Inverse FIP effect plasma in the solar atmosphere: a synthesis of current understanding and new insights from AR 11967
Wave-plasma interactions and energy transport are fundamental processes in stellar atmospheres, shaping elemental composition through the first ionization potential (FIP) and inverse FIP (IFIP) effects. Although stellar measurements provide global evidence of abundance anomalies, the Sun offers a unique local laboratory in which to resolve how these processes operate on small spatial and temporal scales. In this overview, we summarize the current state of knowledge of the IFIP effect, its observational signatures and the theoretical framework that underpins it. We then present new insights from a detailed case study of active region (AR) NOAA AR 11967, where combined Hinode/extreme-ultraviolet imaging spectrometer (EIS), IRIS, SDO/AIA and Fermi/GBM observations and IRIS2+ inversions indicate that torsional Alfvén waves generated below the chromospheric fractionation region can account for the highly localized IFIP effect plasma observed on the Sun. This analysis highlights the possible role of sub-chromospheric processes in the formation of the IFIP effect on the Sun and informs pathways for understanding similar mechanisms in the coronae of active M dwarfs. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Solar atmospheric abundances in space and time'.
Authors
- M. Stangalini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5365-7546)
- Deborah Baker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0665-2355)
- Jeffrey W. Reep (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4739-1152)
- Alexander W. James (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7927-9291)
- David M. Long (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3137-0277)
- Stephanie L. Yardley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2802-4381)
- L. van Driel‐Gesztelyi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2943-5978)
- Graham S. Kerr (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5316-914X)
- Ehsan Pedram
- Paola Testa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0405-0668)
- M. Murabito (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0144-2252)
- Teodora Mihailescu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8055-0472)
- Andy S. H. To (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0774-9084)
- J. M. Laming (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3362-7040)
- David H. Brooks (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2189-9313)
- Andrea Mesoraca
- Laura Hayes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6835-2390)
- Gherardo Valori
- Pascal Démoulin
Institutions
- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US)
- Dublin Institute For Advanced Studies (IE)
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (US)
- University of America (US)
- Observatoire de Paris (FR)
- Astronomical Observatory of Rome (IT)
- Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (IT)
- Department of Space (IN)
- Northumbria University (GB)
- Universidad de América (CO)
- Behavioral Tech Research, Inc. (US)
- Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (DE)
- Italian Medicines Agency (IT)
- Arrow International (United States) (US)
- Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (GB)
- Computational Physics (United States) (US)
- Dublin City University (IE)
- European Space Research and Technology Centre (NL)
- University College London (GB)
- Donostia International Physics Center (ES)
- University of Glasgow (GB)
- National Institute for Astrophysics (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences
- Published
- 2026-07-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2025.0187
- Primary Topic
- Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- National Science Council
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
- Science and Technology Facilities Council
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
- Office of Naval Research