Authors: Binal Patel (ROB/STCE), Andrei Zhukov (ROB/STCE), Marilena Mierla (ROB/STCE), Andreas Debrabandere (ROB/STCE), Sergei Shestov (ROB/STCE), Laurent Dolla (ROB/STCE), Bram Bourgoignie (ROB/STCE), Christophe Jean (ROB/STCE), Bogdan Nicula (ROB/STCE), Dana-Camelia Talpeanu (ROB/STCE), Zoe Zontou (ROB/STCE), Alessandro Liberatore (INAF-OATo), S. Gunár (ASU-CAS), S. E. Gibson (HAO/NCAR)

The study of the solar corona relies primarily on remote-sensing observations obtained through extreme ultraviolet (EUV), X-ray imaging, and externally occulted coronagraphs. However, a persistent observational gap exists between approximately 1.5 and 2.5 R_☉, limiting continuous coverage of the low corona. The Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun (ASPIICS) coronagraph aboard the Proba-3 mission bridges this observational gap by observing the solar corona from 1.099 to 3~R_☉ with high spatial resolution (2.8 arcsec per pixel) and temporal cadences of up to 30~s in typical CME observation programs.

We investigate ubiquitous small-scale dynamics in the slow solar wind formation region using ASPIICS observations. We identify a variety of weak (0.5–2% of the background brightness) and highly dynamic features, including blobs, outflows, inflows, jets, and propagating wave-like structures. The measured plane-of-sky speeds range from 14 to 520~km~s$^{-1}$, with outflowing structures generally propagating faster than inflowing ones. These features are predominantly observed to originate from streamers and pseudostreamers.

ASPIICS can also provide novel observations of CMEs. In particular, we analyze of the CME observed on 21 September 2025, which reveals a well-defined prominence eruption within the ASPIICS field of view. Our results indicate that the main acceleration phase is characterized by a rapid and nonlinear increase, with the CME speed reaching up to ~400 km/s within the ASPIICS FOV. Complementary Graduated Cylindrical Shell (GCS) reconstruction, using multi-vantage point observations from the Metis and COR1 coronagraphs aboard Solar Orbiter and STEREO, respectively, suggests a self-similar expansion in the inner corona, with the CME speed reaching ~515 km/s at a true height of ~4 R_☉.

These results highlight the unprecedented capability of ASPIICS to resolve faint coronal dynamics in the low corona, providing key observational constraints on the role of small-scale processes in the formation and acceleration of the slow solar wind and CMEs.