Magnetic waves are a relevant component in the dynamics of the solar atmosphere. Their significance has increased because of their potential as a remote diagnostic tool and their presumed contribution to plasma heating processes. We discuss our current understanding of coronal heating by magnetic waves, based on recent observational evidence and theoretical advances. The discussion starts with ...

Loadings of tropospheric aerosols have increased substantially over the past 150 yr as a consequence of industrial activities. These aerosols enhance reflection of solar radiation by the Earth-atmosphere system both directly, by scattering light in clear air and, indirectly, by increasing the reflectivity of clouds. The magnitude of the resultant decrease in absorption of solar radiation is est...

A method for numerically solving the equation of radiative transfer in a spherical shell atmosphere is presented. The method uses a conical boundary and a Gauss-Seidel iteration scheme to solve for all orders of scattering along a single radial line in the atmosphere. Tests of the model indicate an accuracy better than 1% for most Earth-atmosphere situations. Results from this model are compare...

A&G • February 2013 • Vol. 54 1.25 The continuous flow of matter that escapes out of the solar gravitational well is known as the solar wind. As the material flows out of the Sun, it is accelerated to between 400 and 800 km s. Through this continuous flow of material, the Sun loses more than one million tonnes every second. But this is just a tiny fraction, corresponding to 2 × 10 of a solar ma...

Aims. The role of carbon monoxide as a cooling agent for the thermal structure of the mid-photospheric to low-chromospheric layers of the solar atmosphere in internetwork regions is investigated. Methods. The treatment of radiative cooling via spectral lines of carbon monoxide (CO) has been added to the radiation chemo-hydrodynamics code CO5BOLD. The radiation transport has now been solved in a...

Aims. The role of carbon monoxide as a cooling agent for the thermal structure of the mid-photospheric to low-chromospheric layers of the solar atmosphere in internetwork regions is investigated. Methods. The treatment of radiative cooling via spectral lines of carbon monoxide (CO) has been added to the radiation chemo-hydrodynamics code CO5BOLD. The radiation transport is now solved in a conti...

Image restoration is used to repair solar images degraded by the turbulence in Earth’s atmosphere. Restoration algorithms are based on models of the optical system that produce the images – from the solar source of radiation, through Earth’s atmosphere and telescope/instrument optics, to the detectors recording the data. In this review, these model components are discussed in the context of two...

Despite decades of efforts aimed at unraveling its origin, the terrestrial atmosphere is still considered to be one of the most puzzling enigmas in earth sciences. Remote observations will provide information on the atmospheres of extra-solar planets, some of these may prove to be hospitable for life. Understanding the origin of Earth’s atmosphere thus improves our knowledge of the sources and ...

A&G • February 2013 • Vol. 54 1.25 The continuous flow of matter that escapes out of the solar gravitational well is known as the solar wind. As the material flows out of the Sun, it is accelerated to between 400 and 800 km s. Through this continuous flow of material, the Sun loses more than one million tonnes every second. But this is just a tiny fraction, corresponding to 2 × 10 of a solar ma...