On the properties of faculae at the poles of the Sun

Context.Faculae at the poles of the Sun, or polar faculae (PFe), take part in the solar magnetic cycle. Their occurrence maximum is shifted by 5–6 years with respect to the sunspot cycle. PFe are stable phenomena, with lifetimes of several hours to days, and harbour magnetic fields of kilo-Gauss strength. Yet their role for the global magnetic field at the solar poles is unknown. Aims.To contribute to the knowledge of the physical properties of PFe and to the understanding of their role in the global magnetism of the Sun. Methods.PFe were observed on 21–24 August 2005 with the Vacuum Tower Telescope at the Observatorio del Teide. The “Göttingen” Fabry-Perot spectrometer was used with a Stokes V polarimeter to scan the Fe