Solar jets observed with the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS)

Brigitte Schmieder, Reetika Joshi, Ramesh Chandra

Published 2021-11-17Version 1

Solar jets are impulsive, collimated plasma ejections that are triggered by magnetic reconnection. They are observed for many decades in various temperatures and wavelengths, therefore their kinematic characteristics, such as velocity and recurrence, have been extensively studied.Nevertheless, the high spatial resolution of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) launched in 2013 allowed us to make a step forward in the understanding of the relationship between surges and hot jets. In this paper we report on several results of recent studies of jets observed by IRIS. Cool and hot plasma have been detected with ejections of cool blobs having a speed reaching 300 km/s during the impulsive phase of jet formation and slow velocity surges surrounding hot jets after the reconnection phase. Plasma characteristics of solar jets, such as the emission measure, temperature, and density have been quantified. A multi-layer atmosphere at the reconnection site based on observed IRIS spectra has been proposed. IRIS evidenced bidirectional flows at reconnection sites, and tilt along the spectra which were interpreted as the signature of twist in jets. The search of possible sites for reconnection could be achieved by the analysis of magnetic topology. Combining Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (SDO/HMI) vector magnetograms and IRIS observations, it was found that reconnection site could be located at null points in the corona as well as in bald patch regions low in the photosphere. In one case study a magnetic sketch could explain the initiation of a jet starting in a bald patch transformed to a current sheet in a dynamical way, and the transfer of twist from a flux rope to the jet during the magnetic reconnection process.