Twisted Flux Tube 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.

Chromospheric Running Wave from a Solar Cyclone Produced through the Emergence of a Twisted Magnetic Flux Tube

Abstract An innovative solar observing satellite, Hinode, has successfully observed the detailed evolution of an emerging magnetic field, starting from its appearance at the solar surface, to forming a developed bipolar region. The high spatial and temporal resolutions provided by the satellite has enabled us to capture prominent dynamic phenomena caused by the emerging magnetic field, such as a running wave in a chromospheric layer and the rotation of a magnetic polarity region on the Sun, which is reminiscent of a cyclone on Earth. A possible mechanism for producing the chromospheric running wave spreading from a solar cyclone has been demonstrated with a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulation for the emergence of a twisted flux tube. The simulation shows that as the emergence proceeds, an arc-shaped region with enhanced plasma density propagates outwards from the site of emergence.

Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of kink waves in photospheric twisted flux tubes

We investigate conditions under which kink magnetohydrodynamic waves propagating along photospheric uniformly twisted flux tubes with axial mass flows become unstable as a consequence of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. We employed the dispersion relations of kink waves derived from the linearised magnetohydrodynamic equations. We assumed real wave numbers and complex angular wave frequencies, namely complex wave phase velocities. The dispersion relations were solved numerically at fixed input parameters and several mass flow velocities. We show that the stability of the waves depends upon four parameters, the density contrast between the flux tube and its environment, the ratio of the background magnetic fields in the two media, the twist of the magnetic field lines inside the tube, and the value of the Alfven-Mach number (the ratio of the jet velocity to Alfv\'en speed inside the flux tube). At certain densities and magnetic field twists, an instability of the Kelvin-Helmholtz type of kink (m = 1) mode can arise if the Alfven-Mach number exceeds a critical value. The observed mass flows may trigger the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of the kink (m = 1) mode in weakly twisted photospheric magnetic flux tubes at critical Alfven-Mach numbers lower that those in untwisted tubes if the magnetic field twist lies in the range 0.36--0.4 and the flow speed exceeds a critical value. A weak external magnetic field (with a ratio to the magnetic field inside the tube in the range 0.1--0.5) slightly increases that critical value.

PARTICLE-IN-CELL SIMULATION OF ELECTRON ACCELERATION IN SOLAR CORONAL JETS

We investigate electron acceleration resulting from 3D magnetic reconnection between an emerging, twisted magnetic flux rope and a pre-existing weak, open magnetic field. We first follow the rise of an unstable, twisted flux tube with a resistive MHD simulation where the numerical resolution is enhanced by using fixed mesh refinement. As in previous MHD investigations of similar situations, the rise of the flux tube into the pre-existing inclined coronal magnetic field results in the formation of a solar coronal jet. A snapshot of the MHD model is then used as an initial and boundary condition for a particle-in-cell simulation, using up to half a billion cells and over 20 billion charged particles. Particle acceleration occurs mainly in the reconnection current sheet, with accelerated electrons displaying a power law in the energy probability distribution with an index of around -1.5. The main acceleration mechanism is a systematic electric field, striving to maintaining the electric current in the current sheet against losses caused by electrons not being able to stay in the current sheet for more than a few seconds at a time.

A LABORATORY EXPERIMENT OF MAGNETIC RECONNECTION: OUTFLOWS, HEATING, AND WAVES IN CHROMOSPHERIC JETS

Hinode observations have revealed intermittent recurrent plasma ejections/jets in the chromosphere. These are interpreted as a result of non-perfectly anti-parallel magnetic reconnection, i.e. component reconnection, between a twisted magnetic flux tube and the pre-existing coronal/chromospheric magnetic field, though the fundamental physics of component reconnection is unrevealed. In this paper, we experimentally reproduced the magnetic configuration and investigated the dynamics of plasma ejections, heating and wave generation triggered by component reconnection in the chromosphere. We set plasma parameters as in the chromosphere (density 10^14 cm^-3, temperature 5-10 eV, i.e. (5-10)x10^4 K, and reconnection magnetic field 200 G) using argon plasma. Our experiment shows bi-directional outflows with the speed of 5 km/s at maximum, ion heating in the downstream area over 30 eV and magnetic fluctuations mainly at 5-10 us period. We succeeded in qualitatively reproducing chromospheric jets, but quantitatively we still have some differences between observations and experiments such as jet velocity, total energy and wave frequency. Some of them can be explained by the scale gap between solar and laboratory plasma, while the others probably by the difference of microscopy and macroscopy, collisionality and the degree of ionization, which have not been achieved in our experiment.

Observational evidence of unwinding and chirality changing in penumbral filaments by Hinode

AbstractIn this paper, we study twisting motions of the penumbral filaments of active region NOAA 10930. At first, they made unwinding motions. After unwinding, the filaments are found to twist again and developed the opposite chirality in them. These observational results indicate that penumbral filaments are more inclined to be the twisted magnetic flux tubes in nature.

Large-scale 3D MHD simulation on the solar flux emergence and the small-scale dynamic features in an active region

We have performed a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulation to study the emergence of a twisted magnetic flux tube from -20,000 km of the solar convection zone to the corona through the photosphere and the chromosphere. The middle part of the initial tube is endowed with a density deficit to instigate a buoyant emergence. As the tube approaches the surface, it extends horizontally and makes a flat magnetic structure due to the photosphere ahead of the tube. Further emergence to the corona breaks out via the interchange-mode instability of the photospheric fields, and eventually several magnetic domes build up above the surface. What is new in this three-dimensional experiment is, multiple separation events of the vertical magnetic elements are observed in the photospheric magnetogram, and they reflect the interchange instability. Separated elements are found to gather at the edges of the active region. These gathered elements then show shearing motions. These characteristics are highly reminiscent of active region observations. On the basis of the simulation results above, we propose a theoretical picture of the flux emergence and the formation of an active region that explains the observational features, such as multiple separations of faculae and the shearing motion.

About the magnetic origin of Chromospheric Spicules and Coronal Jets

Observations of jet- like phenomena near the solar limb are reported for a long time, first in H α (Secchi observations of spicules in the 1870 ies), and after, from eclipse high resolution coronal images taken in white-light (1920–1973) as spiky structures. EUV jets were reported in the 70 ies from rocket and space-borne CIV filtergrams and finally X-EUV jets were reported from SXT observations of Yohkoh and from EIT and CDS SoHO observations. There is now little doubt that they are of magnetic origin although no magnetic field measurements exist for these regions and thermo-dynamical models are still work out. New observations of both spicules and jets with the SOT/SXT of Hinode were subjected to an analysis showing the influence of the null point(s) of the magnetic field. The collective behavior of the H CaII SOT(Hinode) time sequences of processed with the Madmax operator images of limb spicules show the torsional effects which were partly suggested before from the interpretation of high resolution limb spectra taken on Russian coronagraphs and the VTT at SacPeak. 100 s and shorter period waves are recorded. We propose a reconnection process occurring at the top of an emerging twisted flux tube for explaining some peculiarities of the spicular eruptions and possibly, as a viable mechanism for explaining the SXR jet eruptions. The result of a numerical 3D modeling illustrates this erupting mechanism although the behavior of the magneto-plasma structure near a null point, as shown by coronal filtergrams, does not necessary imply reconnections, especially the case of jets making a long coronal ray we observed in white-light with Lasco C2.

EVOLUTION OF SPINNING AND BRAIDING HELICITY FLUXES IN SOLAR ACTIVE REGION NOAA 10930

The line-of-sight magnetograms from Solar Optical Telescope Narrowband Filter Imager observations of NOAA Active Region 10930 have been used to study the evolution of spinning and braiding helicities over a period of five days starting from 2006 December 9. The north (N) polarity sunspot was the follower and the south (S) polarity sunspot was the leader. The N-polarity sunspot in the active region was rotating in the counterclockwise direction. The rate of rotation was small during the first two days of observations and it increased up to 8 Degree-Sign hr{sup -1} on the third day of the observations. On the fourth and fifth days it remained at 4 Degree-Sign hr{sup -1} with small undulations in its magnitude. The sunspot rotated about 260 Degree-Sign in the last three days. The S-polarity sunspot did not complete more than 20 Degree-Sign in five days. However, it changed its direction of rotation five times over a period of five days and injected both the positive and negative type of spin helicity fluxes into the corona. Through the five days, both the positive and negative sunspot regions injected equal amounts of spin helicity. The total injected helicity is predominantly negative in sign. However, the signmore » of the spin and braiding helicity fluxes computed over all the regions were reversed from negative to positive five times during the five-day period of observations. The reversal in spinning helicity flux was found before the onset of the X3.4-class flare, too. Though, the rotating sunspot has been observed in this active region, the braiding helicity has contributed more to the total accumulated helicity than the spinning helicity. The accumulated helicity is in excess of -7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 43} Mx{sup 2} over a period of five days. Before the X3.4-class flare that occurred on 2006 December 13, the rotation speed and spin helicity flux increased in the S-polarity sunspot. Before the flare, the total injected helicity was larger than -6 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 43} Mx{sup 2}. The observed reversal in the sign of spinning and braiding helicity fluxes could be the signature of the emergence of a twisted flux tube, which acquires the writhe of an opposite sign. The magnetic cloud associated with the ejected mass has carried about -7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 41} Mx{sup 2} of helicity. A time integration of helicity flux of about 1.2 hr integrated backward in time of the observation of the coronal mass ejection is sufficient for this event.« less

A multiwavelength study of an M-class flare and the origin of an associated eruption from NOAA AR 11045

In this paper, we study multiwavelength observations of an M6.4 flare in Active Region NOAA 11045 on 7 February 2010. The space- and ground-based observations from STEREO, SoHO/MDI, EIT, and Nobeyama Radioheliograph were used for the study. This active region rapidly appeared at the north-eastern limb with an unusual emergence of a magnetic field. We find a unique observational signature of the magnetic field configuration at the flare site. Our observations show a change from dipolar to quadrapolar topology. This change in the magnetic field configuration results in its complexity and a build-up of the flare energy. We did not find any signature of magnetic flux cancellation during this process. We interpret the change in the magnetic field configuration as a consequence of the flux emergence and photospheric flows that have opposite vortices around the pair of opposite polarity spots. The negative-polarity spot rotating counterclockwise breaks the positive-polarity spot into two parts. The STEREO-A 195Å and STEREO-B 171Å coronal images during the flare reveal that a twisted flux tube expands and erupts resulting in a coronal mass ejection (CME). The formation of co-spatial bipolar radio contours at the same location also reveals the ongoing reconnection process above the flare site and thus the acceleration of non-thermal particles. The reconnection may also be responsible for the detachment of a ring-shaped twisted flux tube that further causes a CME eruption with a maximum speed of 446km/s in the outer corona.

Nonlinear Force-Free Extrapolation of Emerging Flux with a Global Twist and Serpentine Fine Structures

We study the flux emergence process in NOAA active region 11024, between 29 June and 7 July 2009, by means of multi-wavelength observations and nonlinear force-free extrapolation. The main aim is to extend previous investigations by combining, as much as possible, high spatial resolution observations to test our present understanding of small-scale (undulatory) flux emergence, whilst putting these small-scale events in the context of the global evolution of the active region. The combination of these techniques allows us to follow the whole process, from the first appearance of the bipolar axial field on the east limb, until the buoyancy instability could set in and raise the main body of the twisted flux tube through the photosphere, forming magnetic tongues and signatures of serpentine field, until the simplification of the magnetic structure into a main bipole by the time the active region reaches the west limb. At the crucial time of the main emergence phase high spatial resolution spectropolarimetric measurements of the photospheric field are employed to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of the nonlinear force-free coronal field, which is then used to test the current understanding of flux emergence processes. In particular, knowledge of the coronal connectivity confirms the identity of the magnetic tongues as seen in their photospheric signatures, and it exemplifies how the twisted flux, which is emerging on small scales in the form of a sea-serpent, is subsequently rearranged by reconnection into the large-scale field of the active region. In this way, the multi-wavelength observations combined with a nonlinear force-free extrapolation provide a coherent picture of the emergence process of small-scale magnetic bipoles, which subsequently reconnect to form a large-scale structure in the corona.

The Three-Dimensional Behavior of a Twisted Flux Tube Expanding in the Corona: Reconnection, Writhe, and Jets

We discuss some aspects of magnetic reconnection which could help in understanding many aspects of magnetic plasma interactions. We will show that the helical structure often observed in polar jets is a natural consequence of magnetic helicity conservation in 3D reconnection driven by a collision of two parts of an emerging flux tube within the single emerged loop. We perform 3D simulations by solving the time-dependent, ideal MHD equations with a uniform initial twist. We deduce that the emergence of highly twisted magnetic flux introduces several null points, which in turn causes reconnection between opposite directions of magnetic field within a single loop at nearest part and the release of the trapped twist in the form of a helical jet-like emission.

NUMERICAL EXPERIMENTS ON THE TWO-STEP EMERGENCE OF TWISTED MAGNETIC FLUX TUBES IN THE SUN

We present the new results of the two-dimensional numerical experiments on the cross-sectional evolution of a twisted magnetic flux tube rising from the deeper solar convection zone (-20,000 km) to the corona through the surface. The initial depth is ten times deeper than most of previous calculations focusing on the flux emergence from the uppermost convection zone. We find that the evolution is illustrated by the two-step process described below: the initial tube rises due to its buoyancy, subject to aerodynamic drag due to the external flow. Because of the azimuthal component of the magnetic field, the tube maintains its coherency and does not deform to become a vortex roll pair. When the flux tube approaches the photosphere and expands sufficiently, the plasma on the rising tube accumulates to suppress the tube's emergence. Therefore, the flux decelerates and extends horizontally beneath the surface. This new finding owes to our large scale simulation calculating simultaneously the dynamics within the interior as well as above the surface. As the magnetic pressure gradient increases around the surface, magnetic buoyancy instability is triggered locally and, as a result, the flux rises further into the solar corona. We also find that the deceleration occurs at a higher altitude than in our previous experiment using magnetic flux sheets (Toriumi and Yokoyama). By conducting parametric studies, we investigate the conditions for the two-step emergence of the rising flux tube: field strength > 1.5x10^4 G and the twist > 5.0x10^-4 km^-1 at -20,000 km depth.

Flux emergence within mature solar active regions

Aims. Recent insterest in flux emergence within mature active regions has led to several observational studies. Our aim is to model such a scenario and investigate the evolution of the system. Methods. We solve the 3D MHD equations numerically with a Lagrangian-remap scheme. The mature active region is modelled, in the initial condition, with a potential field. The smaller emerging region is a twisted flux tube and is placed between the two polarities of the mature region. The polarities of the new flux are aligned the same way as those of the mature region. The new flux emerges closer to the main negative polarity than the main positive polarity. To investigate the effects of reconnection, the distribution of the parallel electric field is calculated throughout the simulation. The topology of the magnetic field is then studied in regions of interest indicated by the electric field distribution. Results. The expansion of the new negative polarity is restricted due to the curvature of the overlying field and also because it is of the same sign. Reconnection is found to be strongest at low heights (below the corona) and along the outer side of the new positive polarity and its magnetic tongue. The effect of reconnection, in combination with the pressure between the two flux systems, is to resist the expansion of the new flux. The system then relaxes. Large-scale eruptions, such as CMEs, are not expected from the setup considered. At the new negative polarity, the high magnetic pressure can generate strong parallel electric fields which may lead to localized reconnection. The results of the model are in qualitative agreement with observations.

On Signatures of Twisted Magnetic Flux Tube Emergence

Recent studies of NOAA active region 10953, by Okamoto {\it et al.} ({\it Astrophys. J. Lett.} {\bf 673}, 215, 2008; {\it Astrophys. J.} {\bf 697}, 913, 2009), have interpreted photospheric observations of changing widths of the polarities and reversal of the horizontal magnetic field component as signatures of the emergence of a twisted flux tube within the active region and along its internal polarity inversion line (PIL). A filament is observed along the PIL and the active region is assumed to have an arcade structure. To investigate this scenario, MacTaggart and Hood ({\it Astrophys. J. Lett.} {\bf 716}, 219, 2010) constructed a dynamic flux emergence model of a twisted cylinder emerging into an overlying arcade. The photospheric signatures observed by Okamoto {\it et al.} (2008, 2009) are present in the model although their underlying physical mechanisms differ. The model also produces two additional signatures that can be verified by the observations. The first is an increase in the unsigned magnetic flux in the photosphere at either side of the PIL. The second is the behaviour of characteristic photospheric flow profiles associated with twisted flux tube emergence. We look for these two signatures in AR 10953 and find negative results for the emergence of a twisted flux tube along the PIL. Instead, we interpret the photospheric behaviour along the PIL to be indicative of photospheric magnetic cancellation driven by flows from the dominant sunspot. Although we argue against flux emergence within this particular region, the work demonstrates the important relationship between theory and observations for the successful discovery and interpretation of signatures of flux emergence.

A Possible Mechanism of Flux Cancellation via U-Loop Emergence on the Sun

We have used a 3-dimensional MHD simulation to investigate a dynamic process producing flux cancellation on the solar surface. Our calculations are fully self-consistent in that any prescribed dynamic process is not applied on the surface, which is self-consistently generated via the emergence of a twisted flux tube. Most of the flux that emerges below the surface is in the form of Ω-loops (concave-down geometry), so that dense photospheric plasma can drain down along the legs of the loop as it rises into the corona. We have found, however, that some U-loops (concave-up geometry) can also emerge. A U-loop geometry implies that a field line has a dip below the surface and a local peak somewhere above the surface on either side of the dip. Although the emergence of U-loops can produce flux cancellation on the surface, loops with such a geometry are not expected to emerge easily, due to the trapping of dense plasma in the dipped portion of the loops. Our results indicate that if one of the peaks is sufficiently low, on the order of the photospheric gravitational scale height above the surface, plasma can drain out of the dipped portion by a siphon-like mechanism, allowing the U-part of the loops to emerge, and resulting in cancellation of the magnetic flux on the surface. However, if both peaks of a U-loop are high compared to the photospheric scale height, dense plasma simply settles in the dip of the loop, preventing the U-part from emerging, rather producing reconnection, which is another possible mechanism of flux cancellation. We also discuss the implications of our results for observations.

Twisted Flux Tube Emergence Evidenced in Longitudinal Magnetograms: Magnetic Tongues

Fil: Luoni, Maria Luisa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio; Argentina

PARTICLE ACCELERATION BY MAGNETIC RECONNECTION IN A TWISTED CORONAL LOOP

Photospheric motions may lead to twisted coronal magnetic fields which contain free energy that can be released by reconnection. Browning & Van der Linden suggested that such a relaxation event may be triggered by the onset of ideal kink instability. In the present work, we study the evolution of a twisted magnetic flux tube with zero net axial current following Hood et al. Based on the obtained magnetic and electric fields, proton and electron trajectories are calculated using the test-particle approach. We discuss resulting particle distributions and possible observational implications, for example, for small solar flares.

ON THE ERUPTION OF CORONAL FLUX ROPES

We present three-dimensional MHD simulations of the evolution of the magnetic field in the corona where the emergence of a twisted magnetic flux tube is driven at the lower boundary into a pre-existing coronal potential arcade field. Through a sequence of simulations in which we vary the amount of twisted flux transported into the corona before the emergence is stopped, we investigate the conditions that lead to a dynamic eruption of the resulting coronal flux rope. It is found that the critical condition for the onset of eruption is for the center of the flux rope to reach a critical height at which the corresponding potential field declines with height at a sufficiently steep rate, consistent with the onset of the torus instability of the flux rope. In some cases, immediately after the emergence is stopped, the coronal flux rope first settles into a quasi-static rise with an underlying sigmoid-shaped current layer developing. Preferential heating of field lines going through this current layer may give rise to the observed quiescent X-ray sigmoid loops before eruption. Reconnections in the current layer during the initial quasi-static stage is found to add detached flux to the coronal flux rope, allowing it to rise quasi-statically to the critical height and dynamic eruption of the flux rope then ensues. By identifying field lines whose tops are in the most intense part of the current layer during the eruption, we deduce the evolution and morphology of the post-flare X-ray loops and the flare ribbons at their footpoints.

THE FORMATION OF A MAGNETIC CHANNEL BY THE EMERGENCE OF CURRENT-CARRYING MAGNETIC FIELDS

A magnetic channel - a series of polarity reversals separating elongated flux threads with opposite polarities - may be a manifestation of a highly non-potential magnetic configuration in active regions. To understand its formation we have carried out a detailed analysis of the magnetic channel in AR 10930 using data taken by the Solar Optical Telescope/Hinode. As a result, we found upflows (-0.5 to -1.0 km/s) and downflows (+1.5 to +2.0 km/s) inside and at both tips of the thread respectively, and a pair of strong vertical currents of opposite polarity along the channel. Moreover, our analysis of the nonlinear force-free fields constructed from the photospheric magnetic field indicates that the current density in the lower corona may have gradually increased as a result of the continuous emergence of the highly sheared flux along the channel. With these results, we suggest that the magnetic channel originates from the emergence of the twisted flux tube that has formed below the surface before the emergence.