The mystery of why the sun’s outermost layer, the solar corona, is so much hotter than its surface has puzzled scientists for decades. However, a groundbreaking collaboration between Northumbria University and Lockheed Martin may have brought us closer to a solution. The corona is shaped and energized by the sun’s magnetic field, but how this energy is transferred to the coronal gas has remained elusive. One theory suggests that when magnetic field lines fracture and reconnect, a sudden surge of energy called a “nanoflare” occurs, causing the corona to superheat. In 2021, researchers led by Dr. Patrick Antolin confirmed the existence of nanoflares and their associated “nanojets,” providing direct evidence of the theory.
However, detecting and predicting nanojets is challenging due to their small size and fleeting nature. To overcome this, a Ph.D. student named Ramada Sukarmadji is collaborating with Lockheed Martin to develop machine learning algorithms that can automatically identify and record nanojets. By analyzing existing NASA footage captured by instruments designed by Lockheed Martin, the team hopes to further analyze and understand nanojets. Ramada believes that automating the detection of nanojets is crucial due to the vast amount of data accumulated thus far.
With machine learning, future events can be captured and a deeper understanding of how nanojets contribute to the heating of the solar corona can be achieved. Dr. Antolin praises Ramada’s work and her contributions to the field of solar physics. Overall, this collaboration brings us closer to unraveling the mystery of the sun’s superheated corona.
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