Solar X-ray Jets, Type-II Spicules, Granule-size Emerging Bipoles, and the Genesis of the Heliosphere

From Hinode observations of solar X-ray jets, Type-II spicules, and granule-size emerging bipolar magnetic fields in quiet regions and coronal holes, we advocate a scenario for powering coronal heating and the solar wind. In this scenario, Type-II spicules and Alfven waves are generated by the granu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Astrophysical journal. Letters 2011-04, Vol.731 (1), p.L18-jQuery1323917968051='48'
Main Authors: Moore, Ronald L, Sterling, Alphonse C, Cirtain, Jonathan W, Falconer, David A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
ALFVEN WAVES
ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ATMOSPHERES
CHROMOSPHERE
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
HELIOSPHERE
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
JETS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
SOLAR CORONA
SOLAR PROMINENCES
SOLAR WIND
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR CORONAE
STELLAR WINDS
X RADIATION
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Summary:From Hinode observations of solar X-ray jets, Type-II spicules, and granule-size emerging bipolar magnetic fields in quiet regions and coronal holes, we advocate a scenario for powering coronal heating and the solar wind. In this scenario, Type-II spicules and Alfven waves are generated by the granule-size emerging bipoles (EBs) in the manner of the generation of X-ray jets by larger magnetic bipoles. From observations and this scenario, we estimate that Type-II spicules and their co-generated Alfven waves carry into the corona an area-average flux of mechanical energy of ~7 X 105 erg cm--2 s--1. This is enough to power the corona and solar wind in quiet regions and coronal holes, and therefore indicates that the granule-size EBs are the main engines that generate and sustain the entire heliosphere.
ISSN:2041-8205
2041-8213
DOI:10.1088/2041-8205/731/1/L18