Energy Origination and Triggering Mechanism of a Series of Homologous Confined Flares

Abstract

Abstract Using the Hα data from the New Vacuum Solar Telescope at the Fuxian Solar Observatory together with multiwavelength images and magnetograms obtained by the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we study the detailed process of three homologous confined flares in active region NOAA 11861 on 2013 October 12. All of the three flares occurred at the same location, with similar morphologies and comparable classes. Through analyzing the evolution of magnetic field and flow field, we found an emergence of magnetic flux and a strong shearing motion between two opposite polarities near the following sunspot. The magnetic flux and the average transverse field strength exhibited a decrease before each eruption and reached the lowest point at the onset of each eruption. By calculating the shearing and the emergence energy in the photosphere, we found that the integral of energy injected from the photosphere, for a few hours, could provide enough energy for the flares. The reconnection between different loops was observed in Hα images during the occurrence of each flare. These results suggest that the emerging magnetic flux and the shearing motion in the photosphere can inject the energy to the sheared magnetic loops and the energy was finally released via magnetic reconnection to power the solar flares.