Spinning solar jets explained through the interplay between plasma sheets and vortex columns

TL;DR

This paper uses advanced simulations to reveal that solar spicules' complex spinning and swaying motions are due to plasma interactions with vortex columns and plasma sheets, offering new insights into solar atmospheric dynamics.

Contribution

It demonstrates that solar spicules are manifestations of plasma drapery influenced by vortex columns, a novel interpretation supported by 3D radiative MHD simulations and synthetic imaging.

Findings

Spicules exhibit a fluted, plasma drapery morphology.

Spinning episodes are linked to hot swirling plasma columns.

Identification of coronal swirling conduits (CoSCo) extending to the corona.

Abstract

Bunches of swaying and spinning plasma jets in the solar atmosphere - the spicules - exhibit a variety of complex dynamics that are clearly observed in the images of the solar limb. Utilizing three-dimensional radiative magnetohydrodynamics (rMHD) simulation data, we uncover another facet of a forest of spicules that turns out to be a manifestation of the two-dimensional plasma drapery, instead of one-dimensional conical spikes. This fluted morphology is observed in other contexts like molecular clouds, auroras, and coronal loops. Further, using a sequence of high-cadence line-of-sight integrated images, generated from our simulation, we obtain multiple episodes of spinning amongst clusters of synthetic spicules, also reported in observations near the solar limb. This perception of rotation, according to our findings, is associated with hot swirling plasma columns, extending to coronal heights - that we label as coronal swirling conduits (CoSCo).