A Moreton wave is the chromospheric signature of a large-scale solar coronal shock wave. Described as a kind of solar "tsunamis", they are generated by solar flares. They are named for American astronomer Gail Moreton, an observer at the Lockheed Solar Observatory in Burbank who spotted them in 1959. [1][2][3][4] He discovered them in time-lapse photography of the chromosphere in the light of the Balmer alpha transition.
Moreton waves propagate at a speed of 500-1500 km/s, and occur where a coronal magnetohydrodynamic fast-mode weak shock wave intersects the chromosphere according to a well-known theory of Yutaka Uchida that links them to radio type II bursts. Moreton waves can be observed primarily in the Hα band.[5]
References
- ^ Moreton, G. E., Hα Observations of Flare-Initiated Disturbances with Velocities ~1000 km/sec.. Astronomical Journal, Vol. 65, p. 494. (1960) [1]
- ^ Moreton, G. E. & Ramsey, H. E., Recent Observations of Dynamical Phenomena Associated with Solar Flares. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Vol. 72, No. 428, p.357 (October, 1960).[2]
- ^ R. Grant Athay, Gail E. Moreton, Impulsive Phenomena of the Solar Atmosphere. I. Some Optical Events Associated with Flares Showing Explosive Phase.. Astrophysical Journal, 1961. - Full paper. For more Moreton articles see link: [3]
- ^ Google Answers, Biographical info on Gail E. Moreton. Moreton b. 27 Jun 1930 d. Oct. 1982.
- ^ N. Narukage, et al. (2004). "Moreton waves observed at Hida Observatory" (PDF). Proceedings IAU Symposium 2004 (223): 367–370. doi:. http://journals.cambridge.org/production/action/cjoGetFulltext?fulltextid=288483. Retrieved 2006-12-11.
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