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Issue A&A
Volume 469, Number 1, July I 2007
Page(s) L9 - L12
Section Letters
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20077441



A&A 469, L9-L12 (2007)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20077441

Letter

Opposite magnetic polarity of two photospheric lines in single spectrum of the quiet Sun

R. Rezaei, R. Schlichenmaier, W. Schmidt, and O. Steiner

Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik, Schöneckstr. 6, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
    e-mail: [rrezaei;schliche;wolfgang;steiner]@kis.uni-freiburg.de

(Received 8 March 2007 / Accepted 24 April 2007)

Abstract
Aims.We study the structure of the photospheric magnetic field of the quiet Sun by investigating weak spectro-polarimetric signals.
Methods.We took a sequence of Stokes spectra of the $\ion{Fe}{i}$ 630.15 nm and 630.25 nm lines in a region of quiet Sun near the disk center, using the POLIS spectro-polarimeter at the German VTT on Tenerife. The line cores of these two lines form at different heights in the atmosphere. The 3$\sigma$ noise level of the data is about 1.8 $\times$ 10-3 $I_{\rm c}$.
Results.We present co-temporal and co-spatial Stokes-V profiles of the $\ion{Fe}{i}$ 630 nm line pair, where the two lines show opposite polarities in a single spectrum. We compute synthetic line profiles and reproduce these spectra with a two-component model atmosphere: a non-magnetic component and a magnetic component. The magnetic component consists of two magnetic layers with opposite polarity: the upper one moves upwards while the lower one moves downward. In-between, there is a region of enhanced temperature.
Conclusions.The Stokes-V line pair of opposite polarity in a single spectrum can be understood as a magnetic reconnection event in the solar photosphere. We demonstrate that such a scenario is realistic, but the solution may not be unique.


Key words: Sun: photosphere -- Sun: magnetic fields



© ESO 2007


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