Solar Spicules, Spicule-like Features, and their Magnetic Environment

ROSES ID: NNH07ZDA001N      Selection Year: 2008      

Program Element: Focused Science Topic

Principal Investigator: Alphonse Sterling

Affiliation(s): NASA/MSFC/NSSTC

Project Member(s):
Lites, Bruce W Collaborator National Center for Atmospheric Research
Moore, Ronald Lee Co-I MSFC/NSSTC

Summary:

Solar spicules, and similar features, are a major component of the

magnetically-dominated solar atmosphere between the photosphere and the low

corona. As such, they are a crucial factor in the lower boundary condition of

the heliospheric space weather system. We propose a three-year program to

study chromospheric and UV/EUV spicules, and their relationships with their

magnetic environments. Our data will be from the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT)

and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on the Hinode satellite, supplemented

with UV/EUV images from TRACE, and images of X-ray jets from the Hinode X-Ray

Telescope (XRT). Magnetic field data will be vector magnetograms from SOT,

supplemented with line-of-sight magnetograms from SOT and from SOHO/MDI. We

will study the morphology and the statistics of: (1) the magnetic

characteristics at the bases of various spicules and jets, and (2) the relative

appearance of the various spicules and jets at different wavelengths. This

investigation will address questions such as: whether some types of spicules are

produced by a magnetic, rather than a purely wave-based, mechanism; what

magnetic configurations are necessary for the existence of spicules and jets;

what percentage of chromospheric spicules evolve into UV/EUV spicules; and what

chromospheric features correspond to X-ray jets. We will train and partially

support a postdoctoral-level scientist during this program.

Publications:

Performance Year	Reference	Investigation Type	Actions
1	Pasachoff, Jay M.; Jacobson, William A.; Sterling, Al...	not set
1	Sterling, Alphonse C.; Moore, Ronald L.; DeForest, Cr...	not set
1	Moore, Ronald L.; Cirtain, Jonathan W.; Sterling, Alp...	not set
1	Santolík, O.; Pickett, J. S.; Gurnett, D. A.; Menie...	not set

Presentations:

Performance Year	Reference	Actions
1	Sterling, Alphonse C,; (2009), Solar Spicules Near and at ...
1	Sterling, Alphonse C.; Moore, R. L.; DeForest, C. E....
1	Moore, Ronald L.; Cirtain, J. W.; Sterling, A. C.; (...
1	Sterling, A. C.; Moore, R. L.; (2012), Solar SpiculesÂ...
1	Tsurutani, Bruce; Mannucci, A. J.; Verkhoglyadova, Olg...
1	Tsurutani, B.; Verkhoglyadova, O. P.; Lakhina, G. S.;...
1	Tsurutani, B.; Verkhoglyadova, O. P.; Santolik, O.; P...

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