Inouye Solar Telescope Sees Unprecedented Fine Details in Coronal Flare Loops

[+thexfile Subscriber²]

Astronomers using the Visible Broadband Imager at NSF’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope captured dark coronal loop strands with unprecedented clarity during the decay phase of an X1.3-class flare on August 8, 2024. The loops averaged 48.2 km in width — perhaps as thin as 21 km — the smallest coronal loops ever imaged. This marks a potential breakthrough in resolving the fundamental scale of solar coronal loops and pushing the limits of flare modeling into an entirely new realm.

Astronomers at the Inouye observe sunlight at the H-alpha wavelength (656.28 nm) to view specific features of the Sun, revealing details not visible in other types of solar observations.

“This is the first time the Inouye Solar Telescope has ever observed an X-class flare,” said Dr. Cole Tamburri, an astronomer with the University of Colorado Boulder.

“These flares are among the most energetic events our star produces, and we were fortunate to catch this one under perfect observing conditions.”

https://www.sci.news/astronomy/inouye-solar-telescope-coronal-flare-loops-14162.html