Stokes diagnostics of simulated solar magneto-convection

¹ Solar Physics and Space Plasma Research Centre, Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Sheffield, Hicks Building, Hounsfield Rd, S3 7RH, UK
² Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany e-mail: msch@linmpi.mpg.de

Received: 27 November 2006
Accepted: 16 March 2007

Abstract

We present results of synthetic spectro-polarimetric diagnostics of radiative MHD simulations of solar surface convection with magnetic fields. Stokes profiles of Zeeman-sensitive lines of neutral iron in the visible and infrared spectral ranges emerging from the simulated atmosphere have been calculated in order to study their relation to the relevant physical quantities and compare with observational results. We have analyzed the dependence of the Stokes-I line strength and width as well as of the Stokes-V signal and asymmetries on the magnetic field strength. Furthermore, we have evaluated the correspondence between the actual velocities in the simulation with values determined from the Stokes-I (Doppler shift of the centre of gravity) and Stokes-V profiles (zero-crossing shift). We confirm that the line weakening in strong magnetic fields results from a higher temperature (at equal optical depth) in the magnetic flux concentrations. We also confirm that considerable Stokes-V asymmetries originate in the peripheral parts of strong magnetic flux concentrations, where the line of sight cuts through the magnetopause of the expanding flux concentration into the surrounding convective donwflow.