Twists to Solar Spicules
Abstract
Type-II solar spicules appear as long, thin, highly dynamic strands of field-tied matter that feed significant mass and energy to the corona and solar wind. A recent result is that they exhibit torsional Alfv\'en waves in addition to accelerating outflows and swaying motions due to transverse Alfv\'enic waves. I summarize this finding and then re-interpret older observations in its light: the striking similarity of near-limb scenes in the outer blue and red wings of Hα, and the tilts of absorption lines with respect to emission lines in eclipse spectra taken in 1973.
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