The challenge of umbral dots
Abstract
Recent numerical simulations of magnetoconvection in the umbra reproduced not only the basic characteristics of central (CUDs) and peripheral (PUDs) umbral dots but predicted also possible substructures -- dark lanes in CUDs and tails connected to PUDs. Imaging of these extremely small and faint substructures is at the limits of contemporary solar telescopes and spectropolarimetry is currently not feasible. Although the existence of these substructures has been recently confirmed by observations, there are some differences between the observed and predicted characteristics that need to be clarified. The required spectropolarimetric observations with extremely high spatial and temporal resolution and stability can be acquired only with 4-m class telescopes equipped with multi-conjugate adaptive optics.
- Publication:
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Central European Astrophysical Bulletin
- Pub Date:
- 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011CEAB...35...39S
- Keywords:
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- Sun: photosphere;
- sunspots