Evolution of the Fine Structure of Magnetic Fields in the Quiet Sun: Observations from Sunrise/IMaX and Extrapolations

T. Wiegelmann; S. K. Solanki; J. M. Borrero; H. Peter; P. Barthol; A. Gandorfer; V. Martínez Pillet; W. Schmidt; M. Knölker

doi:10.1007/s11207-013-0249-0

Evolution of the Fine Structure of Magnetic Fields in the Quiet Sun: Observations from Sunrise/IMaX and Extrapolations

T. Wiegelmann
, S. K. Solanki
, J. M. Borrero
, H. Peter
, P. Barthol
, A. Gandorfer
, V. Martínez Pillet
, W. Schmidt
, M. Knölker

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

26 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Observations with the balloon-borne Sunrise/Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) provide high spatial resolution (roughly 100 km at disk center) measurements of the magnetic field in the photosphere of the quiet Sun. To investigate the magnetic structure of the chromosphere and corona, we extrapolate these photospheric measurements into the upper solar atmosphere and analyze a 22-minute long time series with a cadence of 33 seconds. Using the extrapolated magnetic-field lines as tracer, we investigate temporal evolution of the magnetic connectivity in the quiet Sun's atmosphere. The majority of magnetic loops are asymmetric in the sense that the photospheric field strength at the loop foot points is very different. We find that the magnetic connectivity of the loops changes rapidly with a typical connection recycling time of about 3±1 minutes in the upper solar atmosphere and 12±4 minutes in the photosphere. This is considerably shorter than previously found. Nonetheless, our estimate of the energy released by the associated magnetic-reconnection processes is not likely to be the sole source for heating the chromosphere and corona in the quiet Sun.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	253-272
Number of pages	20
Journal	Solar Physics
Volume	283
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-013-0249-0
Publication status	Published - Apr 2013

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgements The German contribution to Sunrise is funded by the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie through Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Grant No. 50 OU 0401, and by the Innovationsfonds of the President of the Max Planck Society (MPG). The Spanish contribution has been funded by the Spanish MICINN under projects ESP2006-13030-C06 and AYA2009-14105-C06 (including European FEDER funds). The HAO contribution was partly funded through NASA grant number NNX08AH38G. This work has been partially supported by the WCU grant No. R31-10016 funded by the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

Keywords

Sun: chromosphere
Sun: corona
Sun: magnetic topology
Sun: photosphere

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10.1007/s11207-013-0249-0

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title = "Evolution of the Fine Structure of Magnetic Fields in the Quiet Sun: Observations from Sunrise/IMaX and Extrapolations",

abstract = "Observations with the balloon-borne Sunrise/Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) provide high spatial resolution (roughly 100 km at disk center) measurements of the magnetic field in the photosphere of the quiet Sun. To investigate the magnetic structure of the chromosphere and corona, we extrapolate these photospheric measurements into the upper solar atmosphere and analyze a 22-minute long time series with a cadence of 33 seconds. Using the extrapolated magnetic-field lines as tracer, we investigate temporal evolution of the magnetic connectivity in the quiet Sun's atmosphere. The majority of magnetic loops are asymmetric in the sense that the photospheric field strength at the loop foot points is very different. We find that the magnetic connectivity of the loops changes rapidly with a typical connection recycling time of about 3±1 minutes in the upper solar atmosphere and 12±4 minutes in the photosphere. This is considerably shorter than previously found. Nonetheless, our estimate of the energy released by the associated magnetic-reconnection processes is not likely to be the sole source for heating the chromosphere and corona in the quiet Sun.",

keywords = "Sun: chromosphere, Sun: corona, Sun: magnetic topology, Sun: photosphere",

author = "T. Wiegelmann and Solanki, \{S. K.\} and Borrero, \{J. M.\} and H. Peter and P. Barthol and A. Gandorfer and V. Mart{\'i}nez Pillet and W. Schmidt and M. Kn{\"o}lker",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements The German contribution to Sunrise is funded by the Bundesministerium f{\"u}r Wirtschaft und Technologie through Deutsches Zentrum f{\"u}r Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Grant No. 50 OU 0401, and by the Innovationsfonds of the President of the Max Planck Society (MPG). The Spanish contribution has been funded by the Spanish MICINN under projects ESP2006-13030-C06 and AYA2009-14105-C06 (including European FEDER funds). The HAO contribution was partly funded through NASA grant number NNX08AH38G. This work has been partially supported by the WCU grant No. R31-10016 funded by the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.",

year = "2013",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1007/s11207-013-0249-0",

language = "English",

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T2 - Observations from Sunrise/IMaX and Extrapolations

AU - Wiegelmann, T.

AU - Solanki, S. K.

AU - Borrero, J. M.

AU - Peter, H.

AU - Barthol, P.

AU - Gandorfer, A.

AU - Martínez Pillet, V.

AU - Schmidt, W.

AU - Knölker, M.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements The German contribution to Sunrise is funded by the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie through Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Grant No. 50 OU 0401, and by the Innovationsfonds of the President of the Max Planck Society (MPG). The Spanish contribution has been funded by the Spanish MICINN under projects ESP2006-13030-C06 and AYA2009-14105-C06 (including European FEDER funds). The HAO contribution was partly funded through NASA grant number NNX08AH38G. This work has been partially supported by the WCU grant No. R31-10016 funded by the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

PY - 2013/4

Y1 - 2013/4

N2 - Observations with the balloon-borne Sunrise/Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) provide high spatial resolution (roughly 100 km at disk center) measurements of the magnetic field in the photosphere of the quiet Sun. To investigate the magnetic structure of the chromosphere and corona, we extrapolate these photospheric measurements into the upper solar atmosphere and analyze a 22-minute long time series with a cadence of 33 seconds. Using the extrapolated magnetic-field lines as tracer, we investigate temporal evolution of the magnetic connectivity in the quiet Sun's atmosphere. The majority of magnetic loops are asymmetric in the sense that the photospheric field strength at the loop foot points is very different. We find that the magnetic connectivity of the loops changes rapidly with a typical connection recycling time of about 3±1 minutes in the upper solar atmosphere and 12±4 minutes in the photosphere. This is considerably shorter than previously found. Nonetheless, our estimate of the energy released by the associated magnetic-reconnection processes is not likely to be the sole source for heating the chromosphere and corona in the quiet Sun.

AB - Observations with the balloon-borne Sunrise/Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) provide high spatial resolution (roughly 100 km at disk center) measurements of the magnetic field in the photosphere of the quiet Sun. To investigate the magnetic structure of the chromosphere and corona, we extrapolate these photospheric measurements into the upper solar atmosphere and analyze a 22-minute long time series with a cadence of 33 seconds. Using the extrapolated magnetic-field lines as tracer, we investigate temporal evolution of the magnetic connectivity in the quiet Sun's atmosphere. The majority of magnetic loops are asymmetric in the sense that the photospheric field strength at the loop foot points is very different. We find that the magnetic connectivity of the loops changes rapidly with a typical connection recycling time of about 3±1 minutes in the upper solar atmosphere and 12±4 minutes in the photosphere. This is considerably shorter than previously found. Nonetheless, our estimate of the energy released by the associated magnetic-reconnection processes is not likely to be the sole source for heating the chromosphere and corona in the quiet Sun.

KW - Sun: chromosphere

KW - Sun: corona

KW - Sun: magnetic topology

KW - Sun: photosphere

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DO - 10.1007/s11207-013-0249-0

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AN - SCOPUS:84874994610

SN - 0038-0938

VL - 283

SP - 253

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JO - Solar Physics

JF - Solar Physics

IS - 2

ER -

Evolution of the Fine Structure of Magnetic Fields in the Quiet Sun: Observations from Sunrise/IMaX and Extrapolations

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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