Utilization of Solar Dynamics Observatory space weather digital image data for comparative analysis with applicationto Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey

摘要

Digital solar image data is available to users with access to standard, mass-market software. Many scientificprojects utilize the Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) format, which requires specialized softwaretypically used in astrophysical research. Data in the FITS format includes photometric and spatial calibrationinformation, which may not be useful to researchers working with self-calibrated, comparative approaches. Thisproject examines the advantages of using mass-market software with readily downloadable image data from theSolar Dynamics Observatory for comparative analysis over with the use of specialized software capable ofreading data in the FITS format. Comparative analyses of brightness statistics that describe the solar disk in thestudy of magnetic energy using algorithms included in mass-market software have been shown to give resultssimilar to analyses using FITS data. The entanglement of magnetic energy associated with solar eruptions, aswell as the development of such eruptions, has been characterized successfully using mass-market software. Theproposed algorithm would help to establish a publicly accessible, computing network that could assist inexploratory studies of all FITS data. The advances in computer, cell phone and tablet technology couldincorporate such an approach readily for the enhancement of high school and first-year college space weathereducation on a global scale. Application to ground based data such as that contained in the Baryon OscillationSpectroscopic Survey is discussed.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.