(IMAGE)

National Institutes of Natural Sciences

Caption

(Upper left) NASA/IRIS observation of the atmosphere above the light bridge is shown. Explosions and jet ejections are caused by a mechanism called 'magnetic reconnection.' (Lower left) Hinode observation of magnetic fields on the solar surface. Color indicates the inclination of the magnetic fields. The pores have vertical magnetic fields (red), while the bridge has horizontal fields (blue). (Right) Illustration summarizing the observational results. Magnetic reconnection between the bridge's horizontal fields and the pores' vertical fields produces explosions and jet ejections.

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Credit: NAOJ/JAXA/NASA

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