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Comparison of Transient Network Brightenings and Explosive Events in the Solar Transition Region
The Astrophysical Journal
|December 22, 1999
Summary
Transient network brightenings, or blinkers, are linked to explosive solar events. These blinkers are composed of smaller "unit brightening events" that suggest a common origin in magnetic reconnection.
Area of Science:
- Solar Physics
- Plasma Astrophysics
- Stellar Activity
Background:
- Transient network brightenings (blinkers) and explosive solar events are observed in the Sun's atmosphere.
- Understanding their relationship is key to comprehending solar dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the connection between solar blinkers and explosive events.
- To determine if these phenomena share a common physical origin.
Main Methods:
- Coordinated observations of the quiet Sun using the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer (CDS) and Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) instruments.
- Analysis of transition region spectral lines (O v lambda630 and Si iv lambda1402).
- Comparison with photospheric magnetograms from the Big Bear Solar Observatory.
Main Results:
- Explosive events are typically found at the edges, not centers, of network brightenings.
- Solar blinkers are composed of numerous small-scale, short-lived SUMER "unit brightening events."
- Unit brightening events exhibit enhanced spectral line wings, indicating high velocities, though less broad than explosive events.
Conclusions:
- Unit brightening events within blinkers share characteristics with explosive events, suggesting a common origin.
- Both blinkers and explosive events likely result from magnetic reconnection, possibly with varying magnetic geometries.
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