arXiv subjects

K. Sowmya

Publications and source records attributed to K. Sowmya.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Sensitivity of spectral lines to granulation: from the Sun to K-type stars

Stellar granulation produces radial-velocity (RV) jitter at the 1 m/s level in Sun-like stars, limiting Earth-analog detection. A route beyond this limit is to weight spectral lines according to their granulation sensitivity. We apply a line-by-line diagnostic from 3D magneto-convection simulations that measures how each line's Doppler shift and strength respond to convective velocity and thermodynamic fluctuations. Extending our solar study, which used spatial line-profile variability across one granulation snapshot as an efficient proxy for temporal variability, we test whether this diagnostic transfers to cooler stars and examine how sensitivity changes with spectral type. We synthesize high-resolution spectra with MPS-ATLAS from 3D time-dependent MURaM simulations of the Sun and late-G and K dwarfs, focusing on FeI and FeII lines spanning broad ranges of excitation potential and strength. With decreasing $T_{\mathrm{eff}}$, weaker convective velocities and changing ionization balance produce a clearer separation between line families: FeI lines show lower velocity sensitivity and smaller fractional strength variability, while FeII lines are more sensitive. Cumulative contribution functions link spectroscopic velocity jitter to characteristic line-formation temperature. The diagnostic robustly separates stable and granulation-sensitive lines in late-G and K dwarfs, enabling spectral-type-aware cross-correlation masks and line-by-line RV weights. Solar-optimized line selections are therefore not generally portable to cooler stars, particularly when based on equivalent-width stability rather than velocity sensitivity.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Sensitivity of spectral lines to granulation: The Sun

The intrinsic variability of stars, due to acoustic oscillations, surface granulation, and magnetic activity, introduces radial velocity (RV) jitter in spectral lines, obscuring true planetary signals and hindering the detection of Earth-like planets. Granulation is particularly challenging, as it affects even the most inactive stars introducing substantial signals, with amplitudes up to 1 m/s. Disentangling granulation-induced RV jitter from signal caused by planetary reflex motion requires reliable models of stellar granulation. In this study, we present a new approach for calculating sensitivities of spectral lines to granulation. We simulate near-surface convection with 3D radiative MHD code MURaM and calculate high-resolution emergent spectra with the radiative transfer code MPS-ATLAS. We then introduce a novel methodology that uses spatial variability of spectral lines across the granulation pattern at a single moment in time to compute their temporal variability. This approach significantly reduces computational costs. We apply our approach to analyze the response of lines from neutral and singly ionized elemental species to solar granulation.We find a clear distinction between the two groups of lines: those from neutral elements tend to show stronger variations in line strength, whereas those from singly ionized elements exhibit larger variations in central wavelength. These results enable the development of spectral line masks tailored to granulation sensitivity, offering a promising strategy to reduce granulation-induced RV noise and improve exoplanet detection.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2025

Solar variability in the Mg II h and k lines

Solar irradiance and its variations in the ultraviolet (UV) control the photochemistry in Earth's atmosphere and influence Earth's climate. The variability of Mg II h and k core-to-wing ratio, also known as the Mg II index, is highly correlated with the solar UV irradiance variability. Because of this, Mg II index is routinely used as a proxy for solar UV irradiance variability, which can help to get insights into the influence of solar UV irradiance variability on Earth's climate. Measurements of the Mg II index, however, have only been carried out since 1978 and do not cover the climate relevant timescales longer than a few decades. Here we present a model to calculate the Mg II index and its variability based on the well-established SATIRE (Spectral And Total Irradiance REconstruction) model. We demonstrate that our model calculations yield an excellent agreement with the observed Mg II index variations, both on the solar activity cycle and on the solar rotation timescales. Using this model, we synthesize Mg II index timeseries on climate relevant timescales of decades and longer. Here we present the timeseries of the Mg II index spanning nearly three centuries.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

Modeling Stellar CaII H & K Emission Variations: Spot Contribution to the S-index

The S-index is a measure of emission in the CaII H & K lines and is a widely used proxy of stellar magnetic activity. It has been assumed until now that the S-index is mainly affected by bright plage regions in the chromosphere. In particular, the effect of starspots on the S-index has been neglected. In this study we revisit this assumption. For this we analyze high-resolution observations of sunspots recorded in the CaII H spectral line at the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope and determine the contrast of spots with respect to the quiet surroundings. We find that the CaII H line core averaged over whole sunspots (including superpenumbrae) is brighter than in the quiet surroundings and that the spot contrast in the line core is comparable to the facular contrast. This allows us to get a first estimate of the influence of spots on the S-index. We show that spots increase the S-index. While this increase is quite small for the Sun, it becomes significantly larger for more active stars. Further, we show that the inclusion of the contribution of spots to the S-index strongly affects the relationship between the S-index and stellar disk area coverages by spots and faculae, and present the new relations.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2022

Magnetized supersonic downflows in the chromosphere. A statistical study using the He I 10830 Å lines

The chromosphere above active regions (ARs) on the Sun hosts magnetized supersonic downflows. Studies of these supersonic downflows help to decipher the magnetic fine structure and dynamics of the chromosphere. We perform a statistical analysis of the magnetized supersonic downflows in a number of ARs and survey their characteristics. We analyze spectro-polarimetric scans of parts of 13 ARs obtained in the infrared He I 10830 Å triplet formed in the upper chromosphere recorded with the GREGOR Infrared Spectrograph (GRIS) mounted at the GREGOR solar telescope. We retrieve the line-of-sight velocities and the magnetic field vector using the HeLIx+ inversion code that assumes Milne-Eddington atmospheres. We find magnetized supersonic downflows in all the ARs, with larger area coverage by such flows in ARs observed during their emerging phase. The fact that supersonic downflows were detected in all scans, though they cover only a small fraction, 0.2--6.4%, of the observed field-of-view, suggests that they are a common phenomenon in the upper chromospheres of ARs. The supersonic downflows are found to be associated with many AR features such as pores, sunspot umbrae, sunspot penumbrae, light bridges, plages, He I loops as part of arch filament systems characteristic of emerging fields, and filaments. Although several mechanisms are identified to be causing the supersonic downflows, by far the most common one appears to be the draining of plasma along the legs of rising magnetic loops. The loops mainly drain into forming pores. The line-of-sight velocities of the supersonic downflows reach up to 49 kms-1 and the velocity distribution shows multiple populations. Almost 92% of these supersonic downflows coexist with a subsonic flow component. The weaker, more horizontal fields associated with the supersonic component suggests that it is formed above the subsonic component.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2022

Faculae cancel out on the surfaces of active Suns

Surfaces of the Sun and other cool stars are filled with magnetic fields, which are either seen as dark compact spots or more diffuse bright structures like faculae. Both hamper detection and characterisation of exoplanets, affecting stellar brightness and spectra, as well as transmission spectra. However, the expected facular and spot signals in stellar data are quite different, for instance they have distinct temporal and spectral profiles. Consequently, corrections of stellar data for magnetic activity can greatly benefit from the insight on whether the stellar signal is dominated by spots or faculae. Here, we utilise a surface flux transport model (SFTM) to show that more effective cancellation of diffuse magnetic flux associated with faculae leads to spot area coverages increasing faster with stellar magnetic activity than that by faculae. Our calculations explain the observed dependence between solar spot and facular area coverages and allow its extension to stars more active than the Sun. This extension enables anticipating the properties of stellar signal and its more reliable mitigation, leading to a more accurate characterisation of exoplanets and their atmospheres.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2022

Predictions of Astrometric Jitter for Sun-like Stars. III. Fast Rotators

A breakthrough in exoplanet detections is foreseen with the unprecedented astrometric measurement capabilities offered by instrumentation aboard Gaia space observatory. Besides, astrometric discoveries of exoplanets are expected from the planned space mission, Small-JASMINE. In this setting, the present series of papers focuses on estimating the effect of magnetic activity of G2V-type host stars on the astrometric signal. This effect interferes with the astrometric detections of Earth-mass planets. While the first two papers considered stars rotating at the solar rotation rate, this paper focuses on stars having solar effective temperature and metallicity but rotating faster than the Sun, and consequently more active. By simulating the distribution of active regions on such stars using the Flux Emergence And Transport model, we show that the contribution of magnetic activity to the astrometric measurements becomes increasingly significant with increasing rotation rates. We further show that the jitter for the most variable periodic Kepler stars is high enough to be detected by Gaia. Furthermore, due to a decrease in the facula-to-spot area ratio for more active stars, the magnetic jitter is found to be spot-dominated for rapid rotators. Our simulations of the astrometric jitter has the potential to aid the interpretation of data from Gaia and upcoming space astrometry missions.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2021

Predictions of Astrometric Jitter for Sun-like Stars. II. Dependence on Inclination, Metallicity, and Active-Region Nesting

Ultra-precise astrometry from the Gaia mission is expected to lead to astrometric detections of more than 20,000 exoplanets in our Galaxy. One of the factors that could hamper such detections is the astrometric jitter caused by the magnetic activity of the planet host stars. In our previous study, we modeled astrometric jitter for the Sun observed equator-on. In this work, we generalize our model and calculate the photocenter jitter as it would be measured by the Gaia and Small-JASMINE missions for stars with solar rotation rate and effective temperature, but with various values of the inclination angle of the stellar rotation axis. In addition, we consider the effect of metallicity and of nesting of active regions (i.e. the tendency of active regions to emerge in the vicinity of each other). We find that, while the jitter of stars observed equator-on does not have any long-term trends and can be easily filtered out, the photocenters of stars observed out of their equatorial planes experience systematic shifts over the course of the activity cycle. Such trends allow the jitter to be detected with continuous measurements, in which case it can interfere with planet detectability. An increase in the metallicity is found to increase the jitter caused by stellar activity. Active-region nesting can further enhance the peak-to-peak amplitude of the photocenter jitter to a level that could be detected by Gaia.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2021

Modeling stellar Ca II H & K emission variations. I. Effect of inclination on the S-index

The emission in the near ultraviolet Ca II H & K lines is modulated by stellar magnetic activity. Although this emission, quantified via the S-index, has been serving as a prime proxy of stellar magnetic activity for several decades, many aspects of the complex relation between stellar magnetism and Ca II H & K emission are still unclear. The amount of measured Ca II H & K emission is suspected to be affected not only by the stellar intrinsic properties but also by the inclination angle of the stellar rotation axis. Until now such an inclination effect on S-index has remained largely unexplored. To fill this gap, we develop a physics-based model to calculate S-index, focusing on the Sun. Using the distributions of solar magnetic features derived from observations together with Ca II H & K spectra synthesized in non-local thermodynamic equilibrium, we validate our model by successfully reconstructing the observed variations of solar S-index over four activity cycles. Further, using the distribution of magnetic features over the visible solar disk obtained from surface flux transport simulations, we obtain S-index time series dating back to 1700 and investigate the effect of inclination on S-index variability, both on the magnetic activity cycle and the rotational timescales. We find that when going from an equatorial to a pole-on view, the amplitude of S-index variations decreases weakly on the activity cycle timescale and strongly on the rotational timescale (by about 22% and 81%, respectively, for a cycle of intermediate strength). The absolute value of S-index depends only weakly on the inclination. We provide analytical expressions that model such dependencies.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2020

Importance of Angle-dependent Partial Frequency Redistribution in Hyperfine Structure Transitions Under Incomplete Paschen-Back Effect Regime

Angle-frequency coupling in scattering of polarized light on atoms is represented by the angle-dependent (AD) partial frequency redistribution (PRD) matrices. There are several lines in the linearly polarized solar spectrum, for which PRD combined with quantum interference between hyperfine structure states play a significant role. Here we present the solution of the polarized line transfer equation including the AD-PRD matrix for scattering on a two-level atom with hyperfine structure splitting (HFS) and an unpolarized lower level. We account for the effects of arbitrary magnetic fields (including the incomplete Paschen-Back effect regime) and elastic collisions. For exploratory purposes we consider a self-emitting isothermal planar atmosphere and use atomic parameters that represent an isolated Na\,{\sc i} D$_2$ line. For this case we show that the AD-PRD effects are significant for field strengths below about 30G, but that the computationally much less demanding approximation of angle-averaged (AA) PRD may be used for stronger fields.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2020

Dynamic algorithms for visibility polygons in simple polygons

We devise the following dynamic algorithms for both maintaining as well as querying for the visibility and weak visibility polygons amid vertex insertions and/or deletions to the simple polygon. * A fully-dynamic algorithm for maintaining the visibility polygon of a fixed point located interior to the simple polygon amid vertex insertions and deletions to the simple polygon. The time complexity to update the visibility polygon of a point $q$ due to the insertion (resp. deletion) of vertex $v$ to (resp. from) the current simple polygon is expressed in terms of the number of combinatorial changes needed to the visibility polygon of $q$ due to the insertion (resp. deletion) of $v$. * An output-sensitive query algorithm to answer the visibility polygon query corresponding to any point $p$ in $\mathbb{R}^2$ amid vertex insertions and deletions to the simple polygon. If $p$ is not exterior to the current simple polygon, then the visibility polygon of $p$ is computed. Otherwise, our algorithm outputs the visibility polygon corresponding to the exterior visibility of $p$. * An incremental algorithm to maintain the weak visibility polygon of a fixed-line segment located interior to the simple polygon amid vertex insertions to the simple polygon. The time complexity to update the weak visibility polygon of a line segment $pq$ due to the insertion of vertex $v$ to the current simple polygon is expressed in terms of the sum of the number of combinatorial updates needed to the geodesic shortest path trees rooted at $p$ and $q$ due to the insertion of $v$. * An output-sensitive algorithm to compute the weak visibility polygon corresponding to any query line segment located interior to the simple polygon amid both the vertex insertions and deletions to the simple polygon. Each of these algorithms requires preprocessing the initial simple polygon.

cs.CG↗

arXiv2019

Fast downflows in a chromospheric filament

An active region filament in the upper chromosphere is studied using spectropolarimetric data in He I 10830 A from the GREGOR telescope. A Milne-Eddingon based inversion of the Unno-Rachkovsky equations is used to retrieve the velocity and the magnetic field vector of the region. The plasma velocity reaches supersonic values closer to the feet of the filament barbs and coexist with a slow velocity component. Such supersonic velocities result from the acceleration of the plasma as it drains from the filament spine through the barbs. The line-of-sight magnetic fields have strengths below 200 G in the filament spine and in the filament barbs where fast downflows are located, their strengths range between 100 - 700 G.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2019

Polarized Line Formation in Arbitrary Strength Magnetic Fields: the case of a two-level atom with hyperfine structure splitting

Quantum interference effects together with partial frequency redistribution (PFR) in line scattering produce subtle signatures in the so called Second Solar Spectrum (the linearly polarized spectrum of the Sun). These signatures are modified in the presence of arbitrary strength magnetic fields via the Hanle, Zeeman, and Paschen-Back effects. In the present paper we solve the problem of polarized line formation in a magnetized atmosphere taking into account scattering in a two-level atom with hyperfine structure splitting together with PFR. To this end we incorporate the collisionless PFR matrix derived in Sowmya et al. (2014) in the polarized transfer equation. We apply the scattering expansion method to solve this transfer equation. We study the combined effects of PFR and Paschen-Back effect on polarized line profiles formed in an isothermal one-dimensional planar atmosphere. For this purpose, we consider the cases of D$_2$ lines of Li\,{\sc i} and Na\,{\sc i}.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2015

Polarized scattering with Paschen-Back effect, hyperfine structure, and partial frequency redistribution in magnetized stellar atmospheres

$F$-state interference significantly modifies the polarization produced by scattering processes in the solar atmosphere. Its signature in the emergent Stokes spectrum in the absence of magnetic fields is depolarization in the line core. In the present paper, we derive the partial frequency redistribution (PRD) matrix that includes interference between the upper hyperfine structure states of a two-level atom in the presence of magnetic fields of arbitrary strengths. The theory is applied to the Na I D$_2$ line that is produced by the transition between the lower $J=1/2$ and upper $J=3/2$ states which split into $F$ states because of the coupling with the nuclear spin $I_s=3/2$. The properties of the PRD matrix for the single-scattering case is explored, in particular, the effects of the magnetic field in the Paschen--Back regime and their usefulness as a tool for the diagnostics of solar magnetic fields.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2015

Polarized scattering of light for arbitrary magnetic fields with level-crossings from the combination of hyperfine and fine structure splittings

Interference between magnetic substates of the hyperfine structure states belonging to different fine structure states of the same term influences the polarization for some of the diagnostically important lines of the Sun's spectrum, like the sodium and lithium doublets. The polarization signatures of this combined interference contain information on the properties of the solar magnetic fields. Motivated by this, in the present paper, we study the problem of polarized scattering on a two-term atom with hyperfine structure by accounting for the partial redistribution in the photon frequencies arising due to the Doppler motions of the atoms. We consider the scattering atoms to be under the influence of a magnetic field of arbitrary strength and develop a formalism based on the Kramers--Heisenberg approach to calculate the scattering cross section for this process. We explore the rich polarization effects that arise from various level-crossings in the Paschen--Back regime in a single scattering case using the lithium atomic system as a concrete example that is relevant to the Sun.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2015

Blend lines in the polarized spectrum of the Sun

Blend lines form an integral part of the theoretical analysis and modeling of the polarized spectrum of the Sun. Their interaction with other spectral lines needs to be explored and understood before we can properly use the main spectral lines to diagnose the Sun. They are known to cause a decrease in the polarization in the wings of the main line on which they superpose, or in the polarization of the continuum, when they are assumed to be formed either under the local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions, or when their intrinsic polarizability factor is zero. In this paper, we describe the theoretical framework to include the blend lines formed under non-LTE conditions, in the radiative transfer equation, and the numerical techniques to solve it. The properties of a blend line having an intrinsic polarization of its own and its interaction with the main line are discussed. The results of our analysis show that the influence of the blend lines on the main spectral lines, though small in the present context, is important and needs to be considered when interpreting the polarized spectral lines in the second solar spectrum.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2014

Polarized light scattering with Paschen-Back effect, level-crossing of fine structure states and partial frequency redistribution

The quantum interference between the fine structure states of an atom modifies the shapes of the emergent Stokes profiles in the Second Solar Spectrum. This phenomenon has been studied in great detail both in the presence and absence of magnetic fields. By assuming a flat-spectrum for the incident radiation, the signatures of this effect have been explored for arbitrary field strengths. Even though the theory which takes into account the frequency dependence of the incident radiation is well developed, it is restricted to the regime in which the magnetic splitting is much smaller than the fine structure splitting. In the present paper, we carry out a generalization of our scattering matrix formalism including the effects of partial frequency redistribution (PRD) for arbitrary magnetic fields. We test the formalism using available benchmarks for special cases. In particular we apply it to the Li\,{\sc i} 6708\,Å D$_1$ and D$_2$ line system, for which observable effects from the Paschen-Back regime are expected in the Sun's spectrum.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2012

Polarized line transfer with F-state interference in a non-magnetic medium: Partial frequency redistribution effects in the collisionless regime

Quantum interference phenomena manifests itself in several ways in the polarized solar spectrum formed due to coherent scattering processes. One such effect arises due to interference between the fine structure (J) states giving rise to multiplets. Another effect is that which arises due to interference between the hyperfine structure (F) states. We extend the redistribution matrix derived for the J-state interference to the case of F-state interference. We then incorporate it into the polarized radiative transfer equation and solve it for isothermal constant property slab atmospheres. The relevant transfer equation is solved using a polarized approximate lambda iteration (PALI) technique based on operator perturbation. An alternative method derived from the Neumann series expansion is also proposed and is found to be relatively more efficient than the PALI method. The effects of PRD and the F-state interference on the shapes of the linearly polarized Stokes profiles are discussed. The emergent Stokes profiles are computed for hypothetical line transitions arising due to hyperfine structure splitting (HFS) of the upper J=3/2 and lower J=1/2 levels of a two-level atom model with nuclear spin I_s=3/2. We confine our attention to the non-magnetic scattering in the collisionless regime.

astro-ph.SR↗