Abstract
Structure of horizontal convective currents in the solar atmosphere has been investigated using profiles of the λ ≈ 532.42 nm neutral iron line which were observed at the solar limb with high spatial resolution. The asymmetry of the observed line was shown to arise when approaching the solar limb. The spatial and time velocity variations were simulated using the λ-meter technique. Acoustic waves were removed using the k-ω filters. The convection currents on various spatial scales were distinguished, namely, those connected with granulation, mesogranulation, and supergranulation. The spatial and time distribution of the convection velocities in the photosphere and in the low chromosphere has been analyzed. The horizontal currents were shown to exist on granulation, mesogranulation, and supergranulation scales as low as h ≈ 250 km, and the granulation and mesogranulation horizontal velocities increase with height. In the photospheric layers, the supergranulation vertical-velocity field appears almost invariable, while the supergranulation horizontal-velocity field can vary with height. The horizontal velocity distribution within large convection currents is found to be asymmetric on granulation, mesogranulation, and supergranulation scales.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
I. N. Atroshchenko, A. S. Gadun, S. I. Gopasyuk, et al., Global Solar Characteristics Variations, Ed. by E. A. Gurtovenko (Nauk. Dumka, Kiev, 1991) [in Russian].
I. N. Antroshchenko, A. S. Gadun, and R. I. Kostyk, “Fine Structure of Fraunhofer Lines: Observation Results and Interpretation,” Kinem. Fiz. Nebes. Tel 6(6), 3–20 (1990).
R. I. Kostyk and N. G. Shchukina, “Five-Minute Oscillations and the Fine Structure of the Solar Photosphere. I,” Kinem. Fiz. Nebes. Tel 15(1), 25–37 (1999).
M. I. Stodilka, “Temperature Structure of Real Solar Granulation,” Kinem. Fiz. Nebes. Tel 19, 407–416 (2003).
M. I. Stodilka, O. A. Baran, and S. Z. Malinich, “Peculiarities of the Convection in the Solar Photosphere,” Kinem. Fiz. Nebes. Tel 22, 173–182 (2006).
M. I. Stodilka and O. A. Baran, “Structure of the Solar Photospheric Convection on Subgranulation Scales,” Kinem. Fiz. Nebes. Tel 24, 99–109 (2008).
M. G. Adam, P. A. Ibbetson, and A. D. Petford, “The Solar Limb Effect. Observations of Line Contours and Line Shifts,” Mon. Not. R. Astr. Soc. 177, 678–708 (1976).
M. C. M. Cheung and F. Moreno-Insertis, “The Origin of the Reversed Granulation in the Solar Photosphere,” Astron. Astrophys. 461, 1163–1171 (2007).
M. L. DeRosa and J. Toomre, “Evolution of Solar Supergranulation,” Astrophys. J. 616, 1242–1260 (2004).
F.-L. Deubner, “Mesogranulation — A Convective Phenomenon,” Astron. Astrophys. 216, 259–264 (1989).
D. Dravins, “Photospheric Spectrum Line Asymmetries and Wavelength Shifts,” Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 2, 61–89 (1982).
O. Espagnet, R. Muller, T. Roudier, N. Mein, and P. Mein, “Penetration of the Solar Granulation Into the Photosphere: Height Dependence of Intensity and Velocity Fluctuations,” Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser. 109, 79–108 (1995).
A. S. Gadun, A. Hanslmeier, K. N. Pikalov, S. R. O. Ploner, K. G. Puschmann, and S. K. Solanki, “Size-Dependent Properties of Simulated 2-D Solar Granulation,” Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser 146, 267–291 (2000).
L. Gizon, T. L. Duvall, and J. Schou, “Wave-Like Properties of Solar Supergranulation,” Nature 421(6918), 43–44 (2003).
E. A. Gurtovenko, “The Total Photospheric Motion Field,” Solar Phys. 45, 25–33 (1975).
J. Halm, “Über Eine Bisher Unbekannte Verschiebung Der Fraunhoferschen Linien Des Sonnenspektrums,” Astron. Nachrichten 173, 273–288 (1907).
D. H. Hathaway, J. G. Beck, S. Han, and J. Raymond, “Radial Flows in Supergranules,” Solar Phys. 205, 25–38 (2002).
E. V. Khomenko, R. I. Kostik, and N. G. Shchukina, “Five-Minute Oscillations Above Granules and Intergranular Lanes,” Astron. Astrophys. 369, 660–671 (2001).
R. Komm, W. Mattig, and A. Nesis, “The Small-Scale Velocity Field in the Solar Photosphere,” Astron. Astrophys. 243, 251–262 (1991).
R. I. Kostik, “Fine Structure of Fraunhofer Lines and the Structure of the Solar Atmosphere,” Sov. Astron. 29, 65–71 (1985).
R. I. Kostik, “Fine Structure of Convective Motions in the Solar Photosphere,” Kinem. Fiz. Nebes. Tel 5 (Suppl.), 134–137 (2005).
C. Marmolino and G. Severino, “The Third Central Moment of Photospheric Lines As a Measure of Velocity Gradients and Line Shifts,” Astron. Astrophys. 100, 191–193 (1981).
I. Marquez, J. A. Bonet, M. Vazquez, and H. Woehl, “Numerical Modeling of Spectral Line Asymmetries in Photospheric Structures. I. Quiet Sun,” Astron. Astrophys. 305, 305–316 (1996).
L. Matloch, R. Cameron, and D. Schmitt, “Solar Mesogranulation As a Cellular Automaton Effect,” Mod. Solar Facilit.-Adv. Solar Sci., 339–342 (2007).
A. Nordlund, R. F. Stein, and M. Asplund, “Solar Surface Convection,” Living Rev. Solar Phys. 6(2) (2009).
L. J. November, J. Toomre, K. B. Gebbie, and G. W. Simon, “The Detection of Mesogranulation on the Sun,” Astrophys. J. Part 2 245, L123–L126 (1981).
L. J. November, “The Vertical Component of the Supergranular Convection,” Astrophys. J. 344, 494–503 (1989).
L. J. November, “Inferring the Depth Extent of the Horizontal Supergranular Flow,” Solar Phys. 154, 1–17 (1994).
S. R. O. Ploner, S. K. Solanki, and A. S. Gadun, “Is Solar Mesogranulation a Surface Phenomenon?,” Astron. Astrophys. 356, 1050–1054 (2000).
M. P. Rast, “The Scales of Granulation, Mesogranulation, and Supergranulation,” Astrophys. J. 597, 1200–1210 (2003).
M. Rieutord, T. Roudier, J. M. Malherbe, and F. Rincon, “On Mesogranulation, Network Formation and Supergranulation,” Astron. Astrophys. 357, 1063–1072 (2000).
Th. Roudier, J. M. Malherbe, J. Vigneau, and B. Pfeiffer, “Solar Mesogranule Lifetime Measurements,” Astron. Astrophys. 330, 1136–1144 (1998).
Th. Roudier and R. Muller, “Relation Between Families of Granules, Mesogranules and Photospheric Net-work,” Astron. Astrophys. 419, 757–762 (2004).
N. G. Shchukina, V. L. Olshevsky, and E. Khomenko, “Solar BaII, 4554 A Line as Doppler Diagnostics: NLTE Analysis in 3D Hydrodynamical Model,” arXiv:0905:0985 (2009).
H. C. Spruit, A. Nordlund, and A. M. Title, “Solar Convection,” Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 28, 263–301 (1990).
R. Stebbins and P. R. Goode, “Waves in the Solar Photosphere,” Solar Phys. 110, 237–253 (1987).
R. F. Stein and A. Nordlund, “Simulations of Solar Granulation. I. General Properties,” Astrophys. J. 499, 914–933 (1998).
T. Straus and D. Bonaccini, “Dynamics of the Solar Photosphere. I. Two-Dimensional Spectroscopy of Mesoscale Phenomena,” Astron. Astrophys. 324, 704–712 (1997).
M. Svanda, M. Klnana, and M. Sobotka, “Motions of Supergranular Structures on the Solar Surface,” Hvar Observ. Bull. 29, 39–48 (2005).
S. Ueno and R. Kitai, “3D Velocity-Field Observation of Solar Convection I. Characteristics of Mesogranulation,” Publ. Astron. Soc. Jpn. 50, 125–139 (1998).
J. E. Vernazza, E. H. Avrett, and R. Loeser, “Structure of the Solar Chromosphere. III. Models of the EUV Brightness Components of the Quiet-Sun,” Astrophys. J. Suppl. Ser. 45, 635–725 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Original Russian Text © O.A. Baran, M.I. Stodilka, 2010, published in Kinematika i Fizika Nebesnykh Tel, 2010, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 34–49.
About this article
Cite this article
Baran, O.A., Stodilka, M.I. Horizontal convective velocity field obtained from the observations of the solar limb. Kinemat. Phys. Celest. Bodies 26, 117–129 (2010). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0884591310030037
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S0884591310030037