The interaction of solar p-modes with a sunspot. I - Observations
Time series of velocity maps of two isolated sunspots and their surroundings were recorded in the Fe I line and the umbral line Ti I. Both 3 and 5 min umbral oscillations were detected at photospheric heights. The 5 min oscillations have reduced amplitude in the umbra, which appears to act as a filter in transmitting selected frequencies in the power spectrum of 5 min p-mode oscillations of the surrounding convection zone. The k-omicron power spectrum of the umbral oscillations shows this selective transmission and also shows a shift of power to longer horizontal wavelengths. This behavior is exhibited by a simple theoretical model of the interaction of p-modes with a sunspot. The 3 min umbral oscillations are concentrated in the dark central part of the umbra. In both sunspots, the kinetic energy density of the 3 min umbral oscillation in the photosphere is much greater than the corresponding kinetic energy density at chromospheric heights measured in other sunspots.