Formation Conditions and Energetics of Solar Nanoflares

Abstract

The energy potential of solar nanoflares is estimated with a new approach proposed by the author. This approach is based on the drift mechanism for the formation of a dense loop structure in the magnetic field of a bipolar source. The densification process is assumed to proceed until the appearance of unmagnetized protons. These protons produce a current that heats the loop structure. The presence of bipolar sources is associated with local amplification of the background magnetic field by mesogranulation cells. The calculations conducted with the proposed model, which take into account observational data, yield a nanoflare energy range of 1024–1026 erg. The same estimates are obtained from the observed emission of nanoflare radiation. This fact is evidence, on the one hand, that the proposed model is adequate to the given process and, on the other hand, that there are no significant fluxes of the energy of this process as thermal conductivity and nonthermal particle beams. This situation is characterized by a maximum possible nanoflare energy release at a level of ≈1027 erg during the mesogranule lifetime (≈104 s), which yields an intensity of the energy flux of ≈105 erg/s cm2. This flux is insufficient to heat even the quiet regions of solar corona.