arXiv subjects

Fabio Riva

Publications and source records attributed to Fabio Riva.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Validity of the CRD limit for modeling scattering polarization in the photospheric Sr I 4607 {\AA} line

Context. Scattering polarization in the Sr I 4607 {\AA} line is a key diagnostic for small-scale, unresolved magnetic fields in the quiet solar photosphere, inaccessible to Zeeman-based techniques. The complete frequency redistribution (CRD) limit is commonly used to model this line, but its validity and impact on magnetic sensitivity have not been systematically investigated. This is timely given new facilities observing this line with unprecedented accuracy, and future synoptic programs targeting long-term quiet-Sun magnetism. Aims. We assess the CRD limit against the general partial frequency redistribution (PRD) description of scattering for the Sr I 4607 {\AA} polarization, focusing on its magnetic sensitivity via the Hanle effect. Methods. We solved the non-LTE radiative transfer problem for polarized radiation in a semi-empirical 1D plane-parallel static atmosphere, with CRD and PRD scattering, across magnetic field configurations relevant for Hanle diagnostics. Results. For small-scale unresolved fields, where the field acts only via Hanle depolarization of Q/I, CRD and PRD emergent profiles and Hanle sensitivity are essentially identical. For deterministic fields, CRD remains accurate when polarization signals exceed about 0.3%; for weaker signals, PRD effects can appreciably affect the emergent profiles. Conclusions. CRD is adequate for modeling Sr I 4607 {\AA} scattering polarization in the vast majority of observationally relevant cases; PRD effects matter only for weak polarization signals.

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arXiv2026

Kilogauss magnetic fields from simulations of small-scale dynamo action in the convective envelope of a white dwarf

About 20% of white dwarfs are observed to host large-scale magnetic fields, but the origin of white dwarf magnetism remains uncertain. Small-scale turbulent dynamos (SSDs), which efficiently generate magnetic fields in solar and stellar convection simulations, have so far been studied in white dwarfs only through equipartition arguments in one-dimensional models. We therefore investigate whether turbulent convection in white dwarf surface layers can sustain SSD action through local three-dimensional radiation-magnetohydrodynamics simulations of a DA white dwarf with a convective pure-hydrogen atmosphere, including the full convection zone together with the underlying overshoot and stably stratified layers. Starting from a weak seed field of 1 mG, the magnetic energy undergoes exponential amplification before saturating at a magnetic-to-kinetic energy density ratio of about 5.5% at the visible surface, demonstrating that SSD action naturally generates kG-strength magnetic fields in convective white dwarf atmospheres. The resulting magnetic field is characterised by a mixed-polarity small-scale structure, with kG field concentrations contributing about 14% of the total unsigned magnetic flux at the visible surface. Despite a rate of magnetic energy generation amounting to roughly one-seventh of the bolometric flux, no significant modification of the mean stratification is found. Although these fields remain spatially unresolved for observations, they may contribute to spectral line broadening, suggesting that small-scale magnetism in white dwarfs could be more widespread than currently inferred from observations.

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arXiv2026

ZIMPOL detects scattering polarization in He I D$_3$ during a solar flare

Spectropolarimetric observations of solar flares in the He I D$_3$ line at 5876 {\AA} are extremely rare, and their diagnostic potential remains largely unexplored. We report the first unambiguous detection of linear polarization in He I D$_3$ during a solar flare. Using the high-precision ZIMPOL polarimeter at the IRSOL observatory in Locarno (Switzerland), we tracked the temporal evolution of the He I D$_3$ Stokes profiles throughout the M7 GOES-class flare that occurred on 3 May 2023 at 10:45 UT. We analyzed the time evolution of the maximum in linear polarization and the absorption depth of the intensity profile. Both the fractional linear polarization, which peaks at $6\times10^{-4}$, and the absorption depth increase rapidly before gradually decaying, with their maxima occurring approximately 5 minutes after the peaks in GOES X-ray flux and SDO/AIA 304 {\AA} emission. From the evolving He I D$_3$ core position, we also derived the temporal evolution of the plasma bulk velocities. The intensity profiles exhibiting strong absorption seems to originate from the flare ribbons. The time evolution of all Stokes parameters in the 3 May 2023 event was driven by changes in ortho-helium density prompted by the different phases of the flare. Our analysis suggests that the observed He I D$_3$ linear polarization is likely not dominated by the theorized impact polarization, as it exhibits neither spatial correspondence with electron precipitation sites nor temporal synchronization with the impulsive phase. Instead, the signals are consistent with scattering polarization produced by anisotropic radiation pumping. We conclude that scattering polarization signal on the order of $0.01\%$ can be produced in the He I D$_3$ line during solar flares. This can provide constraints for flare models.

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arXiv2026

3D radiative transfer modeling of scattering polarization with partial frequency redistribution I. Verification and disk-center results for the solar Ca I 4227 {\AA} line

Several strong solar resonance lines show observable linear scattering polarization signals, holding a great potential for investigating the magnetism of the outer solar atmosphere. Accurately modeling these signals requires solving the radiative transfer (RT) problem for polarized radiation in comprehensive 3D models of the solar atmosphere, in non-local thermodynamic equilibrium, accounting for partial frequency redistribution (PRD) effects. This problem has so far been computationally inaccessible. We present the first scientific application of TRIP, a novel software for the massively parallel solution of the 3D non-LTE RT problem for polarized radiation, including scattering polarization and PRD. We aim to verify the code and explore the combined action of PRD and the 3D structure of the solar atmosphere on scattering polarization. We run TRIP to synthesize the Stokes profiles of the Ca I line at 4227 {\AA} in a 3D model of the solar atmosphere extracted from a radiation magneto-hydrodynamic simulation. We efficiently solve the resulting large-scale problem, with up to $4 \times 10^{10}$ degrees of freedom, with a state-of-the-art preconditioned Krylov method, using up to 20 thousand parallel CPUs. After including verification tests, we find that the joint impact of PRD effects and the detailed 3D structure of the atmospheric model produce disk-center scattering polarization signals in the line wings. These signals are sensitive to the magnetic field, via magneto-optical effects, and to bulk velocity gradients. We also show that the CRD approximation underestimates the amplitude of disk-center line-core signals. This achievement represents a crucial step forward for diagnosing the magnetism of the solar chromosphere and transition region through the quantitative comparisons of synthetic and observational data.

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arXiv2025

A numerical approach for modelling the polarisation signals of strong resonance lines with partial frequency redistribution. Numerical applications to two-term atoms and plane-parallel atmospheres

Aims. The main goal of this paper is to present an accurate and efficient numerical strategy for solving the radiative transfer problem for polarised radiation in strong resonance lines forming out of local thermodynamic equilibrium, taking angle-dependent (AD) partial frequency redistribution (PRD) effects and J-state interference into account. We consider the polarisation produced both by the Zeeman effect and by the scattering of anisotropic radiation, along with its sensitivity to the Hanle and magneto-optical effects. Methods. We introduce a formalism that allows treating both a two-level and a two-term atom in the presence of arbitrary magnetic and bulk velocity fields. The problem is formulated by treating the population of the lower level/term as a fixed input parameter. This approach makes the problem linear with respect to the radiation field, enabling the application of efficient matrix-free preconditioned iterative methods for its solution. Additionally, the computation of the scattering emissivity in the comoving frame, together with a careful choice of the angular and spectral quadrature nodes, allow us to speed up the calculations by reducing the number of evaluations of the redistribution functions. Results. The proposed solution strategy is applied to synthesise the Stokes profiles of the Mg ii h&k doublet and the H i Ly-{\alpha} line in 1D semi-empirical models. The results demonstrate that the method is both fast and accurate. A comparison with calculations from HanleRT-TIC displays an overall good agreement, thereby validating our solution strategy. Moreover, for the wavelength-integrated polarisation profiles of the H i Ly-{\alpha} line, we find an excellent agreement between the results obtained including PRD effects in their general AD description and those obtained considering the angle-averaged simplifying approximation.

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arXiv2024

Accurate PRD modeling of the forward-scattering Hanle effect in the chromospheric CaI 4227 Å line

Measurable linear scattering polarization signals have been predicted and detected at the solar disk center in the core of chromospheric lines. These forward-scattering polarization signals, which are of high interest for magnetic field diagnostics, have always been modeled either under the assumption of complete frequency redistribution (CRD), or taking partial frequency redistribution (PRD) effects into account under the angle-averaged (AA) approximation. This work aims at assessing the suitability of the CRD and PRD-AA approximations for modeling the forward-scattering polarization signals produced by the presence of an inclined magnetic field, the so-called forward-scattering Hanle effect, in the chromospheric CaI 4227 A line. Radiative transfer calculations are performed in semi-empirical 1D solar atmospheres, out of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). A two-step solution strategy is applied: the non-LTE RT problem is first solved considering a multilevel atom and neglecting polarization phenomena. The same problem is then solved including polarization, considering a two-level atom and keeping fixed the lower-level population calculated at the previous step. The emergent linear polarization signals calculated under the CRD and PRD-AA approximations are analyzed and compared to those obtained by modeling PRD effects in their general angle-dependent (AD) formulation. With respect to the PRD-AD case, the CRD and PRD-AA calculations significantly underestimate the amplitude of the line-center polarization signals produced by the forward-scattering Hanle effect. The results of this work suggest that a PRD-AD modeling is required in order to develop reliable diagnostic techniques exploiting the forward-scattering polarization signals observed in the CaI 4227 A line. These results need to be confirmed by full 3D calculations including non-magnetic symmetry-breaking effects.

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arXiv2022

Methodology for estimating the magnetic Prandtl number and application to solar surface small-scale dynamo simulations

Context. A crucial step in the numerical investigation of small-scale dynamos in the solar atmosphere consists of an accurate determination of the magnetic Prandtl number, Prm, stemming from radiative magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. Aims. The aims are to provide a reliable methodology for estimating the effective Reynolds and magnetic Reynolds numbers, Re and Rem, and their ratio Prm=Rem/Re (the magnetic Prandlt number), that characterise MHD simulations and to categorise small-scale dynamo simulations in terms of these dimensionless parameters. Methods. The methodology proposed for computing Re and Rem is based on the method of projection on proper elements and it relies on a post-processing step carried out using higher order accurate numerical operators than the ones in the simulation code. A number of radiative MHD simulations with different effective viscosities and plasma resistivities were carried out with the CO5BOLD code, and the resulting growth rate of the magnetic energy and saturated magnetic field strengths were characterised in terms of Re and Rem. Results. Overall, the proposed methodology provides a solid estimate of the dissipation coefficients affecting the momentum and induction equations of MHD simulation codes, and consequently also a reliable evaluation of the magnetic Prandtl number characterising the numerical results. Additionally, it is found that small-scale dynamos are active and can amplify a small seed magnetic field up to significant values in CO5BOLD simulations with a grid spacing smaller than h=12 km, even at Prm=0.65. However, it is also evident that it is difficult to categorise dynamo simulations in terms of Prm alone, because it is not only important to estimate the amplitude of the dissipation coefficients, but also at which scales energy dissipation takes place.

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