2018/02/01 by F. Auchère, C. Froment, C. froment +7 · 1 citation
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics #Condensation #Coronal hole #Coronal loop #Coronal mass ejection #Coronal plane #Intensity (physics) #Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics #Magnetic field #Meteorology #Non-equilibrium thermodynamics #Optics #Physics #Solar Radiation and Photovoltaics #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Solar wind #Thermal #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aaa5a3
By mistake, this article was originally submitted as a replacement (version v4) of arXiv:1608.03789. This latter was then replaced with a correct v5 (identical to v3) The present paper was then properly submitted as a new submission (this version)
openalex publication_date 2018/02/01 · arxiv created 2018/02/06 · arxiv updated 2018/02/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract We report on the discovery of periodic coronal rain in an off-limb sequence of Solar Dynamics Observatory /Atmospheric Imaging Assembly images. The showers are co-spatial and in phase with periodic (6.6 hr) intensity pulsations of coronal loops of the sort described by Auchère et al. and Froment et al. These new observations make possible a unified description of both phenomena. Coronal rain and periodic intensity pulsations of loops are two manifestations of the same physical process: evaporation/condensation cycles resulting from a state of thermal nonequilibrium. The fluctuations around coronal temperatures produce the intensity pulsations of loops, and rain falls along their legs if thermal runaway cools the periodic condensations down and below transition-region temperatures. This scenario is in line with the predictions of numerical models of quasi-steadily and footpoint heated loops. The presence of coronal rain—albeit non-periodic—in several other structures within the studied field of view implies that this type of heating is at play on a large scale.