Tetsu Anan, Roberto Casini, Han Uitenbroek, Thomas A. Schad, Hector Socas-Navarro, Kiyoshi Ichimoto, Sarah A. Jaeggli, Sanjiv K. Tiwari, Jeffrey W. Reep, Yukio Katsukawa, Ayumi Asai, Jiong Qiu, Kevin P. Reardon, Alexandra Tritschler, Friedrich Wöger, Thomas R. Rimmele
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
The efficient release of magnetic energy in astrophysical plasmas, such as during solar flares, can in principle be achieved through magnetic diffusion, at a rate determined by the associated electric field. However, attempts at measuring electric fields in the solar atmosphere are scarce, and none exist for sites where the magnetic energy is presumably released. Here, we present observations of an energetic event using the National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, where we detect the polarization signature of electric fields associated with magnetic diffusion. We measure the linear and circular polarization across the hydrogen Hε Balmer line at 397 nm at the site of a brightening event in the solar chromosphere. Our spectro-polarimetric modeling demonstrates that the observed polarization signals can only be explained by the presence of electric fields, providing conclusive evidence of magnetic diffusion, and opening a new window for the quantitative study of this mechanism in space plasmas.
天体物理等离子体中磁能的有效释放,例如在太阳耀斑期间,原则上可以通过磁扩散来实现,其速度由相关电场决定。然而,在太阳大气中测量电场的尝试非常少,而且在磁能可能被释放的地方也没有任何尝试。在这里,我们利用美国国家科学基金会的丹尼尔-K-井上太阳望远镜(Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope)对一个高能事件进行了观测,探测到了与磁扩散相关的电场的极化特征。我们在太阳色球发生增亮事件的地点测量了波长为 397 nm 的氢 Hε 巴尔默线的线极化和圆极化。我们的光谱极化模型表明,观测到的极化信号只能用电场的存在来解释,这为磁扩散提供了确凿的证据,并为定量研究空间等离子体中的这一机制打开了一扇新窗口。
期刊介绍:
Nature Communications, an open-access journal, publishes high-quality research spanning all areas of the natural sciences. Papers featured in the journal showcase significant advances relevant to specialists in each respective field. With a 2-year impact factor of 16.6 (2022) and a median time of 8 days from submission to the first editorial decision, Nature Communications is committed to rapid dissemination of research findings. As a multidisciplinary journal, it welcomes contributions from biological, health, physical, chemical, Earth, social, mathematical, applied, and engineering sciences, aiming to highlight important breakthroughs within each domain.