太阳大气中自发重联的数值模拟(Ⅰ)

本文在考虑了热传导、焦耳耗散和反常电阻的情况下, 研究了日冕电流片中的自发重联过程. 结果表明自发磁重税可通过反常电阻的焦耳耗散加热大气, 这种作用与β值的大小密切相关. 这也许可以解释活动区日冕环的稳态加热和耀斑前的预热相;当考虑电流片位形的下边界为固定边界时, 由于系连效应会自然形成盔状结构, 并且物质以40km／s的速度沿两“腿”下落, 这种下落物质速度将造成谱线红移.      

太阳大气中自发重联的数值模拟（I）

本文在考虑了热传导、焦耳耗散和反常电阻的情况下，研究了日冕电流片中的自发重联过程。结果表明自发磁重联可通过反常电阻的焦耳耗散加热大气，这种作用与苈值的大小密度相关，这也许可以解释活动区日冕环 的稳态加热和耀斑前的预热相；当考虑电流片位形的下边界为固定边界时，由于系连效应会自然形为盔状结构，并且物质以４０ｋｍ／ｓ的速度沿两“腿”下落，这种下落物质速度将造成谱线红移。     

无力场的触发重联和太阳耀斑

采用多步隐格式,对在瞬间形成的电流片的触发下的高剪切无力场的磁重联过程进行了数值模拟。磁重联首先在交界面处的非中性电流片区出现,然后向无力场区蔓延。在磁重联过程中,在无力场区形成一高温环状结构,物质向光球层流动。在高温环内侧的新喷发场区,物质向上流动。磁重联主要集中在初始电流片外侧的高剪切无力场区,高温环顶部的温度最高,位置基本固定。在磁重联的过程中,剪切磁场分量的空间梯度减小,无力场因子下降。     

日冕冲浪形成的磁流体动力学模拟

应用二维时变可压缩磁流体动力学模拟,数值研究了双极-单极磁场中电阻撕裂模不稳定性引起的磁场重联过程,用于模拟日冕冲浪的形成.结果表明,在包含有三区——双极场、电流片和单极场的磁静力平衡初态下,双极场和单极场中的磁力线将会直接重联,磁场演变成鞭状(whip)结构.由弯曲磁力线支撑的等离子体团向上运动到最高位置后,逐渐下落和弥散.等离子体团上升速度可达到0.10v_A(v_A为双极场中的Alfv'én速度).模拟结果证实日冕冲浪的形成可能与双极-单极场中的磁场重联密切相关.      

暗条电流演化和耀斑储能

利用紫金山天文台观测的编号为McMath8207和McMath16171两个活动区光学资料,采用KR和KS两种理论模型,计算了活动区暗条电流演化过程.结果表明:不同的暗条扰动可以导致不同类型的耀斑;出现在强活动区新浮磁流附近的拱状暗条可用KR模型描述,它们往往处于较低层次,具有较强的初始电流,在新浮磁流的挤压和剪切作用下可形成中性电流片,导致高能耀斑发生.而符合KS模型的宁静暗条,在新浮磁流或耀斑波作用下亦可被激活,但其初始电流较弱,往往只能为热耀斑提供能量.      

非热电子束流在耀斑环中能量的沉积

本文计算了非热电子束流通过库仑碰撞和反向电流过程在均匀截面的耀斑环中的能量沉积,讨论了非热电子束流对耀斑软X射线等离子体的加热和耀斑非热模型的能量收支平衡问题。      

磁尾等离子体团型结构的数值模拟

考虑横越磁尾不同区域的数密度与离子温度的分布特点,取宁静磁尾温度、密度呈同样形态的非均匀分布,作为模拟计算的初态,对初始By为不同分布的3个算例作模拟计算．数值结果展示了3类磁结构的演化特征．考察磁尾中性片一个给定点的磁场变化,做出3个算例典型事件的磁场矢端图．它们从另一个侧面展示了磁尾通量绳型等离子体团、具有复杂闭合磁力线位形类似于“闭合环”的等离子体团,以及二维“磁岛”型等离子体团的特点．观测表明,多数磁尾等离子体团为具有强核心场的通量绳结构．通过跟踪一个通量绳型等离子体团的发展,作出等离子体团各方向速度与磁场强度随x演化的曲线．其中,vx与磁场强度|B|在近尾至中尾的计算值与Geotail卫星资料统计分析结果大致相符．此外,与Jin等取初始温度为均匀分布的计算结果相比,本文给出的通量绳型等离子体团,其内温度较高、密度较低,与资料分析结果的偏离也随之减小．     

1980年11月6日—7日耀斑后冕拱的激活机制

1980年11月6日耀斑后冕拱(Post-flare coronal arch)在母耀斑(AR2779)开始后3小时形成, 并在形成后11小时和25小时两次激活。两次激活均由双带耀斑的增长环系所致。本文提出了激波加热和Petschek重连是该冕拱有效的激活机制。导出并求解了考虑辐射损失、热传导、激波加热和Petschek重连加热的冕拱能量方程。理论计算结果与Svestka根据SMM空间资料所给出的该冕拱的激活曲线基本符合。      

太阳微波射电快速精细结构亚类型的观测分析

通过分析"云南天文台4波段太阳射电快速同步观测系统"1990-01-1994－01取得的103个射电爆发,发现其中29个存在不同类型的快速精细结构（FFS）.尤其是发现了几个少见的亚类FFS现象.本文仅介绍两个亚类型:窄带变周期脉动和宽带慢漂移长周期脉动.这些现象表明太阳射电FFS的多样性,它们发生在射电爆发的不同阶段（耀斑不同相）,从而说明在耀斑演化中日冕非热电子的加速或注入可能贯穿于整个耀斑发展过程.由于耀斑后相FFS的发生,可验证耀斑后相存在磁重联和似环结构（耀斑后环）的重新形成.由于不同的亚类FFS反映日冕中存奇特别的环境条件,从而推测日冕中可能存在更复杂的多重类型的磁结构.      

各向异性等离子体多重电流片的演化

应用二维三维量磁流体动力学方程组模拟，数值研究了压力各向异性等离子体周期多重电流片的演化，发现在β＜＜1时，微弱的各向异性仅仅使电流片中磁场重联的速度加快，而当β≈1（即热压与磁压相当时，微弱的垂直各向异性不仅大大加速了磁场重联的速度，还使重联位置发生显著变化。初始反对称的磁场重联位形逐步转化为对称的磁场位形，进而再演化为与初始反相的反对称磁场位形，场向各向异性和强的垂直各向异性都导致不稳定性增长率成倍增加。但在场各向异下磁场位形基本不变，只在电流片中心出现不规则扰动，同样参数下向向异性等离子体多重电流片中磁场重联形成的磁岛比各向同性多层电流要小。     

Energy requirement of magnetic reconnection during magnetospheric substorms

Methods are discussed to estimate energy transfer from the solar wind to the magnetosphere during substorm growth phases. Observational and modeling constraints are then used to assess quantitatively the total amount of energy stored in the magnetotail. The major avenues of energy dissipation are examined and the energy that is released in the form of plasma sheet heating, ionospheric Joule heating, plasmoids, and energetic particle production during substorms is assessed. Energy sources are evaluated to drive substorm evolution in a particularly well-observed case: stored tail-lobe energy is sufficient to drive observed substorm dissipation processes (by large margins). On the other hand, energy in the closed field lines of the plasma sheet is insufficient to supply the substorm energy. Hence, magnetic reconnection is required on energy grounds during well-observed substorm cases.     

Dynamics and evolution of the post-flare loops of June 1992

Observations in X-rays (Yohkoh/SXT) and in H of a system of post-flare loops which developed after a flare on 25 June 1992 provide a unique set of data for a study of the relationship between the hot and cool post-flare loops as they evolve. Through a study of the magnetic configuration in which the flare occurred, we are able to reconstruct the true, 3D geometry of the loops. We derive the bulk-flow velocities along the loop as a function of height using Doppler velocities and the results from the loop reconstruction. We also provide a set of relative altitude data. These results are used to check the validity of the reconnection model in the frame of the cooling time needed to cool X-ray loops to H temperature.     

Proton versus electron heating in solar flares

Proton and electron heating of a flaring atmosphere is compared in a kinetic approach for the particles ejected from a non-neutral reconnecting current sheet (RCS) located above the top of reconnected flaring loops in a two-ribbon flare. Two kinds of high-energy particles are considered: particles accelerated by a super-Dreicer electric field and those ejected from the reconnection region as neutral outflows, or separatrix jets. The beam electrons are assumed to deposit their energy in Coulomb collisions and Ohmic heating of the ambient plasma particles by the electric field induced by the precipitating beams. The protons are assumed to deposit their energy in generation of kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs), which, in turn, dissipate due to Cherenkov resonant scattering on the ambient plasma electrons. The beam electrons are found to provide a fast (within a few tenth of a second) heating of the atmosphere that is well spread in depth from the corona to the lower chromosphere. The protons are shown to precipitate to the lower atmosphere much slower (up to few seconds for beam and up to 10–20 s for slow jets). Slow jet protons provide heating of the two compact regions: the first located at the top of a flaring loop just below the RCS, and the second one appearing at the transition region (TR) and upper chromosphere; fast beam protons deposit their energy in the TR and chromosphere only.     

Numerical study of magnetic reconnection possibly occurring near heliospheric current sheet

The third-order accurate upwind compact difference scheme has been applied for the numerical study of the magnetic reconnection driven by a plasma blob impacting the heliospheric current sheet, under the framework of the two-dimensional compressible magnetohydrodynamics. The results show that the driven reconnection near the current sheet could occur in about 10–30 min for the interplanetary high magnetic Reynolds number, R_M = 2000–10,000, a stable magnetic reconnection structure can be formed in hour order of magnitude, and there appear some basic properties such as the multiple X-line reconnections, vortex structures, filament current systems, splitting and collapse of the high-density plasma blob. These results are helpful in understanding and identifying the magnetic reconnection phenomena possibly occurring near the heliospheric current sheets.     

Imaging of reconnection processes in hard X-rays

The Hard X-ray Spectrometer aboard the SMM detected several events of energy release late in the development of two-ribbon flares. One such event, at 21:12 UT on 21 May, 1980 (～ 20 min after the flare onset and 15 min after the peak of the impulsive phase) is studied in detail. The site of new brightening first became visible in hard X-rays (> 22 keV) and only afterwards showed up at lower energies. It was clearly located high in the corona so that one can identify it with energy release at the tops of newly formed post-flare loops. Thus, if the Kopp and Pneuman model of the loop formation is adopted, we may have imaged here a reconnection process in the solar corona. An attempt is made to estimate physical parameters at the reconnection site.     

Multi-point observations of earthward fast flow in the plasma sheet by virtual satellites located in the MHD simulation domain

Time profiles of some physical values in earthward fast flows in the plasma sheet are observed at three dimensionally different positions by employing virtual satellites located in the three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulation domain, and these simulations are done on the basis of the spontaneous fast reconnection model. In the spontaneous fast reconnection evolution, the width of the flow channel is narrow in the dawn-dusk direction, and it does not spread until the plasma collides with the magnetic loop. The enhancements in B_z and V_x are larger at the center of the fast flow channel than those at its dawn and dusk edges, reflecting the differences in the reconnection rate in the diffusion region. The enhancement in V_x is shorter near the plasma sheet boundary layer than that near the neutral sheet, reflecting the changes in the thickness of the flow channel.     

Plasma flow in the near and distant geomagnetic tail

Measurements of the bulk flow of plasma in the outer magnetosphere were first made a little over a decade ago with Los Alamos instruments on the Vela satellites. During the intervening years, as flow measurements have been made with improved instruments and by other satellites they have come to play a crucial role in the development of our understanding of the structure and dynamics of the magnetosphere. For example, they were the means of discovery of the magnetosphere's boundary layer and of plasma vortices within the plasma sheet. They were the essential ingredient in the identification of signatures of magnetic reconnection at the magnetopause. And they were indispensible in clarifying the complex phenomena in the magnetotail accompanying substorms and in showing that these phenomena are consistent with a substorm model involving magnetic reconnection at a near-earth neutral line. Most recently, magnetotail plasma flow measurements by the ISEE-3 satellite at distances as great as 230 R_E have been instrumental in fixing the average location of the “distant” neutral line at ～ 60 to 120 R_E and in identifying plasmoids (i.e., severed sections of the plasma sheet), released during substorms and escaping down-tail. This paper reviews the features of magnetotail plasma flow, describes the most recent observations, and discusses their implications for magnetospheric physics.     

Do we understand the inner magnetotail dynamics during substorms?

Substorm evolution of the near-Earth (|X|<15 R_E) plasma sheet has been emphasized recently because the inner tail is thought to link closely to the substorm auroral activity in the ionosphere during the early stage of substorms. In this paper, we discuss how the inner tail substorm phenomena during the late substorm growth phase and early expansion phase are accounted for by the two prevailing substorm models, namely, the near-Earth neutral line model and the current disruption model. We find that the late growth phase features are more satisfactorily accounted for by the current disruption model than by the near-Earth neutral line model. In addition, detailed observations on current disruption show evidence inconsistent with the proposed idea of dipolarization being due to plasma flow braking from reconnection in the mid-tail region, which poses a difficulty to the near-Earth neutral line model as well.     

Dynamical magnetic reconnection in Parker''s coronal heating model

The excitation (flares, ejections, heating, …) of the corona can be understood in terms of the dynamics of the confectively driven magnetized plasma. In particular, anomalous ohmic heating may be a consequence of the formation and rapid dissipation of small-scale magnetic fields in the corona. We have performed numerical simulations of the loop heating model proposed by Parker (1972, 1994), and have studied its dynamics and global power balance in order to assess its viability as a coronal heating candidate, with promising results. Our results suggest the following view of the small-scale dynamics of coronal loops. First of all, photospheric granular motions quasi-statically twist the magnetic field of the corona in a random-walk fashion. In topologically closed structures, the perpendicular magnetic energy increases, causing magnetic shear to build up at the quasi-separatrices of the resulting close-packed magnetic flux tubes. At some point, the boundary driving causes this stressed configuration to cross the threshold of an ideal time-scale MHD instability (possibly magnetic coalescence or resistive tearing) or a point of nonequilibrium and the field lines pinch toward a small-scale sheared configuration. It then becomes energetically favorable for dynamic reconnection to occur, producing narrow current sheets and an Ohmic heating rate sufficient to balance the input Poynting flux.     

The magnetohydrodynamic development of two-ribbon flares or a five-finger theory for solar flares

A semi-analytical model for the electrodynamic development of two-ribbon flares is presented. A current filament above a bipolar active region starts rising according to the model of Van Tend and Kuperus. Due to this motion large induced electric fields arise at a magnetic neutral line far below the filament, resulting in and associated with magnetic reconnection and the formation of a current sheet. The interaction of this current sheet with the original current filament, the background magnetic field and the boundary layer of the photosphere determine the further electrodynamic development of the flare. The model predicts the energy release, the time of maximum, the height of the energy source and other quantities reasonably well.