Evidence of small-scale magnetic concentrations dragged by vortex motion of solar photospheric plasma

TL;DR

This study provides observational evidence that small-scale magnetic concentrations in the solar photosphere are influenced by vortex motions, which may contribute to magnetic flux tube twisting and heating of the upper solar atmosphere.

Contribution

First direct observation of magnetic concentrations being dragged by vortex motions in the solar photosphere, linking small-scale plasma dynamics to magnetic flux evolution.

Findings

Magnetic concentrations are drawn toward vortex centers.

Vortex centers act as draining points for magnetic flux.

Magnetic and bright point locations are well correlated.

Abstract

Vortex-type motions have been measured by tracking bright points in high-resolution observations of the solar photosphere. These small-scale motions are thought to be determinant in the evolution of magnetic footpoints and their interaction with plasma and therefore likely to play a role in heating the upper solar atmosphere by twisting magnetic flux tubes. We report the observation of magnetic concentrations being dragged towards the center of a convective vortex motion in the solar photosphere from high-resolution ground-based and space-borne data. We describe this event by analyzing a series of images at different solar atmospheric layers. By computing horizontal proper motions, we detect a vortex whose center appears to be the draining point for the magnetic concentrations detected in magnetograms and well-correlated with the locations of bright points seen in G-band and CN images.