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Session 36 - Solar Activity.
Display session, Tuesday, June 11
Tripp Commons,

[36.15] Solar Irradiance, Plage and SOHO UV Images

J. C. LoPresto, K. Manross (Edinboro U. of PA)

Calcium K and H alpha plage and sunspot area have been monitored using Big Bear Observatory images on the INTERNET since November of 1992. The purpose of the project is to determine the correlation of changing plage area and solar irradiance changes. We also monitor changes in the K2 spec- tral index provided daily from Sacramento Peak.

With the recent launching of the SOHO satellite, we are able to monitor the plage in the He II 304Å UV image. This image is near the top of the chromosphere nar or just under the transition region. The images show limb brightening as expected. Since it is widely believed that short time scale changes in the UV may be the dominant cause for low amplitude solar irradiance changes, the comparison of the "plage" ara in these UV images to those in conventional visible images should prove instructive.

Program listing for Tuesday