scholarly journals Stellar Turbulent Convection: The Multiscale Nature of the Solar Magnetic Signature

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 938
Author(s):  
Stefano Scardigli ◽  
Francesco Berrilli ◽  
Dario Del Moro ◽  
Luca Giovannelli

The multiscale dynamics associated with turbulent convection present in physical systems governed by very high Rayleigh numbers still remains a vividly disputed topic in the community of astrophysicists, and in general, among physicists dealing with heat transport by convection. The Sun is a very close star for which detailed observations and estimations of physical properties on the surface, connected to the processes of the underlying convection zone, are possible. This makes the Sun a unique natural laboratory in which to investigate turbulent convection in the hard turbulence regime, a regime typical of systems characterized by high values of the Rayleigh number. In particular, it is possible to study the geometry of convection using the photospheric magnetic voids (or simply voids), the quasi-polygonal quiet regions nearly devoid of magnetic elements, which cover the whole solar surface and which form the solar magnetic network. This work presents the most extensive statistics, both in the spatial scales studied (1–80 Mm) and in the temporal duration (SC 23 and SC 24), to investigate the multiscale nature of solar magnetic patterns associated with the turbulent convection of our star. We show that the size distribution of the voids, in the 1–80 Mm range, for the 317,870 voids found in the 692 analyzed magnetograms, is basically described by an exponential function.

2019 ◽  
Vol 623 ◽  
pp. A176 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. P. Chitta ◽  
A. R. C. Sukarmadji ◽  
L. Rouppe van der Voort ◽  
H. Peter

Context. Densely packed coronal loops are rooted in photospheric plages in the vicinity of active regions on the Sun. The photospheric magnetic features underlying these plage areas are patches of mostly unidirectional magnetic field extending several arcsec on the solar surface. Aims. We aim to explore the transient nature of the magnetic field, its mixed-polarity characteristics, and the associated energetics in the active region plage using high spatial resolution observations and numerical simulations. Methods. We used photospheric Fe I 6173 Å spectropolarimetric observations of a decaying active region obtained from the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST). These data were inverted to retrieve the photospheric magnetic field underlying the plage as identified in the extreme-ultraviolet emission maps obtained from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). To obtain better insight into the evolution of extended unidirectional magnetic field patches on the Sun, we performed 3D radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations of magnetoconvection using the MURaM code. Results. The observations show transient magnetic flux emergence and cancellation events within the extended predominantly unipolar patch on timescales of a few 100 s and on spatial scales comparable to granules. These transient events occur at the footpoints of active region plage loops. In one case the coronal response at the footpoints of these loops is clearly associated with the underlying transient. The numerical simulations also reveal similar magnetic flux emergence and cancellation events that extend to even smaller spatial and temporal scales. Individual simulated transient events transfer an energy flux in excess of 1 MW m−2 through the photosphere. Conclusions. We suggest that the magnetic transients could play an important role in the energetics of active region plage. Both in observations and simulations, the opposite-polarity magnetic field brought up by transient flux emergence cancels with the surrounding plage field. Magnetic reconnection associated with such transient events likely conduits magnetic energy to power the overlying chromosphere and coronal loops.


2004 ◽  
Vol 422 (3) ◽  
pp. 1085-1091 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. S. Hasan ◽  
P. Ulmschneider
Keyword(s):  
The Sun ◽  

2007 ◽  
Vol 328 (10) ◽  
pp. 1016-1019 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.E. Benevolenskaya

1991 ◽  
Vol 130 ◽  
pp. 57-61
Author(s):  
Josep M. Massaguer

AbstractThermal convection in the Sun and cool stars is often modeled with the assumption of an effective Prandtl number σ ≃ 1. Such a parameterization results in masking of the presence of internal shear layers which, for small σ, might control the large scale dynamics. In this paper we discuss the relevance of such layers in turbulent convection. Implications for heat transport – i.e. for the Nusselt number power law – are also discussed.


1872 ◽  
Vol 20 (130-138) ◽  
pp. 308-312 ◽  

In a paper published in the ‘Proceedings of the Imperial Academy of Sciences of Vienna,’ vol. lxiv., Dr. Karl Hornstein has exhibited the results of a series of observations which appeared to show that the earths magnetism undergoes a periodical change in successive periods of 26 1/3 days, which might with great plausibility be referred to the rotation of the sun. It appeared to me that the deductions from the magnetic observations made at the Royal Observatory of Greenwich, and which are printed annually in the Greenwich Observations,’ or in the detached copies of ‘Results of Magnetical and Meteorological Observations made at the Royal Observatory of Greenwich, would afford good materials for testing the accuracy of this law, as applicable to a series of years. The mew results of the measured hourly ordinates of the terrestrial magnetic elements are given for every day, and it is certain that there has been no change of adjustments of the declination and horizontal-force instruments in the course of each year. For the horizontal-force instrument the temperature of the room has been maintained in a generally equable state, and in later years it has been remarkably uniform.


1875 ◽  
Vol 23 (156-163) ◽  
pp. 553-563
Keyword(s):  
The Sun ◽  

An eclipse of the sun was to occur on April 16, 1874, which would be total throughout Little Namaqualand. I made arrangements for a visit to this country to observe the eclipse. The country is one rarely visited. I was not aware that any determinations of the magnetic elements had been made there, except a few of the variation by the Admiralty surveyors at one or two points along the coast. It appeared to me desirable that the opportunity afforded by my visit to observe the eclipse should not be lost of securing magnetical observations at several stations in Namaqualand.


1996 ◽  
Vol 176 ◽  
pp. 201-216
Author(s):  
Sami K. Solanki

The magnetic field of the Sun is mainly concentrated into intense magnetic flux tubes having field strengths of the order of 1 kG. In this paper an overview is given of the thermal and magnetic properties of these flux tubes, which are known to exhibit a large range in size, from the smallest magnetic elements to sunspots. Differences and similarities between the largest and smallest features are stressed. Some thoughts are also presented on how the properties of magnetic flux tubes are expected to scale from the solar case to that of solar-like stars. For example, it is pointed out that on giants and supergiants turbulent pressure may dominate over gas pressure as the main confining agent of the magnetic field. Arguments are also presented in favour of a highly complex magnetic geometry on very active stars. Thus the very large starspots seen in Doppler images probably are conglomerates of smaller (but possibly still sizable) spots.


2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (S257) ◽  
pp. 121-131
Author(s):  
S. S. Hasan

AbstractWe review physical processes in magnetized chromospheres on the Sun. In the quiet chromosphere, it is useful to distinguish between the magnetic network on the boundaries of supergranules, where strong magnetic fields are organized in mainly vertical flux tubes and internetwork regions in the cell interiors, which have traditionally been associated with weak magnetic fields. Recent observations from Hinode, however, suggest that there is a significant amount of horizontal magnetic flux in the cell interior with large field strength. Furthermore, processes that heat the magnetic network have not been fully identified. Is the network heated by wave dissipation and if so, what is the nature of these waves? These and other aspects related to the role of spicules will also be highlighted. A critical assessment will be made on the challenges facing theory and observations, particularly in light of the new space experiments and the planned ground facilities.


2009 ◽  
Vol 508 (2) ◽  
pp. 951-962 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Vigeesh ◽  
S. S. Hasan ◽  
O. Steiner

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reinhard Drews ◽  
Christian Wild ◽  
Oliver Marsh ◽  
Wolfgang Rack ◽  
Todd Ehlers ◽  
...  

<p>Dynamics of polar outlet glaciers vary with ocean tides, providing a natural laboratory to understand basal processes beneath ice streams, ice rheology and ice-shelf buttressing. We apply Terrestrial Radar Interferometry to close the spatiotemporal gap between localized, temporally well-resolved GNSS and area-wide but sparse satellite observations. Three-hour flowfields collected over an eight day period at Priestley Glacier, Antarctica, validate and provide the spatial context for concurrent GNSS measurements. Ice flow is fastest during falling tides and slowest during rising tides. Principal components of the timeseries prove upstream propagation of tidal signatures $>$ 10 km away from the grounding line. Hourly, cm-scale horizontal and vertical flexure patterns occur $>$6 km upstream of the grounding line. Vertical uplift upstream of the grounding line is consistent with ephemeral re-grounding during low-tide impacting grounding-zone stability. On the freely floating ice shelves, we find velocity peaks both during high- and low-tide suggesting that ice-shelf buttressing varies temporally as a function of flexural bending from tidal displacement. Taken together, these observations identify tidal imprints on ice-stream dynamics on new temporal and spatial scales providing constraints for models designed to isolate dominating processes in ice-stream and ice-shelf mechanics.</p>


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