Statistics of convective collapse events in the photosphere and chromosphere observed with the Hinode SOT

Using the same space telescope, we observed 49 such events and present a statistical analysis of convective collapse events. Our data sets consist of high resolution time series of polarimetric spectral scans of two iron lines formed in the lower photosphere and filter images in Mg I b₂ and Ca II H, spectral lines that are formed in the high photosphere and the lower chromosphere, respectively.

We were thus able to study the implication of convective collapse events on the high photospheric and the chromospheric layers. We found that in all cases, the event was accompanied by a continuum bright point and nearly always by a brightening in the Ca II H images. The magnesium dopplergram exhibits a strong downflow in about three quarters of the events that took place within the field of view of the magnesium dopplergram.