Numerical simulations of solar macrospicules

¹ Group of Astrophysics, UMCS, ul. Radziszewskiego 10, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
e-mail: kmur@kft.umcs.lublin.pl
² Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Manora Peak, Nainital-263 129, Uttarakhand, India
e-mail: aks@aries.res.in
³ Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstrasse 6, 8042 Graz, Austria
e-mail: teimuraz.zaqarashvili@oeaw.ac.at
⁴ Abastumani Astrophysical Observatory at Ilia State University, University Str. 2, Tbilisi, Georgia

Received: 28 June 2011
Accepted: 2 September 2011

Abstract

Context. We consider a localized pulse in the component of velocity, parallel to the ambient magnetic field lines, that is initially launched in the solar chromosphere.

Aims. We aim to generalize our recent numerical model of spicule formation by implementing a VAL-C model of solar temperature.

Methods. With the use of the code FLASH we solve two-dimensional ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations numerically to simulate the solar macrospicules.

Results. Our numerical results reveal that the pulse located below the transition region triggers plasma perturbations, which exhibit many features of macrospicules. We also present an observational (SDO/AIA 304 Å) case study of the macrospicule that approximately mimics the numerical simulations.

Conclusions. In the frame of the model we devised, the solar macrospicules can be triggered by velocity pulses launched from the chromosphere.