Magnetic field intensification: comparison of 3D MHD simulations with Hinode/SP results

TL;DR

This study compares 3D MHD simulations of magnetic field intensification in the solar photosphere with Hinode/SP observations, finding qualitative and quantitative agreement and highlighting the effects of finite resolution.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison between synthetic and real spectropolarimetric data, demonstrating the realism of simulations and the impact of observational resolution.

Findings

Synthetic and real observations are qualitatively consistent.

Quantitative agreement is achieved in at least one case.

Finite resolution affects detection of small features and high-velocity flows.

Abstract

Recent spectro-polarimetric observations have provided detailed measurements of magnetic field, velocity and intensity during events of magnetic field intensification in the solar photosphere. We consider the temporal evolution of the relevant physical quantities for three cases of magnetic field intensification in a numerical simulation. We determine the evolution of the intensity, magnetic flux density and zero-crossing velocity derived from the synthetic Stokes parameters by taking into account the spectral and spatial resolution of the spectropolarimeter (SP) on board Hinode. The three events considered show a similar evolution: advection of magnetic flux to a granular vertex, development of a strong downflow, evacuation of the magnetic feature, increase of the field strength and the appearance of the bright point. We find that synthetic and real observations are qualitatively consistent and, for one of the cases considered, agree very well also quantitatively. The effect of finite resolution (spatial smearing) is most pronounced in the case of small features, for which the synthetic Hinode/SP observations miss the bright point formation and also the high-velocity downflows during the formation of the smaller magnetic features.