Plasma injection into a solar coronal loop

Abstract

Context. The details of the spectral profiles of extreme UV emission lines from solar active regions contain key information to investigate the structure, dynamics, and energetics of the solar upper atmosphere. Aims. We characterize the line profiles not only through the Doppler shift and intensity of the bulk part of the profile. More importantly, we investigate the excess emission and asymmetries in the line wings to study twisting motions and helicity. Methods. WeusearasterscanoftheInterfaceRegionImagingSpectrograph(IRIS)inanactive region. We concentrate on the Si iv line at 1394 Å that forms just below 0.1 MK and follow the plasma in a cool loop moving from one footpoint to the other. We apply single-Gaussian fits to the line core, determine the excess emission in the red and blue wings, and derive the red-blue line asymmetry. Results. The blue wing excess at one footpoint shows injection of plasma into the loop that is then flowing to the other side. At the same footpoint, redshifts of the line core indicate that energy is deposited at around 0.1 MK. The enhanced pressure would then push down the cool plasma and inject some plasma into the loop. In the middle part of the loop, the spectral tilts of the line profiles indicate the presence of a helical structure of the magnetic field, and the line wings are symmetrically enhanced. This is an indication that the loop is driven through the injection of helicity at the loop feet. Conclusions. Iftheloopisdriventobehelical,thenonecanexpectthatthemagneticfieldwill be in a turbulent state, as it has been shown by existing MHD models. The turbulent motions could provide an explanation of the (symmetric) line wing enhancements which have been seen also in loops at coronal temperatures, but have not been understood so far.

26 pages, 11 figures, Accepted for publication in A&A

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