Response of granulation to small-scale bright features in the quiet Sun

Abstract

We detected 2.8 bright points (BPs) per Mm2 in the quiet Sun with the New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory, using the TiO 705.68 nm spectral line at an angular resolution 01 to obtain a 30 minute data sequence. Some BPs formed knots that were stable in time and influenced the properties of the granulation pattern around them. The observed granulation pattern within ∼3″ of knots presents smaller granules than those observed in a normal granulation pattern, i.e., around the knots a suppressed convection is detected. Observed BPs covered ∼5% of the solar surface and were not homogeneously distributed. BPs had an average size of 022, they were detectable for 4.28 minutes on average, and had an averaged contrast of 0.1% in the deep red TiO spectral line. © 2011. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.