Penumbral finestructure: need for larger telescopes

Balthasar, H.; Sütterlin, P.; Collados, M.
Bibliographical reference

Astronomische Nachrichten, vol. 322, no. 5/6, p. 367-370

Advertised on:
12
2001
Number of authors
3
IAC number of authors
1
Citations
10
Refereed citations
10
Description
We obtained at the same time G-band images at the Dutch Open Telescope (DOT) on La Palma and spectropolarimetric data in the near infrared at the German Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT) on Tenerife. The spectropolarimetric data show interesting correlations. Bright filaments have a smaller magnetic field s trength, and higher Evershed velocities occur in dark structures. This result is in agreement with some previous observations, but also in contradiction to others. However, we suffer from the fact that the resolution limit of the VTT at a wavelength of 1.565 μm corresponds to 400 km. Spatial power spectra derived from the DOT data indicate a typical width of 250 km for penumbral filaments. Obviously a solar telescope with an aperture of at least 1.5~m is needed to obtain sophisticated results for penumbral structures.