Reduction and Analysis of the Mt. Wilson Observations of Solar Magnetic Plages 1915-1985

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Improved understanding of the solar activity cycle and of its effects upon solar outputs requires, first and foremost, more information on its past behavior. This grant is for the completion of one aspect of the RISE (Radiative Inputs of the Sun to Earth) program, to digitize and reduce the CaK spectroheliograms obtained on a daily basis between 1915 and 1985 at Mt. Wilson. These images provide by far the longest record of solar chromospheric plages. We also plan to analyze the behavior of these structures in active regions and in the network over the past 7 solar cycles, for information on variations of solar UV, EUV and total irradiances. The behavior of facular area, spatial distribution, and brightness will also provide information on the sun's magnetic fields and activity levels that is complementary to data obtained by the sunspot index, and from other much shorter data bases such as magnetograms. The data from this grant will be made available to the scientific community. The results of this project should be of considerable interest to the upper atmospheric physicists, climatologists and in ongoing efforts to improve prediction and dynamical understanding of solar activity cycles.