The intensity, velocity and magnetic structure of a sunspot region

Abstract

The observational set-up for a detailed study of the velocity, intensity and magnetic-field fine structure in and around a sunspot is described. On highly resolved spectra we detected in the vicinity of a sunspot a large number of points with strong magnetic fields (magnetic knots). The magnetic field in these knots causes a striking decrease of the line depth (or a ‘line gap’ after Sheeley, 1967). The properties of the magnetic knots are: (1) magnetic fields up to 1400 gauss; (2) diameter ≈ 1100 km; (3) coincidence with dark intergranular spaces; (4) generally downward material motion; (5) lifetime>30min; (6) estimated total number around an unipolar spot ⩾ 2000; (7) combined magnetic flux comparable to the sunspot flux; (8) coincidence with Ca+ plages. For the smallest sunspots (pores) we obtained magnetic fields >1500 gauss. Hence a magnetic field of about 1400–1500 gauss appears to be a rather critical level for pore and spot formation. We found a large number of small areas producing line gaps without measurable magnetic field. These ‘non-magnetic gap-regions’ coincide with bright continuum structures. Some aspects arising from the occurrence of hundreds of magnetic knots in an active region are discussed in the last section.