Spatio-temporal analysis of photospheric turbulent velocity fields using the proper orthogonal decomposition

The spatio-temporal dynamics of the solar photosphere are studied by performing a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of line-of-sight velocity fields computed from high-resolution data coming from the SOHO/MDI instrument. Using this technique, we are able to identify and characterize the different dynamical regimes acting in the system. All of the POD modes are characterized by two well-separated peaks in the frequency spectra. In particular, low-frequency oscillations, with frequencies in the range 20 - 130 mu Hz, dominate the most energetic POD modes (excluding solar rotation) and are characterized by spatial patterns with typical scales of about 3 Mm. Patterns with larger typical scales, of about 10 Mm, are dominated by p-mode oscillations at frequencies of about 3000 mu Hz. The p-mode properties found by POD are in agreement with those obtained with the classical Fourier analysis. The spatial properties of high-energy POD modes suggest the presence of a strong coupling between low-frequency modes and turbulent convection.