Brightness, distribution, and evolution of sunspot umbral dots

We present a 106-minute TiO (705.7nm) time series of high spatial and temporal resolution that contains thousands of umbral dots (UDs) in a mature sunspot in the active region NOAA 10667 at $\mu$=0.95. The data were acquired with the 1-m Swedish Solar Telescope on La Palma. With the help of a multilevel tracking (MLT) algorithm the sizes, brightnesses, and trajectories of 12836 umbral dots were found and analyzed. The MLT allows UDs with very low contrast to be reliably identified. Inside the umbra we determine a UD filling factor of 11%. The histogram of UD lifetimes is monotonic, i.e. a UD does not have a typical lifetime. Three quarters of the UDs lived for less than 150s and showed no or little motion. The histogram of the UD diameters exhibits a maximum at 225km, i.e. most of the UDs are spatially resolved. UDs display a typical horizontal velocity of 420m/s and a typical peak intensity of 51% of the mean intensity of the quiet photosphere, making them on average 20% brighter than the local umbral background. Almost all mobile UDs (large birth-death distance) were born close to the umbra-penumbra boundary, move towards the umbral center, and are brighter than average. Notably bright and mobile UDs were also observed along a prominent UD chain, both ends of which are located at the umbra-penumbra boundary. Their motion started primarily at either of the ends of the chain, continued along the chain, and ended near the chain's center. We observed the splitting and merging of UDs and the temporal succession of both. For the first time the evolution of brightness, size, and horizontal speed of a typical UD could be determined in a statistically significant way. Considerable differences between the evolution of central and peripheral UDs are found, which point to a difference in origin

Phase diversity restoration of sunspot images I. Relations between penumbral and photospheric features

We investigate the dynamics of and the relations between small-scale penumbral and photospheric features near the outer penumbral boundary: penumbral grains (PGs), dark penumbral fibrils, granules, and photospheric G-band bright points. The analysis is based on a 2 h time sequence of a sunspot close to disc center, taken simultaneously in the G-band and in the blue continuum at 450.7 nm. Observations were performed at the Swedish Vacuum Solar Telescope (La Palma) in July 1999. A total of 2564 images (46 arcsec x 75 arcsec) were corrected for telescope aberrations and turbulence perturbations by applying the inversion method of phase diversity. Our findings can by summarized as follows: (a) One third of the outward-moving PGs pass through the outer penumbral boundary and then either continue moving as small bright features or expand and develop into granules. (b) Former PGs and G-band bright points next to the spot reveal a different nature. The latter have not been identified as a continuation of PGs escaping from the penumbra. The G-band bright points are mostly born close to dark penumbral fibrils where the magnetic field is strong, whereas PGs stem from the less-magnetized penumbral component and evolve presumably to non-magnetic granules or small bright features.Comment: Accepted by A&A, 9 pages and 5 figure

A model of an expanding giant that swallowed planets for the eruption of V838 Monocerotis

In early 2002 V838 Monocerotis had an extraordinary outburst whose nature is still unclear. The optical light curve showed at least three peaks and imaging revealed a light echo around the object - evidence for a dust shell which was emitted several thousand years ago and now reflecting light from the eruption. Spectral analysis suggests that the object was relatively cold throughout the event, which was characterized by an expansion to extremely large radii. We show that the three peaks in the light curve have a similar shape and thus it seems likely that a certain phenomenon was three times repeated. Our suggestion that the outburst was caused by the expansion of a red giant, followed by the successive swallowing of three relatively massive planets in close orbits, supplies a simple explanation to all observed peculiarities of this intriguing object.Comment: 5 pages, 1 LaTex file, 2 .eps figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Downflows in sunspot umbral dots

We study the velocity field of umbral dots at a resolution of 0.14". Our analysis is based on full Stokes spectropolarimetric measurements of a pore taken with the CRISP instrument at the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope. We determine the flow velocity at different heights in the photosphere from a bisector analysis of the Fe I 630 nm lines. In addtion, we use the observed Stokes Q, U, and V profiles to characterize the magnetic properties of these structures. We find that most umbral dots are associated with strong upflows in deep photospheric layers. Some of them also show concentrated patches of downflows at their edges, with sizes of about 0.25", velocities of up to 1000 m/s, and enhanced net circular polarization signals. The downflows evolve rapidly and have lifetimes of only a few minutes. These results appear to validate numerical models of magnetoconvection in the presence of strong magnetic fields.Comment: Final published version. For best quality figures, please download the PS versio

The size distribution of magnetic bright points derived from Hinode/SOT observations

Context. Magnetic Bright Points (MBPs) are small-scale magnetic features in the solar photosphere. They may be a possible source of coronal heating by rapid footpoint motions that cause magnetohydrodynamical waves. The number and size distribution are of vital importance in estimating the small scale-magnetic-field energy. Aims. The size distribution of MBPs is derived for G-band images acquired by the Hinode/SOT instrument. Methods. For identification purposes, a new automated segmentation and identification algorithm was developed. Results. For a sampling of 0.108 arcsec/pixel, we derived a mean diameter of (218 +- 48) km for the MBPs. For the full resolved data set with a sampling of 0.054 arcsec/pixel, the size distribution shifted to a mean diameter of (166 +- 31) km. The determined diameters are consistent with earlier published values. The shift is most probably due to the different spatial sampling. Conclusions. We conclude that the smallest magnetic elements in the solar photosphere cannot yet be resolved by G-band observations. The influence of discretisation effects (sampling) has also not yet been investigated sufficiently.Comment: Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 498, Issue 1, 2009, pp.289-29

Properties of Umbral Dots as Measured from the New Solar Telescope Data and MHD Simulations

We studied bright umbral dots (UDs) detected in a moderate size sunspot and compared their statistical properties to recent MHD models. The study is based on high resolution data recorded by the New Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory and 3D MHD simulations of sunspots. Observed UDs, living longer than 150 s, were detected and tracked in a 46 min long data set, using an automatic detection code. Total 1553 (620) UDs were detected in the photospheric (low chromospheric) data. Our main findings are: i) none of the analyzed UDs is precisely circular, ii) the diameter-intensity relationship only holds in bright umbral areas, and iii) UD velocities are inversely related to their lifetime. While nearly all photospheric UDs can be identified in the low chromospheric images, some small closely spaced UDs appear in the low chromosphere as a single cluster. Slow moving and long living UDs seem to exist in both the low chromosphere and photosphere, while fast moving and short living UDs are mainly detected in the photospheric images. Comparison to the 3D MHD simulations showed that both types of UDs display, on average, very similar statistical characteristics. However, i) the average number of observed UDs per unit area is smaller than that of the model UDs, and ii) on average, the diameter of model UDs is slightly larger than that of observed ones.Comment: Accepted by the AP

The dissimilar chemical composition of the planet-hosting stars of the XO-2 binary system

Using high-quality spectra of the twin stars in the XO-2 binary system, we have detected significant differences in the chemical composition of their photospheres. The differences correlate strongly with the elements' dust condensation temperature. In XO-2N, volatiles are enhanced by about 0.015 dex and refractories are overabundant by up to 0.090 dex. On average, our error bar in relative abundance is 0.012 dex. We present an early metal-depletion scenario in which the formation of the gas giant planets known to exist around these stars is responsible for a 0.015 dex offset in the abundances of all elements while 20 M_Earth of non-detected rocky objects that formed around XO-2S explain the additional refractory-element difference. An alternative explanation involves the late accretion of at least 20 M_Earth of planet-like material by XO-2N, allegedly as a result of the migration of the hot Jupiter detected around that star. Dust cleansing by a nearby hot star as well as age or Galactic birthplace effects can be ruled out as valid explanations for this phenomenon.Comment: ApJ, in press. Complete linelist (Table 3) available in the "Other formats -> Source" downloa

High-resolution imaging and near-infrared spectroscopy of penumbral decay

Combining high-resolution spectropolarimetric and imaging data is key to understanding the decay process of sunspots as it allows us scrutinizing the velocity and magnetic fields of sunspots and their surroundings. Active region NOAA 12597 was observed on 24/09/2016 with the 1.5-m GREGOR solar telescope using high-spatial resolution imaging as well as imaging spectroscopy and near-infrared (NIR) spectropolarimetry. Horizontal proper motions were estimated with LCT, whereas LOS velocities were computed with spectral line fitting methods. The magnetic field properties were inferred with the SIR code for the Si I and Ca I NIR lines. At the time of the GREGOR observations, the leading sunspot had two light-bridges indicating the onset of its decay. One of the light-bridges disappeared, and an elongated, dark umbral core at its edge appeared in a decaying penumbral sector facing the newly emerging flux. The flow and magnetic field properties of this penumbral sector exhibited weak Evershed flow, moat flow, and horizontal magnetic field. The penumbral gap adjacent to the elongated umbral core and the penumbra in that penumbral sector displayed LOS velocities similar to granulation. The separating polarities of a new flux system interacted with the leading and central part of the already established active region. As a consequence, the leading spot rotated 55-degree in clockwise direction over 12 hours. In the high-resolution observations of a decaying sunspot, the penumbral filaments facing flux emergence site contained a darkened area resembling an umbral core filled with umbral dots. This umbral core had velocity and magnetic field properties similar to the sunspot umbra. This implies that the horizontal magnetic fields in the decaying penumbra became vertical as observed in flare-induced rapid penumbral decay, but on a very different time-scale.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, Accepted to be published in Astronomy and Astrophysic

Ca II 8542 \AA\ brightenings induced by a solar microflare

We study small-scale brightenings in Ca II 8542 \AA\ line-core images to determine their nature and effect on localized heating and mass transfer in active regions. High-resolution 2D spectroscopic observations of an active region in the Ca II 8542 \AA\ line were acquired with the GFPI attached to the 1.5-meter GREGOR telescope. Inversions of the spectra were carried out using NICOLE. We identified three brightenings of sizes up to 2"x2". We found evidence that the brightenings belonged to the footpoints of a microflare (MF). The properties of the observed brightenings disqualified the scenarios of Ellerman bombs or IRIS bombs. However, this MF shared some common properties with flaring active-region fibrils or flaring arch filaments (FAFs): (1) FAFs and MFs are both apparent in chromospheric and coronal layers according to the AIA channels, and (2) both show flaring arches with lifetimes of about 3.0-3.5 min and lengths of about 20". The inversions revealed heating by 600 K at the footpoint location in the ambient chromosphere during the impulsive phase. Connecting the footpoints, a dark filamentary structure appeared in the Ca II line-core images. Before the start of the MF, the spectra of this structure already indicated average blueshifts, meaning upward motions of the plasma along the LOS. During the impulsive phase, these velocities increased up to -2.2 km/s. Downflows dominated at the footpoints. However, in the upper photosphere, slight upflows occurred during the impulsive phase. Hence, bidirectional flows are present in the footpoints of the MF. Conclusions: We detected Ca II brightenings that coincided with the footpoint location of an MF. The MF event led to a rise of plasma in the upper photosphere, both before and during the impulsive phase. Excess mass, previously raised to at most chromospheric layers, slowly drained downward along arches toward the footpoints of the MF.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 13 pages, 6 figures, 1 online movi