Twists to Solar Spicules
arXiv:1205.5114
Abstract
Type-II solar spicules appear as long, thin, highly dynamic strands of field-tied matter that feed significant mass and energy to the corona and solar wind. A recent result is that they exhibit torsional Alfvén waves in addition to accelerating outflows and swaying motions due to transverse Alfvénic waves. I summarize this finding and then re-interpret older observations in its light: the striking similarity of near-limb scenes in the outer blue and red wings of Hα, and the tilts of absorption lines with respect to emission lines in eclipse spectra taken in 1973.
In press in "370 Years of Astronomy at Utrecht", Eds. G. Pugliese, A. de Koter, M. Wijburg, Astron. Soc. Pacific Conf. Series