INTERGRANULAR PLUMES AND FORMATION OF NETWORK BRIGHT POINTS

We discuss the temporal evolution of the photospheric intergranular la nes using a 1 hour time sequence of white-light images of solar granul ation. The time series was obtained with the 50 cm refractor at the tu rret dome of the Pic du Midi Observatory. Analysis reveals the existen ce of singularities in the intergranular lanes that we call ''intergra nular holes''. Intergranular holes, which have diameters between 0.24 arcsec and 0.45 arcsec, are continuously visible for more than 45 minu tes. The holes appear to be systematically distributed at the peripher y of mesogranular and supergranular cells. Our study reveals the forma tion of bright points (BPs) in 4 out of 14 cases studied very close to the intergranular holes, suggesting that intergranular holes may be t he locations where magnetic flux tubes are formed.