Quiet Sun Ellerman bombs as a possible proxy for reconnection-driven spicules

¹ Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1029, Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway
² Rosseland Centre for Solar Physics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1029 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway
³ Indian Institute of Astrophysics, II Block, Koramangala, Bengaluru 560 034, India
⁴ Lockheed Martin Solar & Astrophysics Laboratory, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
⁵ SETI Institute, 339 Bernardo Ave, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA
⁶ Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
⁷ Universidad de La Laguna, Dept. Astrofísica, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
⁸ Institute for Solar Physics, Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, Albanova University Centre, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
⁹ Swedish National Space Agency, SE-171 04 Solna, Sweden

^⋆ Corresponding author: m.o.sand@astro.uio.no

Received: 16 November 2024
Accepted: 6 April 2025

Abstract

Context. Spicules are elongated, jet-like structures that populate the solar chromosphere and are rooted in the lower solar atmosphere. In recent years, high-resolution observations and advanced numerical simulations have provided insights into their properties, structures, and dynamics. However, the formation mechanism of spicules, particularly the more dynamic type II spicules, which are primarily found in the quiet Sun and coronal holes, remains elusive.

Aims. This study explores whether quiet Sun Ellerman bombs (QSEBs), which are ubiquitous small-scale magnetic reconnection events in the lower atmosphere, are linked to the formation of type II spicules.

Methods. We analysed a high-quality 40-minute time sequence acquired with the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope. Hβ data were used to observe QSEBs and spicules, while spectropolarimetric measurements in the photospheric Fe I 6173 Å line provided line-of-sight magnetic field information. We employed k-means clustering to automatically detect QSEBs and explored their potential association with spicules.

Results. We identified 80 clear cases in which spicules occurred soon after the QSEB onset and not later than 30 s after the ending of the QSEBs. In all these instances, the events involved type II spicules, rapidly fading from the images. The footpoints of the spicules seemed to be rooted in QSEBs, where the onset of QSEBs often preceded the formation of the associated spicules. In addition to these clear cases, we found around 500 other events that hinted at a connection but with some ambiguities. The combined clear and ambiguous cases constitute 34% of the total detected QSEBs and a smaller percentage of the spicules in our dataset.

Conclusions. Our findings suggest that a fraction of the type II spicules originate from QSEBs, supporting magnetic reconnection as a potential driving mechanism. In this context, QSEBs and spicules represent the conversion of magnetic energy into thermal and kinetic energy, respectively. We suggest that an observational programme including multiple Balmer lines would likely detect more unambiguous connections between QSEBs and spicules.