Bibcode
Fischer, C. E.; Keller, C. U.; Snik, F.; Fletcher, L.; Socas-Navarro, H.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 547, id.A34, 12 pp.
Advertised on:
11
2012
Journal
Citations
14
Refereed citations
13
Description
Aims: We analyze a set of full Stokes profile observations of the
flaring active region NOAA 10808. The region was recorded with the
Vector-Spectromagnetograph of the Synoptic Optical Long-term
Investigations of the Sun facility. The active region produced several
successive X-class flares between 19:00 UT and 24:00 UT on September 13,
2005 and we aim to quantify transient and permanent changes in the
magnetic field and velocity field during one of the flares, which has
been fully captured. Methods: The Stokes profiles were inverted
using the height-dependent inversion code LILIA to analyze magnetic
field vector changes at the flaring site. We report multilobed
asymmetric Stokes V profiles found in the δ-sunspot umbra. We fit
the asymmetric Stokes V profiles assuming an atmosphere consisting of
two components (SIR inversions) to interpret the profile shape. The
results are put in context with Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI)
magnetograms and reconstructed X-ray images from the Reuven Ramaty High
Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager. Results: We obtain the
magnetic field vector and find signs of restructuring of the
photospheric magnetic field during the flare close to the polarity
inversion line at the flaring site. At two locations in the umbra we
encounter strong fields (~3 kG), as inferred from the Stokes I profiles,
which, however, exhibit a low polarization signal. During the flare we
observe in addition asymmetric Stokes V profiles at one of these sites.
The asymmetric Stokes V profiles appear co-spatial and co-temporal with
a strong apparent polarity reversal observed in MDI-magnetograms and a
chromospheric hard X-ray source. The two-component atmosphere fits of
the asymmetric Stokes profiles result in line-of-sight velocity
differences in the range of ~12 km s-1 to 14 km
s-1 between the two components in the photosphere. Another
possibility is that local atmospheric heating is causing the observed
asymmetric Stokes V profile shape. In either case our analysis shows
that a very localized patch of ~5″ in the photospheric umbra,
co-spatial with a flare footpoint, exhibits a subresolution fine
structure.
Related projects
Magnetism, Polarization and Radiative Transfer in Astrophysics
Magnetic fields pervade all astrophysical plasmas and govern most of the variability in the Universe at intermediate time scales. They are present in stars across the whole Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, in galaxies, and even perhaps in the intergalactic medium. Polarized light provides the most reliable source of information at our disposal for the
Tanausú del
Pino Alemán