Title: WHI Target of Opportunity Campaign 1: Active Regions Authors: Robert Leamon, plus S Gibson, S McIntosh and anyone who was involved on Max Millenium Plan 003 (SOHO JOP153) "Region Likely to Produce Major Flares" Update History: First Draft (Nov 16, 2007) Participating instruments and observatories Space Based: SOHO/EIT SOHO/MDI STEREO/SECCHI/EUVI/COR1/COR2/HI (if not standard synoptic observations) Hinode/XRT/EIS Hinode/SOT TRACE SYNOPTIC: SOHO/LASCO-C2/C3 STEREO/SECCHI/EUVI/COR1/COR2/HI (may also run special high cadence observations) STEREO/IMPACT STEREO/PLASTIC H-alpha (BBSO, ISOON, MLSO...) Ground based white light (Mauna Loa...) Nancay radioheliograph SMEI RHESSI Scientific Goals To obtain multi-wavelength imaging and spectroscopic observations before, during and after any solar flares that may occur during the IHY Whole Heliosphere Interval (WHI; Carrington Rotation 2068: March 20 - April 16, 2008). In many ways, this is a target-of-opportunity campaign, akin to the Max Millenium Major Flare Watch (aka SOHO JOP153 "Region Likely to Produce Major Flares"). As such, that JOP could be invoked as a first step in this campaign (but see below for perhaps unusual changes to TRACE and EIT imaging sequences). The global objective is to make a detailed study of the response of the solar chromosphere, transition region and corona in and around an active region to the constantly evolving magnetic field. The manifestations of an Active Regions extend from below the photosphere out through the solar atmosphere, and while flaring reconnection happens in the corona, its impact and influence extends down through the transition region and chromosphere. As such, we propose to probe those regions, and the interplay between the magnetic field and plasma motions (and magnetic and acoustic waves) and how these are affected by a solar flare. Detailed Observing Sequences per Instrument (may need revision later, based on input from instrument teams). STEREO/SECCHI STEREO/SECCHI/EUVI and/or COR1 -- highest time cadence available, although normal synoptic data is likely and sufficient -- EUVI normal synoptic data [304, 195, 284 - 10 mins, 171 - 1 minute]. STEREO's synoptic observations will be the main source of whole-Sun coronal images during the campaign, freeing SOHO/EIT and TRACE for other complementary observations SOHO/EIT: EIT Shutterless mode would be ideal, but it is not compatible with a target of opportunity, and requires many months lead time for DSN scheduling. However, it is quite likely that other WHI campaigns will request it. Shutterless also needs to be shut down if the X-ray flux from a flare gets too large, although at this point in the solar cycle we are probably safe from that, but this is a flare target of opportunity campaign... If possible (we estimate 1 or 2 times during the course of the campaign) we would like to run in EIT shutterless mode at 304 A (10'x10' field of view). At other times we would like high cadence EIT sub fields in 304 or 195 A, 8'x8' field of view. SOHO/MDI: High Res FOV Observations [if possible for on-disk studies] Regular Full Disk Observations [magnetograms/dopplergrams at 60s] Hinode/EIS Observing Plan A combination of the 2" slit study CMEO_SLIT_STUDY and the slot (40" wide slit) study CMEO_SLOT_STUDY. These studies are designed to observe CME eruptions and related phenomena. Hinode/SOT: SP: Fast Maps [0.3" spatial resolution] 1) Prior and after Observing Period Perform 100"X100" spectropolarimetric maps in Fe I 6301/6302 2) During Observing Period perform 100"x100" repeated rastering of SP. BFI: Alternating at 15s cadence Ca II H (3968.5 Ang) full field (100"x100"), long exposure Gband full field (100"x100") NFI: Choice of - Fe I 6301 Ang. photospheric magnetograms at 10s cadence (100"x100") Na I 5890.6 Ang. chromospheric magnetograms at 10s cadence (100"x100") - comparison with MOTH II H I 6562.8 Ang. line core at 5s cadence (100"x100") -- Fibrils/Mottles : Context for Ca II H H I 6562.8 Ang. (+/- 800mA) Dopplergrams at 10s cadence (100"x100") -- Straws and Dynamic Spicules H I 6562.8 Ang. (+/- 400mA) Dopplergrams at 10s cadence (100"x100") -- Straws and Dynamic Spicules Na I 5890.6 Ang. Dopplergrams at 10s cadence (100"x100") - comparison with MOTH II Hinode/XRT: Filters: Al/poly (8 sec exposure), Ti/Poly (16 sec exposure) Cadence: ~30 sec cadence FOV: 250"x250" centered on target region [capture aspects of global connectivity] Context: Al/poly (2048x2048, 2x2 binned), 5 thin Be (768"x384" 23sec) every ~30 minutes Note: In the case of an active region on the sun, the long exposures can be replaced by multiple short exposures. TRACE: Main wavelength: Alternating 1600/1700 TDT.any_frames [McIntosh "INO" Program] Cadence: ~ 12s FOV: 640x512 pixels (320"x256") centered on target region [capture aspects of global connectivity] Context : 171/195/WL taken at start and end of each hour-long sequence.