Solar Twist

Coronal jets are small-scale transient ejections of hot gases, or plasma, occurring in the solar atmosphere. During a typical event, about a million tons of matter are ejected at speeds reaching a million miles per hour over a few minutes' time. The jets are believed to contribute significantly to the mass flow constantly ejected by the Sun, known as the solar wind. Despite their relative simplicity, jets may serve as a paradigm for more complex and far larger events originating in the solar atmosphere, such as coronal mass ejections. To learn about the STEREO Mission, or about the sun and other scientific discoveries visit www.figbranch.com