On the spectrum of granular and intergranular regions

Abstract

A very high quality wiggly-line spectrogram was analyzed by making high-resolution spectral scans of numerous small solar features. An attempt from the line profiles to detect a magnetic field difference between the granular and intergranular regions, resulted in a field increase of 20 ± 15 G in the darker regions of the granular field. Line width increases apparently due to small-scale turbulent velocities are seen in the darker regions. It is postulated that in general darker regions show increased turbulent velocities. Conspicuous asymmetries in line profiles are seen in dark intergranular regions. It is suggested that these are the result of velocity gradients in the downward flow of material. An ionized Cr line showed a conspicuous increase in equivalent width in the darker regions of the granular field, thus indicating a decrease in electron pressure in these areas.