Response to "Stray-light correction in 2D spectroscopy" by R. Schlichenmaier and M. Franz

We discuss a recent paper by Schlichenmaier & Franz (SF; 2013, A&A, 555, A84), in which the claim is made that the penumbral dark downflows detected for the first time with the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST) by Scharmer et al. and Joshi et al. could be produced by overcompensation for straylight. We show that the analysis of SF is fundamentally flawed, because it ignores the constraints on the strength of such straylight from 3D convection simulations and on the spatial extent of the straylight point spread function from the measured minimum intensity in the sunspot umbra. Furthermore, we show that the claim made by SF, that the spatial straylight of Hinode is less than 10%, is false. We conclude that the analysis of SF is of no relevance in relation to the straylight compensation method applied to the SST data.Comment: Published in A&A. Rewording of a few sentences, one sentence remove

Striation and convection in penumbral filaments

Observations with the 1-m Swedish Solar Telescope of the flows seen in penumbral filaments are presented. Time sequences of bright filaments show overturning motions strikingly similar to those seen along the walls of small isolated structures in the active regions. The filaments show outward propagating striations with inclination angles suggesting that they are aligned with the local magnetic field. We interpret it as the equivalent of the striations seen in the walls of small isolated magnetic structures. Their origin is then a corrugation of the boundary between an overturning convective flow inside the filament and the magnetic field wrapping around it. The outward propagation is a combination of a pattern motion due to the downflow observed along the sides of bright filaments, and the Evershed flow. The observed short wavelength of the striation argues against the existence of a dynamically significant horizontal field inside the bright filaments. Its intensity contrast is explained by the same physical effect that causes the dark cores of filaments, light bridges and `canals'. In this way striation represents an important clue to the physics of penumbral structure and its relation with other magnetic structures on the solar surface. We put this in perspective with results from the recent 3-D radiative hydrodynamic simulations.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Magnetostatic penumbra models with field-free gaps

We present numerical 2D magnetostatic models for sunspot penumbrae consisting of radially aligned field-free gaps in a potential magnetic field, as proposed by Spruit and Scharmer (2006). The shape of the gaps and the field configurations around them are computed consistently from the condition of magnetostatic pressure balance between the gap and the magnetic field. The results show that field-free gaps in the {\it inner} penumbra are cusp-shaped and bounded by a magnetic field inclined by about $70^\circ$ from the vertical. Here, the magnetic component has a Wilson depression on the order 200--300 km relative to the top of the field-free gap; the gaps should thus appear as noticeably elevated features. This structure explains the large variations in field strength in the inner penumbra inferred from magnetograms and two-component inversions, and the varying appearance of the inner penumbra with viewing angle. In the {\it outer} penumbra, on the other hand, the gaps are flat-topped with a horizontal magnetic field above the middle of the gap. The magnetic field has large inclination variations horizontally, but only small fluctuations in field strength, in agreement with observations

Opposite polarity field with convective downflow and its relation to magnetic spines in a sunspot penumbra

We discuss NICOLE inversions of Fe I 630.15 nm and 630.25 nm Stokes spectra from a sunspot penumbra recorded with the CRISP imaging spectropolarimeter on the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope at a spatial resolution close to 0.15". We report on narrow radially extended lanes of opposite polarity field, located at the boundaries between areas of relatively horizontal magnetic field (the intra-spines) and much more vertical field (the spines). These lanes harbor convective downflows of about 1 km/s. The locations of these downflows close to the spines agree with predictions from the convective gap model (the "gappy penumbra") proposed six years ago, and more recent 3D MHD simulations. We also confirm the existence of strong convective flows throughout the entire penumbra, showing the expected correlation between temperature and vertical velocity, and having vertical RMS velocities of about 1.2 km/s.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A (06-March-2013). Minor corrections made in this version

High-order aberration compensation with Multi-frame Blind Deconvolution and Phase Diversity image restoration techniques

Context. For accurately measuring intensities and determining magnetic field strengths of small-scale solar (magnetic) structure, knowledge of and compensation for the point spread function is crucial. For images recorded with the Swedish 1-meter Solar Telescope, restoration with Multi-Frame Blind Deconvolution and Joint Phase Diverse Speckle methods lead to remarkable improvements in image quality but granulation contrasts that are too low, indicating additional stray light. Aims. We propose a method to compensate for stray light from high-order atmospheric aberrations not included in MFBD and JPDS processing. Methods. To compensate for uncorrected aberrations, a reformulation of the image restoration process is proposed that allows the average effect of hundreds of high-order modes to be compensated for by relying on Kolmogorov statistics for these modes. The applicability of the method requires simultaneous measurements of Fried's parameter r0. The method is tested with simulations as well as real data and extended to include compensation for conventional stray light. Results. We find that only part of the reduction of granulation contrast in SST images is due to uncompensated high-order aberrations. The remainder is still unaccounted for and attributed to stray light from the atmosphere, the telescope with its re-imaging system and to various high-altitude seeing effects. Conclusions. We conclude that statistical compensation of high-order modes is a viable method to reduce the loss of contrast occurring when a limited number of aberrations is explicitly compensated for with MFBD and JPDS processing. We show that good such compensation is possible with only 10 recorded frames. The main limitation of the method is that already MFBD and JPDS processing introduces high-order compensation that, if not taken into account, can lead to over-compensation.Comment: in press in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Small-scale convection signatures associated with strong plage solar magnetic field

In this work, we study and quantify properties of strong-field small-scale convection and compare observed properties with those predicted by numerical simulations. We analyze spectropolarimetric 630.25 nm data from a unipolar ephemeral region near sun center. We use line-of-sight velocities and magnetic field measurements obtained with Milne-Eddington inversion techniques along with measured continuum intensities and Stokes V amplitude asymmetry at a spatial resolution of 0.15 arcseconds to establish statistical relations between the measured quantities. We also study these properties for different types of distinct magnetic features, such as micropores, bright points, ribbons, flowers and strings. We present the first direct observations of a small-scale granular magneto-convection pattern within extended regions of strong (more than 600 G average) magnetic field. Along the boundaries of the flux concentrations we see mostly downflows and asymmetric Stokes V profiles, consistent with synthetic line profiles calculated from MHD simulations. We note the frequent occurrence of bright downflows along these boundaries. In the interior of the flux concentrations, we observe an up/down flow pattern that we identify as small-scale magnetoconvection, appearing similar to that of field-free granulation but with scales 4 times smaller. Measured RMS velocities are 70% of those of nearby field-free granulation, even though the average radiative flux is not reduced. The interiors of these flux concentrations are dominated by upflows.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

CRISP Spectropolarimetric Imaging of Penumbral Fine Structure

We discuss penumbral fine structure in a small part of a pore, observed with the CRISP imaging spectropolarimeter at the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST), close to its diffraction limit of 0.16 arcsec. Milne-Eddington inversions applied to these Stokes data reveal large variations of field strength and inclination angle over dark-cored penumbral intrusions and a dark-cored light bridge. The mid-outer part of this penumbra structure shows 0.3 arcsec wide spines, separated by 1.6 arcsec (1200 km) and associated with 30 deg inclination variations. Between these spines, there are no small-scale magnetic structures that easily can be be identified with individual flux tubes. A structure with nearly 10 deg more vertical and weaker magnetic field is seen midways between two spines. This structure is co-spatial with the brightest penumbral filament, possibly indicating the location of a convective upflow from below.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJL 17 Oct 2008. One Figure adde

SST/CRISP Observations of Convective Flows in a Sunspot Penumbra

Context. Recent discoveries of intensity correlated downflows in the interior of a sunspot penumbra provide direct evidence for overturning convection, adding to earlier strong indications of convection from filament dynamics observed far from solar disk center, and supporting recent simulations of sunspots. Aims. Using spectropolarimetric observations obtained at a spatial resolution approaching 0'.'1 with the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST) and its spectropolarimeter CRISP, we investigate whether the convective downflows recently discovered in the C i line at 538.03 nm can also be detected in the wings of the Fe i line at 630.15 nm Methods. We make azimuthal fits of the measured LOS velocities in the core and wings of the 538 nm and 630 nm lines to disentangle the vertical and horizontal flows. To investigate how these depend on the continuum intensity, the azimuthal fits are made separately for each intensity bin. By using spatially high-pass filtered measurements of the LOS component of the magnetic field, the flow properties are determined separately for magnetic spines (relatively strong and vertical field) and inter-spines (weaker and more horizontal field). Results. The dark convective downflows discovered recently in the 538.03 nm line are evident also in the 630.15 nm line, and have similar strength. This convective signature is the same in spines and inter-spines. However, the strong radial (Evershed) outflows are found only in the inter-spines. Conclusions. At the spatial resolution of the present SST/CRISP data, the small-scale intensity pattern seen in continuum images is strongly related to a convective up/down flow pattern that exists everywhere in the penumbra. Earlier failures to detect the dark convective downflows in the interior penumbra can be explained by inadequate spatial resolution in the observed data.Comment: Revised and expanded by 2.5 pages. Fig. 14 adde