124 research outputs found
On the Sensitivity of Partial Redistribution Scattering Polarization Profiles to Various Atmospheric Parameters
This paper presents a detailed study of the scattering polarization profiles
formed under partial frequency redistribution (PRD) in two thermal models of
the solar atmosphere. Particular attention is given to understanding the
influence of several atmospheric parameters on the emergent fractional linear
polarization profiles. The shapes of these profiles are interpreted in
terms of the anisotropy of the radiation field, which in turn depends on the
source function gradient that sets the angular variation of the specific
intensity. We define a suitable frequency integrated anisotropy factor for PRD
that can be directly related to the emergent linear polarization. We show that
complete frequency redistribution is a good approximation to model weak
resonance lines. We also show that the emergent linear polarization profiles
can be very sensitive to the thermal structure of the solar atmosphere and, in
particular, to spatial variations of the damping parameter.Comment: 45 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical
Journal (2010
Quiet Sun Magnetic Field Measurements Based on Lines with Hyperfine Structure
The Zeeman pattern of MnI lines is sensitive to hyperfine structure (HFS)
and, they respond to hG magnetic field strengths differently from the lines
used in solar magnetometry. This peculiarity has been employed to measure
magnetic field strengths in quiet Sun regions. However, the methods applied so
far assume the magnetic field to be constant in the resolution element. The
assumption is clearly insufficient to describe the complex quiet Sun magnetic
fields, biasing the results of the measurements. We present the first syntheses
of MnI lines in realistic quiet Sun model atmospheres. The syntheses show how
the MnI lines weaken with increasing field strength. In particular, kG magnetic
concentrations produce NnI 5538 circular polarization signals (Stokes V) which
can be up to two orders of magnitude smaller than the weak magnetic field
approximation prediction. Consequently, (1) the polarization emerging from an
atmosphere having weak and strong fields is biased towards the weak fields, and
(2) HFS features characteristic of weak fields show up even when the magnetic
flux and energy are dominated by kG fields. For the HFS feature of MnI 5538 to
disappear the filling factor of kG fields has to be larger than the filling
factor of sub-kG fields. Stokes V depends on magnetic field inclination
according to the simple consine law. Atmospheres with unresolved velocities
produce asymmetric line profiles, which cannot be reproduced by simple
one-component model atmospheres. The uncertainty of the HFS constants do not
limit the use of MnI lines for magnetometry.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 10 pages, 14 figure
A conjugate gradient method for the solution of the non-LTE line radiation transfer problem
This study concerns the fast and accurate solution of the line radiation
transfer problem, under non-LTE conditions. We propose and evaluate an
alternative iterative scheme to the classical ALI-Jacobi method, and to the
more recently proposed Gauss-Seidel and Successive Over-Relaxation (GS/SOR)
schemes. Our study is indeed based on the application of a preconditioned
bi-conjugate gradient method (BiCG-P). Standard tests, in 1D plane parallel
geometry and in the frame of the two-level atom model, with monochromatic
scattering, are discussed. Rates of convergence between the previously
mentioned iterative schemes are compared, as well as their respective timing
properties. The smoothing capability of the BiCG-P method is also demonstrated.Comment: Research note: 4 pages, 5 figures, accepted to A&
A Substantial Amount of Hidden Magnetic Energy in the Quiet Sun
Deciphering and understanding the small-scale magnetic activity of the quiet
solar photosphere should help to solve many of the key problems of solar and
stellar physics, such as the magnetic coupling to the outer atmosphere and the
coronal heating. At present, we can see only of the complex
magnetism of the quiet Sun, which highlights the need to develop a reliable way
to investigate the remaining 99%. Here we report three-dimensional radiative
tranfer modelling of scattering polarization in atomic and molecular lines that
indicates the presence of hidden, mixed-polarity fields on subresolution
scales. Combining this modelling with recent observational data we find a
ubiquitous tangled magnetic field with an average strength of G,
which is much stronger in the intergranular regions of solar surface convection
than in the granular regions. So the average magnetic energy density in the
quiet solar photosphere is at least two orders of magnitude greater than that
derived from simplistic one-dimensional investigations, and sufficient to
balance radiative energy losses from the solar chromosphere.Comment: 21 pages and 2 figures (letter published in Nature on July 15, 2004
Measuring the Hidden Aspects of Solar Magnetism
2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of astrophysical magnetic
fields, when George Ellery Hale recorded the Zeeman splitting of spectral lines
in sunspots. With the introduction of Babcock's photoelectric magnetograph it
soon became clear that the Sun's magnetic field outside sunspots is extremely
structured. The field strengths that were measured were found to get larger
when the spatial resolution was improved. It was therefore necessary to come up
with methods to go beyond the spatial resolution limit and diagnose the
intrinsic magnetic-field properties without dependence on the quality of the
telescope used. The line-ratio technique that was developed in the early 1970s
revealed a picture where most flux that we see in magnetograms originates in
highly bundled, kG fields with a tiny volume filling factor. This led to
interpretations in terms of discrete, strong-field magnetic flux tubes embedded
in a rather field-free medium, and a whole industry of flux tube models at
increasing levels of sophistication. This magnetic-field paradigm has now been
shattered with the advent of high-precision imaging polarimeters that allow us
to apply the so-called "Second Solar Spectrum" to diagnose aspects of solar
magnetism that have been hidden to Zeeman diagnostics. It is found that the
bulk of the photospheric volume is seething with intermediately strong, tangled
fields. In the new paradigm the field behaves like a fractal with a high degree
of self-similarity, spanning about 8 orders of magnitude in scale size, down to
scales of order 10 m.Comment: To appear in "Magnetic Coupling between the Interior and the
Atmosphere of the Sun", eds. S.S. Hasan and R.J. Rutten, Astrophysics and
Space Science Proceedings, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, Berlin, 200
Magnetic Coupling in the Quiet Solar Atmosphere
Three kinds of magnetic couplings in the quiet solar atmosphere are
highlighted and discussed, all fundamentally connected to the Lorentz force.
First the coupling of the convecting and overshooting fluid in the surface
layers of the Sun with the magnetic field. Here, the plasma motion provides the
dominant force, which shapes the magnetic field and drives the surface dynamo.
Progress in the understanding of the horizontal magnetic field is summarized
and discussed. Second, the coupling between acoustic waves and the magnetic
field, in particular the phenomenon of wave conversion and wave refraction. It
is described how measurements of wave travel times in the atmosphere can
provide information about the topography of the wave conversion zone, i.e., the
surface of equal Alfv\'en and sound speed. In quiet regions, this surface
separates a highly dynamic magnetic field with fast moving magnetosonic waves
and shocks around and above it from the more slowly evolving field of high-beta
plasma below it. Third, the magnetic field also couples to the radiation field,
which leads to radiative flux channeling and increased anisotropy in the
radiation field. It is shown how faculae can be understood in terms of this
effect. The article starts with an introduction to the magnetic field of the
quiet Sun in the light of new results from the Hinode space observatory and
with a brief survey of measurements of the turbulent magnetic field with the
help of the Hanle effect.Comment: To appear in "Magnetic Coupling between the Interior and the
Atmosphere of the Sun", eds. S.S. Hasan and R.J. Rutten, Astrophysics and
Space Science Proceedings, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, Berlin, 200
Unusual Stokes V profiles during flaring activity of a delta sunspot
We analyze a set of full Stokes profile observations of the flaring active
region NOAA 10808 recorded with the Vector-Spectromagnetograph (VSM) of the
SOLIS facility. We aim to quantify transient and permanent changes in the
magnetic field and velocity field. The results are put in context with MDI
magnetograms and reconstructed RHESSI X-ray images. We find signs of
restructuring of the photospheric magnetic field during the flare close to the
polarity inversion line (PIL) at the flaring site. At two locations in the
umbra we encounter strong fields (approx. 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 approx.
12km/s to 14 km/s 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 approx. 5 arcsec in the photospheric umbra, co-spatial
with a flare footpoint, exhibits a sub-resolution fine structure.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, 1 tabl
Small-scale solar magnetic fields
As we resolve ever smaller structures in the solar atmosphere, it has become
clear that magnetism is an important component of those small structures.
Small-scale magnetism holds the key to many poorly understood facets of solar
magnetism on all scales, such as the existence of a local dynamo, chromospheric
heating, and flux emergence, to name a few. Here, we review our knowledge of
small-scale photospheric fields, with particular emphasis on quiet-sun field,
and discuss the implications of several results obtained recently using new
instruments, as well as future prospects in this field of research.Comment: 43 pages, 18 figure
Selective Absorption Processes as the Origin of Puzzling Spectral Line Polarization from the Sun
Magnetic fields play a key role in most astrophysical systems, from the Sun
to active galactic nuclei. They can be studied through their effects on atomic
energy levels, which produce polarized spectral lines. In particular,
anisotropic radiation pumping processes (which send electrons to higher atomic
levels) induce population imbalances that are modified by weak magnetic fields.
Here we report peculiarly polarized light in the He I 10830-\AA multiplet
observed in a coronal filament located at the centre of the solar disk. We show
that the polarized light arises from selective absorption from the ground level
of the triplet system of helium, and that it implies the presence of magnetic
fields of the order of a few gauss that are highly inclined with respect to the
solar radius vector. This disproves the common belief that population
imbalances in long-lived atomic levels are insignificant in the presence of
inclined fields with strengths in the gauss range, and demonstrates the
operation of the ground-level Hanle effect in an astrophysical plasma.Comment: 22 pages and 4 figure
Polarization of photospheric lines from turbulent dynamo simulations
We employ the magnetic and velocity fields from turbulent dynamo simulations
to synthesize the polarization of a typical photospheric line. The synthetic
Stokes profiles have properties in common with those observed in the quiet Sun.
The simulated magnetograms present a level of signal similar to that of the
Inter-Network regions. Asymmetric Stokes V profiles with two, three and more
lobes appear in a natural way. The intensity profiles are broadened by the
magnetic fields in fair agreement with observational limits. Furthermore, the
Hanle depolarization signals of the Sr I 4607 A line turn out to be within the
solar values. Differences between synthetic and observed polarized spectra can
also be found. There is a shortage of Stokes V asymmetries, that we attribute
to a deficit of structuring in the magnetic and velocity fields from the
simulations as compared to the Sun This deficit may reflect the fact that the
Reynolds numbers of the numerical data are still far from solar values. We
consider the possibility that intense and tangled magnetic fields, like those
in the simulations, exist in the Sun. This scenario has several important
consequences. For example, less than 10% of the existing unsigned magnetic flux
would be detected in present magnetograms. The existing flux would exceed by
far that carried by active regions during the maximum of the solar cycle.
Detecting these magnetic fields would involve improving the angular resolution,
the techniques to interpret the polarization signals, and to a less extent, the
polarimetric sensitivity.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 20 pag. 11 fig
- âŠ