Reconnection nanojets associated with a prominence eruption observed with Solar Orbiter/EUI-HRI

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Wallace, Tarhik, Antolin, Patrick
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Wallace, Tarhik
Antolin, Patrick
author_facet Wallace, Tarhik
Antolin, Patrick
contents Magnetic reconnection is a proposed mechanism for nanojets associated with coronal heating. We investigate the characteristics of reconnection-driven nanojets just before and during a prominence eruption using the High Resolution Imager (HRI) of the Extreme Ultraviolet imager (EUI) aboard Solar Orbiter during its perihelion on September 30, 2024. Extreme UV (EUV) images at unprecedented high spatial and temporal resolution from \hrieuv were analysed. The dimensions and propagation speeds of nanojets were estimated and used to estimate the kinetic energies. Nanojet activity was compared with GOES X-ray flux to assess its relation to flare evolution. The high spatial and temporal resolution in the EUV was found to be essential to fully capture the properties and numbers of reconnection nanojets. Approximately 120 nanojets were detected during the eruption, with 40 analysed in detail. Nanojets exhibited lengths of $200 - 5000$~km, widths of $200 - 500$~km and durations of $2-12$~s. Instant velocities ranged from 150 km~s$^{-1}- 600~$km~s$^{-1}$ with kinetic energies reaching $1.56\times10^{27}$~erg. These nanojets are faster, longer, more energetic and more numerous compared to previous studies. We also find clear signatures of acceleration and deceleration, reflecting magnetic tension release and reach of new equilibria. Reconnection events during the eruption were found to be more frequent and energetically intense. Pre-flare nanojet clustering indicates small-scale reconnection may precede large eruptive activity. These results suggest that nanojets also occur in fully ionised coronal plasma, playing a role in both quiescent and eruptive solar activity.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_25068
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Reconnection nanojets associated with a prominence eruption observed with Solar Orbiter/EUI-HRI
Wallace, Tarhik
Antolin, Patrick
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Magnetic reconnection is a proposed mechanism for nanojets associated with coronal heating. We investigate the characteristics of reconnection-driven nanojets just before and during a prominence eruption using the High Resolution Imager (HRI) of the Extreme Ultraviolet imager (EUI) aboard Solar Orbiter during its perihelion on September 30, 2024. Extreme UV (EUV) images at unprecedented high spatial and temporal resolution from \hrieuv were analysed. The dimensions and propagation speeds of nanojets were estimated and used to estimate the kinetic energies. Nanojet activity was compared with GOES X-ray flux to assess its relation to flare evolution. The high spatial and temporal resolution in the EUV was found to be essential to fully capture the properties and numbers of reconnection nanojets. Approximately 120 nanojets were detected during the eruption, with 40 analysed in detail. Nanojets exhibited lengths of $200 - 5000$~km, widths of $200 - 500$~km and durations of $2-12$~s. Instant velocities ranged from 150 km~s$^{-1}- 600~$km~s$^{-1}$ with kinetic energies reaching $1.56\times10^{27}$~erg. These nanojets are faster, longer, more energetic and more numerous compared to previous studies. We also find clear signatures of acceleration and deceleration, reflecting magnetic tension release and reach of new equilibria. Reconnection events during the eruption were found to be more frequent and energetically intense. Pre-flare nanojet clustering indicates small-scale reconnection may precede large eruptive activity. These results suggest that nanojets also occur in fully ionised coronal plasma, playing a role in both quiescent and eruptive solar activity.
title Reconnection nanojets associated with a prominence eruption observed with Solar Orbiter/EUI-HRI
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.25068