EGSO Authors: Scholl, I.; Bentley, R.; Csillaghy, A.; EGSO Team Bibcode: 2004AAS...204.7005S Altcode: 2004BAAS...36..796S The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) is a virtual observatory based on Grid technology funded under the IST (Information Society Technologies) thematic priority of the European Commission's Fifth Framework Programme (FP5).

EGSO allows the user to use metadata catalogues to select solar data based on a number of criteria, including a search based on events, features or phenomena. Since the first release of EGSO in September 2003, members of the solar community have been involved in product testing. The constant testing and feedback allows us to continue to improve the quality and usability of the system. The capabilities of the latest release (R4) will be demonstrated and the scientific problems that it addresses discussed.

EGSO is collaborating closely with groups in the US who are working on similar virtual observatory projects for the solar, solar-terrestrial and heliospheric communities with the objective of providing integrated access to these data. In particular, strong synergies between the EGSO and CoSEC projects are producing innovative ways of accessing the data that will be deployed in both projects. Title: IAU Working Group on International Data Access for Solar and Heliospheric data Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Hill, F.; Hurlburt, N.; Roberts, A. Bibcode: 2004AAS...204.5207B Altcode: 2004BAAS...36S.754B Division II (Sun and Heliosphere) of the IAU has initiated a Working Group to study the archiving, retrieval and distribution of solar and heliospheric data. The goal of the Working Group is to facilitate the use of available solar and heliospheric data that are archived in a large number of computers scattered all over the world.

The intent of the Working Group is to help coordinate the existing and growing data exchange through the Internet and work with the virtual observatory initiatives to propose guidelines for exchange at an international level and encourage participation in the projects.

The Working Group is working with the virtual observatory initiatives to ensure that they develop standards and employ techniques that are acceptable to the worldwide solar and heliospheric communities and to encourage interoperability between the projects. The EGSO, VSO, CoSEC and VSPO projects are all part of the Working Group and would also like to encourage the communities to help develop standards and participate in the virtual observatory projects.

The aims of and objectives the Working Group will be discussed and feedback from the audience is encouraged. Title: Tracking of Solar Active Regions and Search for Classification parameters Authors: Benkhalil, A.; Zharkova, V.; Bentley, R.; Zharkov, S.; Ipson, S. Bibcode: 2004cosp...35.3115B Altcode: 2004cosp.meet.3115B This paper presents the application of Solar Feature Catalogue (SFC) created with an automated technique for active region detection from SOHO/MDI, SOHO/EIT and Hα images from Meudon. The two active regions (NOAA 484 and 486) producing many flares in October and November '03 were tracked during their lifetime on a solar disk in Hα and Fe XII, 195 Å wavelengths. These regions produced a large number of flares with different significance including a few X-class flares. We investigate their morphology and evaluation leading to a flare production and compare these with the magnetic field changes before and during a flare. In SFC each region is characterized by a number of physical and photometric properties, which are stored in the database. These include: the center of gravity in pixel and heliographic coordinates; minimum, maximum and mean intensity within the active region; area in square degrees and dimensions in pixels; contrast ratios; and a chain-code representation of the active region boundary. Based on a comparison of the active region parameters selected from the SFC with the magnetic field configuration and strength we try to select the key parameters defining a region activity in flare production that can be used for a preliminary active region classification. Title: Space Weather affects on Air Transportation Authors: Jones, J. B. L.; Bentley, R. D.; Dyer, C.; Shaw, A. Bibcode: 2004cosp...35.3522J Altcode: 2004cosp.meet.3522J In Europe, legislation requires the airline industry to monitor the occupational exposure of aircrew to cosmic radiation. However, there are other significant impacts of space weather phenomena on the technological systems used for day-to-day operations which need to be considered by the airlines. These were highlighted by the disruption caused to the industry by the period of significant solar activity in late October and early November 2003. Next generation aircraft will utilize increasingly complex avionics as well as expanding the performance envelopes. These and future generation platforms will require the development of a new air-space management infrastructure with improved position accuracy (for route navigation and landing in bad weather) and reduced separation minima in order to cope with the expected growth in air travel. Similarly, greater reliance will be placed upon satellites for command, control, communication and information (C3I) of the operation. However, to maximize effectiveness of this globally interoperable C3I and ensure seamless fusion of all components for a safe operation will require a greater understanding of the space weather affects, their risks with increasing technology, and the inclusion of space weather information into the operation. This paper will review space weather effects on air transport and the increasing risks for future operations cause by them. We will examine how well the effects can be predicted, some of the tools that can be used and the practicalities of using such predictions in an operational scenario. Initial results from the SOARS ESA Space Weather Pilot Project will also be discussed, Title: Statistical analysis of long-term variations of the sunspot and umbral magnetic field Authors: Zharkov, S. I.; Zharkova, V. V.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2004cosp...35.3113Z Altcode: 2004cosp.meet.3113Z Using the EGSO Solar Feature Catalogue for sunspots created from the SOHO/MDI white light and magnetogram data for the period of 1995-2002 with the developed automated detection technique. The detected sunspots overlaid with the SOHO/MDI magnetograms obtained for the corresponding time periods. The magnetogram data is used for sunspot separation into the groups corresponding to the active region and adding a positive or negative polarity tag. The results are unified under the synoptic maps of sunspots and magnetic structures. We present short term (per month) and long-term (years) statistical analysis of magnetic fluxes from whole sunspots and umbral areas, their locations and temporal variations during the selected period. The comparison revealed a strong north-south asymmetry in the identified sunspot and umbral magnetic fluxes, which varies with the solar activity cycle. This research is a part of the European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) project. Title: The AstroGrid Pilot Programme Authors: Mann, R. G.; Davenhall, A. C.; Page, C. G.; Watson, M. G.; Richards, A. M. S.; Garrington, S. T.; Holloway, A. J.; Bentley, R. D.; Pike, C. D.; Perry, C. H.; Stamper, R. Bibcode: 2004tivo.conf..147M Altcode: We describe the AstroGrid Pilot Programme, a set of testbeds conducted during AstroGrid's one-year Phase A study, and intended to complement the science requirements analysis and technology evaluations comprising the remainder of the Phase A programme. We selected a pilot to address an issue of particular relevance to each of AstroGrid's five broad scientific areas, to allow empirical study of many aspects of the general database federation problem and to engage, from the outset, all parts of our user community. The lessons learnt during the course of the Pilot Programme will help define the direction of AstroGrid's Phase B implementation. Title: Integrated Access to Solar Data using EGSO Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Csillaghy, A.; Scholl, I.; Vial, J. -C.; Aboudarham, J.; Antonucci, E.; Zharkova, V. V.; Pike, C. D. Bibcode: 2004cosp...35.3935B Altcode: 2004cosp.meet.3935B The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) is a virtual observatory based on Grid technology that will change the way users analyze solar data. EGSO is funded under the IST (Information Society Technologies) thematic priority of the European Commission's Fifth Framework Programme (FP5). It started in March 2002 and will last for 3 years. The EGSO Consortium comprises eleven groups from five countries in Europe and the US, and is led by the Mullard Space Science Laboratory of University College London. The project aims to overcome one of the major hurdles in the analysis of solar data - finding what data are available and retrieving those that are needed. EGSO is creating layers of metadata catalogues that will for the first time provide the ability to select solar data based on phenomena and events. It is also integrating access to solar data by building a Grid including solar archives around the world. This combination of metadata and tools for selecting, processing and retrieving distributed and heterogeneous solar data, will radically change the way that data are distributed and analyzed. EGSO is collaborating closely with groups in the US who are working on similar virtual observatory projects for the solar, solar-terrestrial and heliospheric communities with the objective of providing integrated access to these data. In particular, strong synergies between the EGSO and CoSEC projects are producing innovative ways of accessing the data that will be deployed in both projects. Since the first release of EGSO in September 2003, members of the solar community have been involved in product testing. The constant testing and feedback allows us to continue to improve the quality and usability of the system. The capabilities of the latest release (R4) will be described, and the scientific problems that it addresses discussed. Title: Intelligent approach to the data analysis with the Solar Feature Catalogues Authors: Zharkova, V. V.; Aboudarham, J.; Ipson, S. S.; Bentley, R. D.; Zharkov, S. I.; Benkhalil, A. K.; Fuller, N. Bibcode: 2004cosp...35.3488Z Altcode: 2004cosp.meet.3488Z This paper presents searchable Solar Feature Catalogues developed for the European Grid of Solar Observations using various image processing and pattern recognition techniques. The techniques were applied on solar images for automated detection of sunspots, active regions, filaments and magnetic field on the Ca II K1, Ca II K3 and Hα solar images from the Meudon Observatory and the SOHO/MDI white light images and magnetograms. Using the recognised parameters a structured database of the solar feature catalogues was built on a mysql server for every feature and used for tracking of a few active regions and associated with them magnetic field changes produced many solar flares in October-November '03. We try to define the key parameters for active region activity and relate them to the parameters recognised with SFC for the future activity forecast. Some samples of statistical analysis of sunspot areas and locations are also presented and used for classification. The work is a part of the project European Grid of Solar Observations. . Title: Intelligent approach to the data analysis with the Solar Feature Catalogues Authors: Zharkova, V. V.; Aboudarham, J.; Ipson, S. S.; Bentley, R. D.; Zharkov, S. I.; Benkhalil, A. K.; Fuller, N. Bibcode: 2004cosp...35.3491Z Altcode: 2004cosp.meet.3491Z This paper presents searchable Solar Feature Catalogues developed for the European Grid of Solar Observations using various image processing and pattern recognition techniques. The techniques were applied on solar images for automated detection of sunspots, active regions, filaments and magnetic field on the Ca II K1, Ca II K3 and Hα solar images from the Meudon Observatory and the SOHO/MDI white light images and magnetograms. Using the recognised parameters a structured database of the solar feature catalogues was built on a mysql server for every feature and used for tracking of the active regions 484 and 486 and associated with them magnetic field changes produced many solar flares in October-November '03. We try to define the key parameters for active region activity and relate them to the parameters recognised with SFC for the future activity forecast. Some samples of statistical analysis of sunspot areas and locations are also presented and used for classification. The work is a part of the project European Grid of Solar Observations. Title: Tracking of solar active regions and search for classification parameters Authors: Benkhalil, A.; Zharkova, V.; Bentley, R.; Zharkov, S.; Ipson, S. Bibcode: 2004cosp...35.3125B Altcode: 2004cosp.meet.3125B This paper presents the application of Solar Feature Catalogue (SFC) created with an automated technique for active region detection from SOHO/MDI, SOHO/EIT and Hα images from Meudon. The two active regions (NOAA 484 and 486) producing many flares in October and November '03 were tracked during their lifetime on a solar disk in Hα and Fe XII, 195 Å wavelengths. These regions produced a large number of flares with different significance including a few X-class flares. We investigate their morphology and evaluation leading to a flare production and compare these with the magnetic field changes before and during a flare. In SFC each region is characterized by a number of physical and photometric properties, which are stored in the database. These include: the center of gravity in pixel and heliographic coordinates; minimum, maximum and mean intensity within the active region; area in square degrees and dimensions in pixels; contrast ratios; and a chain-code representation of the active region boundary. Based on a comparison of the active region parameters selected from the SFC with the magnetic field configuration and strength we try to select the key parameters defining a region activity in flare production that can be used for a preliminary active region classification. Title: A full-disk image standardisation of the synoptic solar observations at the Meudon Observatory Authors: Zharkova, V. V.; Ipson, S. S.; Zharkov, S. I.; Benkhalil, A.; Aboudarham, J.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2003SoPh..214...89Z Altcode: Robust techniques are developed to put the Hα and Ca K line full-disk images taken at the Meudon Observatory into a standardised form of a `virtual solar image'. The techniques include limb fitting, removal of geometrical distortion, centre position and size standardisation and intensity normalisation. The limb fitting starts with an initial estimate of the solar centre using raw 12-bit image data and then applies a Canny edge-detection routine. Candidate edge points for the limb are selected using a histogram based method and the chosen points fitted to a quadratic function by minimising the algebraic distance using SVD. The five parameters of the ellipse fitting the limb are extracted from the quadratic function. These parameters are used to define an affine transformation that transforms the image shape into a circle. Transformed images are generated using the nearest neighbour, bilinear or bicubic interpolation. Intensity renormalisation is also required because of a limb darkening and other non-radial intensity variations. It is achieved by fitting a background function in polar coordinates to a set of sample points having the median intensities and by standardising the average brightness. Representative examples of intermediate and final processed results are presented in addition to the algorithms developed. The research was done for the European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) project. Title: Solar Feature Catalogue in the European Grid of Solar Observations Authors: Zharkova, V. V.; Ipson, S. S.; Bentley, R. D.; Aboudarham, J.; Zharkov, S.; Benkhalil, A.; EGSO Team Bibcode: 2003SPD....34.0205Z Altcode: 2003BAAS...35..807Z The first results in automated recognition of 4 different solar features (sunspots, active regions, filaments, magnetic field neutral lines) are presented. The problems associated with a digital image cleaning, pattern recognition techniques applicable to different types of features and their implementation in the Solar Feature Catalogues (SFCs) are discussed. The preliminary results of a systematic investigation of the selected features chosen from the SFCs and their correlations with magnetic structures are presented. The research is done for the European Grid of Solar Observations funded by the European Commission. Title: EGSO - Current Status and Expectations Authors: Bentley, R. D.; EGSO 0 Bibcode: 2003SPD....34.0204B Altcode: 2003BAAS...35..807B EGSO, the European Grid of Solar Observations, is developing a data Grid to provide enhanced access to solar data from around the globe. The project, which is funded by the European Commission, is just over a year old and it recently passed its first review. A working version of the architectural design was recently completed and detailed work has now started in earnest.

We will present details of the design, how it will be implemented and the timescales for different part of the project. Examples of services and interfaces already available will be shown.

EGSO is working closely with the US Virtual Solar Observatory (US-VSO) and the Sun-Earth Connector (CoSEC) and we are trying to the projects compliment each other - a working group to ensure this was recently formed.

For more details on EGSO see our web site or contact the author. Title: First Steps to Solar Feature Catalogues Authors: Zharkova, Valentina V.; Bentley, Robert D.; Ipson, Stanley S.; Zharkov, Sergey I.; Benkhalil, Ali; Aboudarham, Jean; Fuller, Nicolas Bibcode: 2003IAUJD...7E..14Z Altcode: The first results are presented for automated recognition of four different features: sunspots active regions filaments and magnetic field and their presentation in the feature catalogues. We discuss problems with digital images standardisation and pattern recognition techniques for different types of wavelengths. Possible application of the feature catalogues for the Space Weather project is discussed. The research was funded by the European Grid of Solar Observation project IST 2001 32409 funded by the European Commission. Title: EGSO - the European Grid of Solar Observations Authors: Bentley, Robert D.; EGSO Consortium Bibcode: 2002ESASP.506..923B Altcode: 2002ESPM...10..923B; 2002svco.conf..923B The European Grid of Solar Obervations (EGSO) is a Grid testbed funded by the European Commission under the Information Society Technologies (IST) thematic priority of the Fifth Framework Programme (FP5). EGSO will provide the tools and infrastructure needed to create a data grid that will form the fabric of a virtual solar observatory. EGSO started in March 2002 and will last for 36 months. The project involves eleven groups from ten institutions located in five countries in Europe and the US and is led by University College London. The EGSO Consortium is in discussion with other groups interested in creating a virtual observatory with the aim of finding a solution that is universally acceptable. Title: EGSO in need for a global schema Authors: Hill, Frank; Csillaghy, Andre; Bentley, Robert D.; Aboudarham, Jean; Antonucci, Ester; Finkelstein, Anthony; Ciminiera, Luigi; Gurman, Joseph B.; Scholl, Isabelle; Pike, Dave; Zharkova, Valentin Bibcode: 2002SPIE.4846...35H Altcode: The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) is a project to develop a virtual observatory for the solar physics community. Like in all such projects, a vital component is a schema that adequately describes the data in the distributed data sets. Here, we discuss the schema in general terms, and present a draft example of a portion of a possible XML schema. Title: On a possible cause of discrepancy between Yohkoh and SMM calcium abundance determinations in flares Authors: Sylwester, J.; Kepa, A.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2002AdSpR..30..105S Altcode: We have investigated problems concerning the discrepancy between estimates of absolute calcium abundances (A Ca) in solar flares as derived from soft X-ray high resolution spectra as obtained from Yohkoh and Solar Maximum Mission ( SMM) Bragg spectrometers. The analysis of these spectra allows for determination of absolute calcium abundance since both Ca XIX resonance line and neighbouring continuum are reliably measured in these experiments. The abundance determinations are possible by means of fitting the synthetic spectra to the observed ones. In previous work, we attributed part (around 50%) of the observed disagreement to a possible instrumental problem in Yohkoh. In the present research, we consider in more details possible causes of the other part of the discrepancy. We first investigate whether the estimates of (A Ca) depend substantially on the extension of the observed short wavelength wing of the Ca XIX resonance line. This problem is important in the case of the analysis of Yohkoh spectra, since the extension of the spectrum towards the short wavelengths depends on the position of the flare along North—South direction on the Sun. After verifying the robustness of results of the spectral fitting technique, we have considered possible physical scenario which may cause the observed discrepancy. The hypothesis tested was that the Ca abundance in flares is correlated with brightness in the source — namely that it is a few times higher in the centre of the source (flaring kernel) than outside. We have found that postulated model may account for a part of the noted discrepancy as the SMM spectrometer has been equipped with the 6 × 6 arcmin collimator and no collimator has been used on Yohkoh. Title: The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) Authors: Bentley, R. D.; EGSO Team Bibcode: 2002AAS...200.5804B Altcode: 2002BAAS...34..740B A major hurdles in the analysis of solar data is finding what data are available and retrieving those that are needed. Planned space- and ground-based instruments will produce huge volumes of data and even taking into account the continuous technical advances, it is clear that a new approach is needed to the way we use these data. The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) is a Grid test-bed that will change the way users analyze solar data. EGSO will federate solar data archives across Europe and beyond, and will create the tools to select, process and retrieve distributed and heterogeneous solar data. It will provide mechanisms to produce standardized observing catalogues for space and ground-based observations, and the tools to create solar feature catalogues that will facilitate the selection of solar data based on features, events and phenomena. In essence, EGSO will provide the fabric of a virtual observatory. EGSO is funded under the IST (Information Society Technologies) thematic programme of European Commission's Fifth Framework Programme (FP5). The project started in March 2002 and will last for 3 years. The EGSO consortium comprises 10 institutes from Europe and the US, and is led by the Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL) of University College London (UCL). EGSO plans to work closely with groups funded under NASA's Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO) initiative, and with the team at Lockheed-Martin who are doing similar work within the ILWS programme. Title: EGSO - the next step in data analysis Authors: Bentley, Robert D. Bibcode: 2002ESASP.477..603B Altcode: 2002scsw.conf..603B In April 2001, a proposal to create a grid of solar data archives was submitted to the European Commission under the Information Society Technologies (IST) program. The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) will provide the tools and infrastructure needed to create the data grid that will form the fabric of a virtual solar observatory. Every attempt will be made to ensure that EGSO is universally acceptable. The EGSO proposal has been positively evaluated and the project has been selected for negotiation. If successful, the project will start in early 2002. Title: Monitoring cosmic radiation on aircraft Authors: Bentley, Robert D.; Iles, R. H. A.; Jones, J. B. L.; Hunter, R.; Taylor, G. C.; Thomas, D. J. Bibcode: 2002ESASP.477..535B Altcode: 2002scsw.conf..535B The Earth is constantly bombarded by cosmic radiation that can be either galactic or solar in origin. At aircraft altitudes, the radiation levels are much higher than at sea level and recent European legislation has classified aircrew as radiation workers. University College London is working with Virgin Atlantic Airways on a 3 year project to monitor the levels of cosmic radiation on long-haul flights. The study will determine whether models currently used to predict radiation exposure of aircrew are adequate. It will also try to determine whether solar flare activity can cause significant enhancement to the predicted doses. Title: Early results from RESIK and Diogeness soft X-ray spectrometers aboard Coronas-F satellite Authors: Sylwester, Janusz; Gaicki, Ireneusz; Kordylewski, Zbigniew; Kowalinski, Miroslaw; Nowak, Stanislaw; Plocieniak, Stefan; Trzebinski, Witold; Bentley, Robert D.; Whyndham, Matt; Lang, Jim; Brown, Charles; Farnik, Frantisek; Oraevsky, Victor N.; Stepanov, Anatolyi; Lisin, Dimitry Bibcode: 2002ESASP.477..597S Altcode: 2002scsw.conf..597S We present examples of early, unreduced results obtained from the instrument package dedicated for spectroscopic studies of coronal flaring plasma composition. The package consists of two Bragg spectrometers, RESIK and Diogeness. These instruments have been launched aboard the Russian Coronas-F solar observatory on 31 July 2001. The data being received from these two spectrometers allow for determining the absolute abundances of several important elements including that of low and high first ionization potential (FIP). Based on the data which have been (and hopefully will be) obtained, we will investigate fast temporal variations (~1 min) of the plasma composition in flares and hotter active regions. The analysis of spectra obtained will certainly allow for spectroscopic studies of several, so-called "triplet" lines forming in He-like, highly ionized plasma since the spectra received are apparently of unprecedented quality. The Coronas-F Mission is expected to be supported for at least two years. Title: Space weather effects and commerical airlines Authors: Jones, J.; Bentley, R.; Hunter, R.; Taylor, G.; Thomas, D. Bibcode: 2002cosp...34E3042J Altcode: 2002cosp.meetE3042J Space Weather (SW) phenomena can effect many areas of commercial airline operations including avionics, communications and GPS navigation systems. Of particular importance at present is the recently introduced EU legislation requiring the monitoring of aircrew radiation exposure, including any variations at aircraft altitudes due to solar activity. The Mullard Space Science Laboratory is collaborating with Virgin Atlantic Airways, the Civil Aviation Authority and the National Physical Laboratory on a 3- year project to monitor the levels of cosmic radiation on long-haul flights. The study will determine whether computer models currently used to predict radiation exposure of aircrew are adequate. It also aims to determine whether solar or geomagnetic activity can cause significant modifications to the doses. This presentation will begin by showing some of the preliminary results obtained so far. As an example, we present a comparison of flight doses measured following the 14t h July 2000 X - class flare that was accompanied by a major Solar Particle Event (SPE). The results highlight the importance of a range of external factors that can strongly influence how SPEs may effect the measured dose at aircraft altitudes. At present, any SPE contributions in the airlines' dose records can only be poorly estimated retrospectively. Ideally, it would be better to try to avoid operating during these possibly significant radiation - enhancing events by utilising SW information (alerts, warnings, etc.). However, doing so poses many difficult operational problems for such a heavily regulated international industry, in terms of safety, security and procedures. Therefore, the use of timely SW information, which is still very unreliable, in a similar manner to terrestrial weather will require agreement from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) to Air Traffic Control and Aviation Regulatory Authority's. This presentation will, therefore, conclude by summarising some of the identified key issues, which must be addressed, with the help of the science community, if the airlines want to benefit from the availability of Space Weather Services. Title: The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 2001AGUFMSH31B0713B Altcode: Access to solar data is becoming an increasing problem. Although the Internet has made it much easier to share data, the volume and complexity of the data are increasing rapidly, and it is often difficult to identify datasets of interest, and then locate and retrieve them. In April 2001, a proposal to create a Grid of solar data archives was submitted to the European Commission under the Information Society Technologies (IST) program. The European Grid of Solar Observations (EGSO) will provide the tools and infrastructure needed to create the data grid that will form the fabric of a virtual solar observatory. EGSO will allow a user to identify solar observations covering a given time interval, active region, or type of feature; it will locate the selected observation and then return them after any necessary pre-processing; it will also provide the facility of analyze large volumes of data at the data source. The EGSO consortium comprises 10 groups in Europe and the US, including experts in both solar data and IT. The project has been positively evaluated and has been selected for negotiations. Inputs from the solar community are now needed in order to formulate the details of the project. Title: Preface Authors: Culhane, J. L.; Bentley, R. D.; Doyle, G. Bibcode: 2001AdSpR..26.1711C Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: SolarSoft Authors: Freeland, S.; Bentley, R. Bibcode: 2000eaa..bookE3390F Altcode: The SolarSoft system (SSW) is a set of integrated software libraries, databases, and system utilities which provide a common programming and data analysis environment for solar physics. The SolarSoft environment provides a consistent look and feel at widely distributed co-investigator institutions to facilitate data exchange and to stimulate coordinated analysis. Commonalities and overlap in sola... Title: Magnetic Activity Associated With Radio Noise Storms Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Klein, K. -L.; van Driel-Gesztelyi, L.; Démoulin, P.; Trottet, G.; Tassetto, P.; Marty, G. Bibcode: 2000SoPh..193..227B Altcode: As it crossed the solar disk in May and June 1998, AR 8227 was tracked by TRACE, Yohkoh, SOHO, and many ground-based observatories. We have studied how the evolution of the magnetic field resulted in changes in activity in the corona. In particular, we examine how the evolving field may have led to the acceleration of electrons which emit noise storms observed by the Nançay Radio Heliograph between 30 May and 1 June 1998, in the absence of any flare. The magnetic changes were related to moving magnetic features (MMFs) in the vicinity of the leading spot and are related to the decay of this spot. Within the limits of the instrumental capabilities, the location in time and space of the radio emissions followed the changes observed in the photospheric magnetograms. We have extrapolated the photospheric magnetic field with a linear force-free approximation and find that the active region magnetic field was very close to being potential. These computations show a complex magnetic topology associated to the MMFs. The observed photospheric evolution is expected to drive magnetic reconnection in such complex magnetic topology. We therefore propose that the MMFs are at the origin of the observed metric noise-storms. Title: Influence of Yohkoh BCS Instrumental Shape on Results of Spectral Fitting in Vicinity of Ca XIX Lines Authors: Kepa, A.; Sylwester, J.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1999ESASP.448..835K Altcode: 1999ESPM....9..835K; 1999mfsp.conf..835K No abstract at ADS Title: Microwave, Soft and Hard X-Ray Observations of Solar Flares - a Self-Consistent Model of the Flare Site Authors: Chiuderi Drago, F.; Alissandrakis, C. E.; Bentley, R. D.; Philips, A. T. Bibcode: 1998SoPh..182..459C Altcode: High-resolution microwave observations of several flares performed with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WRST) on 3 and 4 July 1993 are compared with Yohkoh observations in the soft and hard X-ray domain. Only for one flare, among the six analyzed, was the hard X-ray spectrum between 20 and 200 keV available from the Wide Bragg Spectrometer, supplying the energy spectrum of non-thermal particles responsible for this radiation and for the radio emission. A complete model of this flare is derived which accounts for all available observations in the X-ray and radio wavelengths. Title: Detailed Evidence for Flare-to-Flare Variations of the Coronal Calcium Abundance Authors: Sylwester, J.; Lemen, J. R.; Bentley, R. D.; Fludra, A.; Zolcinski, M. -C. Bibcode: 1998ApJ...501..397S Altcode: The analysis of X-ray solar flare spectra obtained by the Bent Crystal Spectrometer on board the Solar Maximum Mission satellite is presented. The ratio of the Ca XIX resonance line intensity to the nearby continuum is used to measure the calcium abundance relative to hydrogen (ACa). A description of the spectroscopic method of determining the absolute calcium abundance is given. Possible instrumental and solar effects that might influence the abundance estimates are evaluated. Over 5000 spectra from more than 100 flares are analyzed. We find a flare-to-flare variation for ACa that is not correlated with flare size, Hα importance, or with several other flare characteristics. For flares observed from two active regions, the observed value of ACa increases as a function of time. The average for all flares is <ACa> = (5.77 +/- 1.41) × 10-6. A discussion of investigated correlations of derived ACa values with several flare characteristics is presented. Title: What YOHKOH has Discovered about Active Regions Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1998ASPC..155..176B Altcode: 1998sasp.conf..176B No abstract at ADS Title: Joint Observations and an Active Region with SOHO and YOHKOH Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1998ASSL..229..251B Altcode: 1998opaf.conf..251B No abstract at ADS Title: Iron and calcium abundances in solar flares from the multitemperature analysis of X-ray spectra (abstract) Authors: Fludra, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Culhane, J. L.; Lemen, J. R.; Sylwester, J. Bibcode: 1998PAICz..88...91F Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: YOHKOH Bragg Crystal Spectrometer Light Curves for S XV (5.0163 - 5.1143 Angstroms) Authors: Mariska, John T.; Bentley, R. D.; Pike, C. D. Bibcode: 1997STIN...9838248M Altcode: This memorandum report summarizes the data produced during the sixth year of operation by the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) on the Yohkoh spacecraft. Each page shows the total count rate in the S XV channel of the BCS for a single day. This channel nominally observes the Sun in the wavelength range from 5.0163 - 5.1143 Angstroms. These plots are useful for identifying flare data for further analysis and for determining the data file name and tape number that contains the data. Title: The Whole Sun Catalogue Authors: Sanchez Duarte, L.; Fleck, B.; Bentley, R. Bibcode: 1997ASPC..118..382S Altcode: 1997fasp.conf..382S To maximize the scientific outcome of the wealth of solar observations available, it would be extremely useful to have a complete, central catalogue giving some basic information such as `where, when, what' about all solar observations made. This paper presents a proposal for such a catalogue based on the infrastructure developed for the SOHO Archive, but being independent of it. Our goal is to refine this proposal with the help of the JOSO group and to implement it by 1997. Title: Diagnostics of Energy Release in the X-Ray Corona Authors: Bentley, Robert D. Bibcode: 1997LNP...483....3B Altcode: 1997cprs.conf....3B Energy is released in the corona in many different forms. In this paper we discuss phenomena that are observed in X-rays in flares and sub-flares. Recent results of X-ray bright-points, transient brightenings and jets are reviewed, and diagnostics that result from bulk plasma motions are discussed. Finally, three events are examined in detail and the implications of the observation discussed in relation to flare models. Title: Calcium abundance measurements using the Yohkoh BCS Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Sylwester, J.; Lemen, J. R. Bibcode: 1997AdSpR..20.2275B Altcode: Soft X-ray observations by SMM and other spacecraft have shown that the abundance of certain elements in solar corona varies from flare to flare. In this study, observations made by the Yohkoh Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) in helium-like Ca XIX have been analysed, and Ca abundance determined for 177 flares observed during the first four years of the mission (1991-1995). The average abundance of Ca relative to H for all flares is < A_Ca > = (3.64 +/- 0.39) x 10^-6. As with an earlier study of SMM data, the abundance is found to be enhanced compared to the photosphere ((2.24 +/- 0.10) x 10^-6), and with only minor variation from flare to flare. However, the absolute value and range of values determined by this study is smaller than in the previous study; these differences are discussed. Title: Hard and Soft X-Ray Observations of Solar Limb Flares Authors: Mariska, John T.; Sakao, T.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1996ApJ...459..815M Altcode: Using observations from the Yohkoh Bragg Crystal Spectrometer, hard X-ray telescope, and soft X-ray telescope, we have examined eight limb flares. Four of the flares have the footpoints occulted by the solar limb. We find that the occulted flares generally have softer hard X-ray spectra and smaller peak values of the nonthermal broadening velocity than nonocculted flares. All other physical parameters show no differences between occulted flares and nonocculted flares. The hard X-ray spectra support a model in which the footpoint emission is due to thick-target sources, while the looptop emission is due to thin-target sources. High spectral resolution hard X-ray observations should thus show a break in the hard X-ray spectrum of the looptop source. We can find no obvious explanation for the differences in nonthermal broadening velocity. Title: Timing of the soft X-ray blue-wing and the hard X-ray burst from observations by YOHKOH Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Doschek, G. A.; Mariska, J. T. Bibcode: 1996AdSpR..17d..55B Altcode: 1996AdSpR..17...55B A knowledge of the relative timing of the hard X-ray burst and emission in soft X-rays is helpful in deciding between a number of theoretical models that describe the mechanism of a solar flare. Here we continue a study of this relationship using observations from the Yohkoh Bragg Crystal Spectrometer and Hard X-ray Telescope, together with supporting observations from the CGRO Batse experiment. The enhanced capabilities of the instruments onboard Yohkoh have made it possible to study the problem in a way that was not previously possible. A study of the timing, intensity and evolution of the soft X-ray blue-wing shows that there is no simple relationship between hard and soft X-ray emissions; strong blue-wings sometimes result from relatively weak hard X-ray bursts; the burst responsible for the blue wing need not be the first or most intense burst associated with the flare; the blue-wing is found to follow very closely after the hard X-ray burst. We also discuss timing issues and why other researchers may have reached different conclusions on this matter. Title: Magnetic Reconnection in the Solar Atmosphere Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Mariska, J. T. Bibcode: 1996ASPC..111.....B Altcode: 1997ASPC..111.....B The following topics were dealt with: bright points, jets, emerging flux, coronal heating, flare observations, flare theory, larger structures and coronal ejections. Title: YOHKOH observations of solar limb flares Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Mariska, J. T.; Sakao, T. Bibcode: 1996ASPC..109..107B Altcode: 1996csss....9..107B No abstract at ADS Title: Mass Motions in Flares Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1996mpsa.conf..177B Altcode: 1996IAUCo.153..177B No abstract at ADS Title: Hard and Soft X-ray Observations of Solar Limb Flares Authors: Mariska, J. T.; Sakao, T.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1996mpsa.conf..523M Altcode: 1996IAUCo.153..523M No abstract at ADS Title: Temperature Structure of Active Regions Deduced from the Helium-Like Sulphur Lines Authors: Watanabe, Tetsuya; Haka, Hirohisa; Shimizu, Toshifumi; Hiei, Eijiro; Bentley, Robert D.; Lang, James; Phillips, Kenneth J. H.; David Pike, C.; Fludra, Andrzej; Bromage, Barbara J. I.; Mariska, John T. Bibcode: 1995SoPh..157..169W Altcode: Solar active-region temperatures have been determined from the full-Sun spectra of helium-like sulphur (SXV) observed by the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer on board theYohkoh satellite. The average temperature deduced from SXV is demonstrated to vary with the solar activity level: A temperature of 2.5 × 106 K is derived from the spectra taken during low solar activity, similar to the general corona, while 4 × 106 K is obtained during a higher activity phase. For the latter, the high-temperature tail of the differential emission measure of active regions is found most likely due to the superposition of numerous flare-like events (micro/nano-flares). Title: Hard and Soft X-Ray Observations of Solar Limb Flares Authors: Mariska, J. T.; Sakao, T.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1995SPD....26.1312M Altcode: 1995BAAS...27..989M No abstract at ADS Title: Hydra — A 3-dimensional electron and ion hot plasma instrument for the POLAR spacecraft of the GGS mission Authors: Scudder, J.; Hunsacker, F.; Miller, G.; Lobell, J.; Zawistowski, T.; Ogilvie, K.; Keller, J.; Chornay, D.; Herrero, F.; Fitzenreiter, R.; Fairfield, D.; Needell, J.; Bodet, D.; Googins, J.; Kletzing, C.; Torbert, R.; Vandiver, J.; Bentley, R.; Fillius, W.; McIlwain, C.; Whipple, E.; Korth, A. Bibcode: 1995SSRv...71..459S Altcode: HYDRA is an experimental hot plasma investigation for the POLAR spacecraft of the GGS program. A consortium of institutions has designed a suite of particle analyzers that sample the velocity space of electron and ions between ≃2 keV/q 35 keV/q in three dimensions, with a routine time resolution of 0.5 s. Routine coverage of velocity space will be accomplished with an angular homogeneity assumption of ≃16°, appropriate for subsonic plasmas, but with special ≃1.5° resolution for electrons with energies between 100 eV and 10 keV along and opposed to the local magnetic field. This instrument produces 4.9 kilobits s-1 to the telemetry, consumes on average 14 W and requires 18.7 kg for deployment including its internal shielding. The scientific objectives for the polar magnetosphere fall into four broad categories: (1) those to define the ambient kinetic regimes of ions and electrons; (2) those to elucidate the magnetohydrodynamic responses in these regimes; (3) those to assess the particle populations with high time resolution; and (4) those to determine the global topology of the magnetic field. In thefirst group are issues of identifying the origins of particles at high magnetic latitudes, their energization, the altitude dependence of the forces, including parallel electric fields they have traversed. In thesecond group are the physics of the fluid flows, regimes of current, and plasma depletion zones during quiescent and disturbed magnetic conditions. In thethird group is the exploration of the processes that accompany the rapid time variations known to occur in the auroral zone, cusp and entry layers as they affect the flow of mass, momentum and energy in the auroral region. In thefourth class of objectives are studies in conjunction with the SWE measurements of the Strahl in the solar wind that exploit the small gyroradius of thermal electrons to detect those magnetic field lines that penetrate the auroral region that are directly ‘open’ to interplanetary space where, for example, the Polar Rain is observed. Title: YOHKOH Bragg Crystal Spectrometer light curves for CA 29(3.1633 - 3.1933 A): 1 October 1993 - 30 September 1994 Authors: Mariska, John T.; Bentley, R. D.; Pike, C. D. Bibcode: 1994YBCSCrept.....M Altcode: This memorandum report summarizes the data produced during the third year of operation by the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) on the Yohkoh spacecraft. Each page shows the total count rate in the Ca XIX channel of the BCS for a single day. This channel nominally observes the Sun in the wavelength range from 3.1633 to 3.1933 A. These plots are useful for identifying flare data for further analysis and for determining the data file name and tape name that contains the data. Title: Yohkoh observations of the creation of high-temperature plasma in the flare of 16 December 1991 Authors: Culhane, J. L.; Phillips, A. T.; Inda-Koide, M.; Kosugi, T.; Fludra, A.; Kurokawa, H.; Makishima, K.; Pike, C. D.; Sakao, T.; Sakurai, T.; Doschek, G. A.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1994SoPh..153..307C Altcode: Yohkoh observations of an impulsive solar flare which occurred on 16 December, 1991 are presented. This flare was a GOES M2.7 class event with a simple morphology indicative of a single flaring loop. X-ray images were taken with the Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT) and soft X-ray spectra were obtained with the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) on board the satellite. The spectrometer observations were made at high sensivity from the earliest stages of the flare, are continued throughout the rise and decay phases, and indicate extremely strong blueshifts, which account for the majority of emission in CaXIX during the initial phase of the flare. The data are compared with observations from other space and ground-based instruments. A balance calculation is performed which indicates that the energy contained in non-thermal electrons is sufficient to explain the high temperature plasma which fills the loop. The cooling of this plasma by thermal conduction is independently verified in a manner which indicates that the loop filling factor is close to 100%. The production of `superhot' plasma in impulsive events is shown to differ in detail from the morphology and mechanisms appropriate for more gradual events. Title: The 1991 November 9 Flare at 03.2 UT: Observations from YOHKOH Authors: Doschek, G. A.; Mariska, J. T.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Brown, C. M.; Culhane, J. L.; Lang, J.; Sterling, A. C.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1994ApJ...431..888D Altcode: We discuss X-ray spectra and soft X-ray images of an M1.9 flare that occurred on 1991 November 9 near 03.2 UT. These data were obtained with instrumentation on the Japanese Yohkoh spacecraft. They cover the entire rise phase and peak flare emission, and the beginning of the decay phase. We determine the dynamics, temperature, and emission measure of the flare as inferred from the X-ray line profiles of resonance lines of Fe XXV, Ca XIX, and S XV. We discuss the morphology of the flare as inferred from the soft X-ray images. The November 9 flare is atypical in that a stronger than usual blueshifted emission component (relative to the stationary component) is observed for the resonance lines at flare onset. We discuss several methods for deconvolving the blueshifted component from the stationary component. The X-ray line profiles are consistent with predictions of numerical simulations of chromospheric evaporation. The X-ray images reveal a flare with a complicated loop geometry that is not fully understood. Many of the features in the images are moving upwards at speeds ranging from a few km/s to about 800 km/s. The blueshifted emission begins near the onset of hard X-ray emission, implying that particle acceleration and upflowing plasma have a common energy source. Title: The Correlation of Solar Flare Hard X-Ray Bursts with Doppler Blueshifted Soft X-Ray Flare Emission Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Doschek, G. A.; Simnett, G. M.; Rilee, M. L.; Mariska, J. T.; Culhane, J. L.; Kosugi, T.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1994ApJ...421L..55B Altcode: We have investigated the temporal correlation between hard X-ray bursts and the intensity of Doppler blueshifted soft X-ray spectral line emission. We find a strong correlation for many events that have intense blueshifted spectral signatures and some correlation in events with modest blueshifts. The onset of hard X-rays frequently coincides to within a few seconds with the onset of blueshifted emission. The peak intensity of blueshifted emission is frequently close in time to the peak of the hard X-ray emission. Decay rates of the blueshifted and hard X-ray emission are similar, with the decay of the blueshifted emission tending to lag behind the hard X-ray emission in some cases. There are, however, exceptions to these conclusions, and, therefore, the results should not be generalized to all flares. Most of the data for this work were obtained from instruments flown on the Japanese Yohkoh solar spacecraft. Title: Dynamics of a Low Energetic Solar Flare Authors: Doyle, J. G.; Fludra, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Culhane, J. L.; Metcalf, T.; Lemen, J. R.; Kosugi, T. Bibcode: 1994ASPC...64..402D Altcode: 1994csss....8..402D No abstract at ADS Title: Yohkoh Observations from the Onset of Several Flares Authors: Bentley, R. D.; YOHKOH Team Bibcode: 1994ddpn.conf..435B Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: The Relationship Between the Soft X-Ray Blue Wing and the Hard X-Ray Burst Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1994xspy.conf...87B Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: The Yohkoh mission: Instruments and recent results Authors: Bentley, R. D.; YOHKOH Team Bibcode: 1994LNP...432..311B Altcode: 1994LNPM...11..311B The Yohkoh spacecraft was launched on 30 August, 1991 by the Japanese Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. The instruments, which include hard and soft X-ray imaging telescopes, a Bragg spectrometer and wide band full sun spectrometers, (which cover the energy range 2 kev to 10 MeV), were described. Results obtained from these instruments were presented with special emphasis on data from the soft X-ray telescope which views the Sun in the 0.2 - 3 keV range with an angular resolution of 2.5 arc sec. Videos made from SXT datas were also presented at the meeting. Title: Temperature Structure of Active Regions Deduced from the Helium-Like Sulphur Lines Authors: Watanabe, T.; Hara, H.; Shimizu, T.; Hiei, E.; Mariska, J. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Fludra, A.; Lang, J.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Pike, C. D.; Bromage, B. J. I. Bibcode: 1994xspy.conf...55W Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: Flare Plasma Dynamics Observed with the YOHKOH Bragg Crystal Spectrometer. I. Properties of the CA XIX Resonance Line Authors: Mariska, John T.; Doschek, G. A.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1993ApJ...419..418M Altcode: Using data from the Bragg crystal spectrometer on the Yohkoh spacecraft we have computed measures of the total intensity, centroid position, and line width for the resonance line of Ca xix during the rise phase and after maximum for 219 solar flares. The difference between the centroid positions early and late in each flare yields a measure of the line-of-sight velocity shift of the line centroid. We find a trend in the average value of the centroid shift with distance from Sun center suggesting radial mass motions with a characteristic velocity of 58 km s-1. There is a correlation between the rise-phase line widths and the centroid shift. We find no correlation between the centroid shift and the peak intensity, rise time, and total flare duration; and no correlation between the line width and the distance from Sun center, the peak intensity, rise time, and total flare duration. These results do not conclusively support or refute the simple electron-beam-driven model or the thermal model for the rise phase of a solar flare. Title: The 1992 January 5 Flare at 13.3 UT: Observations from YOHKOH Authors: Doschek, G. A.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Brown, C. M.; Culhane, J. L.; Fludra, A.; Hiei, E.; Lang, J.; Mariska, J. T.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Pike, C. D.; Sterling, A. C.; Watanabe, T.; Acton, L. W.; Bruner, M. E.; Hirayama, T.; Tsuneta, S.; Rolli, E.; Kosugi, T.; Yoshimori, M.; Hudson, H. S.; Metcalf, T. R.; Wuelser, J. -P.; Uchida, Y.; Ogawara, Y. Bibcode: 1993ApJ...416..845D Altcode: We discuss X-ray spectra and soft X-ray images of an M1.9 flare that occurred on 1992 January 5 near 13.3 UT. These data were obtained with instrumentation on the Japanese Yohkoh spacecraft. They cover the entire rise phase of the flare. To supplement these data we have ground-based magnetograms and Hα spectroheliograms. We calculate the electron temperature and emission measure of the flare as a function of time during the early rise phase using X-ray spectral line intensities and line ratios. Using spectral line widths, line profile asymmetries, and wavelength shifts due to the Doppler effect, we calculate the dynamical properties of the flare. The time development of the morphology of the flare, as revealed by the soft X-ray images and the Hα spectroheliograms, and the physical quantities inferred from the X-ray spectra, are compared with chromospheric evaporation models. There is an enhancement of blueshifted emission that is closely correlated with the hard X-ray bursts. Heating of one loop in the flare is consistent with a conduction-evaporation model, but heating is found in several structures that do not appear to be physically associated with each other. No standard evaporation model can adequately explain all of the observations. Title: Yohkoh observations of plasma upflows during solar flares Authors: Culhane, J. L.; Phillips, A. T.; Pike, C. D.; Fludra, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Bromage, B.; Doschek, G. A.; Hiei, E.; Inda, M.; Mariska, J. T.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Sterling, A. C.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1993AdSpR..13i.303C Altcode: 1993AdSpR..13..303C Observations of two flares, an M 2.2 event on 16 December, 1991 and the precursor to an X1 flare on 15 November, 1991 are presented. Spectra obtained with the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) are compared with data from the Hard and Soft X-ray Telescopes (HXT, SXT) and the Wide Band Spectrometer (WBS) on the satellite. For both events the creation of upflowing plasma is detected. While the first event seems to conform well to the chromospheric evaporation model for high temperature plasma production, the behaviour for the second event is more complex. Title: Determination of coronal abundances of sulphur, calcium and iron using the yohkoh bragg crystal spectrometer Authors: Fludra, A.; Culhane, J. L.; Bentley, R. D.; Doschek, G. A.; Hiei, E.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Sterling, A.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1993AdSpR..13i.395F Altcode: 1993AdSpR..13..395F Using spectra from the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer on Yohkoh we have derived coronal abundances of sulphur, calcium and iron during several flares from the ratio of the flux in the resonance line to the nearby continuum. Multi-thermal effects have been taken into account using differential emission measure analysis. We have also determined the abundance of S in cool active regions during a period of very low solar activity. We compare the coronal abundances of S, Ca and Fe with their photospheric values. Title: Flare Plasma Dynamics Observed with the Yohkoh Bragg Crystal Spectrometer Authors: Mariska, J. T.; Doschek, G. A.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1993BAAS...25Q1178M Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: A Comparison of Solar Flare Hard X-Ray Bursts with Doppler Blue-Shifted Soft X-Ray Emission Authors: Rilee, M. L.; Bentley, R. D.; Culhane, J. L.; Doschek, G. A.; Mariska, J. T.; Simnett, G. M.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1993BAAS...25.1189R Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: The Yohkoh Software and Database System Authors: Morrison, M. D.; Freeland, S. L.; Lemen, J. R.; Acton, L. W.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1993BAAS...25R1188M Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: YOHKOH Bragg Crystal Spectrometer light curves for CA XIX (3.1631-3.1912A): 1 October 1991 - 30 September 1992 Authors: Mariska, John T.; Bentley, R. D.; Pike, C. D. Bibcode: 1993YBCSCrept.....M Altcode: This Memo Report summarizes the data produced during the first year of operation by the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) on the Yohkoh spacecraft. Each page shows the total count rate in the Ca XIX channel of the BCS for a single day. This channel nominally observes the Sun in the wavelength range from 3.1631 to 3.1912 A. These plots are useful for identifying flare data for further analysis and for determining the data file name and tape name that contain the data. Title: Dynamics of flaring loops. III - Interpretation of flare evolution in the emission measure-temperature diagram Authors: Sylwester, B.; Sylwester, J.; Serio, S.; Reale, F.; Bentley, R. D.; Fludra, A. Bibcode: 1993A&A...267..586S Altcode: The aim of the paper is to illustrate the application of the density-temperature diagrams discussed by Jakimiec (1992) to interpretation of soft X-ray measurements, namely, calcium spectra recorded by the Solar Maximum Mission Bent Crystal Spectrometer. Using the emission measure and the temperature values derived for a set of hydrodynamic flare models discussed in previous papers, we have obtained and analyzed the (sq rt epsilon-T) counterparts of the (N-T) diagrams. Inspection of these diagrams reveals that they qualitatively resemble the (N-T) diagrams. The inclinations of the decay trajectories make the main difference. Next, we have performed a comparison of the modeled and observed flare evolutionary trajectories. This comparison allowed us to identify characteristic cases of evolution during the decay phase. We have discussed time variations of the heating rate for selected observed flares. The results of this paper illustrate how to use the diagnostic diagrams in the interpretation of flare soft X-ray measurements. Title: Determination of element abundances using the Yohkoh Bragg Crystal Spectrometer. Authors: Fludra, A.; Culhane, J. L.; Bentley, R. D.; Doschek, G. A.; Hiei, E.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Sterling, A.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1993uxrs.conf..542F Altcode: 1993uxsa.conf..542F No abstract at ADS Title: Objectives of RESIK solar concave soft X-ray spectrometer for CORONAS-F mission. Authors: Sylwester, Janusz; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1992ESASP.348..357S Altcode: 1992cscl.work..357S Several institutes are involved in construction of the high sensitivity soft X-ray spectrometer RESIK, to be flown aboard the Russian CORONAS-F satellite in 1994/95. The scientific objectives of the instrument are discussed, arising as a compromise between the scientific interests and constrained by good quality large area crystals obtainable, detector dimensions and the geometry of Bragg concave crystal reflection. Four bands have been selected to perform measurements of the solar active region and flare spectra: 2.97 - 3.24 Å, 3.15 - 3.25 Å, 4.95 - 5.15 Å, and 6.50 - 7.19 Å. Special "Dopplerometer" arrangement of the crystals will allow to assign "absolute" wavelength scale and determine the role of directed and turbulent flows in the source. Interpretation of the line and continuum intensities will permit to derive the differential emission measure for plasma temperatures T > 3MK, and to determine the composition (relative to H) of the coronal plasma for many elements including these with different first ionization potential. Title: Helium-Like Sulphur Emission Lines in Solar Active Regions and Their Sub-C Class Variability Authors: Watanabe, Tetsuya; Hiei, Eijiro; Lang, James; Culhane, J. Leonard; Bentley, Robert D.; Doschek, George A.; Bromage, Barbara J. I.; Brown, Charles M.; Feldman, Uri; Fludra, Andrzej; Kato, Takako; Payne, Jeffrey Bibcode: 1992PASJ...44L.141W Altcode: Helium-like sulphur spectra (formation temperature, T_m ~ 18times 10(6) K) from coronal active regions are being obtained by the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer onboard the Yohkoh mission. The average electron temperatures of the quiescent active regions deduced from the full-disk integrated sulphur spectra are 3.5--4 times 10(6) K. The temporal behavior of the emission lines in the sub-C level events shows that hot plasmas (T > 10(7) K) can be produced in these weak events. Title: Observations of Several Small Flares with the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer on YOHKOH Authors: Culhane, J. Leonard; Fludra, Andrzej; Bentley, Robert D.; Doschek, George A.; Watanabe, Tetsuya; Hiei, Eijiro; Lang, James; Carter, Martin K.; Mariska, John T.; Phillips, Andrew T.; Phillips, Kenneth J. H.; Pike, C. David; Sterling, Alphonse C. Bibcode: 1992PASJ...44L.101C Altcode: We have analysed data from two flares of GOES class C7.1 and C8.5 observed by the Yohkoh Bragg Crystal Spectrometer. The high sensitivity of the Yohkoh instrument allows us to observe the very early stages of flare development and to study small events with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Spectral fitting programs have been used to derive plasma temperatures, emission measures and velocities from spectra of S XV, Ca XIX and Fe XXV. Large plasma motions indicative of chromospheric evaporation have been found. A more detailed analysis of a flare which occurred on 1991 October 30 is presented. Title: The Status of YOHKOH in Orbit: an Introduction to the Initial Scientific Results Authors: Ogawara, Yoshiaki; Acton, Loren W.; Bentley, Robert D.; Bruner, Marilyn E.; Culhane, J. Leonard; Hiei, Eijiro; Hirayama, Tadashi; Hudson, Hugh S.; Kosugi, Takeo; Lemen, James R.; Strong, Keith T.; Tsuneta, Saku; Uchida, Yutaka; Watanabe, Tetsuya; Yoshimori, Masato Bibcode: 1992PASJ...44L..41O Altcode: In this introductory article accompanying the initial scientific papers from the Yohkoh mission, we briefly summarize the design and in-orbit function of the spacecraft and its four scientific instruments. Although these initial results include mainly studies based upon individual Yohkoh experiments at this early stage, there are also analyses of combined data sets provided by several on-board and ground-based instruments in progress. The results presented here, and anticipated future results, suggest that the Yohkoh observations with their comprehensive coverage of solar high-energy phenomena will come to represent a significant milestone in the progress of solar physics. This will be true not only regarding flares, but also for fainter coronal structures and even coronal holes. Title: The YOHKOH mission for high-energy solar physics Authors: Acton, L.; Tsuneta, S.; Ogawara, Y.; Bentley, R.; Bruner, M.; Canfield, R.; Culhane, L.; Doschek, G.; Hiei, E.; Hirayama, T. Hudson, H.; Kosugi, T.; Lang, J.; Lemen, J.; Nishimura, J.; Makishima, K.; Uchida, Y.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1992Sci...258..618A Altcode: 1992Sci...258..591A Data on solar flare mechanisms and the sun's corona will be generated by Japan's Yohkoh satellite's X-ray imaging sensors and X-ray and gamma-ray spectrometers. It is noted that the X-ray corona above active regions expands, in some cases almost continually, in contradiction of the widely accepted model of magnetohydrostatic equilibrium in such regions. Flaring X-ray bright points have been discovered to often involve ejecta into an adjacent, much larger and fainter magnetic loop, which brightens along its length at speeds up to 1000 km/sec. Title: YOHKOH Bragg Crystal Spectrometer Observations of the Dynamics and Temperature Behavior of a Soft X-Ray Flare Authors: Doschek, George A.; Mariska, John T.; Watanabe, Tetsuya; Hiei, Eijiro; Lang, James; Culhane, J. Leonard; Bentley, Robert D.; Brown, Charles M.; Feldman, Uri; Phillips, Andrew T.; Phillips, Kenneth J. H.; Sterling, Alphonse C. Bibcode: 1992PASJ...44L..95D Altcode: We describe X-ray spectra of an M1.5 flare that occurred on 1991 November 9, starting at about 0313 UT. This flare is unusual in that very intense blueshifted components are observed in the resonance lines of Fe XXV, Ca XIX, and S XV. During the onset of the flare, the resonance lines of Ca XIX and Fe XXV are primarily due to this blueshifted component, which from the Doppler effect indicates line-of-sight speeds and turbulent motions that in combination extend up to 800 km s(-1) . Title: The Performance of the YOHKOH Bragg Crystal Spectrometer Authors: Lang, James; Bentley, Robert D.; Brown, Charles M.; Culhane, J. Leonard; Doschek, George A.; Watanabe, Tetsuya; Hiei, Eijiro; Deslattes, Richard D.; Fludra, Andrzej; Guttridge, Philip R.; Magraw, John E.; Payne, Jeffrey; Pike, C. David; Trow, Matthew W. Bibcode: 1992PASJ...44L..55L Altcode: An overview of the Yohkoh Bragg Crystal Spectrometer is given, complemented by details of the laboratory testing prior to launch. The in-orbit performance of the instrument is described. Title: The EUV mini-survey with the ROSAT wide field camera. Authors: Pounds, K. A.; Abbey, A. F.; Barstow, M. A.; Bentley, R. D.; Bewick, A.; Breeveld, E. R.; Cole, R. E.; Courtier, G. M.; Deeley, M.; Denby, M.; Goodall, C. V.; Gourlay, J. A.; Guttridge, P. R.; Harris, A. W.; Huckle, H. E.; Kent, B. J.; Lieu, R.; McCalden, A. J.; Page, C. G.; Pankiewicz, G. S.; Ponman, T. J.; Pye, J. P.; Reading, D. H.; Richards, A. G.; Ricketts, M. J.; Rochester, G. K.; Sansom, A. E.; Sembay, S. E.; Sidher, S.; Sims, M. R.; Spragg, J. E.; Sumner, T. J.; Swinyard, B. M.; Vallance, R. J.; Watson, D. J.; Watson, M. G.; Wells, A. A.; Willingale, R.; Wright, J. S. Bibcode: 1991MNRAS.253..364P Altcode: Following a successful launch on 1990 June 1, the ROSAT spacecraft and its payload, consisting of an X-ray and an EUV telescope, underwent two months of in-orbit calibration and detailed performance checks. A preliminary observation of a small section of the sky, carried out over July 11-16 (the `mini-survey') showed all ROSAT systems to be functioning well and has allowed predictions to be made on the ultimate productivity of both ROSAT all-sky surveys. An analysis of the mini-survey data from the UK Wide Field Camera, has revealed 35 EUV sources, including several white dwarf stars, a variety of active cool stars and several other objects. In all, 23 sources have probable optical counterparts. Consideration of the effective exposure and sky coverage in the mini- survey allows the prediction that the recently completed ROSAT all-sky survey will yield in excess of a thousand new EUV sources. Title: The Bragg Crystal Spectrometer for SOLAR-A Authors: Culhane, J. L.; Hiei, E.; Doschek, G. A.; Cruise, A. M.; Ogawara, Y.; Uchida, Y.; Bentley, R. D.; Brown, C. M.; Lang, J.; Watanabe, T.; Bowles, J. A.; Deslattes, R. D.; Feldman, U.; Fludra, A.; Guttridge, P.; Henins, A.; Lapington, J.; Magraw, J.; Mariska, J. T.; Payne, J.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Sheather, P.; Slater, K.; Tanaka, K.; Towndrow, E.; Trow, M. W.; Yamaguchi, A. Bibcode: 1991SoPh..136...89C Altcode: The Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) is one of the instruments which makes up the scientific payload of the SOLAR-A mission. The spectrometer employs four bent germanium crystals, views the whole Sun and observes the resonance line complexes of H-like FeXXVI and He-like FeXXV, CaXIX, and SXV in four narrow wavelength ranges with a resolving power (λ/Δλ) of between 3000 and 6000. The spectrometer has approaching ten times better sensitivity than that of previous instruments thus permitting a time resolution of better than 1 s to be achieved. The principal aim is the measurement of the properties of the 10 to 50 million K plasma created in solar flares with special emphasis on the heating and dynamics of the plasma during the impulsive phase. This paper summarizes the scientific objectives of the BCS and describes the design, characteristics, and performance of the spectrometers. Title: SOLAR-A Reformatted Data Files and Observing Log Authors: Morrison, M. D.; Lemen, J. R.; Acton, L. W.; Bentley, R. D.; Kosugi, T.; Tsuneta, S.; Ogawara, Y.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1991SoPh..136..105M Altcode: All of the SOLAR-A telemetry data will be reformatted before distribution to the analysis computers and the various users. This paper gives an overview of the files which will be created and the format and organization which the files will use. The organization has been chosen to be efficient in space, to ease access to the data, and to allow for the data to be transportable to different machines. An observing log file will be created automatically using the reformatted data files as the input. It will be possible to perform searches with the observing log to list cases where instruments are in certain modes and/or seeing certain signal levels. Title: Iron and calcium abundances in solar flares from the multi-temperature analysis of X-ray spectra Authors: Fludra, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Culhane, J. L.; Lemen, J. R.; Sylwester, J. Bibcode: 1991AdSpR..11a.155F Altcode: 1991AdSpR..11Q.155F A generalized method of calculating the distribution of the emission measure with temperature (DEM) for optically thin plasma has been developed. The method simultaneously uses line flux ratios in addition to line fluxes. When a ratio of lines from the same element is used, the resulting DEM is independent of this element's abundance. The method has been applied to derive the absolute abundances of iron in solar flares from X-ray spectra recorded by the Bent Crystal Spectrometer on SMM. The iron abundances have been found to vary between flares. The calcium abundances have also been calculated using the same method and are found to be in close agreement with the values derived from the line-to-continuum technique (Lemen et al., 1990 and Sylwester et al., 1990). The variation of iron and calcium abundances is compared. A correction to the ionization balance for iron is proposed. Title: The SOLAR-A Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (Extended Abstract) Authors: Culhane, J. L.; Hiei, E.; Bentley, R. D.; Brown, C. M.; Doschek, G. A.; Feldman, U.; Lang, J.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1991LNP...387...22C Altcode: 1991fpsa.conf...22C No abstract at ADS Title: Early results from the ROSAT Wide Field Camera Authors: Barstow, M. A.; Abbey, A. F.; Cole, R. E.; Denby, M.; Page, C. G.; Pankiewicz, G. S.; Pounds, K. A.; Pye, J. P.; Sansom, A. E.; Sims, M. R.; Spragg, J. E.; Watson, D. J.; Wells, A. A.; Willingale, R.; Courtier, G. M.; Gourlay, J. A.; Harris, A. W.; Kent, B. J.; Reading, D. H.; Richards, A. G.; Swinyard, B. M.; Wright, J. S.; Goodall, C. V.; Bentley, R. D.; Breeveld, E. R.; Guttridge, P. R.; Huckle, H. E.; McCalden, A. J.; Bewick, A.; Rochester, G. K.; Sumner, T. J. Bibcode: 1991ASIC..336...99B Altcode: 1991whdw.conf...99B No abstract at ADS Title: Plasma diagnostics with the Solar-A Bragg Crystal Spectrometer Authors: Culhane, J. L.; Hiei, E.; Bentley, R. D.; Brown, C. M.; Doschek, G. A.; Feldman, U.; Lang, J.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1991AdSpR..11e..77C Altcode: 1991AdSpR..11...77C A Bragg Crystal spectrometer is one of the instruments on the Solar-A mission. Using bent crystals, the spectrometer will observe the resonance line complexes of the H-like Fe XXVI, and He-like Fe XXV and Ca XIX ions with a sensitivity 5 to 10 times that of the SMM Bent Crystal Spectrometer. It will also study the lower temperature lines of He-like S XV. The improved sensitivity will allow observations much earlier in the impulsive phase of flares than has previously been possible. The new observations should help to answer questions about plasma heating and dynamics. As well as providing information on line profiles and shifts, the selected spectral lines will also provide electron temperature and emission measure estimates over a range from 5 to 50 MK. The onboard microprocessor will permit spectral resolution to be traded against time resolution during an observation. Title: On the Dependence of Solar Flare X-Ray Spectral Line Intensity Ratios of Highly Ionized Sulfur, Calcium, and Iron on Electron Temperature, Differential Emission Measure, and Atomic Physics Authors: Doschek, G. A.; Fludra, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Lang, J.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Watanabe, T. Bibcode: 1990ApJ...358..665D Altcode: This paper focuses on what can be learned about the emission measure distribution and certain atomic physics parameters from spectral lines of highly ionized ions of sulfur, calcium, and iron that appear in solar flare spectra. The particular lines chosen for analysis allow the electron temperature to be determined independently of the assumption of ionization equilibrium. An attempt is made to find emission measure models based on selected functional dependences of emission measure on temperature that reproduce the observed temperatures deduced from spectral line ratios as well as the relative intensities of resonance lines of different elements. Title: Investigation of non-uniform heating during the decay phase of solar flares Authors: Sylwester, B.; Sylwester, J.; Bentley, R. D.; Fludra, A. Bibcode: 1990SoPh..126..177S Altcode: We have analysed X-ray spectra of 13 solar flares as obtained by the Bent Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) on the Solar Maximum Mission. In particular, we have examined the observed ratio of TFe/TCa where TFe and TCa are the temperatures obtained from the FeXXV and CaXIX spectra, respectively. In order to simplify the investigation we have analysed only flares which reach quasi-steady-state during the decay. It turned out that the observed ratios cannot be explained by a model consisting of a single, uniformly heated loop, with a constant or variable cross-sectional area. We propose that this problem may be solved by introducing some distribution of the heating function across the flaring loop. This model has been tested by detailed calculations. Title: The Decay Phase of Three Large Solar Flares Authors: Fludra, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Culhane, J. L.; Jakimiec, J.; Lemen, J. R.; Sylwester, J.; Moorthy, S. T. Bibcode: 1990PDHO....7..266F Altcode: 1990ESPM....6..266F; 1990dysu.conf..266F No abstract at ADS Title: Study of Non-Uniform Heating in Solar Flares Authors: Sylwester, B.; Sylwester, J.; Jakimiec, J.; Serio, S.; Reale, F.; Bentley, R. D.; Fludra, A. Bibcode: 1990PDHO....7..255S Altcode: 1990ESPM....6..255S; 1990dysu.conf..255S The authors have analyzed the ratios of the temperatures derived from Fe and Ca spectra (TFe/TCa) for the rising phase of 11 solar flares. Corresponding hydrodynamic models have been calculated and the obtained results are compared with the observational data for selected flares. Title: Position-sensitive proportional counter for the Bragg Crystal Spectrometer on Solar-A Authors: Lapington, J. S.; Trow, M. W.; Bentley, R. D.; Cilhane, J. L. Bibcode: 1989SPIE.1159..252L Altcode: The gas proportional counter used for X-ray detection on the Solar-A Bragg Crystal Spectrometer Instrument is described. The sealed detector utilizes a multianode geometry together with a wedge and wedge (or backgammon) cathode pattern to provide one-dimensional imaging along the dispersion axis. The development program has now arrived at a design for the prototype detector. Results of the imaging performance, energy resolution, and count-rate capability are psesented. Title: Turbulent and Directed Plasma Motions in Solar Flares Authors: Fludra, A.; Lemen, J. R.; Jakimiec, J.; Bentley, R. D.; Sylwester, J. Bibcode: 1989ApJ...344..991F Altcode: An improved method for fitting asymmetric soft X-ray line profiles from solar flares is presented. A two-component model is used where one component represents the total emission from directed upflow plasma and the other the emission from the plasma at rest. Unlike previous methods, the width of the moving component is independent from that of the stationary component. Time variations of flare plasma characteristics (i.e., temperature, emission measure of moving and stationary plasma, upflow and turbulent velocities) are derived from the Ca XIX and Fe XXV spectra recorded by the Bent Crystal Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission. The fitting technique provides a statistical estimation for the uncertainties in the fitting parameters. The relationship between the directed and turbulent motions has been studied, and a correlation of the random and directed motions has been found in some flares with intensive plasma upflows. Mean temperatures of the upflowing and stationary plasmas are compared for the first time from ratios of calcium to iron X-ray line intensities. Finally, evidence for turbulent motions and the possibility of plasma upflow late into the decay phase is presented and discussed. Title: Comparison of the Microwave and Soft X-Ray Emission above a Sunspot Authors: Siarkowski, M.; Sylwester, J.; Jakimiec, J.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1989SoPh..119...65S Altcode: The Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) 6 cm radio observations of the active region HL 16864 large spot (Strong, Alissandrakis, and Kundu, 1984) are compared with X-ray data obtained from the Flat Crystal Spectrometer (FCS) onboard the Solar Maximum Mission satellite on May 25, 1980. The X-ray data confirm the presence of a temperature depression above the spot umbra in agreement with suggestions obtained from radio data analysis. Significant differences in the spatial distribution of both kinds of emission observed in the corona above this spot are attributed mainly to the strong resonant character of the cyclotron radio radiation. Some differences are also caused by both the relatively low efficiency and the low spatial resolution of the FCS. Deconvolution of X-ray images allows to see the new structures and enhances the mutual correlation between X-ray and radio pictures. Title: Flare energetics. Authors: Wu, S. T.; de Jager, C.; Dennis, B. R.; Hudson, H. S.; Simnett, G. M.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Bornmann, P. L.; Bruner, M. E.; Cargill, P. J.; Crannell, C. J.; Doyle, J. G.; Hyder, C. L.; Kopp, R. A.; Lemen, J. R.; Martin, S. F.; Pallavicini, R.; Peres, G.; Serio, S.; Sylwester, J.; Veck, N. J. Bibcode: 1989epos.conf..377W Altcode: The authors have sought to establish a comprehensive and self-consistent picture of the sources and transport of energy within a flare. To achieve this goal, they chose five flares in 1980 that were well observed with instruments on the Solar Maximum Mission, and with other space-borne and ground-based instruments. The events were chosen to represent various types of flares. Details of the observations available for them and the corresponding physical parameters derived from these data are presented. The flares were studied from two perspectives, the impulsive and gradual phases, and then the results were compared to obtain the overall picture of the energetics of these flares. The authors also discuss the role that modeling can play in estimating the total energy of a flare when the observationally determined parameters are used as the input to a numerical model. Finally, a critique of our current understanding of flare energetics and the methods used to determine various energetics terms is outlined, and possible future directions of research in this area are suggested. Title: Preflare activity. Authors: Priest, E. R.; Gaizauskas, V.; Hagyard, M. J.; Schmahl, E. J.; Webb, D. F.; Cargill, P.; Forbes, T. G.; Hood, A. W.; Steinolfson, R. S.; Chapman, G. A.; Deloach, A. C.; Gary, G. A.; Jones, H. P.; Karpen, J. T.; Martres, M. -J.; Porter, J. G.; Schmieder, B.; Smith, J. B., Jr.; Toomre, J.; Woodgate, B.; Waggett, P.; Bentley, R.; Hurford, G.; Schadee, A.; Schrijver, J.; Harrison, R.; Martens, P. Bibcode: 1989epos.conf....1P Altcode: Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. Magnetohydrodynamic instability. 3. Preflare magnetic and velocity fields. 4. Coronal manifestations of preflare activity. Title: Largescale Magnetic Field Phenomena Authors: Harrison, R. A.; Bentley, R. D.; Brosius, J.; Dwivedi, B. N.; Jardine, M.; Klimchuk, J. A.; Kundu, M. R.; Pearce, G.; Saba, J.; Sakurai, T.; Schmahl, E. J.; Schmelz, J.; Sime, D. G.; Steele, C. D. C.; Sun, M. T.; Tappin, S. J.; Waljeski, K.; Wang, A. H.; Wu, S. T. Bibcode: 1989tnti.conf....1H Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: Time variations of the calcium elemental abundance in flares from NOAA active regions 2562 and 2779. Authors: Sylwester, J.; Zolcinski-Couet, M. -C.; Bentley, R. D.; Lemen, J. R. Bibcode: 1988JPhys..49..189S Altcode: 1988IAUCo.102..189S Analysis of flare spectra obtained with the Bent Crystal Spectrometer aboard the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite enables the determination of the fluxes in the resonance (w) line of Ca XIX and the near-by continuum. The line-to-continuum intensity ratio is a sensitive measure of the calcium elemental abundance (ACa) relative to hydrogen in the emitting plasma. The authors analyse the variations of ACa for flares which occurred in two active regions well observed by SMM. They conclude that it is not possible to correlate the abundance variations with the time of the flare occurrence as suggested in an earlier paper for flares produced from a single active region. Further, the authors find no convincing correlation of abundance variation with any other flare characteristics. Title: Intercomparison of flare observations with two SMM spectrometers: BCS and HXIS Authors: Jakimiec, J.; Prés, P.; Fludra, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Lemen, J. R.; Mewe, R.; Schrijver, J.; Sylwester, J. Bibcode: 1988AdSpR...8k.231J Altcode: 1988AdSpR...8..231J The temperature diagnostics of hot flare plasma, obtained from two Solar Maximum Mission instruments (HXIS and BCS), is compared. A good general agreement between the HXIS and BCS-Fe temperature scales has been found. However, for the growth phase of some flares a systematic difference, THXIS>TFe, has been found, which is not likely to be due to the typical non-thermal electron beams. Possible explanation of this effect is briefly discussed. Title: Investigations of Turbulent and Direct Motions in Solar Flares Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Fludra, A.; Lemen, J. R.; Jakimiec, J.; Sylwester, J. Bibcode: 1987BAAS...19R.750B Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: Variation in Calcium Abundance during Flares Authors: Sylwester, J.; Lemen, J. R.; Mewe, R.; Bentley, R. D.; Sylwester, B. Bibcode: 1987sman.work..123S Altcode: The authors discuss the variation of the line-to-continuum ratio throughout the entire flare including the temperature rise phase. Title: High-Temperature Plasma Diagnostics of Solar Flares and Comparison with Model Calculations Authors: Jakimiec, J.; Sylwester, B.; Sylwester, J.; Lemen, J. R.; Mewe, R.; Bentley, R. D.; Peres, G.; Serio, S.; Schrijver, J. Bibcode: 1987sman.work...91J Altcode: The present state of flare diagnostics from X-ray spectra is briefly outlined. The authors discuss how improved diagnostic results can be used in flare heating process investigations. Title: Flare energetics Authors: Wu, S. T.; De Jager, C.; Dennis, B. R.; Hudson, H. S.; Simnett, G. M.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Bornmann, P. L.; Bruner, M. E.; Cargill, P. J. Bibcode: 1986epos.conf..5.1W Altcode: 1986epos.confE...1W In this investigation of flare energetics, researchers sought to establish a comprehensive and self-consistent picture of the sources and transport of energy within a flare. To achieve this goal, they chose five flares in 1980 that were well observed with instruments on the Solar Maximum Mission, and with other space-borne and ground-based instruments. The events were chosen to represent various types of flares. Details of the observations available for them and the corresponding physical parameters derived from these data are presented. The flares were studied from two perspectives, the impulsive and gradual phases, and then the results were compared to obtain the overall picture of the energics of these flares. The role that modeling can play in estimating the total energy of a flare when the observationally determined parameters are used as the input to a numerical model is discussed. Finally, a critique of the current understanding of flare energetics and the methods used to determine various energetics terms is outlined, and possible future directions of research in this area are suggested. Title: Characterization of the Total Flare Energy Authors: Wu, S. T.; de Jager, C.; Dennis, B. R.; Hudson, H. S.; Simnett, G. M.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Bornmann, P. L.; Bruner, M. E.; Cargill, P. J.; Crannell, C. J.; Doyle, J. G.; Hyder, C. L.; Kopp, R. A.; Lemen, J. R.; Martin, S. F.; Pallavicini, R.; Peres, G.; Serio, S.; Sylwester, J.; Veek, N. J. Bibcode: 1986epos.conf.5.41W Altcode: 1986epos.confE..41W No abstract at ADS Title: Energetics of the Impulsive Phase Authors: Wu, S. T.; de Jager, C.; Dennis, B. R.; Hudson, H. S.; Simnett, G. M.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Bornmann, P. L.; Bruner, M. E.; Cargill, P. J.; Crannell, C. J.; Doyle, J. G.; Hyder, C. L.; Kopp, R. A.; Lemen, J. R.; Martin, S. F.; Pallavicini, R.; Peres, G.; Serio, S.; Sylwester, J.; Veek, N. J. Bibcode: 1986epos.conf..5.5W Altcode: 1986epos.confE...5W No abstract at ADS Title: Coronal manifestations of preflare activity Authors: Schmahl, E. J.; Webb, D. F.; Woodgate, B.; Waggett, P.; Bentley, R.; Hurford, G.; Schadee, A.; Schrijver, J.; Harrison, R.; Martens, P. Bibcode: 1986epos.conf.1.48S Altcode: 1986epos.confA..48S A variety of coronal manifestations of precursors or preheating for flares are discussed. Researchers found that almost everyone with a telescope sees something before flares. Whether an all-encompassing scenario will ever be developed is not at all clear at present. The clearest example of preflare activity appears to be activated filaments and their manifestations, which presumably are signatures of a changing magnetic field. But researchers have seen two similar eruptions, one without any evidence of emerging flux (Kundu et al., 1985) and the other with colliding poles (Simon et al., 1984). While the reconnection of flux is generally agreed to be required to energize a flare, the emergence of flux from below (at least on short timescales and in compact regions) does not appear to be a necessary condition. In some cases the cancelling of magnetic flux (Martin, 1984) by horizontal motions instead may provide the trigger (Priest, 1985) Researchers found similarities and some differences between these and previous observations. The similarities, besides the frequent involvement of filaments, include compact, multiple precursors which can occur both at and near (not at) the flare site, and the association between coronal sources and activity lower in the atmosphere (i.e., transition zone and chromosphere). Title: Energetics of the Gradual Phase Authors: Wu, S. T.; de Jager, C.; Dennis, B. R.; Hudson, H. S.; Simnett, G. M.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Bornmann, P. L.; Bruner, M. E.; Cargill, P. J.; Crannell, C. J.; Doyle, J. G.; Hyder, C. L.; Kopp, R. A.; Lemen, J. R.; Martin, S. F.; Pallavicini, R.; Peres, G.; Serio, S.; Sylwester, J.; Veek, N. J. Bibcode: 1986epos.conf.5.20W Altcode: 1986epos.confE..20W No abstract at ADS Title: Review of Impulsive Phase Phenomena Authors: Wu, S. T.; de Jager, C.; Dennis, B. R.; Hudson, H. S.; Simnett, G. M.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Bornmann, P. L.; Bruner, M. E.; Cargill, P. J.; Crannell, C. J.; Doyle, J. G.; Hyder, C. L.; Kopp, R. A.; Lemen, J. R.; Martin, S. F.; Pallavicini, R.; Peres, G.; Serio, S.; Sylwester, J.; Veek, N. J. Bibcode: 1986epos.conf.5.60W Altcode: 1986epos.confE..60W No abstract at ADS Title: Flares Chosen for Energetics Study Authors: Wu, S. T.; de Jager, C.; Dennis, B. R.; Hudson, H. S.; Simnett, G. M.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Bornmann, P. L.; Bruner, M. E.; Cargill, P. J.; Crannell, C. J.; Doyle, J. G.; Hyder, C. L.; Kopp, R. A.; Lemen, J. R.; Martin, S. F.; Pallavicini, R.; Peres, G.; Serio, S.; Sylwester, J.; Veek, N. J. Bibcode: 1986epos.conf.5.47W Altcode: 1986epos.confE..47W No abstract at ADS Title: Relationships among the Phases Authors: Wu, S. T.; de Jager, C.; Dennis, B. R.; Hudson, H. S.; Simnett, G. M.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Bornmann, P. L.; Bruner, M. E.; Cargill, P. J.; Crannell, C. J.; Doyle, J. G.; Hyder, C. L.; Kopp, R. A.; Lemen, J. R.; Martin, S. F.; Pallavicini, R.; Peres, G.; Serio, S.; Sylwester, J.; Veek, N. J. Bibcode: 1986epos.conf.5.39W Altcode: 1986epos.confE..39W No abstract at ADS Title: Broadening of soft X-ray lines during the impulsive phase of solar flares - Random or directed mass motions? Authors: Doyle, J. G.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1986A&A...155..278D Altcode: The authors present spectroscopic data for three flares obtained with the Bent Crystal Spectrometer flown in the Solar Maximum Mission in 1980. This data is concerned with the structure of the Ca XIX resonance line at 3.176 Å during the impulsive phase of flares. On the basis of high time resolution (6s.) data, the authors suggest that the previous published results concerned with the excess broadening of the resonance line being due to bulk random mass motions may give an over-simplified picture. Instead the authors suggest that during this stage of the flare, the resonance line consists of many discrete features, which are interpreted as mass flows. Title: Preflare activity. Authors: Priest, E. R.; Gaizauskas, V.; Hagyard, M. J.; Schmahl, E. J.; Webb, D. F.; Cargill, P.; Forbes, T. G.; Hood, A. W.; Steinolfson, R. S.; Chapman, G. A.; Deloach, A. C.; Gary, G. A.; Jones, H. P.; Karpen, J. T.; Martres, M. -J.; Porter, J. G.; Schmieder, B.; Smith, J. B., Jr.; Toomre, J.; Woodgate, B.; Waggett, P.; Bentley, R.; Hurford, G.; Schadee, A.; Schrijver, J.; Harrison, R.; Martens, P. Bibcode: 1986NASCP2439....1P Altcode: Contents: 1. Introduction: the preflare state - a review of previous results. 2. Magnetohydrodynamic instability: magnetic reconnection, nonlinear tearing, nonlinear reconnection experiments, emerging flux and moving satellite sunspots, main phase reconnection in two-ribbon flares, magnetic instability responsible for filament eruption in two-ribbon flares. 3. Preflare magnetic and velocity fields: general morphology of the preflare magnetic field, magnetic field shear, electric currents in the preflare active region, characterization of the preflare velocity field, emerging flux. 4. Coronal manifestations of preflare activity: defining the preflare regime, specific illustrative events, comparison of preflare X-rays and ultraviolet, preflare microwave intensity and polarization changes, non-thermal precursors, precursors of coronal mass ejections, short-lived and long-lived HXIS sources as possible precursors. Title: Observational evidences for coronal temperature depression above sunspot umbra Authors: Siarkowski, M.; Bentley, R. D.; Jakimiec, J.; Sylwester, J. Bibcode: 1986CoSka..15..677S Altcode: Three large spots observed by the X-ray Polychromator on the Solar Maximum Mission satellite are analysed. The X-ray spectroheliograms were used to derive the two-dimensonal electron temperature distribution. For one of these spots, observed simultaneously by the Westerbork Synthesis Radiotelescope at 6 cm, the temperature minimum corresponds to the centre of a microwave ring structure. This confirms the existence of a temperature depression above the spot umbra. Title: Differential emission measure distributions of Capella and σ2 CrB Authors: Mewe, R.; Schrijver, C. J.; Lemen, J. R.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1986AdSpR...6h.133M Altcode: 1986AdSpR...6..133M The active late-type stars Capella (α Aur G6III+F9III) and σ2 CrB (F6V+GV) (X-ray candidate emitters underlined) were observed with the EXOSAT Transmission Grating Spectrometer (TGS) in the region 10-200 Å. We have made an analysis of the differential emission measure (DEM) distribution. The derived DEM peaks between 3 and 7 MK and above 10 MK. The results disagree with models for static loops as developed by Rosner, Tucker and Vaiana [1, hereafter referred to as RTV]: the contrast in emission between the maximal and lower temperatures in the loop is larger than predicted by the RTV model. Other models which predict DEM distributions falling off more steeply towards lower temperatures are briefly discussed: e.g. quasi-static loops with varying cross-sectional area or dynamic loops with strong downward flows. Title: Physical conditions in a large flare loop on Nov. 1980 derived from SMM observations Authors: Sylwester, B.; Sylwester, J.; Jakimiec, J.; Fludra, A.; Bentley, R. D.; Schrijver, J. Bibcode: 1986CoSka..15..145S Altcode: The authors present the study of a large X-ray loop related to the H-alpha 2N flare close to the center of the solar disc. Data from Solar Maximum Mission have been used in the analysis. The authors have derived the temperatures, densities and the geometrical parameters (length, diameter) for a hot core and for a cooler envelope of the flaring loop. Title: Soft X-ray observations of high-velocity features in the 29 June 1980 flares Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Lemen, J. R.; Culhane, J. L.; Phillips, K. J. H. Bibcode: 1986A&A...154..255B Altcode: During the impulsive phase of two flares on 29 June 1980, short lived emission line features have been observed in soft X-rays, near the resonance lines of Fe XXV and Ca XIX, by the Bent Crystal Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission. They are coincident with hard X-ray bursts and with the onset of Hα sprays. They appear to result from a different type of phenomenon from the unresolved blue-shifted component from the resonance lines reported by Feldman et al. (1980) and Antonucci et al. (1982). The authors believe that these discrete line features are due to Doppler-shifted resonance line emission from well collimated, moving plasma with large line-of-sight velocities. Title: Orbital debris environment resulting from future activities in space Authors: Simnett, G. M.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1986AdSpR...6f.109S Altcode: 1986AdSpR...6..109S A long-term evolution of space debris environment has been simulated by a numerical model. Based on previously published results in many 50-year runs of the ``dynamic model'', an ``average model'' is derived to reduce the computation time in order to effectively simulate a very-long-term evolution of space debris environment. The evolution of space debris environment is examined with two different future space activities in LEO: (1) Increase the yearly traffic input of new satellites by 2%, 5%, 10%, 20%, and 50%; and (2) place ten large space structures of 100 meters in diameter in the year 1995 at either 500 km or 1000 km altitude. The results indicate that in a 170-year span from 1983, every space activity listed above results in a rapid runaway of debris fluxes from objects of 4 mm or larger. Title: Flare energetics. Authors: Wu, S. T.; de Jager, C.; Dennis, B. R.; Hudson, H. S.; Simnett, G. M.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Bornmann, P. L.; Bruner, M. E.; Cargill, P. J.; Crannell, C. J.; Doyle, J. G.; Hyder, C. L.; Kopp, R. A.; Lemen, J. R.; Martin, S. F.; Pallavicini, R.; Peres, G.; Serio, S.; Sylwester, J.; Veck, N. J. Bibcode: 1986NASCP2439....5W Altcode: In this investigation of flare energetics, the authors establish a comprehensive and self-consistent picture of the sources and transport of energy within a flare. They chose five flares in 1980 that were well observed with instruments on the SMM, and with other space-borne and ground-based instruments. Details of the observations available for them and the corresponding physical parameters derived from these data are presented. The flares were studied from two perspectives, the impulsive and gradual phases, and then the results were compared to obtain the overall picture of the energetics of these flares. The authors also discuss the role that modeling can play in estimating the total energy of a flare when the observationally determined parameters are used as the input to a numerical model. Title: Determination of the calcium elemental abundance for 43 flares from SMM-XRP solar X-ray spectra Authors: Lemen, J. R.; Sylwester, J.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1986AdSpR...6f.245L Altcode: 1986AdSpR...6..245L The helium and lithium-like X-ray transitions of Ca XVIII-XIX have been used to make an absolute measurement of the coronal calcium elemental abundance relative to hydrogen (ACa) in solar flares. Cooling phase spectra of 43 flares obtained in channel 1 of the Bent Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) on the Solar Maximum Mission have been analyzed. The abundance is determined from the intensity ratio of the Ca XIX resonance line (1S0 - 1P1) and nearby continuum. A large variation is observed in the values of the derived abundances, ranging up to a factor of 2.5 between the extreme cases. This confirms the earlier results of Sylwester, Lemen, and Mewe [1], who investigated a smaller sample of flares. In addition to the variability of ACa observed between different flares, it was suggested [1] that ACa varies during the heating phase of some flares. We neglect this phenomenon in the present work, and concentrate on the cooling phase during which ACa appears to remain constant for any individual flare. Attempts to correlate the ACa measurements with other observable features are discussed. Title: Soft X-ray emission from solar flares and active regions Authors: Bentley, Robert Duncan Bibcode: 1986PhDT.......170B Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: The X-Ray Signature of Solar Coronal Mass Ejections Authors: Harrison, R. A.; Waggett, P. W.; Bentley, R. D.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Bruner, M.; Dryer, M.; Simnett, G. M. Bibcode: 1985SoPh...97..387H Altcode: The coronal response to six solar X-ray flares has been investigated. At a time coincident with the projected onset of the white-light coronal mass ejection associated with each flare, there is a small, discrete soft X-ray enhancement. These enhancements (precursors) precede by typically ∼20 m the impulsive phase of the solar flare which is dominant by the time the coronal mass ejection has reached an altitude above 0.5 R. We identify motions of hot X-ray emitting plasma, during the precursors, which may well be a signature of the mass ejection onsets. Further investigations have also revealed a second class of X-ray coronal transient, during the main phase of the flare. These appear to be associated with magnetic reconnection above post-flare loop systems. Title: The X-ray signature of solar coronal mass ejections. Authors: Harrison, R. A.; Waggett, P. W.; Bentley, R. D.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Bruner, M.; Dryer, M.; Simnett, G. M. Bibcode: 1985RALR...84.....H Altcode: The coronal response to six solar X-ray flares has been investigated. At a time coincident with the projected onset of the white-light coronal mass ejection with each flare, there is a small, discrete soft X-ray enhancement. These enhancements (precursors) precede by typically ≡20 m the impulsive phase of the solar flare which is dominant by the time the coronal mass ejection has reached an altitude above 0.5 R_sun;. The authors identify motions of hot X-ray emitting plasma, during the precursors, which may well be a signature of the mass ejection onsets. Further investigations have also revealed a second class of X-ray coronal transients, during the main phase of the flare. These appear to be associated with magnetic reconnection above post-flare loop systems. Title: Soft X-ray observations of high-velocity features in the 29 June 1980flares. Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Lemen, J. R.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Culhane, J. L. Bibcode: 1985RALR...85.....B Altcode: During the impulsive phase of two flares on 29 June 1980, short lived emission line features have been observed in soft X-rays, near the resonance lines of Fe XXV and Ca XIX, by the Bent Crystal Spectrometer on the Solar Maximum Mission. They are coincident with hard X-ray bursts and with the onset of Hα sprays. They appear to result from a different type of phenomenon from the unresolved blue-shifted component from the resonance lines reported by Feldman et al. (1980) and Antonucci et al. (1982). The authors believe that these discrete line features are due to Doppler-shifted resonance line emission from well collimated, moving plasma with large line-of-sight velocities. Title: Recent Solar Observations from the X-Ray Polychromator on the Repaired SMM Satellite Authors: Saba, J. L. R.; Slater, G. L.; Levay, M. X.; Smith, K. L.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Lemen, J. R.; Caffey, R. R.; Freeland, S. L., Jr.; Mathur, D. P.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Waters, T. A. Bibcode: 1984BAAS...16..726S Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: Relationships of a growing magnetic flux region to flares Authors: Martin, S. F.; Bentley, R. D.; Schadee, A.; Antalova, A.; Kucera, A.; Dezső, L.; Gesztelyi, L.; Harvey, K. L.; Jones, H.; Livi, S. H. B.; Wang, J. Bibcode: 1984AdSpR...4g..61M Altcode: 1984AdSpR...4...61M Some sites for solar flares are known to develop where new magnetic flux emerges and becomes abutted against opposite polarity pre-existing magnetic flux (review by Galzauskas/1/). We have identified and analyzed the evolution of such flare sites at the boundaries of a major new and growing magnetic flux region within a complex of active regions, Hale No. 16918. This analysis was done as a part of a continuing study of the circumstances associated with flares in Hale Region 16918, which was designated as an FBS target during the interval 18 - 23 June 1980. We studied the initiation and development of both major and minor flares in Hα images in relation to the identified potential flare sites at the boundaries of the growing flux region and to the general development of the new flux. This study lead to our recognition of a spectrum of possible relationships of growing flux regions to flares as follows: (1) intimate interaction with adjacent old flux - flare sites centered at new/old flux boundary, (2) forced or ``intimidated'' interaction in which new flux pushes old field having lower flux density towards a neighboring old polarity inversion line where a flare then takes place, (3) ``influential'' interaction - magnetic lines of force over an old polarity inversion line, typically containing a filament, reconnect to the new emerging flux; a flare occurs with erupting filament when the magnetic field overlying the filament becomes too weak to prevent its eruption, (4) inconsequential interaction - new flux region is too small or has wrong orientation for creating flare conditions, (5) incidental - flare occurs without any significant relationship to new flux regions. Title: Differential emission measure analysis of hot-flare plasma from solar-maximum mission X-ray data Authors: Jakimiec, J.; Sylwester, J.; Lemen, J. R.; Mewe, R.; Bentley, R. D.; Fludra, A.; Schrijver, J.; Sylwester, B. Bibcode: 1984AdSpR...4g.203J Altcode: 1984AdSpR...4..203J We have investigated differential emission measure (DEM) distribution of hot flare plasma (T>10 MK) using SMM X-ray data from Bent Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) and Hard X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (HXIS). We have found that the analysis provide a very sensitive test of consistency of observational data coming from different instruments or different channels of the same instrument. This has allowed to eliminate some systematic differences contained in the analysed data.

Typical examples of the DEM distribution are discussed. It is stressed that these improvements in the multitemperature flare diagnostics are very important for the discussion of flare energetics. Title: SMM flat crystal spectrometer data analysis of 7 April 1980 flare. Authors: Sylwester, B.; Sylwester, J.; Jakimiec, J.; Mewe, R.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1983PDHO....5...85S Altcode: 1984PDHO....5...85S The authors have analysed soft X-ray images of the 1B/M4 flare of 7 April 1980 recorded by Flat Crystal Spectrometer aboard Solar Maximum Mission satellite. The X-ray flare consisted of two patches about 1 arcmin apart. A comparison with magnetograms and white light images indicates that the two soft X-ray patches originate from two different loops or systems of loops. For two selected resolution elements of the X-ray pictures a detailed differential emission measure analysis has been carried out and time evolution of the mean electron density and thermal energy content has been investigated. Title: Active region magnetic fields inferred from simultaneous VLA microwave maps, X-ray spectroheliograms, and magnetograms Authors: Schmahl, E. J.; Kundu, M. R.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D.; Smith, J. B., Jr.; Krall, K. R. Bibcode: 1982SoPh...80..233S Altcode: A series of VLA maps at 6 cm wavelength have been generated from observations of a solar active region (NOAA 2363) on 29 and 30 March, 1980. During the same period, X-ray spectroheliograms were acquired for this region in the lines of O VIII, Ne IX, Mg XI, Si XIII, S XV, and Fe XXV, with X-rayn Polychromator (XRP) aboard the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM). Intervals of relative quiescence (i.e., when X-ray flares and centimeter wave bursts were not evident) were selected for microwave mapping. The resulting VLA maps have spatial resolution of 4″ × 4″, and generally show two or more sources whose slowly evolving substructures have spatial scales of 10″-30″. These maps were co-registered with Hα photographs (courtesy of AF/AWS SOON, Holloman and Ramey AFB) to an accuracy of ± 8″. Similarly, the X-ray spectroheliograms have been co-registered with white light photographs to about the same accuracy. Magnetograms from KPNO and MSFC have also been co-aligned, and the magnetic X-ray, and microwave features compared. In general we have found that (a) the peaks of X-ray and 6 cm emission do not coincide, although (b) the sources in the two wavelength domains tend to overlap. These facts in themselves are evidence for the existence of opacity mechanisms other than thermal bremsstrahlung. In order to quantify this assertion, we have computed differential emission measures to derive densities and temperatures. Using these and calculated force-free magnetic fields from Kitt Peak magnetograms, we present an assessment of the mechanism of gyroresonance absorption at low harmonics of the electron gyrofrequency as the source of opacity responsible for the microwave features. We conclude that large-scale currents must be present in the active region loops to account for the bright 6 cm sources far from sunspots. Title: Transient Ionization Conditions in Solar Flares. Analysis of High-Resolution X-Ray Spectra. Authors: Schrijver, J.; Mewe, R.; Sylwester, J.; Strong, K. T.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1982uxsa.collQ...4S Altcode: 1982IAUCo..73Q...4S No abstract at ADS Title: Relationship between a soft X-ray long duration event and an intense metric noise storm Authors: Lantos, P.; Kerdraon, A.; Rapley, G. G.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1981A&A...101...33L Altcode: An example of a soft X-ray long duration event associated with the onset of a metric noise storm is reported. The event was observed by the Nancay Radioheliograph, operating at a frequency of 169 MHz, and the soft X-ray Polychromator experiment on board the Solar Maximum Mission on March 30, 1980 in the solar active region 2363. The soft X-ray event was found to exhibit all the features of a classical long duration event, including an extensive system of loops forming over the site of a disappearing H-alpha filament, H-alpha ribbons at the loop footprints, a centrimetric rise and fall burst and a coronal white light loop transient. The radio event detected simultaneously also displayed typical noise storm characteristics, however was particularly intense, extended over an unusually wide frequency range, and was located in the northern leg of the loop transient. The possible association of the southern leg of the loop transient with the long duration event leads to the suggestion that it is the loop itself which provides the physical link between the two events. Title: X-ray line widths and coronal heating Authors: Acton, L. W.; Wolfson, C. J.; Joki, E. G.; Culhane, J. L.; Rapley, C. G.; Bentley, R. D.; Gabriel, A. H.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Hayes, R. W.; Antonucci, E. Bibcode: 1981ApJ...244L.137A Altcode: Preliminary results of spectroscopy and imaging of a solar active region and flare plasma in soft X-ray emission lines are presented. Observed X-ray line widths in a nonflaring active region are broader than the Doppler width corresponding to the local electron temperature. An analysis of 41 soft X-ray flares within a single active region reveals a preference for flares to occur at locations that already show enhanced X-ray emission and to favor magnetic complexity over high gradient. However, flares do not appear to be directly responsible for the heating and X-ray production of the active regions. Title: Observations of the limb solar flare on 1980 April 30 with the SMM X-ray polychromator Authors: Gabriel, A. H.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Acton, L. W.; Wolfson, C. J.; Culhane, J. L.; Rapley, C. G.; Bentley, R. D.; Kayat, M. A.; Jordan, C.; Antonucci, E. Bibcode: 1981ApJ...244L.147G Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: X-ray spectra of solar flares obtained with a high-resolution bent crystal spectrometer Authors: Culhane, J. L.; Rapley, C. G.; Bentley, R. D.; Gabriel, A. H.; Phillips, K. J.; Acton, L. W.; Wolfson, C. J.; Catura, R. C.; Jordan, C.; Antonucci, E. Bibcode: 1981ApJ...244L.141C Altcode: Preliminary results obtained for three solar flares with the bent crystal spectrometer on the SMM are presented. Resonance and satellite lines of Ca XIX and XVIII and Fe XXV and XXIV are observed together with the Fe XXVI Lyman-alpha line. Plasma properties are deduced from line ratios and evidence is presented for changes of line widths coincident with the occurrence of a hard X-ray impulsive burst. Fe K-alpha spectra from a disk center and a limb flare agree with the predictions of a fluorescence excitation model. However, a transient Fe K-alpha burst observed in a third flare may be explained by the collisional ionization of cool iron by energetic electrons. Title: Active Region Magnetic Fields Authors: Smith, J. B., Jr.; Strong, K. T.; Schmahl, E. J.; Kundu, M. R.; Krall, K. R.; Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1981BAAS...13..881S Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: Solar maximum mission experiment: Early results from the soft X-ray polychromator experiment Authors: Gabriel, A. H.; Antonucci, E.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Culhane, J. L.; Bentley, R. D.; Parmar, A. N.; Rapley, C. G.; Acton, L. W.; Leibacher, J. W.; Wolfson, C. J.; Strong, K. T.; Jordan, C. Bibcode: 1981AdSpR...1m.267G Altcode: 1981AdSpR...1Q.267G The X-Ray Polychromator experiment has been in operation on the SMM satellite for over three months. It is observing flares and active regions in the wavelength range 1Å to 23Å using a number of different modes. These include polychromatic imaging, high resolution line profiles, high dispersion spectra, and light curves with high time-resolution. Data are described together with some of the preliminary analysis and interpretation. Title: Solar Maximum Mission experiment: early results from the soft X-ray polychromator experiment. Authors: Gabriel, A. H.; Culhane, J. L.; Acton, L. W.; Antonucci, E.; Bentley, R. D.; Jordan, C.; Leibacher, J. W.; Parmar, A. N.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Rapley, C. G.; Wolfson, C. J.; Strong, K. T. Bibcode: 1981hea..conf..267G Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: Characteristics of Soft X-ray Long Duration Events Observed by the SMM X-ray Polychromator Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Rapley, C. G. Bibcode: 1980BAAS...12..904B Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: A study of a soft X-ray slow event associated with the commencement of a Type I noise storm Authors: Rapley, C. G.; Bentley, R. D.; Lantos, P.; Kerdraon, A. Bibcode: 1980BAAS...12..912R Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: Morphology of Active Region and Flares Authors: Bentley, R. D. Bibcode: 1980BAAS...12..533B Altcode: No abstract at ADS Title: The soft X-ray polychromator for the Solar Maximum Mission. Authors: Acton, L. W.; Culhane, J. L.; Gabriel, A. H.; Bentley, R. D.; Bowles, J. A.; Firth, J. G.; Finch, M. L.; Gilbreth, C. W.; Guttridge, P.; Hayes, R. W.; Joki, E. G.; Jones, B. B.; Kent, B. J.; Leibacher, J. W.; Nobles, R. A.; Patrick, T. J.; Phillips, K. J. H.; Rapley, C. G.; Sheather, P. H.; Sherman, J. C.; Stark, J. P.; Springer, L. A.; Turner, R. F.; Wolfson, C. J. Bibcode: 1980SoPh...65...53A Altcode: The 1.4-22.4 Å range of the soft X-ray spectrum includes a multitude of emission lines which are important for the diagnosis of plasmas in the 1.5-50 million degree temperature range. In particular, the hydrogen and helium-like ions of all abundant solar elements with Z > 7 have their primary transitions in this region and these are especially useful for solar flare and active region studies. The soft X-ray polychromator (XRP) is a high resolution experiment working in this spectral region. The XRP consists of two instruments with a common control, data handling and power system. The bent crystal spectrometer is designed for high time resolution studies in lines of Fe I-Fe XXVI and Ca XIX. The flat crystal scanning spectrometer provides for 7 channel polychromatic mapping of flares and active regions in the resonance lines of O VIII, Ne IX, Mg XI, Si XIII, S XV, Ca XIX, and Fe XXV with 14″ spatial resolution. In its spectral scanning mode it covers essentially the entire 1.4-22.5 Å region. Title: The Mars penetrator telemetry and control system Authors: Bentley, R. D.; Campbell, A. B. Bibcode: 1975isa..conf..324B Altcode: A new method for exploring the planet Mars has been proposed that will use ground-penetrating vehicles to carry scientific instruments below the Martian surface. The subsurface performance of various sequences of complicated experiments poses challenges in the design of the telemetry and control links. This article describes the overall mission, the penetrator, the constraints imposed by the mission and the penetrator, and a design for the telemetry/control system. This design uses a microprogrammed microprocessor; the sequences of commands are stored in a Read-Only-Memory (ROM), and a particular sequence is initiated by transmitting from the earth the address in the ROM that contains the first of the commands for the specific sequence to be performed. Data from the experiments are stored in a memory for later transmission to an orbiter that serves as a relay station for the command and data links with earth.