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1.
Alfvén waves have been invoked as a possible mechanism for the heating of the Sun's outer atmosphere, or corona, to millions of degrees and for the acceleration of the solar wind to hundreds of kilometers per second. However, Alfvén waves of sufficient strength have not been unambiguously observed in the solar atmosphere. We used images of high temporal and spatial resolution obtained with the Solar Optical Telescope onboard the Japanese Hinode satellite to reveal that the chromosphere, the region sandwiched between the solar surface and the corona, is permeated by Alfvén waves with strong amplitudes on the order of 10 to 25 kilometers per second and periods of 100 to 500 seconds. Estimates of the energy flux carried by these waves and comparisons with advanced radiative magnetohydrodynamic simulations indicate that such Alfvén waves are energetic enough to accelerate the solar wind and possibly to heat the quiet corona.  相似文献   

2.
Coronal magnetic fields are dynamic, and field lines may misalign, reassemble, and release energy by means of magnetic reconnection. Giant releases may generate solar flares and coronal mass ejections and, on a smaller scale, produce x-ray jets. Hinode observations of polar coronal holes reveal that x-ray jets have two distinct velocities: one near the Alfvén speed ( approximately 800 kilometers per second) and another near the sound speed (200 kilometers per second). Many more jets were seen than have been reported previously; we detected an average of 10 events per hour up to these speeds, whereas previous observations documented only a handful per day with lower average speeds of 200 kilometers per second. The x-ray jets are about 2 x 10(3) to 2 x 10(4) kilometers wide and 1 x 10(5) kilometers long and last from 100 to 2500 seconds. The large number of events, coupled with the high velocities of the apparent outflows, indicates that the jets may contribute to the high-speed solar wind.  相似文献   

3.
The Sun's outer atmosphere, or corona, is heated to millions of degrees, considerably hotter than its surface or photosphere. Explanations for this enigma typically invoke the deposition in the corona of nonthermal energy generated by magnetoconvection. However, the coronal heating mechanism remains unknown. We used observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the Hinode solar physics mission to reveal a ubiquitous coronal mass supply in which chromospheric plasma in fountainlike jets or spicules is accelerated upward into the corona, with much of the plasma heated to temperatures between ~0.02 and 0.1 million kelvin (MK) and a small but sufficient fraction to temperatures above 1 MK. These observations provide constraints on the coronal heating mechanism(s) and highlight the importance of the interface region between photosphere and corona.  相似文献   

4.
Magnetic reconnection of solar coronal loops is the main process that causes solar flares and possibly coronal heating. In the standard model, magnetic field lines break and reconnect instantaneously at places where the field mapping is discontinuous. However, another mode may operate where the magnetic field mapping is continuous but shows steep gradients: The field lines may slip across each other. Soft x-ray observations of fast bidirectional motions of coronal loops, observed by the Hinode spacecraft, support the existence of this slipping magnetic reconnection regime in the Sun's corona. This basic process should be considered when interpreting reconnection, both on the Sun and in laboratory-based plasma experiments.  相似文献   

5.
We observed fine-scale jetlike features, referred to as penumbral microjets, in chromospheres of sunspot penumbrae. The microjets were identified in image sequences of a sunspot taken through a Ca II H-line filter on the Solar Optical Telescope on board the Japanese solar physics satellite Hinode. The microjets' small width of 400 kilometers and short duration of less than 1 minute make them difficult to identify in existing observations. The microjets are possibly caused by magnetic reconnection in the complex magnetic configuration in penumbrae and have the potential to heat the corona above a sunspot.  相似文献   

6.
Cratering flow calculations for a series of oblique to normal (10 degrees to 90 degrees ) impacts of silicate projectiles onto a silicate halfspace were carried out to determine whether or not the gas produced upon shock-vaporizing both projectile and target material would form a downstream jet that could entrain and propel SNC meteorites from the Martian surface. The difficult constraints that the impact origin hypothesis for SNC meteorites has to satisfy are that these meteorites are lightly to moderately shocked and yet have been accelerated to speeds in excess of the Martian escape velocity (more than 5 kilometers per second). Two-dimensional finite difference calculations were performed that show that at highly probable impact velocities (7.5 kilometers per second), vapor plume jets are produced at oblique impact angles of 25 degrees to 60 degrees and have speeds as great as 20 kilometers per second. These plumes flow nearly parallel to the planetary surface. It is shown that upon impact of projectiles having radii of 0.1 to 1 kilometer, the resulting vapor jets have densities of 0.1 to 1 gram per cubic centimeter. These jets can entrain Martian surface rocks and accelerate them to velocities greater than 5 kilometers per second. This mechanism may launch SNC meteorites to earth.  相似文献   

7.
The High Resolution Telescope and Spectrograph was flown on the Spacelab-2 shuttle mission to perform extended observations of the solar chromosphere and transition zone at high spatial and temporal resolution. Ultraviolet spectroheliograms show the temporal development of macrospicules at the solar limb. The C IV transition zone emission is produced in discrete emission elements that must be composed of exceedingly fine (less than 70 kilometers) subresolution structures.  相似文献   

8.
The increase in temperature outward from the surface of a stellar photosphere can be understood by looking at the local energy balance. The relatively high-density stellar photosphere is cooled effectively by radiative energy loss penetrating the optically thin corona. For the low-density chromosphere and corona, if the energy input cannot be balanced by radiative energy losses, the temperature will rise steeply, possibly up to 1 million degrees or more. Coronal heating and emission appear to be strongly influenced by magnetic fields, leading to large differences in x-ray emission for otherwise similar stars. Comparatively small variations are seen in the overall chromospheric emission of stars. Chromospheres are probably mainly heated by shock-wave energy dissipation, modified by magnetic fields.  相似文献   

9.
The origin of the solar wind in solar coronal holes has long been unclear. We establish that the solar wind starts flowing out of the corona at heights above the photosphere between 5 megameters and 20 megameters in magnetic funnels. This result is obtained by a correlation of the Doppler-velocity and radiance maps of spectral lines emitted by various ions with the force-free magnetic field as extrapolated from photospheric magnetograms to different altitudes. Specifically, we find that Ne7+ ions mostly radiate around 20 megameters, where they have outflow speeds of about 10 kilometers per second, whereas C3+ ions with no average flow speed mainly radiate around 5 megameters. Based on these results, a model for understanding the solar wind origin is suggested.  相似文献   

10.
Magnetospheric substorms explosively release solar wind energy previously stored in Earth's magnetotail, encompassing the entire magnetosphere and producing spectacular auroral displays. It has been unclear whether a substorm is triggered by a disruption of the electrical current flowing across the near-Earth magnetotail, at approximately 10 R(E) (R(E): Earth radius, or 6374 kilometers), or by the process of magnetic reconnection typically seen farther out in the magnetotail, at approximately 20 to 30 R(E). We report on simultaneous measurements in the magnetotail at multiple distances, at the time of substorm onset. Reconnection was observed at 20 R(E), at least 1.5 minutes before auroral intensification, at least 2 minutes before substorm expansion, and about 3 minutes before near-Earth current disruption. These results demonstrate that substorms are likely initiated by tail reconnection.  相似文献   

11.
Powerful relativistic jets are among the most ubiquitous and energetic observational consequences of accretion around supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei and neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes in x-ray binary (XRB) systems. But despite more than three decades of study, the structure and composition of these jets remain unknown. Here we present spatially resolved x-ray spectroscopy of arc second-scale x-ray jets from XRB SS 433 analyzed with the Chandra advanced charge-coupled device imaging spectrometer. These observations reveal evidence for a hot continuum and Doppler-shifted iron emission lines from spatially resolved regions. Apparently, in situ reheating of the baryonic component of the jets takes place in a flow that moves with relativistic bulk velocity even more than 100 days after launch from the binary core.  相似文献   

12.
Lang KR 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1969,166(3911):1401-1403
Time fluctuations in the intensity of pulsed radiation from CP 0834, CP 1133, AP 1237, and CP 1919 have been investigated. Power spectra, modulation indices, frequency distributions, and decorrelation frequencies are consistent with scintillation theory. If it is assumed that these scintillations are due to irregularities in the interstellar medium that travel at a velocity of 20 kilometers per second, the irregularities have a scale size on the order of 10(4) kilometers and a distance from the earth of approximately 70 parsecs. These interstellar scintillations would not have been observed if the apparent angular diameters of the pulsars were larger than 0.3 X 10(-5) second of arc, and they would cause even a point radio source to have an apparent angular diameter of approximately 10(-3) second of arc at 318 megahertz.  相似文献   

13.
Astrophysical jets are linear structures associated with stars and galaxies which span about seven orders of magnitude in size; the largest jets emanating from galaxies are about 100 times the size of our galaxy and are the largest single objects in the universe. Jets associated with stars are composed of ionized gas moving away from the star with velocities of a few hundred kilometers per second. Extragalactic jets are composed of relativistic particles, magnetic field, and probably additional amounts of cooler ionized plasma either originally ejected in the jet or entired by it out of the surrounding gaseous medium. The initial outflow velocity for extragalactic jets may be relativistic, and average outflow speeds of several thousand kilometers per second are likely. The energy flux carried by extragalactic jets may be in excess of 10(46) ergs per second, depending upon the nature of the jet. A definition of jet properties, deduced from their interaction with the ambient medium, can place essential constraints on models for the central power source in the parent galaxy or quasi-stellar object where they originate.  相似文献   

14.
Snyder CW 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》1967,158(3809):1665-1669
On 19 October 1967 the Mariner V spacecraft passed by Venus 10,151 kilometers from the center of the planet; the gravitational field, atmosphere, ionosphere, hydrogen corona, and interaction with the solar wind were observed.  相似文献   

15.
Observations of comets in Sun-grazing orbits that survive solar insolation long enough to penetrate into the Sun's inner corona provide information on the solar atmosphere and magnetic field as well as on the makeup of the comet. On 6 July 2011, the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) observed the demise of comet C/2011 N3 (SOHO) within the low solar corona in five wavelength bands in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV). The comet penetrated to within 0.146 solar radius (~100,000 kilometers) of the solar surface before its EUV signal disappeared. Before that, material released into the coma--at first seen in absorption--formed a variable EUV-bright tail. During the final 10 minutes of observation by SDO's Atmospheric Imaging Assembly, ~6 × 10(8) to 6 × 10(10) grams of total mass was lost (corresponding to an effective nucleus diameter of ~10 to 50 meters), as estimated from the tail's deceleration due to interaction with the surrounding coronal material; the EUV absorption by the comet and the brightness of the tail suggest that the mass was at the high end of this range. These observations provide evidence that the nucleus had broken up into a family of fragments, resulting in accelerated sublimation in the Sun's intense radiation field.  相似文献   

16.
Solar carbon monoxide spectra indicate the existence of a cool (less than 4000 kelvin) component to the solar chromosphere coexisting with the hot, bright gas at 6000 to 7000 kelvin. However, both the existence and the location of the cool component have been controversial. New high-resolution spectra show that carbon monoxide goes into emission just beyond the limb, allowing it to be probed without photospheric contamination. The cool component has temperatures as low as 3000 to 3500 kelvin and appears to cover 50 to 85 percent of the quiet solar surface. There is a steep temperature rise to normal chromospheric temperatures at a height of 900 to 1100 kilometers. Large horizontal velocities are seen, suggesting that the cool component is maintained by the supersonic adiabatic expansion of upwelling gas in overshooting granules.  相似文献   

17.
The determination of the fine thermal structure of the solar corona is fundamental to constraining the coronal heating mechanisms. The Hinode X-ray Telescope collected images of the solar corona in different passbands, thus providing temperature diagnostics through energy ratios. By combining different filters to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio, we observed a coronal active region in five filters, revealing a highly thermally structured corona: very fine structures in the core of the region and on a larger scale further away. We observed continuous thermal distribution along the coronal loops, as well as entangled structures, and variations of thermal structuring along the line of sight.  相似文献   

18.
At least four active geyser-like eruptions were discovered in Voyager 2 images of Triton, Neptune's large satellite. The two best documented eruptions occur as columns of dark material rising to an altitude of about 8 kilometers where dark clouds of material are left suspended to drift downwind over 100 kilometers. The radii of the rising columns appear to be in the range of several tens of meters to a kilometer. One model for the mechanism to drive the plumes involves heating of nitrogen ice in a subsurface greenhouse environment; nitrogen gas pressurized by the solar heating explosively vents to the surface carrying clouds of ice and dark partides into the atmosphere. A temperature increase of less than 4 kelvins above the ambient surface value of 38 +/- 3 kelvins is more than adequate to drive the plumes to an 8-kilometer altitude. The mass flux in the trailing clouds is estimated to consist of up to 10 kilograms of fine dark particles per second or twice as much nitrogen ice and perhaps several hundred or more kilograms of nitrogen gas per second. Each eruption may last a year or more, during which on the order of a tenth of a cubic kilometer of ice is sublimed.  相似文献   

19.
Certain opaque inclusions within primitive meteorites exhibit textures that suggest chondrules formed during intense, short-duration radiative heating episodes in the early solar system. Experimental support for this interpretation is provided by the textures produced when chondrule-like assemblages are heated with visible laser light. Computer simulations of radiative heating provide additional evidence for the role of electromagnetic energy in heating nebular solids by offering an explanation for the size distributions of chondrules and the presence of dusty chondrule rims. Nebular lightning and magnetic reconnection flares are possible sources of electromagnetic energy for these transient heating events.  相似文献   

20.
The cloud-level atmosphere of Venus takes little more than 4 days to complete one rotation, whereas the solid planet below has a 243-day period. Computer simulations of the circulation of the Venus middle atmosphere between 40 and 85 kilometers, as driven by solar radiation absorbed in the clouds, reproduce (i) the observed cloud-level rotation rate, (ii) strong vertical shears above and below the cloud tops, and (iii) midlatitude jets and strong poleward flow on the day side. Simulated circulations converge to yield nearly the same zonal winds when initialized with both stronger or weaker rotation rates. These results support the hypothesis that the observed cloud-top rotation rate is maintained by statistical balance between fluxes of momentum by thermal tides and momentum advection by mean meridional circulation.  相似文献   

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