Search

With the advent and successful operation of the 1.6 m aperture New Solar Telescope of Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO/NST), solar observation has entered the era of high resolution better than 0.1”. This permits us to carry out the case studies of single coronal heating events, to provide the original high-resolution observational evidence for finally solving the problem of coronal heating. By combining the high-resolution Helium I 10830 Å, TiO 7057 Å, and H a blue-wing (-0.7 Å) imaging data from the NST with the imaging data of extreme ultraviolet and longitudinal magnetic field observed simultaneously by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), we have analyzed the evolution of magnetic field in two tiny dynamical events of coronal heating (brightening of magnetic loops) that originate from the solar intergranular lanes. It is found that the footpoints of both brightening magnetic loops were all located in the one side of nearby neutral line of magnetic fields, the footpoints of one magnetic loop were accompanied by the disappearance of a small longitudinal magnetic element and the newly formed connection between two granulations, while the footpoints of another magnetic loop were accompanied by a weak variation of longitudinal magnetic field and the breakdown of a granulation. The observed result tends to suggest that the low-temperature and high-temperature outflows were produced simultaneously by the magnetic reconnection occurred among the solar granulations in the low-layer atmosphere. Meanwhile, it is noted that the high-resolution and high-accuracy polarization measurement of photospheric magnetic field is crucial for finally solving the problem of coronal heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is to introduce a proposed deep space mission, which aims to perform in situ detection of the central structure, namely the magnetic reconnection current sheet, which drives the large-scale eruption on a star. The main focus of this mission is on the fine physical characteristics of the large-scale magnetic reconnection taking place on the Sun, our nearest star, revealing the secret of the most violent energy release process, also known as the solar storm, in the solar system. The scientific goal of this mission, magnetic reconnection, is a kernel process of energy conversion occurring in the magnetized plasma in the universe, and has long been a fairly important research topic or even research area in solar physics, space science, plasma physics, and the related fields. The in situ detection with a 5 ∼ 20 times enhanced spatial resolution of the instruments used on the Earth will provide us with the extra-clear images of the Sun and the related information. We are thus able to study, to learn, and to understand the Sun on an unprecedented platform, and further resolve the longstanding puzzle in the solar community regarding the fine physical property of the kernel process driving the solar eruption, as well as that of the coronal heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]