Spicules

Photo of the chromosphere above the active region of the Sun No. 10380 in the line of hydrogen H _α . The characteristic texture of the chromosphere, resembling “burning prairies ”, is created by spicules.

Spicules (from lat. Spiculum - tip, tip) - the main elements of the fine structure of the chromosphere of the Sun. If we observe the limb of the Sun in the light of a certain spectral line , then the spicules will be visible as rather thin columns of a luminous plasma on the scale of the Sun (with a diameter from 500 to 1200 km ). These columns are ejected from the lower chromosphere at a speed of about 20 km / s 5-10 thousand km up. Spicula lives 5-10 minutes, its maximum length is from 10 to 20 thousand km . The number of spicules existing on the Sun at the same time is about a million, they cover about 1% of the solar disk. Almost all spicules are on the boundaries of supergranules ; Thus, the chromospheric network consists precisely of them.