SwRI scientists located the source of highest-ever concentration of a rare helium isotope emitted by the Sun. In this Solar Dynamics Observatory extreme ultraviolet image, the blue arrow marks a small bright point located at the edge of a coronal hole (outlined in red) that was the source of the phenomenon.

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   Fraser Cain (fraser@m.universetoday.com)'s status on Wednesday, 16-Apr-2025 08:10:30 JST Fraser Cain

   Helium-3 is a rare isotope emitted by the Sun, and it's very scarce in the Solar System. It's estimated that there's only one He3 atom for every 2,500 He4 atoms. But solar jets can boost the amount of He3 to 10,000 times its usual concentration. ESA's Solar Orbiter mission was recently bathed in He3, recording a 200,000-fold increase of the rare isotope because it was accelerated to higher speeds than other heavier elements by a jet emerging from a coronal hole.

   https://www.swri.org/newsroom/press-releases/swri-scientists-source-solar-emissions-largest-ever-concentration-of-rare-helium-isotope