The Role of Sunspots Magnetic Configuration in the Formation of Umbral Fine-Structures

TL;DR

This study investigates how the magnetic field configuration in sunspots influences the formation and dynamics of fine-structures like umbral dots and light bridges, using spectro-polarimetric data from Hinode.

Contribution

It reveals that magnetic reconnection reconfigures magnetic fields, facilitating the formation of umbral fine-structures and their movement within sunspots.

Findings

Aligned magnetic fields promote umbral dot formation.

Magnetic reconnection alters magnetic topology.

Fine-structures form more frequently with reconfigured fields.

Abstract

We use spectro-polarimetric data recorded by Hinode to analyze the magnetic field configuration of a part of a sunspot (AR 10923) where a bundle of penumbral filaments are intruding into its umbra. We want to explore the role of the sunspot magnetic configuration in the formation and kinematics of the fine-structures, such as umbral dots and light bridges, inside the sunspot umbra. Both direct inferences from polarization Stokes profiles and the inversion results using the SIR code indicate an aligned magnetic field configuration in the umbra where moving umbral dots are easily formed at the leading edges of the rapidly intruding penumbral filaments. We suggest that the magnetic field topology is rearranged leading to the observed aligned magnetic field lines via magnetic reconnection process by which a part of the magnetic energy is converted into thermal and kinetic energy. This new configuration causes the umbral fine-structures to form easily and more frequently.