Chromospheric resonator model for sunspot revealed by multi-height observation of umbral wave

TL;DR

This study uses high-resolution multi-wavelength observations to analyze chromospheric wave propagation in a sunspot, revealing standing and upward propagating MHD waves confined within a non-ideal acoustic resonator, aiding sunspot seismology.

Contribution

It provides observational evidence of chromospheric wave behavior in sunspots, supporting the chromospheric resonator model and enhancing understanding of sunspot atmospheric structure.

Findings

Detection of 3-minute oscillations in Hα intensity.

Identification of slow magnetoacoustic standing and upward waves.

Evidence of wave confinement within a chromospheric resonator.

Abstract

Sunspots are transient, magnetically intense features that host oscillations linked to magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves. These waves may contribute to plasma heating and drive mass flows in the solar wind. Beyond their energetic role, they serve as diagnostic tools for probing sunspot structure. In this study, we investigated chromospheric wave propagation in a sunspot using high-resolution, multi-wavelength observations from the Goode Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory. Spectral analysis shows that the intensity at H$\alpha$ line core and its wings exhibited oscillatory signal at about 3 min. We performed a cross-wavelet analysis to examine the phase relationship between the wing-integrated and line-core intensity oscillations of the H$\alpha$ line and the centroid-derived H$\alpha$ Doppler velocity. We also analyze the phase relationships between intensity pairs from different passband combinations of the H$\alpha$ line. The results indicate the presence of slow magnetoacoustic modes manifesting standing waves along with upward propagating waves. The observed phase patterns suggest that umbral waves are confined within a non-ideal acoustic resonator, providing measurable wave properties that could serve as input for sunspot seismology and refine models of sunspot atmospheric structure.