ANALYSIS OF QUIET-SUN INTERNETWORK MAGNETIC FIELDS BASED ON LINEAR POLARIZATION SIGNALS

Journal Article · Sun May 20 04:00:00 EDT 2012 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/751/1/2· OSTI ID:22037279

Orozco Suarez, D ^[1]

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1. National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan)

We present results from the analysis of Fe I 630 nm measurements of the quiet Sun taken with the spectropolarimeter of the Hinode satellite. Two data sets with noise levels of 1.2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} and 3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} are employed. We determine the distribution of field strengths and inclinations by inverting the two observations with a Milne-Eddington model atmosphere. The inversions show a predominance of weak, highly inclined fields. By means of several tests we conclude that these properties cannot be attributed to photon noise effects. To obtain the most accurate results, we focus on the 27.4% of the pixels in the second data set that have linear polarization amplitudes larger than 4.5 times the noise level. The vector magnetic field derived for these pixels is very precise because both circular and linear polarization signals are used simultaneously. The inferred field strength, inclination, and filling factor distributions agree with previous results, supporting the idea that internetwork (IN) fields are weak and very inclined, at least in about one quarter of the area occupied by the IN. These properties differ from those of network fields. The average magnetic flux density and the mean field strength derived from the 27.4% of the field of view with clear linear polarization signals are 16.3 Mx cm{sup -2} and 220 G, respectively. The ratio between the average horizontal and vertical components of the field is approximately 3.1. The IN fields do not follow an isotropic distribution of orientations.

• OSTI ID: 22037279
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 751; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
AMPLITUDES
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS
COSMIC PHOTONS
DISTRIBUTION
FLUX DENSITY
INCLINATION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MEAN-FIELD THEORY
NOISE
ORIENTATION
PHOTOSPHERE
POLARIZATION
SIGNALS
SUN