@article{DenkerDinevaBalthasaretal.2018, author = {Denker, Carsten and Dineva, Ekaterina Ivanova and Balthasar, Horst and Verma, Meetu and Kuckein, Christoph and Diercke, Andrea and Manrique Gonzalez, Sergio Javier Gonzalez}, title = {Image Quality in High-resolution and High-cadence Solar Imaging}, series = {Solar physics : a journal for solar and solar-stellar research and the study of solar terrestrial physics}, volume = {293}, journal = {Solar physics : a journal for solar and solar-stellar research and the study of solar terrestrial physics}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0038-0938}, doi = {10.1007/s11207-018-1261-1}, pages = {24}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Broad-band imaging and even imaging with a moderate bandpass (about 1 nm) provides a photon-rich environment, where frame selection (lucky imaging) becomes a helpful tool in image restoration, allowing us to perform a cost-benefit analysis on how to design observing sequences for imaging with high spatial resolution in combination with real-time correction provided by an adaptive optics (AO) system. This study presents high-cadence (160 Hz) G-band and blue continuum image sequences obtained with the High-resolution Fast Imager (HiFI) at the 1.5-meter GREGOR solar telescope, where the speckle-masking technique is used to restore images with nearly diffraction-limited resolution. The HiFI employs two synchronized large-format and high-cadence sCMOS detectors. The median filter gradient similarity (MFGS) image-quality metric is applied, among others, to AO-corrected image sequences of a pore and a small sunspot observed on 2017 June 4 and 5. A small region of interest, which was selected for fast-imaging performance, covered these contrastrich features and their neighborhood, which were part of Active Region NOAA 12661. Modifications of theMFGS algorithm uncover the field-and structure-dependency of this imagequality metric. However, MFGS still remains a good choice for determining image quality without a priori knowledge, which is an important characteristic when classifying the huge number of high-resolution images contained in data archives. In addition, this investigation demonstrates that a fast cadence and millisecond exposure times are still insufficient to reach the coherence time of daytime seeing. Nonetheless, the analysis shows that data acquisition rates exceeding 50 Hz are required to capture a substantial fraction of the best seeing moments, significantly boosting the performance of post-facto image restoration.}, language = {en} } @article{VermaDenkerBalthasaretal.2018, author = {Verma, Meetu and Denker, Carsten and Balthasar, H. and Kuckein, Christoph and Rezaei, R. and Sobotka, Michal and Deng, N. and Wang, Haimin and Tritschler, A. and Collados, M. and Diercke, Andrea and Gonz{\´a}lez Manrique, Sergio Javier}, title = {High-resolution imaging and near-infrared spectroscopy of penumbral decay}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {614}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201731801}, pages = {14}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Aims. Combining high-resolution spectropolarimetric and imaging data is key to understanding the decay process of sunspots as it allows us to scrutinize the velocity and magnetic fields of sunspots and their surroundings. Methods. Active region NOAA 12597 was observed on 2016 September 24 with the 1.5-meter GREGOR solar telescope using high-spatial-resolution imaging as well as imaging spectroscopy and near-infrared (NIR) spectropolarimetry. Horizontal proper motions were estimated with local correlation tracking, whereas line-of-sight (LOS) velocities were computed with spectral line fitting methods. The magnetic field properties were inferred with the "Stokes Inversions based on Response functions" (SIR) code for the Si I and Ca I NIR lines. Results. At the time of the GREGOR observations, the leading sunspot had two light bridges indicating the onset of its decay. One of the light bridges disappeared, and an elongated, dark umbral core at its edge appeared in a decaying penumbral sector facing the newly emerging flux. The flow and magnetic field properties of this penumbral sector exhibited weak Evershed flow, moat flow, and horizontal magnetic field. The penumbral gap adjacent to the elongated umbral core and the penumbra in that penumbral sector displayed LOS velocities similar to granulation. The separating polarities of a new flux system interacted with the leading and central part of the already established active region. As a consequence, the leading spot rotated 55 degrees clockwise over 12 h. Conclusions. In the high-resolution observations of a decaying sunspot, the penumbral filaments facing the flux emergence site contained a darkened area resembling an umbral core filled with umbral dots. This umbral core had velocity and magnetic field properties similar to the sunspot umbra. This implies that the horizontal magnetic fields in the decaying penumbra became vertical as observed in flare-induced rapid penumbral decay, but on a very different time-scale.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{GonzalezManrique2017, author = {Gonz{\´a}lez Manrique, Sergio Javier}, title = {High-Resolution Observations of Emerging Flux Regions}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {104}, year = {2017}, language = {en} } @article{KuckeinDierckeGonzalezManriqueetal.2017, author = {Kuckein, Christoph and Diercke, Andrea and Gonz{\´a}lez Manrique, Sergio Javier and Verma, Meetu and Loehner-Boettcher, Johannes and Socas-Navarro, H. and Balthasar, Horst and Sobotka, M. and Denker, Carsten}, title = {Ca II 8542 angstrom brightenings induced by a solar microflare}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {608}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201731319}, pages = {13}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Aims. We study small-scale brightenings in Ca II 8542 angstrom line-core images to determine their nature and effect on localized heating and mass transfer in active regions. Methods. High-resolution two-dimensional spectroscopic observations of a solar active region in the near-infrared Ca II 8542 angstrom line were acquired with the GREGOR Fabry-Perot Interferometer attached to the 1.5-m GREGOR telescope. Inversions of the spectra were carried out using the NICOLE code to infer temperatures and line-of-sight (LOS) velocities. Response functions of the Ca II line were computed for temperature and LOS velocity variations. Filtergrams of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and magnetograms of the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) were coaligned to match the ground-based observations and to follow the Ca II brightenings along all available layers of the atmosphere. Results. We identified three brightenings of sizes up to 2 ' x 2 ' that appeared in the Ca II 8542 angstrom line-core images. Their lifetimes were at least 1.5 min. We found evidence that the brightenings belonged to the footpoints of a microflare (MF). The properties of the observed brightenings disqualified the scenarios of Ellerman bombs or Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) bombs. However, this MF shared some common properties with flaring active-region fibrils or flaring arch filaments (FAFs): (1) FAFs and MFs are both apparent in chromospheric and coronal layers according to the AIA channels; and (2) both show flaring arches with lifetimes of about 3.0-3.5 min and lengths of similar to 20 ' next to the brightenings. The inversions revealed heating by 600 K at the footpoint location in the ambient chromosphere during the impulsive phase. Connecting the footpoints, a dark filamentary structure appeared in the Ca II line-core images. Before the start of the MF, the spectra of this structure already indicated average blueshifts, meaning upward motions of the plasma along the LOS. During the impulsive phase, these velocities increased up to -2.2 km s(-1). The structure did not disappear during the observations. Downflows dominated at the footpoints. However, in the upper photosphere, slight upflows occurred during the impulsive phase. Hence, bidirectional flows are present in the footpoints of the MF.}, language = {en} } @article{GoemoeryBalthasarKuckeinetal.2017, author = {G{\"o}m{\"o}ry, Peter and Balthasar, Horst and Kuckein, Christoph and Koza, Julis and Veronig, Astrid M. and Gonz{\´a}lez Manrique, Sergio Javier and Kucera, Ales and Schwartz, Pavol and Hanslmeier, Arnold}, title = {Flare-induced changes of the photospheric magnetic field in a delta-spot deduced from ground-based observations}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {602}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201730644}, pages = {14 -- 27}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Aims. Changes of the magnetic field and the line-of-sight velocities in the photosphere are being reported for an M-class flare that originated at a delta-spot belonging to active region NOAA 11865. Methods. High-resolution ground-based near-infrared spectropolarimetric observations were acquired simultaneously in two photospheric spectral lines, Fe I 10783 angstrom and Si I 10786 angstrom, with the Tenerife Infrared Polarimeter at the Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT) in Tenerife on 2013 October 15. The observations covered several stages of the M-class flare. Inversions of the full-Stokes vector of both lines were carried out and the results were put into context using (extreme)-ultraviolet filtergrams from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Results. The active region showed high flaring activity during the whole observing period. After the M-class flare, the longitudinal magnetic field did not show significant changes along the polarity inversion line (PIL). However, an enhancement of the transverse magnetic field of approximately 550G was found that bridges the PIL and connects umbrae of opposite polarities in the delta-spot. At the same time, a newly formed system of loops appeared co-spatially in the corona as seen in 171 angstrom filtergrams of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board SDO. However, we cannot exclude that the magnetic connection between the umbrae already existed in the upper atmosphere before the M-class flare and became visible only later when it was filled with hot plasma. The photospheric Doppler velocities show a persistent upflow pattern along the PIL without significant changes due to the flare. Conclusions. The increase of the transverse component of the magnetic field after the flare together with the newly formed loop system in the corona support recent predictions of flare models and flare observations.}, language = {en} } @article{WutkeBeneckeSandovalCastellanosetal.2016, author = {Wutke, Saskia and Benecke, Norbert and Sandoval-Castellanos, Edson and D{\"o}hle, Hans-J{\"u}rgen and Friederich, Susanne and Gonzalez Soto, Javier Esteban and Hallsson, Jon Hallsteinn and Hofreiter, Michael and Lougas, Lembi and Magnell, Ola and Morales-Muniz, Arturo and Orlando, Ludovic and Palsdottir, Albina Hulda and Reissmann, Monika and Ruttkay, Matej and Trinks, Alexandra and Ludwig, Arne}, title = {Spotted phenotypes in horses lost attractiveness in the Middle Ages}, series = {Scientific reports}, volume = {6}, journal = {Scientific reports}, publisher = {Nature Publ. Group}, address = {London}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/srep38548}, pages = {9}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Horses have been valued for their diversity of coat colour since prehistoric times; this is especially the case since their domestication in the Caspian steppe in similar to 3,500 BC. Although we can assume that human preferences were not constant, we have only anecdotal information about how domestic horses were influenced by humans. Our results from genotype analyses show a significant increase in spotted coats in early domestic horses (Copper Age to Iron Age). In contrast, medieval horses carried significantly fewer alleles for these phenotypes, whereas solid phenotypes (i.e., chestnut) became dominant. This shift may have been supported because of (i) pleiotropic disadvantages, (ii) a reduced need to separate domestic horses from their wild counterparts, (iii) a lower religious prestige, or (iv) novel developments in weaponry. These scenarios may have acted alone or in combination. However, the dominance of chestnut is a remarkable feature of the medieval horse population.}, language = {en} } @misc{WutkeAnderssonBeneckeetal.2016, author = {Wutke, Saskia and Andersson, Leif and Benecke, Norbert and Sandoval-Castellanos, Edson and Gonzalez, Javier and Hallsson, Jon Hallsteinn and Lougas, Lembi and Magnell, Ola and Morales-Muniz, Arturo and Orlando, Ludovic and Palsdottir, Albina Hulda and Reissmann, Monika and Munoz-Rodriguez, Mariana B. and Ruttkay, Matej and Trinks, Alexandra and Hofreiter, Michael and Ludwig, Arne}, title = {The origin of ambling horses}, series = {Current biology}, volume = {26}, journal = {Current biology}, publisher = {Cell Press}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {0960-9822}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2016.07.001}, pages = {R697 -- R699}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Horseback riding is the most fundamental use of domestic horses and has had a huge influence on the development of human societies for millennia. Over time, riding techniques and the style of riding improved. Therefore, horses with the ability to perform comfortable gaits (e.g. ambling or pacing), so-called 'gaited' horses, have been highly valued by humans, especially for long distance travel. Recently, the causative mutation for gaitedness in horses has been linked to a substitution causing a premature stop codon in the DMRT3 gene (DMRT3_Ser301STOP) [1]. In mice, Dmrt3 is expressed in spinal cord interneurons and plays an important role in the development of limb movement coordination [1]. Genotyping the position in 4396 modern horses from 141 breeds revealed that nowadays the mutated allele is distributed worldwide with an especially high frequency in gaited horses and breeds used for harness racing [2]. Here, we examine historic horse remains for the DMRT3 SNP, tracking the origin of gaitedness to Medieval England between 850 and 900 AD. The presence of the corresponding allele in Icelandic horses (9th-11th century) strongly suggests that ambling horses were brought from the British Isles to Iceland by Norse people. Considering the high frequency of the ambling allele in early Icelandic horses, we believe that Norse settlers selected for this comfortable mode of horse riding soon after arrival. The absence of the allele in samples from continental Europe (including Scandinavia) at this time implies that ambling horses may have spread from Iceland and maybe also the British Isles across the continent at a later date.}, language = {en} } @article{MartinezGonzalezPastorYabarLaggetal.2016, author = {Martinez Gonzalez, M. J. and Pastor Yabar, A. and Lagg, A. and Asensio Ramos, A. and Collados Vera, M. and Solanki, S. K. and Balthasar, H. and Berkefeld, T. and Denker, Carsten and Doerr, H. P. and Feller, A. and Franz, M. and Gonz{\´a}lez Manrique, Sergio Javier and Hofmann, A. and Kneer, F. and Kuckein, Christoph and Louis, R. and von der L{\"u}he, O. and Nicklas, H. and Orozco, D. and Rezaei, R. and Schlichenmaier, R. and Schmidt, D. and Schmidt, W. and Sigwarth, M. and Sobotka, M. and Soltau, D. and Staude, J. and Strassmeier, Klaus G. and Verma, Meetu and Waldman, T. and Volkmer, R.}, title = {Inference of magnetic fields in the very quiet Sun}, series = {Journal of geophysical research : Earth surface}, volume = {596}, journal = {Journal of geophysical research : Earth surface}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {1432-0746}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201628449}, pages = {11}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Context. Over the past 20 yr, the quietest areas of the solar surface have revealed a weak but extremely dynamic magnetism occurring at small scales (<500 km), which may provide an important contribution to the dynamics and energetics of the outer layers of the atmosphere. Understanding this magnetism requires the inference of physical quantities from high-sensitivity spectro-polarimetric data with high spatio-temporal resolution. Aims. We present high-precision spectro-polarimetric data with high spatial resolution (0.4") of the very quiet Sun at 1.56 mu m obtained with the GREGOR telescope to shed some light on this complex magnetism. Methods. We used inversion techniques in two main approaches. First, we assumed that the observed profiles can be reproduced with a constant magnetic field atmosphere embedded in a field-free medium. Second, we assumed that the resolution element has a substructure with either two constant magnetic atmospheres or a single magnetic atmosphere with gradients of the physical quantities along the optical depth, both coexisting with a global stray-light component. Results. Half of our observed quiet-Sun region is better explained by magnetic substructure within the resolution element. However, we cannot distinguish whether this substructure comes from gradients of the physical parameters along the line of sight or from horizontal gradients (across the surface). In these pixels, a model with two magnetic components is preferred, and we find two distinct magnetic field populations. The population with the larger filling factor has very weak (similar to 150 G) horizontal fields similar to those obtained in previous works. We demonstrate that the field vector of this population is not constrained by the observations, given the spatial resolution and polarimetric accuracy of our data. The topology of the other component with the smaller filling factor is constrained by the observations for field strengths above 250 G: we infer hG fields with inclinations and azimuth values compatible with an isotropic distribution. The filling factors are typically below 30\%. We also find that the flux of the two polarities is not balanced. From the other half of the observed quiet-Sun area similar to 50\% are two-lobed Stokes V profiles, meaning that 23\% of the field of view can be adequately explained with a single constant magnetic field embedded in a non-magnetic atmosphere. The magnetic field vector and filling factor are reliable inferred in only 50\% based on the regular profiles. Therefore, 12\% of the field of view harbour hG fields with filling factors typically below 30\%. At our present spatial resolution, 70\% of the pixels apparently are non-magnetised.}, language = {en} } @article{BalthasarGoemoeryGonzalezManriqueetal.2016, author = {Balthasar, H. and G{\"o}m{\"o}ry, P. and Gonz{\´a}lez Manrique, Sergio Javier and Kuckein, Christoph and Kavka, J. and Kucera, A. and Schwartz, P. and Vaskova, R. and Berkefeld, T. and Collados Vera, M. and Denker, Carsten and Feller, A. and Hofmann, A. and Lagg, A. and Nicklas, H. and Suarez, D. and Pastor Yabar, A. and Rezaei, R. and Schlichenmaier, R. and Schmidt, D. and Schmidt, W. and Sigwarth, M. and Sobotka, M. and Solanki, S. K. and Soltau, D. and Staude, J. and Strassmeier, Klaus G. and Volkmer, R. and von der L{\"u}he, O. and Waldmann, T.}, title = {Spectropolarimetric observations of an arch filament system with the GREGOR solar telescope}, series = {Astronomische Nachrichten = Astronomical notes}, volume = {337}, journal = {Astronomische Nachrichten = Astronomical notes}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {0004-6337}, doi = {10.1002/asna.201612432}, pages = {1050 -- 1056}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Arch filament systems occur in active sunspot groups, where a fibril structure connects areas of opposite magnetic polarity, in contrast to active region filaments that follow the polarity inversion line. We used the GREGOR Infrared Spectrograph (GRIS) to obtain the full Stokes vector in the spectral lines SiI lambda 1082.7 nm, He I lambda 1083.0 nm, and Ca I lambda 1083.9 nm. We focus on the near-infrared calcium line to investigate the photospheric magnetic field and velocities, and use the line core intensities and velocities of the helium line to study the chromospheric plasma. The individual fibrils of the arch filament system connect the sunspot with patches of magnetic polarity opposite to that of the spot. These patches do not necessarily coincide with pores, where the magnetic field is strongest. Instead, areas are preferred not far from the polarity inversion line. These areas exhibit photospheric downflows of moderate velocity, but significantly higher downflows of up to 30 km s(-1) in the chromospheric helium line. Our findings can be explained with new emerging flux where the matter flows downward along the field lines of rising flux tubes, in agreement with earlier results. (C) 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH\& Co. KGaA, Weinheim}, language = {en} } @article{DenkerHeibelRendteletal.2016, author = {Denker, Carsten and Heibel, C. and Rendtel, J. and Arlt, K. and Balthasar, H. and Diercke, Andrea and Gonzalez Manrique, Sergio Javier and Hofmann, A. and Kuckein, Christoph and {\"O}nel, H. and Valliappan, Senthamizh Pavai and Staude, J. and Verma, Meetu}, title = {Solar physics at the Einstein Tower}, series = {Astronomische Nachrichten = Astronomical notes}, volume = {337}, journal = {Astronomische Nachrichten = Astronomical notes}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {0004-6337}, doi = {10.1002/asna.201612442}, pages = {1105 -- 1113}, year = {2016}, language = {en} }