ISSN:
1573-093X
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
Abstract Successful subtraction of instrumental background variations has permitted spectral analyses of two-dimensional measurement arrays of granulation brightness fluctuations at the center of the disk, arrays obtained from Stratoscope I, 1959B-flight, high-resolution frames B1551 and B3241. (a) RMS's, uncorrected for instrumental blurring, are 0.0850 of mean intensity for B1551 and 0.0736 for B3241, somewhat higher than other determinations. These between-frame and between-investigation differences probably result from a combination of calibration errors, frame resolution differences, and, most likely, granulation pattern differences. (b) Significant variations over each array of mean intensities and RMS's, determined for sub-arrays with dimensions in the 2500–10000 km range, indicate spatial brightness and RMS variations larger than the ‘scale’ of the granulation pattern, supporting a turbulent interpretation of photospheric convection. (c) One-dimensional power-spectra shapes provide objective and discriminating criteria for determining granulation pattern differences and, possibly, frame resolution. (d) Two-dimensional power spectra show small, essentially random deviations from axial symmetry which lie almost entirely within the 50% confidence limits. (e) Spectral densities and fluctuation power spectra, computed from the two-dimensional power spectra and corrected for instrumental blurring, noise, and blemishes, have a useable radial wavenumber range nearly double that of earlier Stratoscope I analyses. (f) Corrected RMS's obtained from the corrected fluctuation power spectra, 0.145 ± 0.046 for B1551 and 0.136 ± 0.048 for B3241, depend critically on the accuracy of the correction. (g) The spectra's wavenumber range includes the granulation-fluctuation-producing domain but not the Kolmogoroff domain of turbulence spectra.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00216366
