A comparison of measured and simulated solar network contrast

TL;DR

This study compares 3-D solar magneto-convection simulations with Hinode/SOT observations to assess the contrast of small-scale magnetic elements across a broad wavelength range, aiding understanding of solar irradiance variations.

Contribution

It introduces a method to validate simulated solar contrast with observations, extending the analysis across multiple wavelengths from NUV to FIR.

Findings

Simulated intensities match observed contrast within measurement uncertainties.

Contrast varies systematically across wavelengths, influencing solar irradiance models.

Validation supports using simulations to study solar surface features beyond observational limits.

Abstract

Long-term trends in the solar spectral irradiance are important to determine the impact on Earth's climate. These long-term changes are thought to be caused mainly by changes in the surface area covered by small-scale magnetic elements. The direct measurement of the contrast to determine the impact of these small-scale magnetic elements is, however, limited to a few wavelengths, and is, even for space instruments, affected by scattered light and instrument defocus. In this work we calculate emergent intensities from 3-D simulations of solar magneto-convection and validate the outcome by comparing with observations from Hinode/SOT. In this manner we aim to construct the contrast at wavelengths ranging from the NUV to the FIR.