What is the role of magnetic null points in large flares?

We have performed the analysis of the magnetic topology of active region NOAA 10486 before two large flares occurring on October 26 and 28, 2003. The 3D extrapolation of the photospheric magnetic field shows the existence of magnetic null points when using two different methods. We use TRACE 1600 Å and 195 Å brightenings as tracers of the energy release due to magnetic reconnections. We conclude on the three following points:

1. The small events observed before the flares are related to low lying null points. They are long lasting and associated with low energy release. They are not triggering the large flares.

2. On October 26, a high altitude null point is found. We look for bright patches that could correspond to the signatures of coronal reconnection at the null point in TRACE 1600 Å images. However, such bright patches are not observed before the main flare, they are only observed after it.

3. On October 28, four ribbons are observed in TRACE images before the X17 flare. We interpret them as due to a magnetic breakout reconnection in a quadrupolar configuration. There is no magnetic null point related to these four ribbons, and this reconnection rather occurs at quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs).

We conclude that the existence of a null point in the corona is neither a sufficient nor a necessary condition to give rise to large flares.     

The magnetic field topology associated with two M flares

On 27 October, 2003, two GOES M-class flares occurred in an interval of 3 h in active region NOAA 10486. The two flares were confined and their associated brightenings appeared at the same location, displaying a very similar shape both at the chromospheric and coronal levels. We focus on the analysis of magnetic field (SOHO/MDI), chromospheric (HASTA, Kanzelhöhe Solar Observatory, TRACE) and coronal (TRACE) observations. By combining our data analysis with a model of the coronal magnetic field, we compute the magnetic field topology associated with the two M flares. We find that both events can be explained in terms of a localized magnetic reconnection process occurring at a coronal magnetic null point. This null point is also present at the same location one day later, on 28 October, 2003. Magnetic energy release at this null point was proposed as the origin of a localized event that occurred independently with a large X17 flare on 28 October, 2003 [Mandrini, C.H., Démoulin, P., Schmieder, B., Deluca, E., Pariat, E., Uddin, W. Companion event and precursor of the X17 flare on 28 October, 2003. Solar Physics, 238, 293–312, 2006], at 11:01 UT. The three events, those on 27 October and the one on 28 October, are homologous. Our results show that coronal null points can be stable topological structures where energy release via magnetic reconnection can happen, as proposed by classical magnetic reconnection models.     

Multi-wavelength study of a coronal mass ejection: a flare event from AR#9393

The active region, AR#9393, produced a number of intense flares during March–April 2001. In this paper, we report the analysis of an X1.1 flare event of April 2, 2001 and its associated coronal mass ejection. The timing and location of the H_α eruption, radio burst activities, and the onset of mass ejection suggest an energy release that occurred close to the surface of the sun. At this region, as shown by the magnetogram, X-ray and EUV images, the field configuration was complex and the 3-D extrapolation revealed the presence of a magnetic null point. Results also suggest that the energy release is followed by the magnetic reconnection between the low-lying loops near the separator point and outlying loops. This study provides the support for the magnetic break-out process to trigger the energy release in eruptive flare event.     

Magnetic fluxtube reconnection

We present the results of 3D numerical simulations of initially discrete magnetic fluxtubes interacting via magnetic reconnection. The initial topology consists of two orthogonal fluxtubes. Each fluxtube has a uniform twist, force-free magnetic field specified by the Gold-Hoyle model. The fluxtubes are then forced together by an initial flow configuration consisting of two superimposed stagnation point flows. We observe three distinct types of interaction, which depend on the twist and on the Lundquist numbers, between the fluxtubes. For low twist the fluxtubes experience an elastic collision. For a higher twist complete reconnection is observed. If the Lundquist numbers are raised fluxtube tunneling occurs.     

Magnetic reconnection in solar flares and corresponding radio bursts

The 2D MHD model of the flare magnetic reconnection shows that a reconnection activity, changes of the magnetic field topology and generation of waves are connected. It is found that after the phase of a quasi-stationary reconnection in the extended current sheet above the flare arcade the tearing mode instability produces the plasmoids which then can interact and generate MHD waves. Results of particle-in-cell simulations of the tearing processes, which accelerate electrons, are mentioned. Then all these processes are discussed from the point of view of possible radio emissions. While shocks can contribute to the type II radio burst, the superthermal electrons trapped in plasmoids can generate so called drifting pulsating structures. Furthermore, regions with the MHD turbulence may manifest themselves as the lace or dm-spike bursts.     

Magnetic reconnection on the Sun: ESPD Senior Prize Lecture

Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process for changing the magnetic topology and converting magnetic energy into other forms on the Sun, such as heat, flow energy and fast particle energy. In two dimensions it is fairly well understood, although some aspects still need to be developed. In three dimensions, it behaves very differently and a substantial body of theory and numerical experiment has now been built up, including reconnection at null points, separators and quasi-separators.Some aspects of solar flares can be understood with 2D reconnection models, but other aspects such as the shapes of flare ribbons, the acceleration of particles and the creation of twist in erupting flux ropes need a 3D understanding. A paradigm shift in our understanding of coronal heating by reconnection has been stimulated by dramatic new observations of photospheric flux cancellation from SUNRISE and from SST together with the realisation that it may well be driving nanoflare heating events and possibly campfires.     

电流片的自发重联与无力场──磁岛的形成

采用二维三分量磁流体力学数值模拟方法,研究了线性无力场对电流片的自发重联的影响。结果表明:电流片的背景场(无力场)对重联的拓扑位形有重要的影响,当无力场因子达到一定值时,在模拟区域内出现大范围的磁岛,磁岛厚度随时间的发展而增加,而无力场因子较小时则没有磁岛形成。当无力场因子为零时,即回到普通的位场情形的单x线重联,位场情形磁场拓扑位形与Scholar的结果一致。      

Current sheets in the solar atmosphere

The 2D and 3D numerical simulation is used for the investigation of current sheet (CS) creation above the active region. The current sheet in the solar corona can be created either in vicinity of a magnetic field singular line by focusing disturbances or at the interaction of the super-Alfvenic plasma flow with the perpendicular magnetic field.     

Research on a complex CME event including Hα, LASCO, radio and MDI observations

We present our research on a fast and decelerating partial halo coronal mass ejection (CME) event detected in multi-wavelengths in the chromosphere and the corona on 14 October, 1999. The event involved a whole complex active area which spanned more than 40° of heliolongitude. It included a strong solar flare (XI/1N) and a complex eruptive filament within an active region of the entire complex. Especially, several radio sources were detected in the decimetric range prior to the CME by the Nançay Radioheliograph (NRH). A linear force-free field extrapolation of the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) magnetogram was performed to calculate the magnetic topology of the complex prior to the triggering of the event. The presence of a coronal null point combined with the occurrence of two distant and nearly simultaneous radio sources put strong arguments in favor of the generalized breakout model for the triggering of the eruption. The analysis of the subsequent development of the event suggests that large interconnecting loops were ejected together with the CME.     

地磁场磁力线可视化种子点选取的磁场强度线积分等分算法

将磁力线按流线进行绘制是地磁场可视化的通用方法. 磁力线种子点的选取 决定了绘制磁力线的疏密, 其疏密程度能否真实反映地磁场强度分布是评价地 磁场可视化效果的关键. 基于磁经圈均匀角度种子点选取算法绘制 的磁力线通常不能客观反映地磁场强度的空间分布, 针对这一不足, 提出一种等分磁场强 度线积分的磁力线种子点选取算法. 利用该算法对地磁场IGRF模型和T96模型 描述的地磁内外源场进行可视化绘制, 对磁力线追踪结果中出现的冗余磁力线 进行过滤, 统计分析了绘制磁力线的空间分布与地磁场强度空间分布的相关性, 结果表明该算法能够较好地实现对地磁场的可视化.      

微阴极电弧推力器磁路设计

微阴极电弧推力器是一种利用真空条件下放电电弧烧蚀阴极材料产生较高电离度的高速等离子体,并在外加磁场作用下喷出以产生推力的微型电推力器。微阴极电弧推力器磁场设计是推力器设计中的重要工作之一,将影响推力器工作稳定性和工作性能。分别采用多匝通电螺线管计算公式、二维和三维数值仿真完成磁路设计,磁感应强度随线圈电流和线圈匝数增加而变大;当线圈电流15A、线圈匝数为600匝时,放电通道中心线磁感应强度最大值超过0.3T;采用特斯拉计测量磁感应强度,仿真结果与测量结果吻合较好。最后采用时间飞行法（TOF）测得等离子体速度随磁场增强而增加。     

电流片的形成

采用二维三分量的耗散磁流体力学模型,对由于光球层的剪切运动引起的四极磁场内电流片的形成过程进行数值模拟。结果表明,磁分隔线在磁场的演化过程中起关键作用。电流主要在分隔面和根部剪切梯度较大的磁环中形成,其中在分隔线上最强。磁分隔线可以被拉长,形成强电流片,随着速度剪切位置的不同,电流片的形成模式也不同,既可以形成与光球层垂直的电流片,也可以形成平行的电流片。      

Observations of Magnetic Reconnection in the Magnetotail Associated With Substorms

Magnetic reconnection is one of the most important, dynamic phenomena in the magnetotail in terms of magnetic field line configuration change and energy release. It is believed to occur in the distant magnetotail mainly during southward interplanetary magnetic field periods and in the near-Earth magnetotail in association with substorms. In the present paper, we discuss several important issues concerning magnetic reconnection in the magnetotail associated with substorms, such as reconnection signatures, location, timing, spatial scale, and behavior, from the macroscopic, observational point of view.      

Characterization of the slow wind in the outer corona

The study concerns the streamer belt observed at high spectral resolution during the minimum of solar cycle 23 with the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) onboard SOHO. On the basis of a spectroscopic analysis of the O VI doublet, the solar wind plasma parameters are inferred in the extended corona. The analysis accounts for the coronal magnetic topology, extrapolated through a 3D magneto-hydrodynamic model, in order to define the streamer boundary and to analyse the edges of coronal holes. The results of the analysis allow an accurate identification of the source regions of the slow coronal wind that are confirmed to be along the streamer boundary in the open magnetic field region.     

Symmetry and asymmetry of ionospheric weather at magnetic conjugate points for two midlatitude observatories

Variations of the ionospheric weather W-index for two midlatitude observatories, namely, Grahamstown and Hermanus, and their conjugate counterpart locations in Africa are studied for a period from October 2010 to December 2011. The observatories are located in the longitude sector, which has consistent magnetic equator and geographic equator so that geomagnetic latitudes of the line of force are very close to the corresponding geographic latitudes providing opportunity to ignore the impact of the difference of the gravitational field and the geomagnetic field at the conjugate points on the ionosphere structure and dynamics. The ionosondes of Grahamstown and Hermanus provide data of the critical frequency (foF2), and Global Ionospheric Maps (GIM) provide the total electron content (TECgps) along the magnetic field line up to the conjugate point in the opposite hemisphere. The global model of the ionosphere, International Reference Ionosphere, extended to the plasmasphere altitude of 20,200 km (IRI-Plas) is used to deliver the F2 layer peak parameters from TECgps at the magnetic conjugate area. The evidence is obtained that the electron gas heated by day and cooled by night at the summer hemisphere as compared with the opposite features in the conjugate winter hemisphere testifies on a reversal of plasma fluxes along the magnetic field line by the solar terminator. The ionospheric weather W-index is derived from NmF2 (related with foF2) and TECgps data. It is found that symmetry of W-index behavior in the magnetic conjugate hemispheres is dominant for the equinoxes when plasma movement along the magnetic line of force is imposed on symmetrical background electron density and electron content. Asymmetry of the ionospheric storm effects is observed for solstices when the plasma diffuse down more slowly into the colder winter hemisphere than into the warmer summer hemisphere inducing either plasma increase (positive phase) or decrease (negative phase of W-index) in the ionospheric and plasmaspheric plasma density.     

On the universality of asymptotic limits in the theory of field line diffusion and perpendicular transport of energetic particles

We discuss the random walk of magnetic field lines in astrophysical plasmas. Based on the standard theory of field line diffusion we show that there are two asymptotic limits. In these limits field line wandering is universal because in both regimes the field line diffusion coefficient depends only on fundamental length scales and absolute magnetic field strengths. As examples we discuss the field line diffusion coefficient for different prominent turbulence models namely the slab model, the two-dimensional model, and the Goldreich–Sridhar model. We show that the field line diffusion coefficient for the latter model agrees with the results obtained for slab and two-dimensional turbulence in limiting cases. We also discuss the transport of energetic particles perpendicular with respect to the mean magnetic field. Based on the unified nonlinear transport theory we consider again asymptotic limits. It is shown that one can identify four different regimes in which the transport is again universal. In all four cases perpendicular transport only depends on fundamental length scales of turbulence, magnetic field values, and the parallel diffusion coefficient.     

First evidence of anisotropy of GPS phase slips caused by the mid-latitude field-aligned ionospheric irregularities

The mid-latitude field-aligned irregularity (FAI) along the magnetic field line is a common phenomenon in the ionosphere. However, few data reveal the field-aligned ionospheric irregularities. They are insufficient to identify FAIs effects so far, particularly effect on global positioning system (GPS) signals. In this paper, the mid-latitude FAIs by line-of-sight angular scanning relative to the local magnetic field vector are investigated using the denser GPS network observations in Japan. It has been the first found that total GPS L2 phase slips over Japan, during the recovery phase of the 12 Feb 2000 geomagnetic storm were caused by GPS signal scattering on FAIs both for the lines-of-sight aligned to the magnetic field line (the field of aligned scattering, FALS) and across the magnetic field line (the field of across scattering, FACS). The FALS results are also in a good agreement with the data of the magnetic field orientation control of GPS occultation observations of equatorial scintillation during thorough low earth orbit (LEO) satellites measurements, e.g. Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and Satellite de Aplicaciones Cientificas-C (SAC-C). The role of large-angle scattering almost along the normal to the magnetic field line in GPS scintillation is determined by attenuation of the irregularity anisotropy factor as compared with the other factors.     

Magnetic reconnection in solar coronal loops

Simulations of the evolution of kink modes in line-tied coronal loops are presented which demonstrate the occurrence of magnetic reconnection in the non-linear stage of the instability. In loops which do not carry a net axial current (and are confined by a potential purely axial field) the reconnection is limited to the initial current-carrying channel and no overall loss of confinement is observed. In loops which carry a net current on the other hand, reconnection progressively involves field lines at greater and greater distances from the axis and even regions where the field was initially potential, leading to a total disruption of the magnetic field topology.     

行星际高密度结构的磁场位形

本文统计分析了第20太阳周行星际高密度结构的磁场位形。结果说明当出现高密度结构时行星际磁场相对于黄道面的倾角约增大10°。这种增大并非流相互作用或电流片倾斜和折皱所引起的,而可能是非恒稳太阳风流所具有的磁场位形。当出现高速流或扇形边界时,由于高密度结构后平行于Parker螺旋线的分量增大,磁场在黄逋面内对螺旋线的偏离角减小。      

空间磁场环境模拟线圈驱动恒流源设计

针对空间磁场环境模拟线圈磁感应强度0~20 Gs连续可调,磁场稳定度优于1%的要求,采用前级电压源与后级电流源串联的主电路拓扑结构,结合电压双闭环控制和电流闭环负反馈控制的方法,实现了稳定的电流输出,减小了功率金属-氧化物半导体场效应晶体管(MOSFET)的功耗,提高了恒流源的效率.测试结果表明:恒流源输出电流0~10 A连续可调,霍姆赫兹线圈中心磁感应强度能达到20 Gs的设计要求,电流稳定度优于0.1%,磁场稳定度优于1%.