Kinematics and Magnetic Properties of a Light Bridge in a Decaying Sunspot

• Published in: Solar physics 2016-08, Vol.291 (7), p.1939-1955
• Main Authors: Falco, M., Borrero, J. M., Guglielmino, S. L., Romano, P., Zuccarello, F., Criscuoli, S., Cristaldi, A., Ermolli, I., Jafarzadeh, S., Rouppe van der Voort, L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Atmospheric Sciences; Doppler effect; Filaments; Kinematics; Lanes; Line of sight; Magnetic fields; Magnetic properties; NOAA; Photosphere; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Scientific imaging; Solar physics; Space Exploration and Astronautics; Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics; Spatial analysis; Sunspots
• ISSN: 0038-0938; 1573-093X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11207-016-0944-8

We present the results obtained by analysing high spatial and spectral resolution data of the solar photosphere acquired by the CRisp Imaging SpectroPolarimeter at the Swedish Solar Telescope on 6 August 2011 of a large sunspot with a light bridge (LB) observed in NOAA AR 11263. These data are complemented by simultaneous Hinode Spectropolarimeter (SP) observation in the Fe I 630.15 nm and 630.25 nm lines. The continuum intensity map shows a discontinuity in the radial distribution of the penumbral filaments in correspondence with the LB, which shows a dark lane ( ≈ 0.3 ″ wide and ≈ 8.0 ″ long) along its main axis. The available data were inverted with the Stokes Inversion based on Response functions (SIR) code and physical parameters maps were obtained. The line-of-sight (LOS) velocity of the plasma along the LB derived from the Doppler effect shows motions towards and away from the observer up to 0.6 km s − 1 that are lower in value than the LOS velocities observed in the neighbouring penumbral filaments. The noteworthy result is that we find motions towards the observer of up to 0.6 km s − 1 in the dark lane where the LB is located between two umbral cores, while the LOS velocity motion towards the observer is strongly reduced where the LB is located between an umbral core at one side and penumbral filaments on the other side. Statistically, the LOS velocities correspond to upflows or downflows, and comparing these results with Hinode /SP data, we conclude that the surrounding magnetic field configuration (whether more or less inclined) could have a role in maintaining the conditions for the process of plasma pile-up along the dark lane. The results obtained from our study support and confirm outcomes of recent magneto-hydrodynamic simulations showing upflows along the main axis of an LB.