Halpha scan of a sunspot near the limb

Swedish 1m Solar Telescope

This movie shows the main spot of active region 11084 as observed at different wavelengths across the H-alpha line (marked in the upper left corner) with the CRISP instrument. Wavelengths near the continuum of the line sample the photosphere. Wavelengths in the line wing sample progressively higher layers of the atmosphere up to the upper chromosphere, which is observable at line center.

The typical appearance of the active region in the photoshere, with a dark sunspot and bright plage around it, disappears as we move higher in the chromosphere. We first observe dynamic fibrils rooted in the sunspot and spicules at the limb. Moving closer to the line center, taller and taller structures show up and blur the view. Near the line center the photosphere is no longer visible and the sunspot is difficult to recognize, except for the nearly vertical and short fibrils emanating from it.

To download the movie, click HERE

Movie credit: Patrick Antolin and Luc Rouppe van der Voort (ITA, University of Oslo)

Text credit: Luis Bellot Rubio (IAA-CSIC)

Publication: Antolin et al., 2015, ApJ, 806, 81