Comparison of physical properties of quiet and active regions through the analysis of MHD simulations of the solar photosphere

Abstract

Recent observations have shown that the photometric and dynamic properties of granulation and of small-scale magnetic features depend on the amount of magnetic flux of the region they are embedded in. We analyze results from numerical Hydro and Magneto Hydrodynamic simulations characterized by different amount of average magnetic flux and find qualitatively the same differences as those reported from observations. We show that these different physical properties result from the inhibition of convection induced by the presence of the magnetic field, which changes the temperature stratification of both quiet and magnetic regions. Our results are relevant for solar irradiance variations studies, as such differences are still not properly taken into account in irradiance reconstruction models.