Fast Downflows Research Articles

Fast Downflows Observed during a Polar Crown Filament Eruption

Solar filaments can undergo eruptions that result in the formation of coronal mass ejections, which can significantly impact planetary space environments. Observations of eruptions involving polar crown filaments, situated in the polar regions of the Sun, are limited. In this study, we report a polar crown filament eruption (SOL2023-06-12), characterized by fast downflows below the filament. The downflows appear instantly after the onset of the filament eruption and persist for approximately 2 hr, exhibiting plane-of-sky velocities ranging between 92 and 144 km s−1. They originate from the leading edge of the filament, and no clear acceleration is observed. Intriguingly, these downflows appear at two distinct sites, symmetrically positioned at the opposite ends of the conjugate flare ribbons. Based on the observations, we propose that the filament might be supported by a magnetic flux rope (MFR), and these downflows possibly occur along the legs of the MFR. The downflows likely result from continuous reconnections between the MFR and the overlying magnetic field structures and could either be reconnection outflows or redirected filament materials. We also observed horizontal drifting of the locations of downflows, which might correspond to the MFR’s footpoint drifting. This type of downflow can potentially be utilized to track the footpoints of MFRs during eruptions.

Sequential Remote Brightenings and Co-spatial Fast Downflows during Two Successive Flares

Remote brightenings often appear at the outskirts of the active regions of solar eruptive events. Nevertheless, their origin remains to be ascertained. In this study, we report imaging and spectroscopic observations of sequential remote brightenings with a combination of observations from the Hα Imaging Spectrograph on board the Chinese Hα Solar Explorer, which is the first space-based solar telescope of China, and from the Solar Dynamics Observatory. It is found that during two successive M-class flares occurring on 2022 August 17 multiple ribbon-like brightenings appeared in sequence away from the flaring active region. Meanwhile, abundant cool filament materials moved downward to the sequential remote brightenings, which were visible at the Hα red wing with a line-of-sight speed of up to 70 km s−1. The extrapolated three-dimensional magnetic field configuration shows that the sequential remote brightenings correspond to the footpoints of closed ambient field lines whose conjugate footpoints are rooted in the main flare site. We suggest that the sequential remote brightenings are most likely to be caused by the heating of the interchange reconnection between the erupting flux rope and the closed ambient field, during which the rope-hosting filament materials are transferred to the periphery of the flaring active region along the closed ambient field rather than to the interplanetary space, such as in the scenario of slow solar wind formation.

Fast downflows in a chromospheric filament

AbstractAn active region filament in the upper chromosphere is studied using spectropolarimetric data in He i 10830 Å from the GREGOR telescope. A Milne-Eddingon based inversion of the Unno-Rachkovsky equations is used to retrieve the velocity and the magnetic field vector of the region. The plasma velocity reaches supersonic values closer to the feet of the filament barbs and coexist with a slow velocity component. Such supersonic velocities result from the acceleration of the plasma as it drains from the filament spine through the barbs. The line-of-sight magnetic fields have strengths below 200 G in the filament spine and in the filament barbs where fast downflows are located, their strengths range between 100 - 700 G.

Magnetic activity in the Galactic Centre region – fast downflows along rising magnetic loops

We studied roles of the magnetic field on the gas dynamics in the Galactic bulge by a three-dimensional global magnetohydrodynamical simulation data, particularly focusing on vertical flows that are ubiquitously excited by magnetic activity. In local regions where the magnetic filed is stronger, it is frequently seen that fast down-flows slide along inclined magnetic field lines that are associated with buoyantly rising magnetic loops. The vertical velocity of these down-flows reaches ~ 100 km s$^{-1}$ near the foot-point of the loops by the gravitational acceleration toward the Galactic plane. The two footpoints of rising magnetic loops are generally located at different radial locations and the field lines are deformed by the differential rotation. The angular momentum is transported along the field lines, and the radial force balance breaks down. As a result, a fast downflow is often observed only at the one footpoint located at the inner radial position. The fast downflow compresses the gas to form a dense region near the footpoint, which will be important in star formation afterward. Furthermore, the horizontal components of the velocity are also fast near the foot-point because the down-flow is accelerated along the magnetic sliding slope. As a result, the high-velocity flow creates various characteristic features in a simulated position-velocity diagram, depending on the viewing angle.

Various Local Heating Events in the Earliest Phase of Flux Emergence

Abstract Emerging flux regions (EFRs) are known to exhibit various sporadic local heating events in the lower atmosphere. To investigate the characteristics of these events, especially to link the photospheric magnetic fields and atmospheric dynamics, we analyze Hinode, Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), and Solar Dynamics Observatory data of a new EFR in NOAA AR 12401. Out of 151 bright points (BPs) identified in Hinode/SOT Ca images, 29 are overlapped by an SOT/SP scan. Seven BPs in the EFR center possess mixed-polarity magnetic backgrounds in the photosphere. Their IRIS UV spectra (e.g., Si iv 1402.8 Å) are strongly enhanced and red- or blueshifted, with tails reaching , which is highly suggestive of bi-directional jets; each brightening lasts for 10–15 minutes, leaving flare-like light curves. Most of this group show bald patches, the U-shaped photospheric magnetic loops. Another 10 BPs are found in unipolar regions at the EFR edges. They are generally weaker in UV intensities and exhibit systematic redshifts with Doppler speeds up to , which could exceed the local sound speed in the transition region. Both types of BPs show signs of strong temperature increase in the low chromosphere. These observational results support the physical picture that heating events in the EFR center are due to magnetic reconnection within cancelling undular fields like Ellerman bombs, while the peripheral heating events are due to shocks or strong compressions caused by fast downflows along the overlying arch filament system.

Vigorous convection in a sunspot granular light bridge

Context. Light bridges are the most prominent manifestation of convection in sunspots. The brightest representatives are granular light bridges composed of features that appear to be similar to granules.Aims. An in-depth study of the convective motions, temperature stratification, and magnetic field vector in and around light bridge granules is presented with the aim of identifying similarities and differences to typical quiet-Sun granules.Methods. Spectropolarimetric data from the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope were analyzed using a spatially coupled inversion technique to retrieve the stratified atmospheric parameters of light bridge and quiet-Sun granules.Results. Central hot upflows surrounded by cooler fast downflows reaching 10 km s-1 clearly establish the convective nature of the light bridge granules. The inner part of these granules in the near surface layers is field free and is covered by a cusp-like magnetic field configuration. We observe hints of field reversals at the location of the fast downflows. The quiet-Sun granules in the vicinity of the sunspot are covered by a low-lying canopy field extending radially outward from the spot.Conclusions. The similarities between quiet-Sun and light bridge granules point to the deep anchoring of granular light bridges in the underlying convection zone. The fast, supersonic downflows are most likely a result of a combination of invigorated convection in the light bridge granule due to radiative cooling into the neighboring umbra and the fact that we sample deeper layers, since the downflows are immediately adjacent to the slanted walls of the Wilson depression.

Vigorous convection in a sunspot granular light bridge

Light bridges are the most prominent manifestation of convection in sunspots. The brightest representatives are granular light bridges composed of features that appear to be similar to granules. An in-depth study of the convective motions, temperature stratification, and magnetic field vector in and around light bridge granules is presented with the aim of identifying similarities and differences to typical quiet-Sun granules. Spectropolarimetric data from the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope were analyzed using a spatially coupled inversion technique to retrieve the stratified atmospheric parameters of light bridge and quiet-Sun granules. Central hot upflows surrounded by cooler fast downflows reaching 10 km/s clearly establish the convective nature of the light bridge granules. The inner part of these granules in the near surface layers is field free and is covered by a cusp-like magnetic field configuration. We observe hints of field reversals at the location of the fast downflows. The quiet-Sun granules in the vicinity of the sunspot are covered by a low-lying canopy field extending radially outward from the spot. The similarities between quiet-Sun and light bridge granules point to the deep anchoring of granular light bridges in the underlying convection zone. The fast, supersonic downflows are most likely a result of a combination of invigorated convection in the light bridge granule due to radiative cooling into the neighboring umbra and the fact that we sample deeper layers, since the downflows are immediately adjacent to the slanted walls of the Wilson depression.

FIRST SIMULTANEOUS DETECTION OF MOVING MAGNETIC FEATURES IN PHOTOSPHERIC INTENSITY AND MAGNETIC FIELD DATA

The formation and the temporal evolution of a bipolar moving magnetic feature (MMF) was studied with high spatial and temporal resolution. The photometric properties were observed with the New Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory using a broadband TiO filter (705.7 nm), while the magnetic field was analyzed using the spectropolarimetric data obtained by Hinode. For the first time, we observed a bipolar MMF simultaneously in intensity images and magnetic field data, and studied the details of its structure. The vector magnetic field and the Doppler velocity of the MMF were also studied. A bipolar MMF having its positive polarity closer to the negative penumbra formed being accompanied by a bright, filamentary structure in the TiO data connecting the MMF and a dark penumbral filament. A fast downflow (<2km/s) was detected at the positive polarity. The vector magnetic field obtained from the full Stokes inversion revealed that a bipolar MMF has a U-shaped magnetic field configuration. Our observations provide a clear intensity counterpart of the observed MMF in the photosphere, and strong evidence of the connection between the MMF and the penumbral filament as a serpentine field.

Anatomy of a bathtub vortex.

We present experiments and theory for the "bathtub vortex," which forms when a fluid drains out of a rotating cylindrical container through a small drain hole. The fast down-flow is found to be confined to a narrow and rapidly rotating "drainpipe" from the free surface down to the drain hole. Surrounding this drainpipe is a region with slow upward flow generated by the Ekman layer at the bottom of the container. This flow structure leads us to a theoretical model similar to one obtained earlier by Lundgren [J. Fluid Mech. 155, 381 (1985)]], but here including surface tension and Ekman upwelling, comparing favorably with our measurements. At the tip of the needlelike surface depression, we observe a bubble-forming instability at high rotation rates.

High‐frequency waves and granulation

AbstractThe theory of periodical shear flow is applied for the exploration of the effect of solar granulation on highfrequency waves in the solar photosphere. It is shown that upgoing and downgoing waves are trapped in intergranular spaces and granules, respectively. Upgoing waves in fast downflows are unstable. The theory is in a good agreement with observations.

High resolution 2D-spectroscopy of granular dynamics

Spectroscopic data with high spatial resolution are used to study the granular dynamics of the Sun. The observations were obtained with the “Gottingen” two-dimensional (2D) Fabry-Perot interferometer in the Vacuum Tower Telescope at the Observatorio del Teide/Tenerife. Time sequences of spectral scans across the nonmagnetic Fe i 5576 A line were taken from disc center. The 2D spectroscopic images were reconstructed with speckle methods, from which a spatial resolution of 0. ′′4–0. ′′5 was achieved. A power and coherence analysis of intensity and velocity maps from different photospheric heights has been carried out. The coherence between intensity and velocity fluctuations stays high for structural scales >0. ′′5, which underlines the high spatial resolution of the data. Furthermore, the vertical flow field and its time evolution within exploding granules have been analyzed. We find fast downflows in the dark centers of exploding granules with velocities up to 1.2 km s−1. Additionally, we estimated the flow velocities of so-called “dark dots”. We discuss indications that these structures represent a new type of downflow within the centers of bright granules.

Ionization effects in three-dimensional solar granulation simulations

These numerical studies show that ionization influences both the transport and dynamical properties of compressible convection near the surface of the Sun. About two-thirds of the enthalpy transported by convective motions in the region of partial hydrogen ionization is carried as latent heat. The role of fast downflow plumes in total convective transport is substantially elevated by this contribution. Instability of the thermal boundary layer is strongly enhanced by temperature sensitive variations in the radiative properties of the fluid, and this provides a mechanism for plume initiation and cell fragmentation in the surface layers. As the plumes descend, temperature fluctuations and associated buoyancy forces are maintained because of the increased specific heat of the partially ionized material. This can result is supersonic vertical flows. At greater depths, ionization effects diminish, and the plumes are decelerated by significant entrainment of surrounding fluid.

Lubricated pipelining: stability of core—annular flow. Part 5. Experiments and comparison with theory

Results are given for experiments on water-lubricated pipelining of 6.01 P cylinder oil in a vertical apparatus in up- and downflow in regimes of modest flow rates, less than 3 ft/s. Measured values of the flow rates, holdup ratios, pressure gradients and flow types are presented and compared with theoretical predictions based on ideal laminar flow and on the predictions of the linear theory of stability. New flow types, not achieved in horizontal flows, are observed: bamboo waves in upflow and corkscrew waves in downflow. Nearly perfect core–annular flows are observed in downflows and these are nearly optimally efficient with values close to the ideal. The holdup ratio in upflow and fast downflow is a constant independent of the value and the ratio of values of the flow rates of oil and water. A vanishing holdup ratio can be achieved by fluidizing a long lubricated column of oil in the downflow of water. The results of experiments are compared with computations from ideal theory for perfect core–annular flow and from the linear theory of stability. Satisfactory agreements are achieved for the celerity and diagnosis of flow type. The wave is shown to be nearly stationary, convected with the oil core in this oil and all oils of relatively high viscosity. These results are robust with respect to moderate changes in the values of viscosity and surface tension. The computed wavelengths are somewhat smaller than the average length of the bamboo waves which are observed. This is explained by stretching effects of buoyancy and lubrication forces induced by the wave. Other points of agreement and disagreement are reviewed.

Three-dimensional compressible convection at low prandtl numbers

Numerical simulations are used to study fully compressible thermal convection at large Rayleigh numbers. We present here results from a sequence of three-dimensional simulations that reveal a transition from gradually-evolving laminar convection to nearly turbulent convection as the Prandtl number is reduced from a value of unity to one-tenth. The convective flows form irregular cellular patterns near the upper surface, possessing a network of fast downflow at cell peripheries and gentler upflow at cell centers. At greater depths the curving sheets of downflow collapse into plumes which may twist and possess substantial vertical vorticity. For the lowest Prandtl number, the convection near the bottom of the layer appears to be turbulent, yet the rapidly varying small-scale flow structure there is accompanied by more ordered sites of wavering upflow, with the latter able to penetrate all the way to the upper boundary. Thus a significant component of the flow is able to extend over multiple density scale heights, in contrast to what is argued in formulating mixing-length models for stellar convection. Results are also shown from two-dimensional simulations carried out with very high spatial resolution, which reveal that supersonic convection with fluttering shock systems can be realized.

Fast downflows in the solar transition region explained

view Abstract Citations (52) References (14) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Fast Downflows in the Solar Transition Region Explained McClymont, A. N. ; Craig, I. J. D. Abstract Fast downflows observed in the solar transition region are explained in terms of steady flow through loops. The major features of the observed flows - their high speed, persistence over long periods, the predominance of redshifts in emission lines, and the disappearance of Doppler velocities at coronal temperatures - all follow naturally from the model. The dynamic scaling law of Craig and McClymont is used to estimate the degree of heating asymmetry required to drive a given transition region velocity and to investigate the effect of high flow rates on loop pressure. The analytic results are compared with detailed numerical calculations and the influence of gravity and nonuniform loop area is considered. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: January 1987 DOI: 10.1086/164885 Bibcode: 1987ApJ...312..402M Keywords: Coronal Loops; Magnetohydrodynamic Flow; Solar Atmosphere; Solar Spectra; Stellar Models; Conservation Laws; Doppler Effect; Solar Temperature; Steady Flow; Transition Flow; Solar Physics; HYDRODYNAMICS; SUN: ACTIVITY; SUN: CORONA; SUN: ATMOSPHERE; SUN: ATMOSPHERIC MOTIONS full text sources ADS |

An explanation for fast downflows on the Sun

The discovery of coronal loops has provoked major revisions in the theory of solar and stellar atmospheres. The solar corona is now recognized as a highly structured plasma, organized by bundles of intense magnetic field into individual arch- and loop-like structures along which gas can flow1. Each arch, rooted in the solar interior, extends through the chromosphere (T 106Κ) in its upper reaches. Early attempts at explaining the temperature and density structure of isolated static loops met with considerable success, despite the simplicity of the theory2,3; however, attempts to generalize the theory to describe loops with mass flows have remained singularly unsuccessful4–9. Here we point out that the puzzling observational properties of loop mass flows10–15 can be naturally explained if the loop is sufficiently cool (T ≲ 106 K)—that is, if it contains no coronal plasma.