Vitalizing four solar cycles of Kitt Peak synoptic magnetograms
Abstract
Solar magnetism spans many decades of spatial and temporal scales. Studies of the larger end of these ranges requires frequent observations of the full solar disk over long durations. To aid investigations of the solar cycle and individual active region evolution, nearly daily magnetograms have been observed from Kitt Peak during solar cycles 20-23. These data were used in real time for space weather predictions, and archived observations have so far served more than 1500 refereed research publications. Some of the observations suffered from various instrumental problems. We report ongoing efforts to restore and correct observations from 1970-2003 in order to maximize the scientific value of the observations. The main improvements are reductions of certain instrumental noise, signal biases, and imperfect scanning geometry. The improved data will be used the make synchronic and diachronic synoptic maps, a catalog of active region properties, and estimates of tracer flow patterns.In addition to base funding from NSF, NASA and NOAA provided substantial support of the Kitt Peak synoptic observations.
- Publication:
-
AAS/AGU Triennial Earth-Sun Summit
- Pub Date:
- April 2015
- Bibcode:
- 2015TESS....111102H