Can an Unobserved Concentration of Magnetic Flux Above the Poles of the Sun Resolve the Open Flux Problem?

2019 ◽  
Vol 884 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pete Riley ◽  
Jon A. Linker ◽  
Zoran Mikic ◽  
Ronald M. Caplan ◽  
Cooper Downs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Flux ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Open Flux

Emergence of Twisted Magnetic Flux Related Sigmoidal Brightening

2000 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 263-264
Author(s):  
K. Sundara Raman ◽  
K. B. Ramesh ◽  
R. Selvendran ◽  
P. S. M. Aleem ◽  
K. M. Hiremath
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Magnetic Fields ◽  
Magnetic Flux ◽  
Ultra Violet ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Morphological Properties ◽  
Energy Storage And Conversion ◽  
The Sun ◽  
X Rays ◽  
The Magnetic Field

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 & 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 & 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.

Solar Filaments as Tracers of Subsurface Processes

2000 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 177-183
Author(s):  
D. M. Rust
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Fields ◽  
Magnetic Flux ◽  
Coronal Mass Ejections ◽  
Interplanetary Space ◽  
Intermediate Stage ◽  
Coronal Plasma ◽  
Magnetic Helicity ◽  
The Sun ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Solar Filaments

AbstractSolar filaments are discussed in terms of two contrasting paradigms. The standard paradigm is that filaments are formed by condensation of coronal plasma into magnetic fields that are twisted or dimpled as a consequence of motions of the fields’ sources in the photosphere. According to a new paradigm, filaments form in rising, twisted flux ropes and are a necessary intermediate stage in the transfer to interplanetary space of dynamo-generated magnetic flux. It is argued that the accumulation of magnetic helicity in filaments and their coronal surroundings leads to filament eruptions and coronal mass ejections. These ejections relieve the Sun of the flux generated by the dynamo and make way for the flux of the next cycle.

Sunspot Groups as Tracers of Sub-Surface Processes

2000 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 155-160
Author(s):  
M. H. Gokhale
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Flux ◽  
Indian Institute ◽  
Surface Processes ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Global And Local ◽  
Sunspot Groups

AbstractData on sunspot groups have been quite useful for obtaining clues to several processes on global and local scales within the sun which lead to emergence of toroidal magnetic flux above the sun’s surface. I present here a report on such studies carried out at Indian Institute of Astrophysics during the last decade or so.

scholarly journals Energetics of magnetic transients in a solar active region plage

2019 ◽  
Vol 623 ◽  
pp. A176 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. P. Chitta ◽  
A. R. C. Sukarmadji ◽  
L. Rouppe van der Voort ◽  
H. Peter
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Active Region ◽  
Magnetic Flux ◽  
Numerical Simulations ◽  
Extreme Ultraviolet ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Coronal Loops ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Flux Emergence ◽  
Transient Events

Context. Densely packed coronal loops are rooted in photospheric plages in the vicinity of active regions on the Sun. The photospheric magnetic features underlying these plage areas are patches of mostly unidirectional magnetic field extending several arcsec on the solar surface. Aims. We aim to explore the transient nature of the magnetic field, its mixed-polarity characteristics, and the associated energetics in the active region plage using high spatial resolution observations and numerical simulations. Methods. We used photospheric Fe I 6173 Å spectropolarimetric observations of a decaying active region obtained from the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST). These data were inverted to retrieve the photospheric magnetic field underlying the plage as identified in the extreme-ultraviolet emission maps obtained from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). To obtain better insight into the evolution of extended unidirectional magnetic field patches on the Sun, we performed 3D radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations of magnetoconvection using the MURaM code. Results. The observations show transient magnetic flux emergence and cancellation events within the extended predominantly unipolar patch on timescales of a few 100 s and on spatial scales comparable to granules. These transient events occur at the footpoints of active region plage loops. In one case the coronal response at the footpoints of these loops is clearly associated with the underlying transient. The numerical simulations also reveal similar magnetic flux emergence and cancellation events that extend to even smaller spatial and temporal scales. Individual simulated transient events transfer an energy flux in excess of 1 MW m−2 through the photosphere. Conclusions. We suggest that the magnetic transients could play an important role in the energetics of active region plage. Both in observations and simulations, the opposite-polarity magnetic field brought up by transient flux emergence cancels with the surrounding plage field. Magnetic reconnection associated with such transient events likely conduits magnetic energy to power the overlying chromosphere and coronal loops.

Magnetic Flux Transport on the Sun

Science ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 245 (4919) ◽  
pp. 712-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. -M. WANG ◽  
A. G. NASH ◽  
N. R. SHEELEY
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Flux ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Flux Transport

scholarly journals Aurora and open magnetic flux during isolated substorms, sawteeth, and SMC events

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 1865-1876 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. DeJong ◽  
X. Cai ◽  
R. C. Clauer ◽  
J. F. Spann
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Flux ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Auroral Oval ◽  
Polar Cap ◽  
Expansion Phase ◽  
Magnetospheric Convection ◽  
Open Magnetic Flux ◽  
Open Flux ◽  
The Individual

Abstract. Using Polar UVI LBHl and IMAGE FUV WIC data, we have compared the auroral signatures and polar cap open flux for isolated substorms, sawteeth oscillations, and steady magnetospheric convection (SMC) events. First, a case study of each event type is performed, comparing auroral signatures and open magnetic fluxes to one another. The latitude location of the auroral oval is similar during isolated substorms and SMC events. The auroral intensity during SMC events is similar to that observed during the expansion phase of an isolated substorm. Examination of an individual sawtooth shows that the auroral intensity is much greater than the SMC or isolated substorm events and the auroral oval is displaced equatorward making a larger polar cap. The temporal variations observed during the individual sawtooth are similar to that observed during the isolated substorm, and while the change in polar cap flux measured during the sawtooth is larger, the percent change in flux is similar to that measured during the isolated substorm. These results are confirmed by a statistical analysis of events within these three classes. The results show that the auroral oval measured during individual sawteeth contains a polar cap with, on average, 150% more magnetic flux than the oval measured during isolated substorms or during SMC events. However, both isolated substorms and sawteeth show a 30% decrease in polar cap magnetic flux during the dipolarization (expansion) phase.

scholarly journals Editorial: Magnetic Flux Ropes: From the Sun to the Earth and Beyond

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Liu ◽  
Jie Zhang ◽  
Yuming Wang ◽  
Hongqiang Song
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Flux ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Magnetic Flux Ropes ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Flux Ropes

scholarly journals A Quantitative Study of Magnetic Flux Transport on the Sun

1983 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 273-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.R. Sheeley ◽  
J.P. Boris ◽  
T.R. Young ◽  
C.R. DeVore ◽  
K.L. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Magnetic Flux ◽  
Quantitative Study ◽  
Differential Rotation ◽  
Meridional Circulation ◽  
Diffusion Constant ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Flux Transport ◽  
Field Reversal ◽  
Best Fit

A computational model, based on diffusion, differential rotation, and meridional circulation, has been developed to simulate the transport of magnetic flux on the Sun. Using Kitt Peak magnetograms as input, we have determined a best-fit diffusion constant by comparing the computed and observed fields at later times. Our value of 730 ± 250 km2/s is consistent with Leighton's (1964) estimate of 770–1540 km2/s and is significantly larger than Mosher's (1977) estimate of 200–400 km2/s. This suggests that diffusion may be fast enough to account for the observed polar magnetic field reversal without requiring a significant assist from meridional currents.

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