In a major breakthrough, scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, have captured unprecedented details of mysterious miniature plasma loops—tiny, short-lived arcs of hot gas in the Sun’s lower atmosphere that could hold the key to some of the biggest unanswered questions about our star.

The discovery, described as a major leap in solar science, brings to light these elusive loops, which stretch across thousands of kilometers—roughly the distance between Kashmir and Kanyakumari—yet are thinner than a human hair in scale.

Unlike their much larger cousins, the coronal loops visible in the Sun’s outer layer, these tiny loops are harder to detect and last only a few minutes. But thanks to high-resolution data from the Goode Solar Telescope in the US, supported by space-based observations from NASA’s SDO and IRIS missions, IIA researchers were able to observe them in stunning detail.

Also Read: AI to Transform Indian Healthcare? 76% of Doctors Say It’s a Game-Changer!

PhD researcher Annu Bura, the study’s lead author, spotted a rare bright arc in the H-alpha spectral line—a signature wavelength used to observe the Sun’s chromosphere. What she found was a delicately curved structure glowing brilliantly, unlike anything commonly seen at that level of the Sun’s atmosphere.

"We were surprised to see such a well-defined loop in the H-alpha line. It was unusual and immediately grabbed our attention," Bura said.

Using data from multiple instruments across different wavelengths—including ultraviolet and extreme-ultraviolet—the team studied how the loop behaved across various layers of the solar atmosphere.

What they found was both fascinating and puzzling: despite being located in the dense chromosphere, these tiny loops had plasma temperatures soaring into the millions of degrees—hot enough to glow in extreme ultraviolet. Such temperatures are normally associated with the Sun’s outermost layer, the corona, and are difficult to achieve in denser, lower layers.

“These tiny loops live fast and die young. But in their short lives, they show us how magnetic energy might be stored and explosively released in small-scale regions of the Sun,” said co-author Jayant Joshi.

Their work provides crucial insights into solar dynamics, hinting at mechanisms that could help explain the Sun’s mysterious heating processes and small-scale energy bursts.

The researchers believe future missions—especially India’s upcoming National Large Solar Telescope (NLST) in Ladakh—could offer even sharper views of these plasma loops and uncover more about their origins and impact.

The study has been published in The Astrophysical Journal.

Also Read: BITS Hyderabad Startup Revolutionizes Defense with Combat Drones