Negative Helicity Research Articles

Multiwavelength Study of a Solar Eruption from AR NOAA 11112 I. Flux Emergence, Sunspot Rotation and Triggering of a Solar Flare

We analyse the multiwavelength observations of an M2.9/1N flare that occurred in the active region (AR) NOAA 11112 in the vicinity of a huge filament system on 16 October 2010. SDO/HMI magnetograms reveal the emergence of a bipole (within the existing AR) 50 hours prior to the flare event. During the emergence, both the positive and negative sunspots in the bipole show translational as well as rotational motion. The positive polarity sunspot shows the significant motion/rotation in the south-westward/clockwise direction and continuously pushing/sliding the surrounding opposite polarity field region. On the other hand, the negative polarity sunspot moves/rotates in the westward/anticlockwise direction. The positive polarity sunspot rotates ~70 deg. within 30 hours, whereas negative polarity ~20 deg. within 10 hours. SDO/AIA 94 {\AA} EUV images show the emergence of a flux tube in the corona consistent with the emergence of the bipole in HMI. A high speed plasmoid ejection (speed~1197 km/s) was observed during the flare impulsive phase, which suggests the magnetic reconnection of the emerged positive polarity sunspot with the surrounding opposite polarity field region. The entire AR shows the positive helicity injection before the flare event. Moreover, the newly emerging bipole reveal the signature of negative (left-handed) helicity. These observations provide the unique evidences of the emergence of twisted flux tube from below the photosphere to coronal heights triggering a flare mainly due to the interaction between the emerged positive polarity sunspot and a nearby negative polarity sunspot by the shearing motion of the emerging positive sunspot towards the negative one. Our observations also strongly support the idea that the rotation is most likely attributed to the emergence of twisted magnetic fields, as proposed by recent models.

LARGE-SCALE MAGNETIC HELICITY FLUXES ESTIMATED FROM MDI MAGNETIC SYNOPTIC CHARTS OVER THE SOLAR CYCLE 23

To investigate the characteristics of large-scale and long-term evolution of magnetic helicity with solar cycles, we use the method of Local Correlation Tracking to estimate the magnetic helicity evolution over solar cycle 23 from 1996 to 2009 using 795 MDI magnetic synoptic charts. The main results are as follows: the hemispheric helicity rule still holds in general, i.e., the large-scale negative (positive) magnetic helicity dominates the northern (southern) hemisphere. However, the large-scale magnetic helicity fluxes show the same sign in both hemispheres around 2001 and 2005. The global, large-scale magnetic helicity flux over the solar disk changes from a negative value at the beginning of solar cycle 23 to a positive value at the end of the cycle, while the net accumulated magnetic helicity is negative in the period between 1996 and 2009.

Large scale magnetic helicity fluxes estimated from MDI magnetic synoptic charts

AbstractTo investigate the characteristics of large scale and long term evolution of magnetic helicity with solar cycles, we use the method of Local Correlation Tracking (LCT) to estimate the magnetic helicity evolution over the 23rd solar cycle from 1996 to 2009 by using 795 MDI magnetic synoptic charts. The main results are: the hemispheric helicity rule still holds in general, i.e. the large-scale negative (positive) magnetic helicity dominates the northern (southern) hemisphere. However, the large scale magnetic helicity fluxes show the same sign in both hemispheres around 2001 and 2005. The global, large scale magnetic helicity flux over the solar disk changes from negative value at the beginning of the 23rd solar cycle to positive value at the end of the cycle, which also shows the similar trend from the normalized magnetic flux by using the magnetic flux. The net accumulated magnetic helicity is negative in the period between 1996 and 2009.

Determination of absolute chirality using resonant X-ray diffraction

We have demonstrated that resonant diffraction experiments using the circularly polarized X-ray beam absolutely determines the crystal chirality. Both berlinite and quartz crystals belonging to space group P3221 show higher azimuth-constant intensity for the negative (−) helicity beam than that for the the positive (+) helicity beam for space-group forbidden reflection 001. The relation is opposite for quartz crystal belonging to space group P3121. Theoretical calculation shows that this relation completely agrees with the experimental findings for the enantiomorphic space-group pair P3121 and P3221. This method is applicable to chiral motifs that occur in biomolecules, liquid crystals, ferroelectrics, and multiferroics, etc.

Cosmological 3-point correlators from holography

We investigate the non-Gaussianity of primordial cosmological perturbations using holographic methods.In particular, we derive holographic formulae that relate all cosmological 3-point correlation functions, including both scalar and tensor perturbations, to stress-energy correlation functions of a holographically dual three-dimensional quantum field theory. These results apply to general single scalar inflationary universes that at late times approach either de Sitter spacetime or accelerating power-law cosmologies. We further show that in Einstein gravity all 3-point functions involving tensors may be obtained from correlators containing only positive helicity gravitons, with the ratios of these to the correlators involving one negative helicity graviton being given by universal functions of momenta, irrespectively of the potential of the scalar field.As a by-product of this investigation, we obtain holographic formulae for the full 3-point function of the stress-energy tensor along general holographic RG flows. These results should have applications in a wider holographic context.

Magnetic helicity balance during a filament eruption that occurred in active region NOAA 9682

Context. Photospheric shear plasma flows in active regions may be responsible for the magnetic helicity injection in the solar corona not only during the energy storage process before a solar eruption, but also during and after the release of the free magnetic energy caused by the eruption. Indeed, after a filament eruption or expansion the magnetic torque imbalance can induce shear flows that can be responsible for yet another injection of magnetic helicity into the corona.Aims. We investigated the magnetic helicity balance in an active region where a confined solar eruption occurred. This was done to verify a possible relationship between the filament expansion and the helicity transport at its footpoints. We aimed to verify if this variation in the helicity transport rate could be interpreted as a consequence of the magnetic torque imbalance caused by the tube expansion, as proposed by Chae et al. (2003, J. Kor. Astron. Soc., 36, 33). Methods. We used 171ATRACE data to measure some geometrical parameters of the new magnetic system produced by a filament eruption that occurred on 2001 November 1 in active region NOAA 9682. We used MDI full disk line-of-sight magnetogram data to measure the accumulation of magnetic helicity in the corona before and after the event. Results. From the measured expansion factor in the magnetic arcade, visible at 171 Aduring the eruption, we estimated that the resulting torque imbalance at the photosphere ought to lead to the injection of negative helicity following the eruption. We compared this with measurements of the helicity injection using photospheric velocity and magnetogram data.Conclusions. In contradiction to the expectations from the Chae et al. model, the helicity injection after the eruption was positive. We offer the alternative interpretation that the helicity injection resulted from torque of the opposite sign, generated as the filament lost its negative helicity through magnetic reconnection with its surroundings.

A manifestly MHV Lagrangian for $ \mathcal{N} = 4 $ Yang-Mills

We derive a manifestly MHV Lagrangian for the N=4 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in light-cone superspace. This is achieved by constructing a canonical redefinition which maps the N=4 superfield and its conjugate to a new pair of superfields. In terms of these new superfields the N=4 Lagrangian takes a (non-polynomial) manifestly MHV form, containing vertices involving two superfields of negative helicity and an arbitrary number of superfields of positive helicity. We also discuss constraints satisfied by the new superfields, which ensure that they describe the correct degrees of freedom in the N=4 supermultiplet. We test our derivation by showing that an expansion of our superspace Lagrangian in component fields reproduces the correct gluon MHV vertices.

Effect of helical edge states on the tunneling conductance in ferromagnet/noncentrosymmetric superconductor junction

Helical edge states exist in the mixed spin-singlet and spin-triplet phase of a noncentrosymmetric (NCS) superconductor. In this article we have considered a planar ferromagnetic metal/NCS superconductor tunnel junction and have studied the effect of these helical edge states which manifests itself through the charge and spin tunneling conductance across the junction. We have shown the behavior of conductances for the entire range of variation of $\gamma = \Delta_-/\Delta_+$ where $\Delta_\pm$ are the order parameters in the positive and negative helicity bands of the NCS superconductor.There exists a competition between the Rashba parameter $\alpha$ and the exchange energy $E_{ex}$ which is crucial for determining the variation of the conductance with the applied bias voltage across the junction. We have found a nonzero spin current across the junction which appears due to the exchange energy in the Ferromagnet and modulates with the bias voltage. It also changes its profile when the strength of the exchange energy is varied.

Interaction of rac-[M(diimine)3]2+ (M = Co, Ni) complexes with CT DNA: role of 5,6-dmp ligand on DNA binding and cleavage and cytotoxicity

The complexes [Co(diimine)(3)](ClO(4))(2)1-3 and [Ni(diimine)(3)](ClO(4))(2)4-6, where diimine = 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) (1,4), 5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (5,6-dmp) (2,5) and dipyrido[3,2-d:2',3'-f]quinoxaline (dpq) (3,6), have been isolated, characterized and their interaction with CT DNA studied by using a host of physical methods. The X-ray crystal structures of rac-[Co(5,6-dmp)(3)](ClO(4))(2)2 and rac-[Ni(5,6-dmp)(3)](ClO(4))(2)5 have been determined and the isostructural and also isomorphous complex cations possess distorted octahedral coordination geometries. The absorption spectral titrations of the complexes with DNA reveal that the CT DNA binding affinity (K(b)) of the complexes varies as 3>2>1; 6>5>4. The Ni(II) complexes display DNA binding stronger than the corresponding Co(II) analogues, which is expected of their bigger sizes. The higher DNA binding affinity of 3 and 6 is due to the involvement in partial insertion of the extended phen ring in between the DNA base pairs. In contrast, 2 and 5 interact with DNA in the major groove through hydrophobic forces involving the methyl groups on the 5,6 positions of phen ring. An enhancement in relative viscosities of DNA upon binding to 1-6 is consistent with the DNA binding affinities. The CD spectral studies show only an induced CD band on the characteristic positive band of CT DNA for both the phen (1,4) complexes. In contrast, the 5,6-dmp (2,5) and dpq (3,6) complexes bound to CT DNA exhibit biphasic CD signals in place of the positive CD band and the negative helicity band disappears. This reveals that the complexes bind to DNA enantiopreferentially and effect changes in secondary structure of DNA. The CV and DPV responses indicate that the DNA-bound dpq complexes are stabilized in the lower oxidation state of Co(II) more than in the Co(III) oxidation state. The prominent DNA cleavage abilities of 1-3 observed in the presence of H(2)O(2) (200 μM) follows the order 2>1>3 with efficiencies of more than 90% even at 10 μM complex concentration. Interestingly, Ni(II) complexes 4-6 exhibit higher cytotoxicity (IC(50): 1, 28.0; 2, 15.0; 3, 20.0; 4, 8.0; 5, 2.0; 6, 2.0 μM at 48 h; IC(50): 1, 30.0; 2, 20.0; 3, 25.0; 4, 10.0; 5, 3.0; 6, 3.0 μM at 24 h) against human breast cancer (MCF 7) cell lines than the Co(II) complexes 1-3 as well as cisplatin in spite of their inability to cleave DNA. Also, the 5,6-dmp complex 5 shows cytotoxicity higher than the dpq complex 6 at 24 h incubation time and both 5 and 6 display apoptotic and necrotic modes of cell death.

Reversible Mutarotation in a Macrocyclic Ytterbium Complex

M40 is a four-fold symmetry macrocyclic ligand endowed with axial and central chiral elements, all of R configuration. It promptly binds late lanthanides (Yb(III) and Lu(III) ) yielding a negative helicity, as witnessed by NIR-electronic circular dichroism. In the course of a few hours, a new conformation of the complex takes over, which has opposite helicity and allows for a dynamic free-bound equilibrium. Upon slow solvent evaporation, the original conformation is retrieved and the whole dynamic process can be started again, as in a sandclock, allowing one to envisage applications as a time-marker chiral switch.

On radiation-zone dynamos

AbstractIt is shown that the magnetic current-driven (‘kink-type’) instability produces flow and field patterns with helicity and even with α-effect but only if the magnetic background field possesses non-vanishing current helicity B⋅ curl B by itself. Fields with positive large-scale current helicity lead to negative small-scale kinetic helicity. The resulting α-effect is positive. These results are very strict for cylindric setups without z-dependence of the background fields. The sign rules also hold for the more complicated cases in spheres where the toroidal fields are the result of the action of differential rotation (induced from fossil poloidal fields) at least for the case that the global rotation is switched off after the onset of the instability.

TIME EVOLUTION OF CORONAL MAGNETIC HELICITY IN THE FLARING ACTIVE REGION NOAA 10930

To study the three-dimensional (3D) magnetic field topology and its long-term evolution associated with the X3.4 flare of 2006 December 13, we investigate the coronal relative magnetic helicity in the flaring active region (AR) NOAA 10930 during the time period of December 8-14. The coronal helicity is calculated based on the 3D nonlinear force-free magnetic fields reconstructed by the weighted optimization method of Wiegelmann, and is compared with the amount of helicity injected through the photospheric surface of the AR. The helicity injection is determined from the magnetic helicity flux density proposed by Pariat et al. using Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms. The major findings of this study are the following. (1) The time profile of the coronal helicity shows a good correlation with that of the helicity accumulation by injection through the surface. (2) The coronal helicity of the AR is estimated to be -4.3$\times$10$^{43}$ Mx$^{2}$ just before the X3.4 flare. (3) This flare is preceded not only by a large increase of negative helicity, -3.2$\times$10$^{43}$ Mx$^{2}$, in the corona over ~1.5 days but also by noticeable injections of positive helicity though the photospheric surface around the flaring magnetic polarity inversion line during the time period of the channel structure development. We conjecture that the occurrence of the X3.4 flare is involved with the positive helicity injection into an existing system of negative helicity.

A HEMISPHERIC HELICITY SIGN RULE INDICATED BY LARGE-SCALE PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC FIELDS AT THREE PHASES OF SOLAR CYCLE 23

The hemispheric sign rule of current helicity is examined for large-scale magnetic fields, extending to 60° high in solar latitudes, at three different phases of solar cycle 23 and using three different instruments. The current helicity is calculated from the vector magnetic fields derived respectively from the longitudinal full-disk magnetograms obtained by the Michelson Doppler Imager on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory as well as the Kitt Peak Vacuum Telescope and the Synoptic Long-term Investigations of the Sun at the National Solar Observatory at Kitt Peak. We have used the same technique introduced by Pevtsov & Latushko to retrieve the vector magnetic field but have applied a different method to calculate the current helicity. Our analysis strengthens evidence that the large-scale magnetic fields show a clear and consistent current helicity pattern that follows the established hemispheric rule, that is, a positive helicity sign in the southern hemisphere and a negative helicity sign in the northern hemisphere. This hemispheric sign pattern is present everywhere in the global magnetic field, extending to 60° high in solar latitudes, independent of the instruments and parameters used, and is evident at both solar maximum and minimum phases.

OSCILLATORY MIGRATING MAGNETIC FIELDS IN HELICAL TURBULENCE IN SPHERICAL DOMAINS

We present direct numerical simulations of the equations of compressible magnetohydrodynamics in a wedge-shaped spherical shell, without shear, but with random helical forcing which has negative (positive) helicity in the northern (southern) hemisphere. We find a large-scale magnetic field that is nearly uniform in the azimuthal direction and approximately antisymmetric about the equator. Furthermore, the large-scale field in each hemisphere oscillates on nearly dynamical time scales with reversals of polarity and equatorward migration. Corresponding mean-field models also show similar migratory oscillations with a frequency that is nearly independent of the magnetic Reynolds number. This mechanism may be relevant for understanding equatorward migration seen in the solar dynamo.

Dynamo coefficients from the Tayler instability

AbstractCurrent-driven instabilities in stellar radiation zones, to which we refer as Tayler instabilities, can lead to complex nonlinear evolutions. It is of fundamental interest whether magnetically driven turbulence can lead to dynamo action in these radiative zones. We investigate initial-value simulations in a 3D spherical shell including differential rotation. The Tayler instability is connected with a very weak kinetic helicity, stronger current helicity, and a positive αφφ in the northern hemisphere. The amplitudes are small compared to the effect of the tangential cylinder producing an eddy with negative kinetic helicity and negative αφφ in the northern hemisphere. The αφφ from the Tayler instability reaches about 1% of the rms velocity.

Strong magnetohydrodynamic turbulence with cross helicity

Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) provides the simplest description of magnetic plasma turbulence in a variety of astrophysical and laboratory systems. MHD turbulence with nonzero cross helicity is often called imbalanced, as it implies that the energies of Alfvén fluctuations propagating parallel and antiparallel the background field are not equal. Recent analytical and numerical studies have revealed that at every scale, MHD turbulence consists of regions of positive and negative cross helicity, indicating that such turbulence is inherently locally imbalanced. In this paper, results from high resolution numerical simulations of steady-state incompressible MHD turbulence, with and without cross helicity are presented. It is argued that the inertial range scaling of the energy spectra (E±) of fluctuations moving in opposite directions is independent of the amount of cross helicity. When cross helicity is nonzero, E+ and E− maintain the same scaling, but have differing amplitudes depending on the amount of cross helicity.

COEXISTING FLUX ROPE AND DIPPED ARCADE SECTIONS ALONG ONE SOLAR FILAMENT

We compute the three-dimensional magnetic field of an active region in order to study the magnetic configuration of active region filaments. The nonlinear force-free field model is adopted to compute the magnetic field above the photosphere, where the vector magnetic field was observed by THEMIS/MTR on 2005 May 27. We propose a new method to remove the 180 ◦ ambiguity of the transverse field. Next, we analyze the implications of the preprocessing of the data by minimizing the total force and torque in the observed vector fields. This step provides a consistent bottom boundary condition for the nonlinear force-free field model. Then, using the optimization method to compute the coronal field, we find a magnetic flux rope along the polarity inversion line. The magnetic flux rope aligns well with part of an Hα filament, while the total distribution of the magnetic dips coincides with the whole Hα filament. This implies that the magnetic field structure in one section of the filament is a flux rope, while the other is a sheared arcade. The arcade induced a left-bearing filament in the magnetic field of negative helicity, which is opposite to the chirality of barbs that a flux rope would induce in a magnetic field of the same helicity sign. The field strength in the center of the flux rope is about 700 G, and the twist of the field lines is ∼1.4 turns.

A duality for the S matrix

We propose a dual formulation for the S Matrix of N = 4 SYM. The dual provides a basis for the "leading singularities" of scattering amplitudes to all orders in perturbation theory, which are sharply defined, IR safe data that uniquely determine the full amplitudes at tree level and 1-loop, and are conjectured to do so at all loop orders. The scattering amplitude for n particles in the sector with k negative helicity gluons is associated with a simple integral over the space of k planes in n dimensions, with the action of parity and cyclic symmetries manifest. The residues of the integrand compute a basis for the leading singularities. A given leading singularity is associated with a particular choice of integration contour, which we explicitly identify at tree level and 1-loop for all NMHV amplitudes as well as the 8 particle NNMHV amplitude. We also identify a number of 2-loop leading singularities for up to 8 particles. There are a large number of relations among residues which follow from the multi-variable generalization of Cauchy's theorem known as the "global residue theorem". These relations imply highly non-trivial identities guaranteeing the equivalence of many different representations of the same amplitude. They also enforce the cancellation of non-local poles as well as consistent infrared structure at loop level. Our conjecture connects the physics of scattering amplitudes to a particular subvariety in a Grassmannian; space-time locality is reflected in the topological properties of this space.

One-loop Higgs plus four gluon amplitudes: full analytic results

We consider one-loop amplitudes of a Higgs boson coupled to gluons in the limit of a large top quark mass. We treat the Higgs as the real part of a complex field phi that couples to the self-dual field strengths and compute the one-loop corrections to the phi-NMHV amplitude, which contains one gluon of positive helicity whilst the remaining three have negative helicity. We use four-dimensional unitarity to construct the cut-containing contributions and a hybrid of Feynman diagram and recursive based techniques to determine the rational piece. Knowledge of the phi-NMHV contribution completes the analytic calculation of the Higgs plus four gluon amplitude. For completeness we also include expressions for the remaining helicity configurations which have been calculated elsewhere. These amplitudes are relevant for Higgs plus jet production via gluon fusion in the limit where the top quark is large compared to all other scales in the problem.

Gravity, Twistors and the MHV Formalism

We give a self-contained derivation of the MHV amplitudes for gravity and use the associated twistor generating function to define a twistor action for the MHV diagram approach to gravity. Starting from a background field calculation on a spacetime with anti self-dual curvature, we obtain a simple spacetime formula for the scattering of a single, positive helicity linearized graviton into one of negative helicity. Re-expressing our integral in terms of twistor data allows us to consider a spacetime that is asymptotic to a superposition of plane waves. Expanding these out perturbatively yields the gravitational MHV amplitudes of Berends, Giele & Kuijf. We go on to take the twistor generating function off-shell at the perturbative level. Combining this with a twistor action for the anti self-dual background, we obtain a twistor action for the MHV diagram approach to perturbative gravity. We finish by extending these results to supergravity, in particular N=4 and N=8.