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Rotation of the sun measured from Mount Wilson white-light imagesThe instrumentation, data and data reduction procedures used in white light observations of sunspot rotation rates are described. The study covered 62 yr of rotation observations. The data were all gathered using the same Mt. Wilson telescope, which has had three different main lenses in the interval 1981-82. Details of the exposure calibration and lens operation procedures are provided. The data were treated in terms of eight evenly space determinations of the solar limb and account was taken of all sunspots within 60 deg of the central meridian. Spot movements were traced in terms of groups of contiguous individual spots. Large spots rotated slower than small spots, a condition attributed to greater viscous drag in the larger flux tubes in the photosphere. The data tend to confirm theories that the photospheric gas revolves at a different rate than the sunspots.
Document ID
19840064434
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Howard, R.
(National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, CO, United States)
Gilman, P. I.
(Mount Wilson and Las Campanas Observatories Pasadena, CA, United States)
Gilman, P. A.
(High Altitude Observatory Boulder, CO, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1984
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 283
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Solar Physics
Accession Number
84A47221
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGR-09-140-015
CONTRACT_GRANT: N00014-18-C-0065
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-80-20445
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-80-21249
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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