COOL-PLASMA JETS THAT ESCAPE INTO THE OUTER CORONA

摘要

We report on observations acquired in 2003 May during a SOHO-Ulysses quadrature campaign. The UVCS slit was set normal to the radial of the Sun along the direction to Ulysses at 1.7 solar radius, at a northern latitude of 14.5°. From May 25 to May 28, UVCS acquired spectra of several short-lived ejections that represent the extension at higher altitudes of recursive EIT jets, imaged in He II λ304. The jets were visible also in LASCO images and seem to propagate along the radial to Ulysses. UVCS spectra showed an unusually high emission in cool lines, lasting for about 10-25 minutes, with no evidence of hot plasma. Analysis of the cool line emission allowed us to infer the physical parameters (temperature, density, and outward velocity) of jet plasma and the evolution of these quantities as the jet crossed the UVCS slit. From these quantities, we estimated the energy needed to produce the jet. We also looked for any evidence of the events in the in situ data. We conclude by comparing our results with those of previous works on similar events and propose a scenario that accounts for the observed magnetic setting of the source of the jets and allows the jets to be magnetically driven.