Magnetic flux in the Sun emerges unaffected by supergranular-scale surface flows

Flux rarely emerges amid field-free areas at the surface, but when it does, the interaction between the magnetism and plasma flows can be reliably explored. Prior ensemble studies have identified weak flows forming near emergence locations, but the low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) required averaging over the entire data set, erasing information about variation across the sample.

Here, we apply deep learning to achieve an improved S/N, enabling a case-by-case study. We find that these associated flows are dissimilar across instances of emergence and also occur frequently in the quiet convective background. Our analysis suggests the diminished influence of supergranular-scale convective flows and magnetic buoyancy on flux rise.