hide
Free keywords:
-
Abstract:
Unravelling the magnetic processes that build up the free energy for large-scale solar eruptions and trigger that energy's release in the eruption is a continuing challenge in solar physics. Such large-scale eruptions are comparatively infrequent, with the moderate level ones (say, GOES M-class events) occurring perhaps once every few days on average during active-activity times. In contrast, solar coronal jets, which are long (~50,000 km), narrow (<~10,000 km), transient (~10---20 min) plasma spires with bright bases and that are seen in soft X-rays and EUV, occur much more frequently, likely several hundred times per day independent of large-scale solar activity level. Recent studies indicate that coronal jets are small-scale versions of large-scale eruptions, often produced by eruption of a small-scale "miniflament," that results in a "miniflare" analogous to a larger typical solar flare, and that sometimes produces a CME analogue (a "narrow CME" or "white-light jet"). Under the assumption that jets are small-scale eruptions, their higher occurrence frequency and faster build-up evolution reveals perhaps fundamental aspects of all eruptions that are not as easy to discern in the more-complex magnetic environment and the slower build up to the larger eruptions. For example, several studies show that jets occur at magnetic-flux-cancelation locations, suggesting that this is a key energy build-up and release process for eruptions of all sizes. This work was supported by NASA's Heliophysics Guest Investigator (HGI), Heliophysics Supporting Research (HSR), and Heliophysics System Observatory Connect (HSOC) Programs, and by the NASA/MSFC Hinode Project.
