Hinode Observations of Chromospheric Brightenings in the Ca II H Line during Small-Scale Flux Emergence Events

Ca II H emission is a well-known indicator of magnetic activity in the Sun and other stars. It is also viewed as an important signature of chromospheric heating. However, the Ca II H line has not been used as a diagnostic of magnetic flux emergence from the solar interior. Here we report on Hinode observations of chromospheric Ca II H brightenings associated with a repeated, small-scale flux emergence event. We describe this process and investigate the evolution of the magnetic flux, G-band brightness, and Ca II H intensity in the emerging region. Our results suggest that energy is released in the chromosphere as a consequence of interactions between the emerging flux and the preexisting magnetic field, in agreement with recent 3D numerical simulations.