Ubiquitous quiet-Sun jets

¹ Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, La Laguna, 38200 Tenerife, Spain
e-mail: vmp@iac.es; cqn@iac.es
² Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC), Apdo. de Correos 3004, 18080 Granada, Spain
e-mail: jti@iaa.es
³ Departamento de Astrofísica, Univ. de La Laguna, La Laguna, 38205 Tenerife, Spain

Received: 17 October 2010
Accepted: 5 April 2011

Abstract

Context. IMaX/Sunrise has recently reported the temporal evolution of highly dynamic and strongly Doppler shifted Stokes V signals in the quiet Sun.

Aims. We attempt to identify the same quiet-Sun jets in the Hinode spectropolarimeter (SP) data set.

Methods. We generate combinations of linear polarization magnetograms with blue- and redshifted far-wing circular polarization magnetograms to allow an easy identification of the quiet-Sun jets.

Results. The jets are identified in the Hinode data where both red- and blueshifted cases are often found in pairs. They appear next to regions of transverse fields that exhibit quiet-Sun neutral lines. They also have a clear tendency to occur in the outer boundary of the granules. These regions always display highly displaced and anomalous Stokes V profiles.

Conclusions. The quiet Sun is pervaded with jets formed when new field regions emerge at granular scales loaded with horizontal field lines that interact with their surroundings. This interaction is suggestive of some form of reconnection of the involved field lines that generates the observed high speed flows.