Reconnection nanojets in the solar corona

Antolin, Patrick; Pagano, Paolo; Testa, Paola; Petralia, Antonino; Reale, F.

doi:10.1038/s41550-020-1199-8

Cited by 73 publications

(91 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Evidence for this mechanism has also been found with IRIS in coronal jets (Zhang and Ni, 2019), flux cancelation events (using IRIS and AIA, Yang et al, 2018a), as well as much larger flares to explain propagating sawtooth-like and quasi-periodic flare-ribbon structures (Brannon, Longcope, and Qiu, 2015;Parker and Longcope, 2017). The reconnection-driven nanojets reported in the corona also exhibit plasmoid ejecta along their axis, particularly for the most energetic nanojet clusters (Antolin et al, 2021). More indirect but similar constraints come from IRIS observations of microflares, which provide support for fractal-type reconnection mediated by the secondary tearing instability (Reep et al, 2016a).…”

Section: Magnetic Reconnection Mechanisms In the Low Solar Atmospherementioning

confidence: 66%

“…Recently, exciting IRIS results have revealed direct observational signatures of fast (> 100 km s −1 ), short-lived (≈ 15 seconds), and small-scale (< 1 ) jet-like features (Figure 11), typically perpendicular to a cool loop-like structure, and associated with nano-flaresized heating events (Antolin et al, 2021). Initially, the loop shows misaligned rain strands and complex rotational motions, compatible with the existence of braiding in the loop.…”

Section: Dynamics Of Braidingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Observations of coronal rain further allow a direct high-resolution window on the coronal topology and dynamics, as shown by, e.g., Antolin and Verwichte (2011) and Nelson et al (2019) for the detection of Alfvénic waves, and, e.g., Antolin et al (2021) for the detection of braiding-induced reconnection.…”

Section: Coronal Rainmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Figure11Examples of nanojets -a smoking gun of reconnection-based coronal heating -as observed by IRIS (adapted fromAntolin et al, 2021; their Figure 2a, Figure 4d, and Figure6). Top-left panels: Time series of IRIS 1400 SJI images showing a cluster of nanojets.…”

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confidence: 99%

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A New View of the Solar Interface Region from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS)

et al. 2021

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The Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) has been obtaining near- and far-ultraviolet images and spectra of the solar atmosphere since July 2013. IRIS is the highest resolution observatory to provide seamless coverage of spectra and images from the photosphere into the low corona. The unique combination of near- and far-ultraviolet spectra and images at sub-arcsecond resolution and high cadence allows the tracing of mass and energy through the critical interface between the surface and the corona or solar wind. IRIS has enabled research into the fundamental physical processes thought to play a role in the low solar atmosphere such as ion–neutral interactions, magnetic reconnection, the generation, propagation, and dissipation of waves, the acceleration of non-thermal particles, and various small-scale instabilities. IRIS has provided insights into a wide range of phenomena including the discovery of non-thermal particles in coronal nano-flares, the formation and impact of spicules and other jets, resonant absorption and dissipation of Alfvénic waves, energy release and jet-like dynamics associated with braiding of magnetic-field lines, the role of turbulence and the tearing-mode instability in reconnection, the contribution of waves, turbulence, and non-thermal particles in the energy deposition during flares and smaller-scale events such as UV bursts, and the role of flux ropes and various other mechanisms in triggering and driving CMEs. IRIS observations have also been used to elucidate the physical mechanisms driving the solar irradiance that impacts Earth’s upper atmosphere, and the connections between solar and stellar physics. Advances in numerical modeling, inversion codes, and machine-learning techniques have played a key role. With the advent of exciting new instrumentation both on the ground, e.g. the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), and space-based, e.g. the Parker Solar Probe and the Solar Orbiter, we aim to review new insights based on IRIS observations or related modeling, and highlight some of the outstanding challenges.

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Section: Magnetic Reconnection Mechanisms In the Low Solar Atmospherementioning

confidence: 66%

Section: Dynamics Of Braidingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Coronal Rainmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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A New View of the Solar Interface Region from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS)

et al. 2021

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“…In the case of the campfires, this energizing near the apex is consistent with the observation of them occurring at heights significantly above the photosphere. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that component reconnec-tion can generate mini-jets in prominence structures (Chen et al 2017(Chen et al , 2020Antolin et al 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transient small-scale brightenings in the quiet solar corona: A model for campfires observed with Solar Orbiter

Chen

Przybylski

Peter

et al. 2021

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Context. Recent observations by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on board Solar Orbiter have characterized prevalent small-scale transient brightenings in the corona above the quiet Sun termed campfires. Aims. In this study we search for comparable brightenings in a numerical model and then investigate their relation to the magnetic field and the processes that drive these events. Methods. We used the MURaM code to solve the 3D radiation magnetohydrodynamic equations in a box that stretches from the upper convection zone to the corona. The model self-consistently produces a supergranular network of the magnetic field and a hot corona above this quiet Sun. For the comparison with the model, we synthesized the coronal emission as seen by EUI in its 174 Å channel, isolated the seven strongest transient brightenings, and investigated the changes of the magnetic field in and around these in detail. Results. The transients we isolated have a lifetime of about 2 min and are elongated loop-like features with lengths around 1 Mm to 4 Mm. They tend to occur at heights of about 2 Mm to 5 Mm above the photosphere, a bit offset from magnetic concentrations that mark the bright chromospheric network, and they reach temperatures of above 1 MK. As a result, they very much resemble the larger campfires found in observations. In our model most events are energized by component reconnection between bundles of field lines that interact at coronal heights. In one case, we find that untwisting a highly twisted flux rope initiates the heating. Conclusions. Based on our study, we propose that the majority of campfire events found by EUI are driven by component reconnection and our model suggests that this process significantly contributes to the heating of the corona above the quiet Sun.

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The Solar X-Ray Corona

Testa

Reale

2023

Handbook of X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Astrophysics

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Reconnection nanojets in the solar corona

Cited by 73 publications

References 41 publications

A New View of the Solar Interface Region from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS)

A New View of the Solar Interface Region from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS)

Transient small-scale brightenings in the quiet solar corona: A model for campfires observed with Solar Orbiter

The Solar X-Ray Corona

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