Small plasma jet in the sun drives an ambiguous solar wind and European solar tracks

Solar scientists discover that the small and short life of the sun for the sun is the main driver of the solar wind, indicating that the star’s obscure behavior is detoxified and eventually improving the prediction of the storm.

“Sun Wind” refers to the pocket of the energy particles blown up in the sun. These particles are sometimes headed to Earth like last summer. A rare cluster of such a storm It rained on Earth and caused a northern aurora. However, the solar wind also can also affect the earth in a negative manner, such as the interruption of GPS signals and satellite and other technologies that depend on wireless communication. It can also threaten the safety of astronauts on the earth’s orbit.

Nevertheless, it has been proven that the exact origin of the solar wind is difficult to find exactly. This is because the “footprint”, which is partially transported by the wind -loaded particles, will often reveal the unique signature of the sun. It was distorted when they reached Earth.

Solar Orbiter took this image of the sun in a close approach in March 2022. (Image credit: ESA)

Previous research I revealed that little jet A large and dark gap in the external atmosphere of the sunOr Corona does not last for more than 1 minute after driving the fastest sun wind particles despite the weakest 1 trillion hours than the most powerful flare of the sun. This so -called “Pico Flare” is everywhere, and it is driven by the magnetic field line that is extended to space without returning to the sun surface, and the overheated plasma particles are overheated. Avoid self -hand of the sun It is released outward at excessive speed.

“The energy content of a single pico flare jet, which lives for about 1 minute, is equal to the average power consumed by about 10,000 households in the UK for one year.” Sayed Space.com.

But scientists have found that it is more difficult to track the source of the slow components of the solar wind. The new analysis of Chitta and his team now uses the closed data of European space. Sun track The spacecraft provides strong evidence of this Pico Flare. also Energy supply to slow solar winds.

“We were very surprised that the same small plasma jet was leading both fast attitudes and slow solar winds.” Chitta recently said. name. “I previously assumed that other processes worked.”

To reach their conclusions, Chitta and his colleagues studied the data collected by Solar Orbiter in late 2022 and early 2023 to create a close approach to the sun. Among these passes, the probe gained about 13 million miles (50 million kilometers) from the star, and the onboard camera was able to capture the high -resolution image of the jet in the coronary hole and measure the solar wind directly.

Combining these observations, “Researchers were able to directly connect the solar winds measured on the spaceship to exactly the same jet.” name.

The agency said, “This is the first time that we can be sure that at least part of the slow solar wind comes from a small jet in the coronary hole. So far, the origin of the solar wind has been ambiguous. “

The upcoming approach to the sun by the sun track, which occurs twice a year, can be seen that Pico Flare can shine more light in the way Pico Flare begins.

This study is described in A paper It was published on February 5 in the Astronomy & Astrophysics Journal.

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