Photospheric dynamo as the power supply process for solar flares: Electric current approach

Four major subjects in solar physics, the heating of the corona, the cause of the solar wind, the formation of sunspots and the cause of solar flares, are discussed on the basis of the electric current approach, a sequence of processes consisting of power supply(dynamo), transmission (currents/circuits) and dissipation(high coronal temperature, solar wind, sunspots and solar flares).This is because the four subjects have hardly been considered in terms of the electric current approach in the past, in spite of the fact that these subjects are various manifestations of electromagnetic processes. It is shown that this approach provides a new systematic way of considering each subject; (1) the long-standing issue of the coronal temperature, (2)the long-standing problem on the cause of the solar wind, (3)the presence of single spots(forgotten or dismissed in the past) and its relation to unipolar magnetic regions and (4) the crucial power/energy source and subsequent explosive processes of solar flares. The four subjects are obviously extremely complicated and difficult subjects, but it is hoped that the electric current approach might provide a new insight in considering the four subjects.

Download Full-text

On the explosive nature of auroral substorms and solar flares: The electric current approach

Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics ◽

10.1016/j.jastp.2019.02.007 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 186 ◽

pp. 104-115 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Syun-Ichi Akasofu ◽

Lou-Chuang Lee

Keyword(s):

Electric Current ◽

Solar Flares ◽

Current Approach ◽

Auroral Substorms

Download Full-text

The electric current approach in the solar–terrestrial relationship

Annales Geophysicae ◽

10.5194/angeo-35-965-2017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 35 (4) ◽

pp. 965-978 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Syun-Ichi Akasofu

Keyword(s):

Electric Current ◽

Solar Flares ◽

Power Transmission ◽

Geomagnetic Storms ◽

Magnetic Energy ◽

Current Approach ◽

Electric Currents ◽

Auroral Substorms ◽

The Magnetic Field ◽

Insight Into

Abstract. The sequence of phenomena consisting of solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), auroral substorms, and geomagnetic storms is mostly a manifestation of electromagnetic energy dissipation. Thus, first of all, it is natural to consider each of them in terms of a sequence of power supply (dynamo), power transmission (electric currents/circuits), and dissipation (mostly observed phenomena), i.e., as an input–output process and the electric current line approach. Secondly, extending this concept, it is attempted in this paper to consider the whole solar–terrestrial relationship in terms of electric currents. This approach enables us to follow through not only the sequence in solar flares, auroral substorms, and geomagnetic storms but also to connect all phenomena naturally as a continuous flow of magnetic energy (V[B2∕8π]) from the sun across the magnetopause. This consideration gives some insight into all the processes involved equally well compared with the magnetic field line approach, which has been adopted almost exclusively in the past.

Download Full-text