Evidence for convection in Sunspot penumbrae

TL;DR

This study provides observational evidence that overturning convection causes twisting motions in sunspot penumbral filaments, with velocities and brightness decreasing outward, indicating convection as a key energy source.

Contribution

It offers the first detailed analysis linking twisting motions in penumbral filaments to overturning convection, supported by high-resolution Hinode observations.

Findings

Twisting motions are present only in certain filament portions.

Brighter, inner filament sections exhibit faster twisting velocities.

Twisting velocity decreases outward, correlating with brightness reduction.

Abstract

We present an analysis of twisting motions in penumbral filaments in sunspots located at heliocentric angles from $30^\circ$ to $48^\circ$ using three time series of blue continuum images obtained by the Broadband Filter Imager (BFI) onboard {\it Hinode}. The relations of the twisting motions to the filament brightness and the position within the filament and within the penumbra, respectively, are investigated. Only certain portions of the filaments show twisting motions. In a statistical sense, the part of the twisting portion of a filament located closest to the umbra is brightest and possesses the fastest twisting motion, with a mean twisting velocity of 2.1\,km\,s$^{-1}$. The middle and outer sections of the twisting portion of the filament (lying increasingly further from the umbra), which are less bright, have mean velocities of 1.7\,km\,s$^{-1}$ and 1.35\,km\,s$^{-1}$, respectively. The observed reduction of brightness and twisting velocity towards the outer section of the filaments may be due to reducing upflow along the filament's long axis. No significant variation of twisting velocity as a function of viewing angles was found. The obtained correlation of brightness and velocity suggests that overturning convection causes the twisting motions observed in penumbral filament and may be the source of the energy needed to maintain the brightness of the filaments.