Prevalence of Small-scale Jets from the Networks of the Solar Transition Region and Chromosphere

H. Tian, E. E. DeLuca, S. R. Cranmer, B. De Pontieu, H. Peter, J. Martínez-Sykora, L. Golub, S. McKillop, K. K. Reeves, M. P. Miralles, P. McCauley, S. Saar, P. Testa, M. Weber, N. Murphy, J. Lemen, A. Title, P. Boerner, N. Hurlburt, T. D. Tarbell, J. P. Wuelser, L. Kleint, C. Kankelborg, S. Jaeggli, M. Carlsson, V. Hansteen, S. W. McIntosh

Published 2014-10-22Version 1

As the interface between the Sun's photosphere and corona, the chromosphere and transition region play a key role in the formation and acceleration of the solar wind. Observations from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph reveal the prevalence of intermittent small-scale jets with speeds of 80-250 km/s from the narrow bright network lanes of this interface region. These jets have lifetimes of 20-80 seconds and widths of 300 km or less. They originate from small-scale bright regions, often preceded by footpoint brightenings and accompanied by transverse waves with ~20 km/s amplitudes. Many jets reach temperatures of at least ~100000 K and constitute an important element of the transition region structures. They are likely an intermittent but persistent source of mass and energy for the solar wind.