Published September 1, 2014 | Version v1
Journal article

Oscillations in a sunspot with light bridges

  • 1. Key Laboratory of Solar Activity, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100012 (China)
  • 2. Centre for Fusion, Space and Astrophysics, Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)
  • 3. School of Space Science and Physics, Shandong University, Weihai 246209 (China)

Description

The Solar Optical Telescope on board Hinode observed a sunspot (AR 11836) with two light bridges (LBs) on 2013 August 31. We analyzed a two-hour Ca II H emission intensity data set and detected strong five-minute oscillation power on both LBs and in the inner penumbra. The time-distance plot reveals that the five-minute oscillation phase does not vary significantly along the thin bridge, indicating that the oscillations are likely to originate from underneath it. The slit taken along the central axis of the wide LB exhibits a standing wave feature. However, at the center of the wide bridge, the five-minute oscillation power is found to be stronger than at its sides. Moreover, the time-distance plot across the wide bridge exhibits a herringbone pattern that indicates a counter-stream of two running waves, which originated at the bridge's sides. Thus, the five-minute oscillations on the wide bridge also resemble the properties of running penumbral waves. The five-minute oscillations are suppressed in the umbra, while the three-minute oscillations occupy all three cores of the sunspot's umbra, separated by the LBs. The three-minute oscillations were found to be in phase at both sides of the LBs. This may indicate that either LBs do not affect umbral oscillations, or that umbral oscillations at different umbral cores share the same source. It also indicates that LBs are rather shallow objects situated in the upper part of the umbra. We found that umbral flashes (UFs) follow the life cycles of umbral oscillations with much larger amplitudes. They cannot propagate across LBs. UFs dominate the three-minute oscillation power within each core; however, they do not disrupt the phase of umbral oscillation.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/792/1/41

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Astrophysical Journal
Journal Volume
792
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
[7 p.]
ISSN
0004-637X
CODEN
ASJOAB