AbstractGeneration and annihilation processes of magnetic helicity in solar coronal active regions are investigated based on the observations and the simulations. We first examined the reliability of the numerical techniques, which enable to measure the magnetic helicity flux through the photosphere based on the magnetogram data. Secondly, in terms of the new technique, we found that magnetic helicities of the both signs are simultaneously injected into active regions. Motivated by this result, finally, we investigated the nonlinear process of the magnetic helicity annihilation, using the three-dimensional numerical simulations. The simulations clearly indicated that the helicity reversal can cause the eruption of large-scale plasmoid through the nonlinear process of the resistive instability growing on the helicity inversion layer. From these studies, we point out that the annihilation of magnetic helicity is a key process for the onset mechanism of solar flares.
PRODUCTIVITY OF SOLAR FLARES AND MAGNETIC HELICITY INJECTION IN ACTIVE REGIONS
