A recent study has shed new light on the dynamic evolution of solar prominences. By integrating high-resolution observational data from the one-meter New Vacuum Solar Telescope (NVST) with spectral observations from NASA’s Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) satellite, researchers identified distinct dynamic features in different regions of solar prominences, providing new insights into the origin of counterstreaming flows within these structures.
The findings are published in The Astrophysical Journal, and the work was conducted by a collaborative research team from the Yunnan Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing University, and Yunnan University.
Solar prominences are striking features in the solar atmosphere, appearing as fence-like, cloud-like, flame-like, and arch-like structures. Larger ones consist of a central spine, multiple legs (called barbs), and a cavity (bubbles) at the base. These structures contain fine threads, with observations showing counterstreaming flows. Despite being identified in 1998, the origin of these flows remains unclear.
To address this long-standing question, the researchers leveraged high-resolution NVST observations of solar limb prominences to analyze their dynamic evolution in detail. The study revealed that the upper region of the prominence spine exhibits an 83-minute oscillation, while the middle region displays pronounced counterstreaming flows with velocities ranging from 10 to 20 kilometers per second. Additionally, the lower region of the spine experiences intermittent material injections.
These material injections occur through two distinct mechanisms: One involves the upward motion of plumes that deposit material into the lower spine, while the other is driven by magnetic tornadoes originating from the prominence legs, which transport material into the lower region. The interplay between these oscillations and material flows results in the pervasive counterstreaming motion observed throughout the prominence.
More information:
Xiaoli Yan et al, Simultaneous Existence of Oscillations, Counterstreaming Flows, and Mass Injections in Solar Quiescent Prominences, The Astrophysical Journal (2025). DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/adb39e
Provided by
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Citation:
Researchers uncover origin of counterstreaming flows in solar prominences (2025, March 18)
