Srivastava, S. orcid.org/0009-0000-2614-254X, Chatterjee, P. orcid.org/0000-0002-0181-2495, Dey, S. orcid.org/0000-0002-3369-8471 et al. (1 more author) (2025) The relation between solar spicules and magnetohydrodynamic shocks. The Astrophysical Journal, 989 (1). p. 39. ISSN: 0004-637X
Abstract
Spicules are thin, elongated, jet-like features seen in observations of the solar atmosphere, at the interface between the solar photosphere and the corona. These features exhibit highly complex dynamics and are a necessary connecting link between the cooler, denser solar chromosphere and the extremely hot, tenuous corona. In this work, we explore the spatial and temporal relation between solar spicules and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) shocks using data from a 2D radiative MHD simulation of the solar atmosphere driven by solar convection. Here, we demonstrate, through direct identification, that slow MHD shocks, which propagate along magnetic field lines, are regions of strong positive vertical acceleration of the plasma that forms the tip of the spicule material during its rise phase. We quantify the effect of pressure and Lorentz forces on the acceleration of the plasma inside the shocks during the rise of spicules. The causality between spicule and shock propagation in the atmosphere of the model is also investigated. It is further shown that the strength of these shocks may play a vital role in determining the height of the spicules, supporting the idea that shocks act as drivers of some spicules. In addition, we also find the presence of structures similar to propagating coronal disturbances (PCDs) in the simulation, linked with the spicules. Here, PCDs appear to be associated with the shock waves driving the spicules that subsequently propagate into the corona and have similar speeds to those reported in observations.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2025. The Author(s). Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 07 Aug 2025 07:55 |
Last Modified: | 07 Aug 2025 07:55 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | American Astronomical Society |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.3847/1538-4357/ade9b4 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:230012 |