Lifetimes of High-Degree p Modes in the Quiet and Active Sun

We study variations of the lifetimes of high-a solar p modes in the quiet and active Sun with the solar activity cycle. The lifetimes in the degree range a=300 -aEuro parts per thousand 600 and nu=2.5 -aEuro parts per thousand 4.5 mHz were computed from SOHO/MDI data in an area including active regions and quiet Sun using the time -aEuro parts per thousand distance technique. We applied our analysis to the data in four different phases of solar activity: 1996 (at minimum), 1998 (rising phase), 2000 (at maximum), and 2003 (declining phase). The results from the area with active regions show that the lifetime decreases as activity increases. The maximal lifetime variations are between solar minimum in 1996 and maximum in 2000; the relative variation averaged over all a values and frequencies is a decrease of about 13%. The lifetime reductions relative to 1996 are about 7% in 1998 and about 10% in 2003. The lifetime computed in the quiet region still decreases with solar activity, although the decrease is smaller. On average, relative to 1996, the lifetime decrease is about 4% in 1998, 10% in 2000, and 8% in 2003. Thus, measured lifetime increases when regions of high magnetic activity are avoided. Moreover, the lifetime computed in quiet regions also shows variations with the activity cycle.