Bibcode
Štěpán, J.; Trujillo-Bueno, J.
Bibliographical reference
The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Volume 711, Issue 2, pp. L133-L137 (2010).
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3
2010
Citations
20
Refereed citations
11
Description
We report on a detailed radiative transfer modeling of the observed
scattering polarization in the Hα line, which allows us to infer
quantitative information on the magnetization of the quiet solar
chromosphere. Our analysis suggests the presence of a magnetic
complexity zone with a mean field strength langBrang > 30 G lying
just below the sudden transition region to the coronal temperatures. The
chromospheric plasma directly underneath is very weakly magnetized, with
langBrang ~ 1 G. The possible existence of this abrupt change in the
degree of magnetization of the upper chromosphere of the quiet Sun might
have large significance for our understanding of chromospheric (and,
therefore, coronal) heating.
Related projects
Magnetism, Polarization and Radiative Transfer in Astrophysics
Magnetic fields pervade all astrophysical plasmas and govern most of the variability in the Universe at intermediate time scales. They are present in stars across the whole Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, in galaxies, and even perhaps in the intergalactic medium. Polarized light provides the most reliable source of information at our disposal for the
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