Correlative relationships in an inhomogeneous solar atmosphere

We analyse the correlative relationships between various quantities derived from 2-D inhomogeneous and time-dependent model atmospheres and between se lected simulated line parameters to compare them with height-dependent corr elations derived from spectral observations. We detect three photospheric r egions: thermal convection, overshooting convection and a transition layer. We also show that correlations found for the model data and those computed within simulated spectral observations are a good testing tool for line fo rmation depths. As an example, we examine two criteria, providing heights o f line core formation in LTE, and conclude that the approach which defines this quantity as geometrical height at line center optical depth tau (lambd a0) = I is likely more suitable for diagnostic purposes than the method bas ed on depression contribution function.