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The smallest observable elements of magnetic flux

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Abstract

We have followed disappearing elements of magnetic flux to determine the smallest elements detectable with the Big Bear videomagnetograph. All the elements followed were disappearing through interaction with elements of opposite polarity. The last remaining visible segment of magnectic field of such features can be used to infer the total magnetic flux of these and other small flux elements visible on the magnetograms.

We used both photographic and digital videomagnetograms combining 4096 Zeeman frames made at Big Bear. Fifteen elements were measured near the vanishing point, in a 2–8 hr period. The minimum observable fluxes fall in the range of 1.0 × 1016 to 1.4 × 1017 Mx, and the apparent size of these elements is in the range of 1 to 9 square arc sec. The process of disappearance appears to be a smooth one. The smallest detectable elements of network field and ephemeral regions (ER) appear to be the same as the small intra-network (IN) field elements. The present limit is still instrumental; elements smaller than 1 × 1016 would not have been detected.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. California Institute of Technology, Solar Astronomy, 91125, Pasadena, CA, U.S.A.

    Jingxiu Wang, Harold Zirin & Zhongxian Shi

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  1. Jingxiu Wang
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  2. Harold Zirin
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  3. Zhongxian Shi
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Visiting Associates from Beijing Observatory, Academia Sinica, Beijing, China.

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Wang, J., Zirin, H. & Shi, Z. The smallest observable elements of magnetic flux. Sol Phys 98, 241–253 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00152458

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00152458

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