arXiv subjects

Jean-Pierre Rozelot

Publications and source records attributed to Jean-Pierre Rozelot.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Analyses on Christoph Clavius' Reports of Total Solar Eclipses in 1560 and 1567: Key References for the Centennial Variations of the Earth's Rotation Speed and the Solar Radius

Variations in solar radius (hereafter R_Sun) is a key reference for solar magnetic activity in time. The sunlight amount may have varied with R_Sun and had an effect on the Earth's climate in the past. Eclipse observations offer a unique opportunity to measure the absolute R_Sun value before modern direct observations. The scientific community has discussed a possible long-term R_Sun variability from 1715 onward. Prior to their coverage, Clavius' eclipse reports had been subjected to qualitative debates regarding the local eclipse visibility and a possible secular R_Sun trend. This study leverages the recent dramatic developments of lunar topography data and ephemeris data to provide an effective resolution of this debate. Clavius' eclipse reports described an explicit totality in 1560 at Coimbra and a "slender circle" around the eclipsing Moon in 1567 at Rome. Our study revised the ΔT constraints of -492 s =< ΔT =< 200 s in 1560 and 140 s =< ΔT =< 151 s in 1567 to satisfy Clavius' descriptions, considering the lunar limb profile and assuming Auwers' canonical R_Sun. This study constrains the R_Sun margin of 1567, utilising three scenarios to interpret Clavius' account. The local totality requires an upper R_Sun limit of 1567 as R_Sun =< 696200 km in absolute size (959.92" in angular size), indicating no linear secular R_Sun shrinkage but possible R_Sun oscillations on a centennial timescale. Conversely, the annularity scenario is considered unlikely because it requires an R_Sun decrease of 7.5" within 3 centuries, even beyond the capacity of extreme shrinking-Sun hypotheses.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

Sharper Than Ever: Do Modern Observations Pin Down the Solar Radius to Converge on New Standards?

Solar radius measurements and their variations -- if any -- are a difficult problem that has vexed researchers for decades. In this paper, we have attempted to clarify the various ways of expressing the definition ''solar diameter'', from a physical point of view. The concept of diameter is taken here in its broadest sense, leaving aside the issue concerning the oblateness caused by surface and internal angular velocity variations, as deviations from sphericity are negligible in our context. Astrometric time-series observations are still needed, and we advocate strengthening long-term metrological measures to achieve greater consensus on the subject. To date, modern observations of the solar diameter provide a frame of reference, and we give a new glossary. By comparing the best values obtained to date, it is shown that the ''seismic radius'' obtained from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) provides the best determination, a finding supported by observations made at the Calern (F) and Pic du Midi (F) observatories. The latest results on the leptocline show that it is more important than ever to consider at which layers of the Sun radius measurements are carried out. On this basis, we hope to converge on new standards.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

Analyses on Wassenius' Report for Total Solar Eclipse in 1733: Quantifications of the Solar Radius and the Earliest Reported Prominences

Total solar eclipses (TSEs) offer a unique opportunity to observe the solar atmosphere, detect limb phenomena, and accurately measure the solar radius. Following the TSE in 1733, Wassenius first reported the existence of prominences to the scientific community. Wassenius' original manuscript is held in the Royal Academy Archives of Sweden; this study translates his report and documents the associated source materials and local eclipse visibility. The solar radius (R_Sun) during the TSE in 1733 are 696250 +/- 170 km and 959.99 +/- 0.24" in the absolute and apparent scales, respectively. This result contrasts with the modern standard (helioseismic) R_Sun of 695780 +/- 160 km and 959.34 +/- 0.22"; however, it is consistent with the solar radius recorded in 1715. The observed prominences are located at +23.5 +/- 22.5°, +66.5 +/- 22.5°, and -68.5 +/- 22.5° in the heliographic latitude. The appearance of prominences at such high latitudes contrasts with the sunspot butterfly diagram for 1725-1750, confirming 1733 as a solar minimum. These high-latitude prominences can potentially be attributed to the so-called 'polar rush' prominences that appear a few years after a solar minimum. If they are categorised as 'polar rush' prominences, the solar minimum must be re-dated to before 1733 May. Furthermore, the latitudes of at least two of the prominences reported by Wassenius enable their classification as quiescent prominences, suggesting the presence of a polarity inversion line in the polar regions in early 1733.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Structure and Dynamics of the Sun's Interior Revealed by Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager

High-resolution helioseismology observations with the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) onboard Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) provide a unique three-dimensional view of the solar interior structure and dynamics, revealing a tremendous complexity of the physical processes inside the Sun. We present an overview of the results of the HMI helioseismology program and discuss their implications for modern theoretical models and simulations of the solar interior.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Improving Our Knowledge of the Solar Near-Surface Shear Layer: The Special Case of the Leptocline

The discovery of the solar activity cycle was linked from the outset to the observation of the temporal variability of sunspots, which we know to be the result of complex processes associated with the dynamics of inner layers. Numerous recent studies have highlighted changes in the Sun's Near-Surface Shear Layer (NSSL), pointing to the role of the leptocline, a shallow and sharp rotational shear layer in the top around 8 Mm. The leptocline, mainly characterized by a strong radial rotational gradient at middle latitudes and self-organized meridional flows, is the cradle of numerous phenomena: opacity, superadiabaticity, and turbulent pressure changes; the hydrogen and helium ionization processes; a sharp decrease in the sound speed; and, probably, variations of the seismic radius associated with a nonmonotonic expansion of subsurface layers with depth. In addition, the leptocline may play a key role in forming the magnetic butterfly diagram. Such results are a starting point for further systematic investigations of the structure and dynamics of this layer, which will lead to a better understanding of solar activity.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

Exploring the Temporal Variation of the Solar Quadrupole Moment J2

Recently, Rozelot & Eren pointed out that the first solar gravitational moment (J2) might exhibit a temporal variation. The suggested explanation is through the temporal variation of the solar rotation with latitude. This issue is deeper developed due to an accurate knowledge of the long-term variations in solar differential rotation regarding solar activity. Here we analyze solar cycles 12-24, investigating the long-term temporal variations in solar differential rotation. It is shown that J2 exhibits a net modulation over the 13 studied cycles of approximately (89.6 +- 0.1) yr, with a peak-to-peak amplitude of approximately 0.1 x 10-7 for a reference value of 2.07 x 10-7). Moreover, J2 exhibits a positive linear trend in the period of minima solar activity (sunspot number up to around 40) and a marked declining trend in the period of maxima (sunspot number above 50). In absolute magnitude, the mean value of J2 is more significant during periods of minimum than in periods of maximum. These findings are based on observational results that are not free of errors and can be refined further by considering torsional oscillations for example. They are comforted by identifying a periodic variation of the J2 term evidenced through the analysis of the perihelion precession of planetary orbits either deduced from ephemerides or computed in the solar equatorial coordinate system instead of the ecliptic coordinate one usually used.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2022

An outlook on the estimate of the solar quadrupole moment from relativistic gravitation contributions

Of all the solar fundamental parameters (mass, diameter, gravity at the surface,...), the gravitational moments have been quite often ignored in the past, mainly due to the great difficulty to get a reliable estimate. Even though the order of magnitude of the solar quadrupole moment $J_2$ is now known to be $10^{-7}$, its accurate value is still discussed. Indeed, the expansion in multipoles $J_{(l,~ l = 2, ...)}$ of the gravitational potential of a rotating body affects the orbital motion of planets at a relativistic level. We will recall here the recent progresses made in testing General Relativity through the contribution of the first solar quadrupole moment. Using the Eddington-Robertson parameters, we recall the constraints both on a theoretical and experimental point of view. Together with $γ$, which encodes the amount of curvature of space-time per unit rest-mass, the Post--Newtonian Parameter $β$ contributes to the relativistic precession of planets. The latter parameter encodes the amount of non-linearity in the superposition law of gravitation. Even though in principle, it would be possible to extract $J_2$ from planetary ephemerides, we observe that it is significantly correlated with other solution parameters (semi-major axis of planets, mass of asteroids...). Focusing on the $J_2$ correlations, we show that in general, when ~$β$ and ~$γ$ are freed, the correlations ~[$β, J_2$] and ~[$γ, J_2$] are $\approx$ 45\% and $\approx$ 55\% respectively. Moreover, all the planetary dynamics-based values are biased by the Lense--Thiring effect, which has never been modeled and solved for so far, but can be estimated to $\approx$ 7\%. It is thus possible to get a good estimate of the solar quadrupole moment:$1.66\times10^{-7}$$\leq$$J_2$$\leq$$2.32\times10^{-7}$.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2020

Physical Characteristics of Umbral Dots Derived from a High Resolution Observation

The aim of this study is revisit the physical parameters of umbral dots (UDs) with the latest high resolution observations and contribute to the scientific understanding of their formation and evolution. In this study, we applied a particle tracking algorithm for detecting UDs in NOAA AR12384 observed on June 14, 2015 by the Goode Solar Telescope (GST). We analyzed average position distributions, location dependencies, and general properties of detected total 2892 UDs separately during their life time and the periodic behavior of only selected 10 long living UDs. We found; i) brightest, largest, fastest and most elliptic UDs tend to be located at the umbra-penumbra boundary while their lifetime does not display any meaningful location dependency, ii) average dynamic velocity of all detected UDs is about twice (0.76 km/s) of the previously reported average values, iii) obtained trajectories from the longest living 354 UDs show that they have generally inward motion, iv) chosen 10 long living UDs generally have similar periodic behavior showing 8.5-32, 3.5-4.1, 1.5-1.9, and 1.1-1.3 minutes periodicities, v) generally, detected UDs have an elliptical shape with the averaged eccentricity of 0.29, with a 0.11 standard deviation, vi) larger UDs tend to be more elliptic and more dynamic.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

Classical and general relativistic post-Keplerian effects in binary pulsars hosting fast rotating main sequence stars

We consider a binary system composed of a pulsar and a massive, fast rotating, highly distorted main sequence star as a potential scenario to dynamically put to the test certain post-Keplerian effects of both Newtonian and post-Newtonian nature. We numerically produce time series of the perturbations $Δ\left(δτ\right)$ of the Rømer-like, orbital component of the pulsar's time delay $δτ$ induced over 10 years by the pN gravitoelectric mass monopole, quadrupole, gravitomagnetic spin dipole and octupole accelerations along with the Newtonian quadrupolar one. We do not deal with the various propagation time delays due to the travelling electromagnetic waves. It turns out that, for a Be-type star with $M = 15\ \textrm{M}_\odot$, $R_\textrm{e} = 5.96\ \textrm{R}_\odot$, $ν= 0.203$, $S = 3.41\times 10^{45}\ \textrm{J}\ \textrm{s}$, $J_2 = 1.92\times 10^{-3}$ orbited by a pulsar with an orbital period $P_\textrm{b}\simeq 40-70\ \textrm{d}$, the classical oblateness-driven effects are at the $\lesssim 4-150\ \textrm{s}$ level, while the pN shifts are of the order of $\lesssim 1.5-20\ \textrm{s}\ \left(GMc^{-2}\right)$, $\lesssim 10-40\ \textrm{ms}\ \left(GMR^2_\textrm{e} J_2 c^{-2}\right)$, $\lesssim 0.5 - 6\ \textrm{ms}\ \left(GSc^{-2}\right)$, $\lesssim 5 - 20\ μ\textrm{s}\ \left(GSR^2_\textrm{e} \varepsilon^2 c^{-2}\right)$, depending on their orbital configuration. The root-mean-square (rms) timing residuals $σ_τ$ of almost all the existing non-recycled, non-millisecond pulsars orbiting massive, fast rotating main sequence stars are $\lesssim\textrm{ms}$. Thus, such kind of binaries have the potential to become interesting laboratories to measure, or, at least, constrain, some Newtonian and post-Newtonian key features of the distorted gravitational fields of the fast rotating stars hosted by them [Abridged].

gr-qc↗

arXiv2018

Cyclic Changes of the Sun's Seismic Radius

The questions whether the Sun shrinks with the solar activity and what causes this have been a subject of debate. Helioseismology provides means to measure with high precision the radial displacement of subsurface layers, co-called "seismic radius", through analysis of oscillation frequencies of surface gravity (f) modes. Here, we present results of a new analysis of twenty one years of helioseismology data from two space missions, Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SoHO) and Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which allow us to resolve previous uncertainties and compare variations of the seismic radius in two solar cycles. After removing the f-mode frequency changes associated with the surface activity we find that the mean seismic radius is reduced by 1-2 km during the solar maxima, and that most significant variations of the solar radius occur beneath the visible surface of the Sun at the depth of about 5 Mm, where the radius is reduced by 5-8 km. These variations can be interpreted as changes in the solar subsurface structure caused by predominately vertical ~10 kG magnetic field.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2017

Critical frequencies of the ionospheric $F_1$ and $F_2$ layers during the last four solar cycles: sunspot group type dependencies

The long term solar activity dependencies of ionospheric F$_1$ and F$_2$ regions' critical frequencies ($f_0F_1$ and $f_0F_2$) are analyzed for the last four solar cycles (1976--2015). We show that the ionospheric F$_1$ and F$_2$ regions have different solar activity dependencies in terms of the sunspot group (SG) numbers: F$_1$ region critical frequency ($f_0F_1$) peaks at the same time with the small SG numbers, while the $f_0F_2$ reaches its maximum at the same time with the large SG numbers, especially during the solar cycle 23. The observed differences in the sensitivity of ionospheric critical frequencies to sunspot group (SG) numbers provide a new insight into the solar activity effects on the ionosphere and space weather. While the F$_1$ layer is influenced by the slow solar wind, which is largely associated with small SGs, the ionospheric F$_2$ layer is more sensitive to Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and fast solar winds, which are mainly produced by large SGs and coronal holes. The SG numbers maximize during of peak of the solar cycle and the number of coronal holes peaks during the sunspot declining phase. During solar minimum there are relatively less large SGs, hence reduced CME and flare activity. These results provide a new perspective for assessing how the different regions of the ionosphere respond to space weather effects.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2014

Study of Solar Magnetic and Gravitational Energies Through the Virial Theorem

Virial theorem is important for understanding stellar structures. It produces an interesting connection between the magnetic energy and the gravitational one. Using the general form of the virial theorem including the magnetic field (toroidal magnetic field), we may explain the solar dynamo model in related to variations of the magnetic and gravitational energies. We emphasize the role of the gravitational energy in sub-surface layers which has been certainly minored up to now. We also consider two types of solar outer shape (spherical and spheroidal) to study the behavior of magnetic and gravitational energies. The magnetic energy affects the solar shape, while the gravitational energy is not changed by the considered shapes of the Sun.

astro-ph.SR↗