Abstract
We have studied the radiative stability of thermally isolated coronal loops with free-flow boundary conditions by nonlinear numerical simulation. We first establish a chromosphere-to-corona loop equilibrium (including the option of a deep chromosphere) by following the nonlinear evolution from an initial isothermal state with rigid boundaries. We then change the end conditions, to allow free flow and to fix the temperature, and investigate the response to non-isobaric perturbations. Within a family of loops of the same pressure, we find long hot loops to be stable and short cool loops to be unstable to the thermal chromosphericexpansion mode. The stable cases remain so, even when long chromospheric ends and/or gravity are added. In those cases which are unstable, we follow the subsequent nonlinear evolution which exhibits swelling of the chromosphere until the entire loop becomes cool and dense.
Published Version
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