Searching for Photospheric Causes of Small-Scale Chromospheric Activity

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This research team will use the New Solar Telescope (NST) of the Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) to investigate the origins of solar chromospheric features, such as spicules, "rapid blue shifted events," and so-called "anemone jets," as well as the tiny intergranular jets recently discovered by BBSO staff using the NST. In particular, this team will constrain the driving mechanisms of chromospheric upflows by analyzing high resolution NST and spacecraft observations of coronal holes and "quiet Sun" areas. They will study chromospheric jet properties (such as velocities, association with the solar magnetic field, and time evolution), as well as chromospheric response to solar photospheric dynamics. The research team will also organize several joint observational and data analysis campaigns involving NST and selected spacecraft for capturing the details of solar surface phenomena with unprecedented clarity, revealing the dynamics of small scale magnetic fields in the Sun's photosphere and chromosphere. This team expects their analysis to provide new insight into coronal heating and related processes in the lower solar atmosphere, as well as to advance our understanding of solar wind acceleration.The team members will provide their new NST data to the wider solar community and perform specific solar observations upon request from outside researchers. They note that recent high quality NST imagery has already generated significant interest among the general public (for example, making the list of National Geographic's "Best Space Pictures of 2010") and they anticipate that this form of outreach will continue. This research activity will also support the further education and professional growth of a graduate student.