Supersonic Magnetic Flows in the Quiet Sun

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection of supersonic magnetized flows in the quiet Sun using high-resolution observations, revealing their properties, locations, and potential origins related to solar magnetic activity.

Contribution

It presents the first high-resolution observations of supersonic magnetic flows in the quiet Sun, analyzing their characteristics and possible physical mechanisms.

Findings

Detected high-speed magnetic flows with velocities >6 km/s.

Most events occur within granular cells, indicating upflows.

Some events are associated with intergranular lanes or no clear convective pattern.

Abstract

In this contribution we describe some recent observations of high-speed magnetized flows in the quiet Sun granulation. These observations were carried out with the Imaging Magnetograph eXperiment (IMaX) onboard the stratospheric balloon {\sc Sunrise}, and possess an unprecedented spatial resolution and temporal cadence. These flows were identified as highly shifted circular polarization (Stokes $V$) signals. We estimate the LOS velocity responsible for these shifts to be larger than 6 km s$^{-1}$, and therefore we refer to them as {\it supersonic magnetic flows}. The average lifetime of the detected events is 81.3 s and they occupy an average area of about 23\,000 km$^2$. Most of the events occur within granular cells and correspond therefore to upflows. However some others occur in intergranular lanes or bear no clear relation to the convective velocity pattern. We analyze a number of representative examples and discuss them in terms of magnetic loops, reconnection events, and convective collapse.