Photospheric plasma motions in the magnetic field of a single sunspot umbra

The analysis of observed velocity fields in sunspots shows that the plasma motions above a sunspot umbra do not agree with the equation of continuity. We assumed that in the temperature minimum region above a sunspot umbra there is an effective diffusion of plasma across the lines of force in the region of the magnetic field. It leads to the formation of the steady flow of plasma in the temperature minimum, i.e., photosphere region. We determined the parameters in this steady flow. The calculated parameters do not contradict observational data on moving plasma in the magnetic field above a sunspot umbra

Interaction between a fast rotating sunspot and ephemeral regions as the origin of the major solar event on 2006 December 13

The major solar event on 2006 December 13 is characterized by the approximately simultaneous occurrence of a heap of hot ejecta, a great two-ribbon flare and an extended Earth-directed coronal mass ejection. We examine the magnetic field and sunspot evolution in active region NOAA AR 10930, the source region of the event, while it transited the solar disk centre from Dec. 10 to Dec. 13. We find that the obvious changes in the active region associated with the event are the development of magnetic shear, the appearance of ephemeral regions and fast rotation of a smaller sunspot. Around the area of the magnetic neutral line of the active region, interaction between the fast rotating sunspot and the ephemeral regions triggers continual brightening and finally the major flare. It is indicative that only after the sunspot rotates up to 200$^{\circ}$ does the major event take place. The sunspot rotates at least 240$^{\circ}$ about its centre, the largest sunspot rotation angle which has been reported.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, ApJ Letters inpres

Statistics of Flares Sweeping across Sunspots

Flare ribbons are always dynamic, and sometimes sweep across sunspots. Examining 588 (513 M-class and 75 X-class) flare events observed by Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) satellite and Hinode Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) from 1998 May to 2009 May, we choose the event displaying that one of the flare ribbons completely sweeps across the umbra of a main sunspot of the corresponding active region, and finally obtain 20 (7 X-class and 13 M-class) events as our sample. In each event, we define the main sunspot completely swept across by the flare ribbon as A-sunspot, and its nearby opposite polarity sunspots, B-sunspot. Observations show that the A-sunspot is a following polarity sunspot in 18 events, and displays flux emergence in 13 cases. All the B-sunspots are relatively simple, exhibiting either one main sunspot or one main sunspot and several small neighboring sunspots (pores). In two days prior to the flare occurrence, the A-sunspot rotates in all the cases, while the B-sunspot, in 19 events. The total rotating angle of the A-sunspot and B-sunspot is 193 degrees on average, and the rotating directions, are the same in 12 events. In all cases, the A-sunspot and B-sunspot manifest shear motions with an average shearing angle of 28.5 degrees, and in 14 cases, the shearing direction is opposite to the rotating direction of the A-sunspot. We suggest that the emergence, the rotation and the shear motions of the A-sunspot and B-sunspot result in the phenomenon that flare ribbons sweep across sunspots completely.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, accepted by ApJ Letter

The Horizontal Component of Photospheric Plasma Flows During the Emergence of Active Regions on the Sun

The dynamics of horizontal plasma flows during the first hours of the emergence of active region magnetic flux in the solar photosphere have been analyzed using SOHO/MDI data. Four active regions emerging near the solar limb have been considered. It has been found that extended regions of Doppler velocities with different signs are formed in the first hours of the magnetic flux emergence in the horizontal velocity field. The flows observed are directly connected with the emerging magnetic flux; they form at the beginning of the emergence of active regions and are present for a few hours. The Doppler velocities of flows observed increase gradually and reach their peak values 4-12 hours after the start of the magnetic flux emergence. The peak values of the mean (inside the +/-500 m/s isolines) and maximum Doppler velocities are 800-970 m/s and 1410-1700 m/s, respectively. The Doppler velocities observed substantially exceed the separation velocities of the photospheric magnetic flux outer boundaries. The asymmetry was detected between velocity structures of leading and following polarities. Doppler velocity structures located in a region of leading magnetic polarity are more powerful and exist longer than those in regions of following polarity. The Doppler velocity asymmetry between the velocity structures of opposite sign reaches its peak values soon after the emergence begins and then gradually drops within 7-12 hours. The peak values of asymmetry for the mean and maximal Doppler velocities reach 240-460 m/s and 710-940 m/s, respectively. An interpretation of the observable flow of photospheric plasma is given.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables. The results of article were presented at the ESPM-13 (12-16 September 2011, Rhodes, Greece, Abstract Book p. 102, P.4.12, http://astro.academyofathens.gr/espm13/documents/ESPM13_abstract_programme_book.pdf

Sunspot rotation, filament, and flare: The event on 2000 February 10

We find that a sunspot with positive polarity had an obvious counter-clockwise rotation and resulted in the formation and eruption of an inverse S-shaped filament in NOAA active region (AR) 08858 from 2000 February 9 to 10. The sunspot had two umbrae which rotated around each other by 195 degrees within about twenty-four hours. The average rotation rate was nearly 8 degrees per hour. The fastest rotation in the photosphere took place during 14:00UT to 22:01UT on February 9, with the rotation rate of nearly 16 degrees per hour. The fastest rotation in the chromosphere and the corona took place during 15:28UT to 19:00UT on February 9, with the rotation rate of nearly 20 degrees per hour. Interestingly, the rapid increase of the positive magnetic flux just occurred during the fastest rotation of the rotating sunspot, the bright loop-shaped structure and the filament. During the sunspot rotation, the inverse S-shaped filament gradually formed in the EUV filament channel. The filament experienced two eruptions. In the first eruption, the filament rose quickly and then the filament loops carrying the cool and the hot material were seen to spiral into the sunspot counterclockwise. About ten minutes later, the filament became active and finally erupted. The filament eruption was accompanied with a C-class flare and a halo coronal mass ejection (CME). These results provide evidence that sunspot rotation plays an important role in the formation and eruption of the sigmoidal active-region filament.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures, Accepted for publication in Ap

The Relationship Between Plasma Flow Doppler Velocities and Magnetic Field Parameters During the Emergence of Active Regions at the Solar Photospheric Level

A statistical study has been carried out of the relationship between plasma flow Doppler velocities and magnetic field parameters during the emergence of active regions at the solar photospheric level with data acquired by the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). We have investigated 224 emerging active regions with different spatial scales and positions on the solar disc. The following relationships for the first hours of the emergence of active regions have been analysed: i) of peak negative Doppler velocities with the position of the emerging active regions on the solar disc; ii) of peak plasma upflow and downflow Doppler velocities with the magnetic flux growth rate and magnetic field strength for the active regions emerging near the solar disc centre (the vertical component of plasma flows); iii) of peak positive and negative Doppler velocities with the magnetic flux growth rate and magnetic field strength for the active regions emerging near the limb (the horizontal component of plasma flows); iv) of the magnetic flux growth rate with the density of emerging magnetic flux; v) of the Doppler velocities and magnetic field parameters for the first hours of the appearance of active regions with the total unsigned magnetic flux at the maximum of their development.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures. The results of article were presented at the ESPM-13 (12-16 September 2011, Rhodes, Greece, Abstract Book p. 102-103, P.4.13, http://astro.academyofathens.gr/espm13/documents/ESPM13_abstract_programme_book.pdf

Discovery of inward moving magnetic enhancements in sunspot penumbrae

Sunspot penumbrae show a fine structure in continuum intensity that displays considerable dynamics. The magnetic field, in contrast, although also highly structured, has appeared to be relatively static. Here we report the discovery of inward moving magnetic enhancements in the penumbrae of two regular sunspots based on time series of SOHO/MDI magnetograms. Local enhancements of the LOS component of the magnetic field in the inner part of the penumbral region move inward to the umbra-penumbra boundary with a radial speed of about 0.3 km s$^{-1}$. These local inward-moving enhancements of the LOS component of the magnetic fields appear to be relatively common. They are associated with dark structures and tend to display downflows relatively to the penumbral background. Possible explanations are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to ApJ Letter