The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope has shattered records by capturing the highest resolution views of the Sun, including its coronal loops during a solar flare. The X1.3-class flare occurred on August 8, 2024, and was observed under ideal conditions for the first time.
Coronal loops are arches of plasma that follow magnetic lines on the Sun. When they twist and snap, they heat up plasma to millions of degrees, producing bright flares. The new observations reveal that these loops averaged 48.2 kilometers in width and may be as thin as just 21 kilometers.
The Inouye Solar Telescope’s observation was a historic moment for scientists, allowing them to visualize the smallest coronal loops ever seen on the Sun. Lead author Cole Tamburri hailed it as “exhilarating” and noted that the telescope exceeded expectations.
“This is the first time we’ve observed an X-class flare with Inouye,” Tamburri said. “We can now see the scale of these magnetic arcs directly.”
The research provides groundbreaking insights into how coronal loops form and evolve. The observations suggest that loop images are singular structures, not bundles of smaller objects. This discovery opens up new avenues for studying coronal loops, including their shapes, evolution, and magnetic reconnection – the process behind flares.
“We’re finally peering into the spatial scales we’ve been speculating about for years,” Tamburri added.
Source: https://www.iflscience.com/watch-the-highest-resolution-view-of-a-solar-flare-down-to-an-incredible-21-kilometers-80563