Bibcode
DOI
Socas-Navarro, H.; Martínez Pillet, V.; Lites, B. W.
Referencia bibliográfica
The Astrophysical Journal, Volume 611, Issue 2, pp. 1139-1148.
Fecha de publicación:
8
2004
Revista
Número de citas
47
Número de citas referidas
40
Descripción
Advanced Stokes Polarimeter observations are used to study the weakest
polarization signals observed in the quiet photosphere with flux
densities in the range of 1.5-50 Mx cm-2, which are found in
internetwork regions. Our analysis allows us to reach an unprecedented
spectropolarimetric sensitivity at the cost of sacrificing spatial
resolution. We find evidence for intrinsically different fields in
granules and lanes and characterize the average properties of the
weakest observable flux concentrations. The magnetic signals observed
suggest a strong coupling between magnetic fields and convective flows.
Upflows bring up weak fields (equipartition or weaker) to the surface,
with stronger upflows carrying larger amounts of flux. The circular
polarization profiles observed in the granular regions display a very
strongly asymmetric shape, which contrasts with the less asymmetric
profiles observed in the downflowing regions. At downflowing locations
with speeds of 0.5 km s-1, both weak and strong fields can be
found. However, when the downflow speed increases (up to about 1 km
s-1) both the mean flux and the intrinsic field strength show
a tendency to increase. The asymmetry of the circular polarization
profiles also shows a clear trend as a function of magnetic flux
density. Low-flux regions display the negative area asymmetry one
naturally expects for field strengths decreasing with height embedded in
a downflowing environment. As we move to stronger flux density
locations, the well-known positive area asymmetry develops and reaches
even higher values than those typically found in network regions. These
results may have important implications for our understanding of the
coupling between magnetic fields and convective processes that pervade
the solar photosphere.