Origin of spatial variations of scattering polarization in the wings of the Ca {\sc i} 4227 \AA line

TL;DR

This study investigates the unexpected spatial variations of scattering polarization in the wings of the Ca I 4227 Å line, exploring whether magnetic fields or local atmospheric inhomogeneities are responsible.

Contribution

The paper provides observational evidence of wing polarization variations and tests a model based on the last scattering approximation, ruling out magnetic effects as the primary cause.

Findings

Model reproduces the wing polarization maxima and minima

Magnetic field effects cannot explain the observed variations

Local atmospheric inhomogeneities are likely responsible

Abstract

Polarization that is produced by coherent scattering can be modified by magnetic fields via the Hanle effect. According to standard theory the Hanle effect should only be operating in the Doppler core of spectral lines but not in the wings. In contrast, our observations of the scattering polarization in the Ca {\sc i} 4227 \AA line reveals the existence of spatial variations of the scattering polarization throughout the far line wings. This raises the question whether the observed spatial variations in wing polarization have a magnetic or non-magnetic origin. A magnetic origin may be possible if elastic collisions are able to cause sufficient frequency redistribution to make the Hanle effect effective in the wings without causing excessive collisional depolarization, as suggested by recent theories for partial frequency redistribution with coherent scattering in magnetic fields. To model the wing polarization we apply an extended version of the technique based on the "last scattering approximation". This model is highly successful in reproducing the observed Stokes $Q/I$ polarization (linear polarization parallel to the nearest solar limb), including the location of the wing polarization maxima and the minima around the Doppler core, but it fails to reproduce the observed spatial variations of the wing polarization in terms of magnetic field effects with frequency redistribution. This null result points in the direction of a non-magnetic origin in terms of local inhomogeneities (varying collisional depolarization, radiation-field anisotropies, and deviations from a plane-parallel atmospheric stratification).