Story perspectives

DKIST Detects 20-km Solar Vortices, Kelvin-Helmholtz Instabilities

8/9/2026

Summary

Story summary

NSF National Solar Observatory and Max Planck Institute used the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope to detect 20-km plasma vortices on the Sun.
The vortices appear at granule edges 500–2,000 km and swirl like breaking waves.
Scientists identified the swirling as Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities caused by shear between plasma layers moving at different speeds.
Co-author Sami K. Solanki said the vortices twist magnetic field lines, mix plasma, help magnetic flux rise quickly, and may trigger nanoflares.

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Story summary

NSF National Solar Observatory and Max Planck Institute used the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope to detect 20-km plasma vortices on the Sun.
The vortices appear at granule edges 500–2,000 km and swirl like breaking waves.
Scientists identified the swirling as Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities caused by shear between plasma layers moving at different speeds.
Co-author Sami K. Solanki said the vortices twist magnetic field lines, mix plasma, help magnetic flux rise quickly, and may trigger nanoflares.