The analysis of penumbral fine structure using an advanced inversion technique

We present a method to study the penumbral fine structure using data obtained by the spectropolarimeter on board Hinode. For the first time, the penumbral filaments can be considered as being resolved in spectropolarimetric measurements. This enables us to use inversion codes with only one-component model atmospheres, and thus to assign the obtained stratifications of the plasma parameters directly to the penumbral fine structure. This approach was applied to the limb-side part of the penumbra in the active region NOAA 10923. Preliminary results show a clear dependence of the plasma parameters on the continuum intensity in the inner penumbra, i.e., a weaker and horizontal magnetic field along with an increased line-of-sight velocity are found in the low layers of the bright filaments. The results in the mid penumbra are ambiguous, and future analyses are necessary to unveil the magnetic field structure and other plasma parameters there.