We explore, with unprecedented single vortex resolution, the dissipation and
motion of vortices in a superconducting ribbon under the influence of an
external alternating magnetic field. This is achieved by combing the phase
sensitive character of ac-susceptibility, allowing to distinguish between the
inductive-and dissipative response, with the local power of scanning Hall probe
microscopy. Whereas the induced reversible screening currents contribute only
inductively, the vortices do leave a fingerprint in the out-of-phase component.
The observed large phase-lag demonstrates the dissipation of vortices at
timescales comparable to the period of the driving force (i.e. 13 ms). These
results indicate the presence of slow microscopic loss mechanisms mediated by
thermally activated hopping transport of vortices between metastable states.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure