Observational Signatures of a Solar Small-Scale Global Dynamo

Abstract

There is ample theoretical and observational evidence for the existence of a dynamo operating in the solar convection zone that produces small-scale, weak magnetic fields. The next generation of solar telescopes such as the 4-m Advanced Technology Solar Telescope and the 1.5-m GREGOR will be able to provide observational data on these magnetic fields. In order to guide the development of instruments and observational procedures to investigate these small-scale magnetic fields, we have calculated polarized spectral line profiles from numerical simulations of a small- scale global dynamo and analyzed them as if they were actual observations of the Sun. The simulated observations include realistic noise, spatial smearing from a partially correcting AO system, and spectral smearing and scattered light from a spectrograph. We identify the unique signatures of these magnetic fields and relate them to the physical conditions in the numerical simulations.

Publication
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #200