scholarly journals The Magnetic Field of the Sun: An Object Lesson

1990 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
E. N. Parker

The magnetic field of the sun is created by a magnetohydrodynamic dynamo under conditions bearing some qualitative similarities to the apparent generation of the galactic field in the gaseous disk of the galaxy. There is a similarity, too, in the extension of bipolar lobes of the solar field above the surface of the sun and the extension of bipolar lobes of the galactic field outward from both sides of the disk. Hence one can learn a lot about the expected origin and activity of the galactic field by studying the behavior of the magnetic field of the sun. In particular, the mysteries associated with the “simple” circumstances of the origin of the solar magnetic field far below the surface are no less than the mysteries in the theoretical origin of the galactic field, where there is so little direct observation of the small scale motions and magnetic fields. There is reason to think that the activity of the magnetic field of the sun, producing prominences, flares and X-ray corona, a solar wind, and coronal mass ejection may all have counter parts in the activity of the galactic field above the surface of the gaseous disk.

Author(s):  
Robert Cameron

The solar dynamo is the action of flows inside the Sun to maintain its magnetic field against Ohmic decay. On small scales the magnetic field is seen at the solar surface as a ubiquitous “salt-and-pepper” disorganized field that may be generated directly by the turbulent convection. On large scales, the magnetic field is remarkably organized, with an 11-year activity cycle. During each cycle the field emerging in each hemisphere has a specific East–West alignment (known as Hale’s law) that alternates from cycle to cycle, and a statistical tendency for a North-South alignment (Joy’s law). The polar fields reverse sign during the period of maximum activity of each cycle. The relevant flows for the large-scale dynamo are those of convection, the bulk rotation of the Sun, and motions driven by magnetic fields, as well as flows produced by the interaction of these. Particularly important are the Sun’s large-scale differential rotation (for example, the equator rotates faster than the poles), and small-scale helical motions resulting from the Coriolis force acting on convective motions or on the motions associated with buoyantly rising magnetic flux. These two types of motions result in a magnetic cycle. In one phase of the cycle, differential rotation winds up a poloidal magnetic field to produce a toroidal field. Subsequently, helical motions are thought to bend the toroidal field to create new poloidal magnetic flux that reverses and replaces the poloidal field that was present at the start of the cycle. It is now clear that both small- and large-scale dynamo action are in principle possible, and the challenge is to understand which combination of flows and driving mechanisms are responsible for the time-dependent magnetic fields seen on the Sun.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xingyu Zhu ◽  
Jiansen He ◽  
Die Duan ◽  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Liping Yang ◽  
...  

<div>According to Parker's theory in the 1950s, the magnetic lines of force extending from the sun to the interplanetary appear to be Archimedean spirals. From 1960 to 1970, it was found that the interplanetary magnetic field not only follows the Archimedes spiral structure, but also has the characteristics of Alfvenic turbulence. How do these Alfvenic turbulence occur? What will be the characteristics when getting close to the Sun? Parker Solar Probe at 0.17au has found that there are often intermittent Alfvenic pulses (or called Alfvenic velocity spikes) in the solar wind. These pulses are high enough that the disturbed magnetic lines may even turn back. What's more interesting is that there is always a compressibility disturbance along with the Alfven pulse: the temperature and density inside and outside the Alfven pulse are different, the internal temperature is often higher than the external temperature, some of the internal density is higher than the external and some is lower than the external. The Alfven pulse often shows asymmetry on both sides: the magnetic field and velocity on one side are "clean" jumps, while on the other side are multiple small-scale disturbances of variables in the transition boundary layer. In view of this new phenomenon of magnetic field line switch back with compressed Alfven pulse, how it is generated is raising a hot debate. It is thought that the exchange magnetic reconnection of the solar atmosphere may be the underlying physical mechanism. But in the traditional exchange magnetic reconnection image, after reconnection, the zigzag magnetic field line can easily become smooth, which can not maintain the distortion of the magnetic field line, and may not be able to explain the observed Alfven pulses. In this work, we propose a new model called "Excitation of Alfven Pulses by Continuous Intermittent Interchange Reconnection with Guide Field Discontinuity" (EAP-CIIR-GFD). By analyzing and comparing the simulation results and observation results, we find that the model can explain the following observation features: (1) Alfven disturbance is pulse type and asymmetric; (2) Alfven pulse is compressible with the enhancement of internal temperature and the increase or decrease of the internal density; (3) Alfven pulse can cause serious distortion of the magnetic field line. Improvements to the model will also be discussed in the report.</div>


1990 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 65-66
Author(s):  
A.N. Makarov ◽  
R.R. Andreassian

The results of a study of the magnetic field of the Galaxy up to ~3.5 kpc from the Sun by the analysis of interstellar polarization of optical radiation of catalogue stars (Mathewson et al., 1978) are presented. For the regions 90° < l <180° and 300° < l < 360°, where the polarization degree P is maximum, the empirical form is found.


2020 ◽  
Vol 498 (3) ◽  
pp. 3125-3137
Author(s):  
Rüdiger Pakmor ◽  
Freeke van de Voort ◽  
Rebekka Bieri ◽  
Facundo A Gómez ◽  
Robert J J Grand ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The circumgalactic medium (CGM) is one of the frontiers of galaxy formation and intimately connected to the galaxy via accretion of gas on to the galaxy and gaseous outflows from the galaxy. Here, we analyse the magnetic field in the CGM of the Milky Way-like galaxies simulated as part of the auriga project that constitutes a set of high-resolution cosmological magnetohydrodynamical zoom simulations. We show that before z = 1 the CGM becomes magnetized via galactic outflows that transport magnetized gas from the disc into the halo. At this time, the magnetization of the CGM closely follows its metal enrichment. We then show that at low redshift an in situ turbulent dynamo that operates on a time-scale of Gigayears further amplifies the magnetic field in the CGM and saturates before z = 0. The magnetic field strength reaches a typical value of $0.1\, \mu \mathrm{ G}$ at the virial radius at z = 0 and becomes mostly uniform within the virial radius. Its Faraday rotation signal is in excellent agreement with recent observations. For most of its evolution, the magnetic field in the CGM is an unordered small-scale field. Only strong coherent outflows at low redshift are able to order the magnetic field in parts of the CGM that are directly displaced by these outflows.


1970 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 731 ◽  
Author(s):  
JH Piddington

The structure of the magnetic field of the Galaxy and other spiral systems and the inseparable problem of the origin of cosmic rays are examined: (1) A variety of evidence is used to show that the galactic field extends far beyond the disk and connects the disk field with a general field fixed in the local system of galaxies. (2) The coronal field extends beyond 10 kpc as an oblique helix which is constantly expanding, and has partially force�free characteristics.


Astrophysics ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 560-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. R. Andreasyan ◽  
A. N. Makarov

2000 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 263-264
Author(s):  
K. Sundara Raman ◽  
K. B. Ramesh ◽  
R. Selvendran ◽  
P. S. M. Aleem ◽  
K. M. Hiremath

Extended AbstractWe have examined the morphological properties of a sigmoid associated with an SXR (soft X-ray) flare. The sigmoid is cospatial with the EUV (extreme ultra violet) images and in the optical part lies along an S-shaped Hαfilament. The photoheliogram shows flux emergence within an existingδtype sunspot which has caused the rotation of the umbrae giving rise to the sigmoidal brightening.It is now widely accepted that flares derive their energy from the magnetic fields of the active regions and coronal levels are considered to be the flare sites. But still a satisfactory understanding of the flare processes has not been achieved because of the difficulties encountered to predict and estimate the probability of flare eruptions. The convection flows and vortices below the photosphere transport and concentrate magnetic field, which subsequently appear as active regions in the photosphere (Rust &amp; Kumar 1994 and the references therein). Successive emergence of magnetic flux, twist the field, creating flare productive magnetic shear and has been studied by many authors (Sundara Ramanet al.1998 and the references therein). Hence, it is considered that the flare is powered by the energy stored in the twisted magnetic flux tubes (Kurokawa 1996 and the references therein). Rust &amp; Kumar (1996) named the S-shaped bright coronal loops that appear in soft X-rays as ‘Sigmoids’ and concluded that this S-shaped distortion is due to the twist developed in the magnetic field lines. These transient sigmoidal features tell a great deal about unstable coronal magnetic fields, as these regions are more likely to be eruptive (Canfieldet al.1999). As the magnetic fields of the active regions are deep rooted in the Sun, the twist developed in the subphotospheric flux tube penetrates the photosphere and extends in to the corona. Thus, it is essentially favourable for the subphotospheric twist to unwind the twist and transmit it through the photosphere to the corona. Therefore, it becomes essential to make complete observational descriptions of a flare from the magnetic field changes that are taking place in different atmospheric levels of the Sun, to pin down the energy storage and conversion process that trigger the flare phenomena.


1946 ◽  
Vol 70 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 777-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyman Spitzer

1970 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 168-183
Author(s):  
E. N. Parker

The topic of this presentation is the origin and dynamical behavior of the magnetic field and cosmic-ray gas in the disk of the Galaxy. In the space available I can do no more than mention the ideas that have been developed, with but little explanation and discussion. To make up for this inadequacy I have tried to give a complete list of references in the written text, so that the interested reader can pursue the points in depth (in particular see the review articles Parker, 1968a, 1969a, 1970). My purpose here is twofold, to outline for you the calculations and ideas that have developed thus far, and to indicate the uncertainties that remain. The basic ideas are sound, I think, but, when we come to the details, there are so many theoretical alternatives that need yet to be explored and so much that is not yet made clear by observations.


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