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Exploding granules on the solar surface play a major role in the dynamics of the outer part of the convection zone, especially in the diffusion of the magnetic field. We aim to develop an automated procedure able to investigate the location and evolution of exploding granules over the solar surface and to get rid of visual detection. We used sequences of observations of intensity and Doppler velocity, as well as magnetograms, provided by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The automated detection of the exploding granules was performed by applying criteria on either three or two parameters: the granule area, the amplitude of the velocity field divergence, and, at the disc centre, the radial Doppler velocity. Our analyses show that granule area and divergence amplitudes are sufficient to detect the largest exploding granules; thus, we can automatically detect them, not only at the disc centre, but across the whole solar surface. Using a 24-hour-long observation sequence, we have demonstrated the important contribution of the most dynamic exploding granules in the diffusion of the magnetic field in the quiet Sun. Indeed, we have shown that the most intense exploding granules are sufficient to build a large part of the photospheric network. We have also applied our procedure on Hinode observations to locate the exploding granules relative to trees of fragmenting granules (TFGs). We conclude that, during a first phase of about 300 minutes after the birth of a TFG, exploding granules are preferentially located on its edge. Finally, we also show that the distribution of exploding granules is homogeneous (at the level of our measurement errors) over the solar surface without a significant dependency on latitude., Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics (languaged-edited version)

The Sun is a magnetic star, and the only spatio-temporally resolved astrophysical system displaying turbulent MHD thermal convection. This makes it a privileged object of study to understand fluid turbulence in extreme regimes and its interactions with magnetic fields. Global analyses of high-resolution solar observations provided by the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory can shed light on the physical processes underlying large-scale emergent phenomena such as the solar dynamo cycle. Combining a Coherent Structure Tracking reconstruction of photospheric flows, based on photometric data, and a statistical analysis of virtual passive tracers trajectories advected by these flows, we characterise one of the most important such processes, turbulent diffusion, over an unprecedentedly long monitoring period of 6 consecutive days of a significant fraction of the solar disc. We first confirm, and provide a new global view of the emergence of a remarkable dynamical pattern of Lagrangian Coherent Structures tiling the entire surface. These structures act as transport barriers on the time and spatial scale of supergranulation and, by transiently accumulating particles and magnetic fields, regulate large-scale turbulent surface diffusion. We then further statistically characterise the turbulent transport regime using two different methods, and obtain an effective horizontal turbulent diffusivity $D=2-3\times10^8~\mathrm{m}^2~\mathrm{s}^{-1}$ on the longest timescales probed. This estimate is consistent with the transport coefficients required in large-scale mean-field solar dynamo models, and is in broad agreement with the results of global simulations. Our analysis may also have implications for understanding the connections between solar-surface, coronal and solar-wind dynamics, and provides valuable lessons to characterise turbulent transport in other, unresolved turbulent astrophysical systems., Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, submitted to A&A

Detailed knowledge of surface dynamics is one of the key points in understanding magnetic solar activity. The motions of the solar surface, to which we have direct access via the observations, tell us about the interaction between the emerging magnetic field and the turbulent fields. The flows computed with the coherent structure tracking (CST) technique on the whole surface of the Sun allow for the texture of the velocity modulus to be analyzed and for one to locate the largest horizontal flows and determine their organization. The velocity modulus maps show structures more or less circular and closedwhich are visible at all latitudes; here they are referred to as donuts. They reflect the most active convective cells associated with supergranulation. These annular flows are not necessarily joined as would seem to indicate the divergence maps. The donuts have identical properties (amplitude, shape, inclination, etc.) regardless of their position on the Sun. The kinematic simulation of the donuts' outflow applied to passive scalar (corks) indicates the preponderant action of the selected donuts which are, from our analysis, one of the major actors for the magnetic field diffusion on the quiet Sun. The absence of donuts in the magnetized areas (plages) indicates the action of the magnetic field on the strongest supergranular flows and thus modifies the diffusion of the magnetic field in that location. The detection of the donuts is a way to locate in the quiet Sun the vortex and the link with the jet, blinkers, coronal bright points (campfires), or other physical structures. Likewise, the study of the influence of donuts on the evolution of active events, such as the destruction of sunspots, filament eruptions, and their influences on upper layers via spicules and jets, could be done more efficiently via the detection of that structures., Comment: 14 pages, 17 figures

The Sun is the only star where the superficial turbulent convection can be observed at very high spatial resolution. The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) has continuously observed the full Sun from space with multi-wavelength filters since July 2010. In particular, the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instrument takes high-cadence frames (45 seconds) of continuum intensity in which solar granulation is visible. We aimed to follow the evolution of the solar granules over an activity cycle and look for changes in their spatial properties. We investigated the density of granules and their mean area derived directly from the segmentation of deconvolved images from SDO/HMI. To perform the segmentation, we define granules as convex elements of images. We measured an approximately 2% variation in the density and the mean area of granules over the cycle, the density of granules being greater at solar maximum with a smaller granule mean area. The maximum density appears to be delayed by about one year compared to classical activity indicators, such as the sunspot number. We complemented this study with high-spatial-resolution observations obtained with Hinode/SOTBFI (Solar Optical Telescope Broadband Filter Imager), which are consistent with our results. The observed variations in solar granulation at the disc centre reveal a direct insight into the change in the physical properties that occur in the upper convective zone during a solar cycle. These variations can be due to interactions between convection and magnetic fields, either at the global scale or, locally, at the granulation scale., Comment: 10 pages, 17 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Downflows on the solar surface are suspected to play a major role in the dynamics of the convection zone. We investigate the existence of the long-lasting downflows whose effects influence the interior of the Sun and the outer layers. We study the sets of Dopplergrams and magnetograms observed with SDO and Hinode spacecrafts and a MHD simulation. All of the aligned sequences, which were corrected from the satellite motions and tracked with the differential rotation, were used to detect the long-lasting downflows in the quiet-Sun at the disc centre. To learn about the structure of the flows below the solar surface, the time-distance local helioseismology was used. The inspection of the 3D data cube (x, y, t) of the 24-hour Doppler sequence allowed us to detect 13 persistent downflows. Their lifetimes lie in the range between 3.5 and 20 hours with sizes between 2" and 3" and speeds between -0.25 and -0.72 km/s. These persistent downflows are always filled with the magnetic field with an amplitude of up to 600 G. The helioseismic inversion allows us to describe the persistent downflows and compare them to the other (non-persistent) downflows in the field of view. The persistent downflows seem to penetrate much deeper and, in the case of a well-formed vortex, the vorticity keeps its integrity to the depth of about 5 Mm. In the MHD simulation, only sub-arcsecond downflows are detected with no evidence of a vortex comparable in size to observations at the surface of the Sun. The long temporal sequences from the space-borne allow us to show the existence of long-persistent downflows together with the magnetic field. They penetrate inside the Sun but are also connected with the anchoring of coronal loops in the photosphere, indicating a link between downflows and the coronal activity. A link suggests that EUV cyclones over the quiet Sun could be an effective way to heat the corona., Comment: 14 pages, 23 figures

Context: Pollux is considered as an archetype of a giant star hosting a planet. We then discovered a weak magnetic field at its surface using spectropolarimetry. Aims and Methods: We followed up our investigations on Pollux first using ESPaDOnS at CFHT and then Narval at TBL to obtain Stokes I and Stokes V spectra to study their variations for a duration of 4.25 years, that is, for more than two periods of about 590 d of the RV variations. We used the least-squares deconvolution (LSD) profiles to measure the longitudinal magnetic field and to perform a Zeeman Doppler imaging (ZDI) investigation. Results: The longitudinal magnetic field of Pollux is found to vary with a sinusoidal behavior and a period similar to that of the RV variations. From the ZDI investigation a rotation period of Pollux is determined to be equal to 660+/-15 days and possibly different than the period of variations of the RV. As to the magnetic topology, the poloidal component is dominant and almost purely dipolar with an inclination of 10.5{\deg} of the dipole with respect to the rotation axis. The mean strength of the surface magnetic field is 0.44 G. Conclusions: As to the origin of the magnetic field of Pollux, we favor the hypothesis that it is maintained through contemporaneous dynamo action. Pollux appears as the representative of a class of slowly rotating and weakly magnetic G-K red giants. To explain the sinusoidal RV variations of Pollux, two scenarios are proposed. If the RV period is different from the rotation period, the observed periodic RV variations are due to the hosted planet and the contribution of Pollux magnetic activity is not significantly detected. In the peculiar case in which the two periods are equal, we cannot discard the possibility that the activity of Pollux could explain the total RV variations and that the planet hypothesis would appear unnecessary., Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

Exploding granules constitute the strongest horizontal flows on the quiet Sun and contribute to the structure of the surface horizontal velocity fields which build the large-scale organization of the discrete magnetic field. In this work we explore exploding granule expansion through the observations of the ground-based THEMIS telescope, IRIS, SDO, and the Hinode space-borne instruments, and finally with the magnetohydrodynamics simulation. We evaluate the detection and the expansion of exploding granules at several wavelengths and at various spatial and temporal resolutions. To analyze the different temporal sequences, two methods of image segmentation are applied to select the granules. The first allows us to follow individually the exploding granules observed simultaneously by THEMIS, IRIS, and SDO. The second uses long time independent sequences from THEMIS, IRIS, SDO, Hinode, and a simulation. In the first method (called manual) the segmentation isolates the cell of the granules (bright granules and intergranular parts), while in the second method (called statistical) only the bright part of the granules are isolated. The results obtained with simultaneous or distinct temporal observations using the two methods of segmentation are in good agreement. The granule area evolves linearly with an expansion velocity that decreases with the radius. A rapid decrease in the velocity expansion in the first two minutes is observed. The detection and measurement of the dynamics of the explosive granules can be performed from ground- and space-based instruments. Our work reveals the usefulness of SDO data, with low spatial resolution, to study the dynamics of the exploding granules all over the solar surface, Comment: 28 pages,19 figures, published in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Trees of fragmenting granules (TFG) and associated flows are suspected to playa major role in the formation of the network in the quiet Sun. We investigate the counterparts, in terms of dynamics, of surface structures detectable by high resolution observations in deeper layers up to 15 Mm, which are only available from numerical simulations. The first aim is to demonstrate that TFG can be evidenced either from surface intensitites, vertical (Vz), or Doppler (Vdop) velocities. The second is to show that horizontal flows, which are derived from intensities or Vz/Vdop flows, are in good agreement, and that this is the case for observations and numerical simulations. The third objective is to apply this new Vz-based method to a 3D simulation to probe relationships between horizontal surface flows, TFG, and deep vertical motions. The TFG were detected after oscillation filtering of intensities or Vz/Vdop flows, using a segmentation and labelling technique. Surface horizontal flows were derived from local correlation tracking (LCT) and from intensities or Vz/Vdop flows. These methods were applied to Hinode observations, 2D surface results of a first simulation, and 3D Vz data of a second simulation. We find that TFG and horizontal surface flows (provided by the LCT) can be detected either from intensities or Vz/Vdop component, for high resolution observations and numerical simulations. We apply this method to a 3D run providing the Vz component in depth. This reveals a close relationship between surface TFG (5 Mm mesoscale) and vertical downflows 5 Mm below the surface. We suggest that the dynamics of TFG form larger scales (the 15-20 Mm supergranulation) associated with 15 Mm downflowing cells below the surface. The TFG and associated surface flows seem to be essential to understanding the formation and evolution of the network at the meso and supergranular scale., Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures , 7 movies

A large filament composed principally of two sections erupted sequentially in the southern hemisphere on January 26 2016. The central, thick part of the northern section was first lifted up and lead to the eruption of the full filament. This event was observed in H-alpha with GONG and CLIMSO, and in ultraviolet (UV) with the AIA/SDO imager. The aim of the paper is to relate the photospheric motions below the filament and its environment to the eruption of the filament. An analysis of the photospheric motions using SDO/HMI continuum images with the coherent structure tracking (CST) algorithm developed to track granules, as well as large-scale photospheric flows, has been performed. The supergranule pattern is clearly visible outside the filament channel but difficult to detect inside because the modulus of the vector velocity is reduced in the filament channel, mainly in the magnetized areas. The horizontal photospheric flows are strong on the west side of the filament channel and oriented towards the filament. The ends of the filament sections are found in areas of concentration of corks. Whirled flows are found locally around the feet. The strong horizontal flows with an opposite direction to the differential rotation create strong shear and convergence along the magnetic polarity inversion line (PIL) in the filament channel. The filament has been destabilized by the converging flows, which initiate an ascent of the middle section of the filament until the filament reaches the critical height of the torus instability inducing, consequently, the eruption. The "n" decay index indicated an altitude of 60 Mm for the critical height. It is conjectured that the convergence along the PIL is due to the large-scale size cells of convection that transport the magnetic field to their borders., Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures

We compare horizontal velocities, vertical magnetic fields and evolution of trees of fragmenting granules (TFG, also named families of granules) derived in the quiet Sun at disk center from observations at solar minimum and maximum of the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT on board Hinode) and results of a recent 3D numerical simulation of the magneto-convection. We used 24-hour sequences of a 2D field of view (FOV) with high spatial and temporal resolution recorded by the SOT Broad band Filter Imager (BFI) and Narrow band Filter Imager (NFI). TFG were evidenced by segmentation and labeling of continuum intensities. Horizontal velocities were obtained from local correlation tracking (LCT) of proper motions of granules. Stokes V provided a proxy of the qline of sight magnetic field (BLOS). The MHD simulation (performed independently) produced granulation intensities, velocity and magnetic field vectors. We discovered that TFG also form in the simulation and show that it is able to reproduce the main properties of solar TFG: lifetime and size, associated horizontal motions, corks and diffusive index are close to observations. Largest (but not numerous) families are related in both cases to strongest flows and could play a major role in supergranule and magnetic network formation. We found that observations do not reveal any significant variation of TFG between solar minimum and maximum., Comment: 12 figures , Solar Physics

The Sun provides us with the only spatially well-resolved astrophysical example of turbulent thermal convection. While various aspects of solar photospheric turbulence, such as granulation (one-Megameter horizontal scale), are well understood, the questions of the physical origin and dynamical organization of larger-scale flows, such as the 30-Megameters supergranulation and flows deep in the solar convection zone, remain largely open in spite of their importance for solar dynamics and magnetism. Here, we present a new critical global observational characterization of multiscale photospheric flows and subsequently formulate an anisotropic extension of the Bolgiano-Obukhov theory of hydrodynamic stratified turbulence that may explain several of their distinctive dynamical properties. Our combined analysis suggests that photospheric flows in the horizontal range of scales between supergranulation and granulation have a typical vertical correlation scale of 2.5 to 4 Megameters and operate in a strongly anisotropic, self-similar, nonlinear, buoyant dynamical regime. While the theory remains speculative at this stage, it lends itself to quantitative comparisons with future high-resolution acoustic tomography of subsurface layers and advanced numerical models. Such a validation exercise may also lead to new insights into the asymptotic dynamical regimes in which other, unresolved turbulent anisotropic astrophysical fluid systems supporting waves or instabilities operate., Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, revised version published in A&A (high-resolution vector-graphics figures available in the journal version)

We investigate the magnetic field at the surface of 48 red giants selected as promising for detection of Stokes V Zeeman signatures in their spectral lines. We use the spectropolarimeters Narval and ESPaDOnS to detect circular polarization within the photospheric absorption lines of our targets and use the least-squares deconvolution (LSD) method. We also measure the classical S-index activity indicator, and the stellar radial velocity. To infer the evolutionary status of our giants and to interpret our results, we use state-of-the-art stellar evolutionary models with predictions of convective turnover times. We unambiguously detect magnetic fields via Zeeman signatures in 29 of the 48 red giants in our sample. Zeeman signatures are found in all but one of the 24 red giants exhibiting signs of activity, as well as 6 out of 17 bright giant stars.The majority of the magnetically detected giants are either in the first dredge up phase or at the beginning of core He burning, i.e. phases when the convective turnover time is at a maximum: this corresponds to a 'magnetic strip' for red giants in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram. A close study of the 16 giants with known rotational periods shows that the measured magnetic field strength is tightly correlated with the rotational properties, namely to the rotational period and to the Rossby number Ro. Our results show that the magnetic fields of these giants are produced by a dynamo. Four stars for which the magnetic field is measured to be outstandingly strong with respect to that expected from the rotational period/magnetic field relation or their evolutionary status are interpreted as being probable descendants of magnetic Ap stars. In addition to the weak-field giant Pollux, 4 bright giants (Aldebaran, Alphard, Arcturus, eta Psc) are detected with magnetic field strength at the sub-gauss level., Comment: 34 pages, 22 Figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

We model the solar horizontal velocity power spectrum at scales larger than granulation using a two-component approximation to the mass continuity equation. The model takes four times the density scale height as the integral (driving) scale of the vertical motions at each depth. Scales larger than this decay with height from the deeper layers. Those smaller are assumed to follow a Kolomogorov turbulent cascade, with the total power in the vertical convective motions matching that required to transport the solar luminosity in a mixing length formulation. These model components are validated using large scale radiative hydrodynamic simulations. We reach two primary conclusions: 1. The model predicts significantly more power at low wavenumbers than is observed in the solar photospheric horizontal velocity spectrum. 2. Ionization plays a minor role in shaping the observed solar velocity spectrum by reducing convective amplitudes in the regions of partial helium ionization. The excess low wavenumber power is also seen in the fully nonlinear three-dimensional radiative hydrodynamic simulations employing a realistic equation of state. This adds to other recent evidence suggesting that the amplitudes of large scale convective motions in the Sun are significantly lower than expected. Employing the same feature tracking algorithm used with observational data on the simulation output, we show that the observed low wavenumber power can be reproduced in hydrodynamic models if the amplitudes of large scale modes in the deep layers are artificially reduced. Since the large scale modes have reduced amplitudes, modes on the scale of supergranulation and smaller remain important to convective heat flux even in the deep layers, suggesting that small scale convective correlations are maintained through the bulk of the solar convection zone., Comment: 36 pages, 6 figures

We investigate the properties of acoustic events (AEs), defined as spatially concentrated and short duration energy flux, in the quiet sun using observations of a 2D field of view (FOV) with high spatial and temporal resolution provided by the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) onboard \textit{Hinode}. Line profiles of Fe \textsc{i} 557.6 nm were recorded by the Narrow band Filter Imager (NFI) on a $82" \times 82"$ FOV during 75 min with a time step of 28.75 s and 0.08$"$ pixel size. Vertical velocities were computed at three atmospheric levels (80, 130 and 180 km) using the bisector technique allowing the determination of energy flux in the range 3-10 mHz using two complementary methods (Hilbert transform and Fourier power spectra). Horizontal velocities were computed using local correlation tracking (LCT) of continuum intensities providing divergences. The net energy flux is upward. In the range 3-10 mHz, a full FOV space and time averaged flux of 2700 W m$^{-2}$ (lower layer 80-130 km) and 2000 W m$^{-2}$ (upper layer 130-180 km) is concentrated in less than 1% of the solar surface in the form of narrow (0.3$"$) AE. Their total duration (including rise and decay) is of the order of $10^{3}$ s. Inside each AE, the mean flux is $1.6 10^{5}$ W m$^{-2}$ (lower layer) and $1.2 10^{5}$ W m$^{-2}$ (upper). Each event carries an average energy (flux integrated over space and time) of $2.5 10^{19}$ J (lower layer) to $1.9 10^{19}$ J (upper). More than $10^{6}$ events could exist permanently on the Sun, with a birth and decay rate of 3500 s$^{-1}$. Most events occur in intergranular lanes, downward velocity regions, and areas of converging motions., Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures

We briefly review the observations of the solar photosphere and pinpoint some open questions related to the magnetohydrodynamics of this layer of the Sun. We then discuss the current modelling efforts, addressing among other problems, that of the origin of supergranulation., Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures; 4th French-Chinese Meeting on Solar Physics Understanding Solar Activity: Advances and Challenges, 4th French-Chinese, Nice, France

14 Ceti is a subgiant star of F spectral class that displays variations in the S-index of its CaII H & K lines and an X-ray emission that is stronger than the mean observed for its spectral class, which may be due to some magnetic activity. We attempt to Zeeman-detect and study the magnetic field of 14 Ceti and to infer its origin. We used the spectropolarimeter Narval at the Telescope Bernard Lyot, Pic du Midi Observatory, and the least squares deconvolution method to create high signal-to-noise ratio Stokes V profiles. We derived the surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic field Bl. We also measured the S-index, and the radial velocity for each observation. 14 Ceti is Zeeman-detected for the 30 observed dates spanning from August 2007 to January 2012. The average longitudinal magnetic field does not reverse its sign, reaches about -35 G, and shows some month-long-timescale variations in our 2008 and 2011-2012 observations. The S-index follows the same long-term trend as Bl. 14 Ceti is confirmed as a single star without H-K emission cores. The strength of the observed surface magnetic field of 14 Ceti is one order of magnitude greater than the observed one for late F main-sequence stars, and is comparable to the values measured in the active late F pre-main-sequence star HR 1817. On the other hand, taking into account the post-main-sequence evolution of an Ap star, an oblique rotator model can explain the strength of the magnetic field of 14 Ceti. The variations with a timescale of months observed for both the Bl and S-index could be due to the rotation. The most probable scenario to explain our observations appears to be that 14 Ceti is the descendant of a cool Ap star ., Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 7 pages, 5 figures

EK Eri is one of the most slowly rotating active giants known, and has been proposed to be the descendant of a strongly magnetic Ap star. We have performed a spectropolarimetric study of EK Eri over 4 photometric periods with the aim of inferring the topology of its magnetic field. We used the NARVAL spectropolarimeter at the Bernard Lyot telescope at the Pic du Midi Observatory, along with the least-squares deconvolution method, to extract high signal-to-noise ratio Stokes V profiles from a timeseries of 28 polarisation spectra. We have derived the surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic field Bl. We fit the Stokes V profiles with a model of the large-scale magnetic field and obtained Zeeman Doppler images of the surface magnetic strength and geometry. Bl variations of up to about 80 G are observed without any reversal of its sign, and which are in phase with photometric ephemeris. The activity indicators are shown to vary smoothly on a timescale compatible with the rotational period inferred from photometry (308.8 d.), however large deviations can occur from one rotation to another. The surface magnetic field variations of EK Eri appear to be dominated by a strong magnetic spot (of negative polarity) which is phased with the dark (cool) photometric spot. Our modeling shows that the large-scale magnetic field of EK Eri is strongly poloidal. For a rotational axis inclination of i = 60{\deg}, we obtain a model that is almost purely dipolar. In the dipolar model, the strong magnetic/photometric spot corresponds to the negative pole of the dipole, which could be the remnant of that of an Ap star progenitor of EK Eri. Our observations and modeling conceptually support this hypothesis, suggesting an explanation of the outstanding magnetic properties of EK Eri as the result of interaction between deep convection and the remnant of an Ap star magnetic dipole., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

We present the outcome of a highly-sensitive search for magnetic fields on the cool supergiant Betelgeuse. A time-series of six circularly-polarized spectra was obtained using the NARVAL spectropolarimeter at T\'elescope Bernard Lyot (Pic du Midi Observatory), between 2010 March and April. Zeeman signatures were repeatedly detected in cross-correlation profiles, corresponding to a longitudinal component of about 1 G. The time-series unveils a smooth increase of the longitudinal field from 0.5 to 1.5 G, correlated with radial velocity fluctuations. We observe a strong asymmetry of Stokes V signatures, also varying in correlation with the radial velocity. The Stokes V line profiles are red-shifted by about 9 km/s with respect to the Stokes I profiles, suggesting that the observed magnetic elements may be concentrated in the sinking components of the convective flows., Comment: Submitted to Lecture Notes in Physics (CNRS astronomy school : "From solar environment to stellar environment")

We investigate the magnetic dichotomy between Ap/Bp and other A-type stars by carrying out a deep spectropolarimetric study of Am and HgMn stars. Using the NARVAL spectropolarimeter at the Telescope Bernard Lyot (Observatoire du Pic du Midi, France), we obtained high-resolution circular polarisation spectroscopy of 12 Am stars and 3 HgMn stars. Using Least Squares Deconvolution (LSD), no magnetic field is detected in any of the 15 observed stars. Uncertaintiies as low as 0.3 G (respectively 1 G) have been reached for surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic field measurements for Am (respectively HgMn) stars. Associated with the results obtained previously for Ap/Bp stars, our study confirms the existence of a magnetic dichotomy among A-type stars. Our data demonstrate that there is at least one order of magnitude difference in field strength between Zeeman detected stars (Ap/Bp stars) and non Zeeman detected stars (Am and HgMn stars). This result confirms that the spectroscopically-defined Ap/Bp stars are the only A-type stars harbouring detectable large-scale surface magnetic fields., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in A&A

Betelgeuse is an M supergiant with a complex and extended atmosphere, which also harbors spots and giant granules at its surface. A possible magnetic field could contribute to the mass loss and to the heating of the outer atmosphere. We observed Betelgeuse, to directly study and infer the nature of its magnetic field. We used the new-generation spectropolarimeter NARVAL and the least square deconvolution (LSD) method to detect circular polarization within the photospheric absorption lines of Betelgeuse. We have unambiguously detected a weak Stokes V signal in the spectral lines of Betelgeuse, and measured the related surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic field Bl at 6 different epochs over one month. The detected longitudinal field is about one Gauss and is apparently increasing on the time scale of our observations. This work presents the first direct detection of the magnetic field of Betelgeuse. This magnetic field may be associated to the giant convection cells that could enable a "local dynamo:., Comment: Accepted as a letter for A&A. 4 pages, 3 figures

We compare surface maps of the chemically peculiar star HD 50773 produced with a Bayesian technique and based on high quality CoRoT photometry with those derived from rotation phase resolved spectropolarimetry. The goal is to investigate the correlation of surface brightness with surface chemical abundance distribution and the stellar magnetic field. The rotational period of the star was determined from a nearly 60 day long continuous light curve obtained during the initial run of CoRoT. Using a Bayesian approach to star-spot modelling, which in this work is applied for the first time for the photometric mapping of a CP star, we derived longitudes, latitudes and radii of four different spot areas. Additional parameters like stellar inclination and the spot's intensities were also determined. The CoRoT observations triggered an extensive ground-based spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric observing campaign and enabled us to obtain 19 different high resolution spectra in Stokes parameters I and V with NARVAL, ESPaDOnS, and SemelPol spectropolarimeters. Doppler and Magnetic Doppler imaging techniques allowed us to derive the magnetic field geometry of the star and the surface abundance distributions of Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni, Y, and Cu. We find a dominant dipolar structure of the surface magnetic field. The CoRoT light curve variations and abundances of most elements mapped are correlated with the aforementioned geometry: Cr, Fe, and Si are enhanced around the magnetic poles and coincide with the bright regions on the surface of HD 50773 as predicted by our light curve synthesis and confirmed by photometric imaging., Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures

The aim of this work is to give new observational constraints on solar surface flows by determining the horizontal scale dependence of the velocity and intensity fields, as represented by their power spectra, and to offer some theoretical guidelines to interpret these spectra. We use long time series of images taken by SOT/Hinode and reconstruct both horizontal (by granule tracking) and vertical (by Doppler effect) velocity fields in a field of view 75x75Mm^2. At small sub-granulation scales, the kinetic energy spectral density associated with vertical motions exhibits a k^{-10/3}-like spectrum, while the intensity fluctuation spectrum follows a k^{-3} or k^{-17/3}-like spectrum at the two continuum levels investigated (525 and 450 nm respectively). We discuss the physical origin of these scalings and argue that they provide a direct observational signature of buoyancy-driven turbulent dynamics in a strongly thermally diffusive regime. In the mesogranulation range and up to a scale of 25Mm, we find that the vertical velocity field amplitude decreases like L^{-3/2} with the horizontal scale L. This behaviour corresponds to a k^2 spectral power law. Still in the mesoscale range, [2.5, 10]Mm, we find that intensity fluctuations in the blue continuum follow a power law in k^2. We show that granule tracking cannot sample scales below 2.5Mm. We locate the supergranulation energy peak around 30Mm and show that the emergence of a pore erases this spectral peak. Thanks to a scale height estimate, we find that supergranular flows are shallow. (abridged abstract)., Comment: 11 p., 15figures, abridged abstract, final version to appear in A&A

Aims: We observe the nearby, weakly-active single giant, Pollux, in order to directly study and infer the nature of its magnetic field. Methods: We used the new generation spectropolarimeters ESPaDOnS and NARVAL to observe and detect circular polarization within the photospheric absorption lines of Pollux. Our observations span 18 months from 2007-2009. We treated the spectropolarimetric data using the Least-Squares Deconvolution method to create high signal-to-noise ratio mean Stokes V profiles. We also measured the classical activity indicator S-index for the Ca H&K lines, and the stellar radial velocity (RV). Results: We have unambiguously detected a weak Stokes V signal in the spectral lines of Pollux, and measured the related surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic field Bl. The longitudinal field averaged over the span of the observations is below one gauss. Our data suggest variations of the longitudinal magnetic field, but no significant variation of the S-index. We observe variations of RV which are qualitatively consistent with the published ephemeris for a proposed exoplanet orbiting Pollux. The observed variations of Bl appear to mimic those of RV, but additional data for this relationship to be established. Using evolutionary models including the effects of rotation, we derive the mass of Pollux and we discuss its evolutionary status and the origin of its magnetic field. Conclusions: This work presents the first direct detection of the magnetic field of Pollux, and demonstrates that ESPaDOnS and NARVAL are capable of obtaining sub-G measurements of the surface-averaged longitudinal magnetic field of giant stars, and of directly studying the relationships between magnetic activity, stellar evolution and planet hosting of these stars., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Aims: The interactions of velocity scales on the Sun's surface, from granulation to supergranulation are still not understood, nor are their interaction with magnetic fields. We thus aim at giving a better description of dynamics in the mesoscale range which lies between the two scales mentioned above. Method: We analyse a 48h high-resolution time sequence of the quiet Sun photosphere at the disk center obtained with the Solar Optical Telescope onboard Hinode. The observations, which have a field of view of 100 \arcsec$\times$ 100 \arcsec, typically contain four supergranules. We monitor in detail the motion and evolution of granules as well as those of the radial magnetic field. Results: This analysis allows us to better characterize Trees of Fragmenting Granules issued from repeated fragmentation of granules, especially their lifetime statistics. Using floating corks advected by measured velocity fields, we show their crucial role in the advection of the magnetic field and in the build up of the network. Finally, thanks to the long duration of the time series, we estimate that the turbulent diffusion coefficient induced by horizontal motion is approximately $430 \mathrm{km}^2 \mathrm{s}^{-1}$. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the long living families contribute to the formation of the magnetic network and suggest that supergranulation could be an emergent length scale building up as small magnetic elements are advected and concentrated by TFG flows. Our estimate for the magnetic diffusion associated with this horizontal motion might provide a useful input for mean-field dynamo models., Comment: to appear in A&A - 8 pages, 13 figures (degraded quality) - Full resolution version available @ http://www.ast.obs-mip.fr/users/rincon/hinode_roudier_aa09.pdf

We observe the slowly-rotating, active, single giant, EK Eri, to study and infer the nature of its magnetic field directly. We used the spectropolarimeter NARVAL at the Telescope Bernard Lyot, Pic du Midi Observatory, and the Least Square Deconvolution method to create high signal-to-noise ratio Stokes V profiles. We fitted the Stokes V profiles with a model of the large-scale magnetic field. We studied the classical activity indicators, the CaII H and K lines, the CaII infrared triplet, and H\alpha line. We detected the Stokes V signal of EK Eri securely and measured the longitudinal magnetic field Bl for seven individual dates spanning 60% of the rotational period. The measured longitudinal magnetic field of EK Eri reached about 100 G and was as strong as fields observed in RSCVn or FK Com type stars: this was found to be extraordinary when compared with the weak fields observed at the surfaces of slowly-rotating MS stars or any single red giant previously observed with NARVAL. From our modeling, we infer that the mean surface magnetic field is about 270 G, and that the large scale magnetic field is dominated by a poloidal component. This is compatible with expectations for the descendant of a strongly magnetic Ap star., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

The determination of horizontal velocity fields at the solar surface is crucial to understanding the dynamics and magnetism of the convection zone of the sun. These measurements can be done by tracking granules. Tracking granules from ground-based observations, however, suffers from the Earth's atmospheric turbulence, which induces image distortion. The focus of this paper is to evaluate the influence of this noise on the maps of velocity fields. We use the coherent structure tracking algorithm developed recently and apply it to two independent series of images that contain the same solar signal. We first show that a k-\omega filtering of the times series of images is highly recommended as a pre-processing to decrease the noise, while, in contrast, using destretching should be avoided. We also demonstrate that the lifetime of granules has a strong influence on the error bars of velocities and that a threshold on the lifetime should be imposed to minimize errors. Finally, although solar flow patterns are easily recognizable and image quality is very good, it turns out that a time sampling of two images every 21 s is not frequent enough, since image distortion still pollutes velocity fields at a 30% level on the 2500 km scale, i.e. the scale on which granules start to behave like passive scalars. The coherent structure tracking algorithm is a useful tool for noise control on the measurement of surface horizontal solar velocity fields when at least two independent series are available., Comment: in press in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 9 pages

Determination of horizontal velocity fields on the solar surface is crucial for understanding the dynamics of structures like mesogranulation or supergranulation or simply the distribution of magnetic fields. We pursue here the development of a method called CST for coherent structure tracking, which determines the horizontal motion of granules in the field of view. We first devise a generalization of Strous method for the segmentation of images and show that when segmentation follows the shape of granules more closely, granule tracking is less effective for large granules because of increased sensitivity to granule fragmentation. We then introduce the multi-resolution analysis on the velocity field, based on Daubechies wavelets, which provides a view of this field on different scales. An algorithm for computing the field derivatives, like the horizontal divergence and the vertical vorticity, is also devised. The effects from the lack of data or from terrestrial atmospheric distortion of the images are also briefly discussed., Comment: in press in Astronomy and Astrophysics, 9 pages

The solar magnetism is no more considered as a purely superficial phenomenon. The SoHO community has shown that the length of the solar cycle depends on the transition region between radiation and convection. Nevertheless, the internal solar (stellar) magnetism stays poorly known. Starting in 2008, the American instrument HMI/SDO and the European microsatellite PICARD will enrich our view of the Sun-Earth relationship. Thus obtaining a complete MHD solar picture is a clear objective for the next decades and it requires complementary observations of the dynamics of the radiative zone. For that ambitious goal, space prototypes are being developed to improve gravity mode detection. The Sun is unique to progress on the topology of deep internal magnetic fields and to understand the complex mechanisms which provoke photospheric and coronal magnetic changes and possible longer cycles important for human life. We propose the following roadmap in Europe to contribute to this "impressive" revolution in Astronomy and in our Sun-Earth relationship: SoHO (1995-2007), PICARD (2008-2010), DynaMICS (2009-2017) in parallel to SDO (2008-2017) then a world-class mission located at the L1 orbit or above the solar poles., Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, will appear in the proceedings of 2005 ESLAB symposium 19-21 April 2005

We present here numerical simulations of surface solar convection which cover a box of 30$\times30\times$3.2 Mm$^3$ with a resolution of 315$\times315\times$82, which is used to investigate the dynamics of scales larger than granulation. No structure resembling supergranulation is present; possibly higher Reynolds numbers (i.e. higher numerical resolution), or magnetic fields, or greater depth are necessary. The results also show interesting aspects of granular dynamics which are briefly presented, like extensive p-mode ridges in the k-$\omega$ diagram and a ringlike distribution of horizontal vorticity around granules. At large scales, the horizontal velocity is much larger than the vertical velocity and the vertical motion is dominated by p-mode oscillations., Comment: Contribution to the proceedings of the workshop entitled "THEMIS and the new frontiers of solar atmosphere dynamics" (March 2001), 6 pages, to appear in Nuovo Cimento C

Using a numerical simulation of compressible convection with radiative transfer mimicking the solar photosphere, we compare the velocity field derived from granule motions to the actual velocity field of the plasma. We thus test the idea that granules may be used to trace large-scale velocity fields at the sun's surface. Our results show that this is indeed the case provided the scale separation is sufficient. We thus estimate that neither velocity fields at scales less than 2500 km nor time evolution at scales shorter than 0.5 hr can be faithfully described by granules. At larger scales the granular motions correlate linearly with the underlying fluid motions with a slope of ~< 2 reaching correlation coefficients up to ~0.9., Comment: 4 pages - accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysics

We present arguments which show that in all likelihood mesogranulation is not a true scale of solar convection but the combination of the effects of both highly energetic granules, which give birth to strong positive divergences (SPDs) among which we find exploders, and averaging effects of data processing. The important role played by SPDs in horizontal velocity fields appears in the spectra of these fields where the scale $\sim$4 Mm is most energetic; we illustrate the effect of averaging with a one-dimensional toy model which shows how two independent non-moving (but evolving) structures can be transformed into a single moving structure when time and space resolution are degraded. The role of SPDs in the formation of the photospheric network is shown by computing the advection of floating corks by the granular flow. The coincidence of the network bright points distribution and that of the corks is remarkable. We conclude with the possibility that supergranulation is not a proper scale of convection but the result of a large-scale instability of the granular flow, which manifests itself through a correlation of the flows generated by SPDs., Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, to appear in Astronomy and Astrophysics