Temporal Evolution of Velocity and Magnetic Field in and around Umbral Dots

TL;DR

This study investigates the temporal evolution of velocity and magnetic fields in umbral dots using high-resolution spectropolarimetric data, confirming some simulation predictions while challenging others about magnetic field weakening.

Contribution

It provides detailed observational analysis of umbral dots' magnetic and velocity properties, comparing results with recent MHD simulations to enhance understanding of sunspot umbra dynamics.

Findings

UDs show upflows consistent with MHD predictions.

Weak and inclined magnetic fields are characteristic of UDs.

Strong or decaying UDs exhibit enhanced and more vertical magnetic fields.

Abstract

We study the temporal evolution of umbral dots (UDs) using measurements from the CRISP imaging spectropolarimeter at the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope. Scans of the magnetically sensitive 630 nm iron lines were performed under stable atmospheric conditions for 71 min with a cadence of 63 s. These observations allow us to investigate the magnetic field and velocity in and around UDs at a resolution approaching 0.13". From the analysis of 339 UDs, we draw the following conclusions: (1)UDs show clear hints of upflows, as predicted by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. By contrast, we could not find systematic downflow signals. Only in very deep layers we detect localized downflows around UDs, but they do not persist in time. (2) We confirm that UDs exhibit weaker and more inclined fields than their surroundings, as reported previously. However, UDs that have strong fields above 2000 G or are in the decay phase show enhanced and more vertical fields. (3)There are enhanced fields at the migration front of UDs detached from penumbral grains, as if their motion were impeded by the ambient field. (4) Long-lived UDs travel longer distances with slower proper motions. Our results appear to confirm some aspects of recent numerical simulations of magnetoconvection in the umbra (e.g., the existence of upflows in UDs), but not others (e.g., the systematic weakening of the magnetic field at the position of UDs.)