Coronal Cells in Coronal Holes: Systematic Analysis and Implications for Coronal Evolution

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Alzate, Nathalia, Di Matteo, Simone, Higginson, Aleida
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Alzate, Nathalia
Di Matteo, Simone
Higginson, Aleida
author_facet Alzate, Nathalia
Di Matteo, Simone
Higginson, Aleida
contents Using advanced processing techniques, we analyze high-cadence, high-resolution extreme ultraviolet images and show that, throughout the solar cycle, mid-latitude coronal holes (CHs) are made up of ubiquitous and space-filling funnel-shaped structures (or cells) anchored to unipolar magnetic flux concentrations in network lanes. We demonstrate that the coronal cells, previously documented in the magnetically closed regions, as well as coronal plumes, inside CHs, are a particular manifestation of ubiquitous cells. The cell properties depend on the magnetic field intensity at their footpoint and connectivity in the corona, either closing in opposite polarity regions (CF-cells) or extending to form open-field (OF-cells). The OF-cells reach size scales on the order of super-granules and are characterized by dark lanes delimiting ray-like features both showing, at different levels, persistent jet-like ejections. The cells' lifetime mirrors that of magnetic flux concentrations revealed by magnetograms, slowly emerging and then disappearing in a matter of a few hours to a few days in a one-to-one correspondence. When a cell forms along the CH boundary, it can alter the CH boundary by shrinking or expanding the CH by an approximately supergranular cell unit. Therefore, coronal cells can contribute to the dynamics of CH boundary. We contextualize these observations in a "coronal cell" theory potentially able to provide an explanation for fine scale coronal structures and jetting activity in polar coronal holes.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_03607
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Coronal Cells in Coronal Holes: Systematic Analysis and Implications for Coronal Evolution
Alzate, Nathalia
Di Matteo, Simone
Higginson, Aleida
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Using advanced processing techniques, we analyze high-cadence, high-resolution extreme ultraviolet images and show that, throughout the solar cycle, mid-latitude coronal holes (CHs) are made up of ubiquitous and space-filling funnel-shaped structures (or cells) anchored to unipolar magnetic flux concentrations in network lanes. We demonstrate that the coronal cells, previously documented in the magnetically closed regions, as well as coronal plumes, inside CHs, are a particular manifestation of ubiquitous cells. The cell properties depend on the magnetic field intensity at their footpoint and connectivity in the corona, either closing in opposite polarity regions (CF-cells) or extending to form open-field (OF-cells). The OF-cells reach size scales on the order of super-granules and are characterized by dark lanes delimiting ray-like features both showing, at different levels, persistent jet-like ejections. The cells' lifetime mirrors that of magnetic flux concentrations revealed by magnetograms, slowly emerging and then disappearing in a matter of a few hours to a few days in a one-to-one correspondence. When a cell forms along the CH boundary, it can alter the CH boundary by shrinking or expanding the CH by an approximately supergranular cell unit. Therefore, coronal cells can contribute to the dynamics of CH boundary. We contextualize these observations in a "coronal cell" theory potentially able to provide an explanation for fine scale coronal structures and jetting activity in polar coronal holes.
title Coronal Cells in Coronal Holes: Systematic Analysis and Implications for Coronal Evolution
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.03607