Bibcode
DOI
Cabrera Solana, D.; Bellot Rubio, L. R.; Beck, C.; del Toro Iniesta, J. C.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 649, Issue 1, pp. L41-L44.
Advertised on:
9
2006
Journal
Citations
57
Refereed citations
52
Description
The relation between the Evershed flow and moving magnetic features
(MMFs) is studied using high-cadence, simultaneous spectropolarimetric
measurements of a sunspot in visible (630.2 nm) and near-infrared (1565
nm) lines. Doppler velocities, magnetograms, and total linear
polarization maps are calculated from the observed Stokes profiles. We
follow the temporal evolution of two Evershed clouds that move radially
outward along the same penumbral filament. Eventually, the clouds cross
the visible border of the spot and enter the moat region, where they
become MMFs. The flux patch farther from the sunspot has the same
polarity of the spot, while the MMF closer to it has opposite polarity
and exhibits abnormal circular polarization profiles. Our results
provide strong evidence that at least some MMFs are the continuation of
the penumbral Evershed flow into the moat. This, in turn, suggests that
MMFs are magnetically connected to sunspots.