Hotspot JDK JVM 8 "character" space from built-in memory tracking

We have enabled main memory tracking for the managed WebLogic server by adding the -XX: + nativeMemoryTracking: summary JVM parameter. During this period, the character space increased from 40 GB to 1.2 GB.

Following is the built-in memory tracking output. May 12-2017 jcmd release:

Native Memory Tracking:
Total: reserved=8110972KB, committed=7051764KB
-                 Java Heap (reserved=5242880KB, committed=5242880KB)
                            (mmap: reserved=5242880KB, committed=5242880KB) 

-                     Class (reserved=1489419KB, committed=500731KB)
                            (classes #87025)
                            (malloc=8715KB #109414) 
                            (mmap: reserved=1480704KB, committed=492016KB) 

-                    Thread (reserved=684472KB, committed=684472KB)
                            (thread #666)
                            (stack: reserved=680960KB, committed=680960KB)
                            (malloc=2124KB #3352) 
                            (arena=1388KB #1331)

-                      Code (reserved=282189KB, committed=228053KB)
                            (malloc=32589KB #44078) 
                            (mmap: reserved=249600KB, committed=195464KB) 

-                        GC (reserved=290296KB, committed=284152KB)
                            (malloc=15864KB #71720) 
                            (mmap: reserved=274432KB, committed=268288KB) 

-                  Compiler (reserved=744KB, committed=744KB)
                            (malloc=613KB #1280) 
                            (arena=131KB #3)

-                  Internal (reserved=56652KB, committed=56652KB)
                            (malloc=29740KB #116855) 
                            (mmap: reserved=26912KB, committed=26912KB) 

-                    Symbol (reserved=41301KB, committed=41301KB)
                            (malloc=38480KB #446452) 
                            (arena=2821KB #1)

-    Native Memory Tracking (reserved=12541KB, committed=12541KB)
                            (malloc=106KB #1226) 
                            (tracking overhead=12435KB)

-               Arena Chunk (reserved=238KB, committed=238KB)
                            (malloc=238KB) 

-                   Unknown (reserved=10240KB, committed=0KB)
                            (mmap: reserved=10240KB, committed=0KB) 

      

        
        
        
      

    

27-May-2017 jcmd-output:

Native Memory Tracking:
Total: reserved=9545194KB, committed=8540138KB
-                 Java Heap (reserved=5242880KB, committed=5242880KB)
                            (mmap: reserved=5242880KB, committed=5242880KB) 

-                     Class (reserved=1597187KB, committed=616883KB)
                            (classes #96158)
                            (malloc=18179KB #179751) 
                            (mmap: reserved=1579008KB, committed=598704KB) 

 -                    Thread (reserved=702234KB, committed=702234KB)
                             (thread #676)
                             (stack: reserved=691200KB, committed=691200KB)
                             (malloc=2156KB #3402) 
                             (arena=8878KB #1351)

 -                      Code (reserved=292576KB, committed=284208KB)
                             (malloc=42976KB #40534) 
                             (mmap: reserved=249600KB, committed=241232KB) 

 -                        GC (reserved=298646KB, committed=292502KB)
                             (malloc=24214KB #116093) 
                             (mmap: reserved=274432KB, committed=268288KB) 

 -                  Compiler (reserved=1854KB, committed=1854KB)
                             (malloc=1723KB #2590) 
                             (arena=131KB #3)

 -                  Internal (reserved=116187KB, committed=116187KB)
                             (malloc=89275KB #158294) 
                             (mmap: reserved=26912KB, committed=26912KB) 

 -                    Symbol (reserved=1264908KB, committed=1264908KB)
                             (malloc=1261448KB #656269) 
                             (arena=3460KB #1)

 -    Native Memory Tracking (reserved=18240KB, committed=18240KB)
                             (malloc=115KB #1332) 
                             (tracking overhead=18125KB)

-               Arena Chunk (reserved=242KB, committed=242KB)
                        (malloc=242KB) 

-                   Unknown (reserved=10240KB, committed=0KB)
                        (mmap: reserved=10240KB, committed=0KB) 

      

        
        
        
      

    

What is character space for ?. Is it related to class space (metaspace)?

JDK version: 8
OS: Solaris 11 X86-64
Thanks in advance.