Radiative MHD simulations of sunspot structure [presentation]
Rempel, M., Schuessler, M., Cameron, R., & Knoelker, M. (2009). Radiative MHD simulations of sunspot structure [presentation]. In AGU Fall Meeting 2009. American Geophysical Union: San Francisco, CA, US.
For a long time radiative MHD simulations of entire sunspots from first principles were out of reach due to insufficient computing resources. Over the past 4 years simulations have evolved from 6x6x2 Mm size domains focusing on the details of umbral dots to simulations covering a pair of opposite... Show moreFor a long time radiative MHD simulations of entire sunspots from first principles were out of reach due to insufficient computing resources. Over the past 4 years simulations have evolved from 6x6x2 Mm size domains focusing on the details of umbral dots to simulations covering a pair of opposite polarity sunspots in a 100x50x6 Mm domain. Numerical simulations point toward a common magneto convective origin of umbral dots and filaments in the inner and outer penumbra. Most recent simulations also capture the processes involved in the formation of an extended outer penumbra with strong horizontal outflows averaging around 5 km/s in the photosphere. In this talk I will briefly review the progress made in this field over the past 4 years and discuss in detail the magneto convective origin of penumbral fine structure as well as the Evershed flow. Show less