太阳耀斑区磁场和电流研究的一些新进展

在太阳耀斑区磁场和电流研究方面，文中将着重介绍太阳横向磁场方位的确定，太阳活动区磁场的非热性表示、太阳耀斑前后的活动区磁场变化、以及耀斑核块与活动区纵向电流密度极大点位置的关系等几个重要问题的研究现状。     

22周强质子耀斑活动区的特征

本文研究了22周中的9个强质子耀斑活动区的共同特征,研究结果表明:单个团状结构黑子,即众多异极性黑子本影核紧锁在同一半影结构中的δ型黑子是强质子耀斑活动区的典型形态特征。黑子群的旋转是质子耀斑活动区的又一重要特征,黑子群的旋转方向与日面南、北半球无关。强质子耀斑的爆发总是在黑子群旋转角度达到正或负相极大之后出现。质子耀斑后,磁绳的松弛,黑子群可能会出现反向旋转,强的剪切过程和质子耀斑可能会再度出现。     

AR4811的精细结构演化特征及有关耀斑活动

用我国第一台高分辨光球——色球望远镜所取得的AR4811的高空间分辨(≤1″)的黑子和Hα色球照相资料分析了该活动区的精细结构的演化特征及有关耀斑活动。指出:(1)和当地原有磁场极性相同的新磁流的浮现在黑子群演化过程中起着阶段性的重要作用,但对活动区耀斑活动贡献不大。(2)有关暗条的各种频繁活动是当地耀斑的一种先兆。(3)活动区中相反极性磁场的相互挤压、剪切和旋转同时存在,是一个2B/M1.3级等一系列耀斑可能的储能机制。而与当地原有磁场极性相反的磁流环的浮现,是2B/M1.3级耀斑的可能触发因素。     

与耀斑相关的磁场演化

本文利用紫金山天文台太阳光谱仪缝前附属Ｄａｙｓｔａｒ滤光器拍摄的，发生在ＮＯＡＡ５３９５活动区中的三个耀斑的Ｈα单色光资料，对比北京天文台怀柔观测站取得的光球磁场资料，研究耀斑产生位置与光球磁场演化的关系，结果表明：（１）在所研究的５０个耀斑亮核中，有３８个位于新浮磁流区附近，另有少数亮核出现在磁对消区；（２）耀斑亮核多集中在横场方向交叉，剪切角大的复杂磁区，耀斑后多数区域磁场结构简化；（３）耀斑     

太阳黑子运动引起的耀斑与活动区的耦合

利用紫台赣榆站太阳精细结构望远镜拍摄的色球和光球照片，研究了１９９０年１１月６日至１３日ＮＯＡＡ６３６１活动区的磁位形演化和耀斑产生区域，发现该活动区的活动主要集中在１１日和１２日两天。还观测到新老活动区的碰撞耦合及耦合界面处小纤维（ｆｉｂｒｉｌ）的快速变化，这些现象是由于前导黑子之一的ｐ１黑子的连续几天的运动造成的。所有的活动也主要集中在ｐ１黑子的周围。     

太阳耀斑与三维非线性无力磁场结构

本文在非线性无力磁场的等效边界积分方程的基础上,计算了ＮＯＡＡ８１００ 活动区在１９９７ 年１１ 月４ 日的磁场结构。发现该磁场由一个浮现磁环、一个具有微分剪切的多磁环系统、和大尺度或开放磁力线等三部分组成。２Ｂ／Ｘ２ 耀斑是由于浮现磁环与具有微分剪切的多磁环系统和大尺度或开放磁力线之间的相互作用而触发的,发生在浮现磁通量区域附近,并位于不同走向的多个磁环的公共足点处。Ｈβ双带出现在浮现磁通量区域附近,在浮现磁环的足点处。其中位于开放磁力线附近的亮带暗一些。然而在２Ｂ／Ｘ２ 高能耀斑之后,仍然存在着强剪切状态。表明该活动区松弛到了一个低能态但不是最小能量状态。     

A Pair of Conjugate Current Ribbons Coinciding with the Double-ribbon Flare

Using the vector magnetograms observed by SDO (Solar Dynamics Observatory)/HMI (Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager), the current distribution and evolution associated with an X9.3 flare occurred in the active region AR12673 on Sept. 6, 2017 are studied in detail. The results show that there is a pair of electric current ribbons with opposite directions and the magnitude of 0.4 A/m${}^2$, which can be called a pair of conjugate electric current ribbons. This pair of conjugate electric current ribbons exist before, during, and after the flare; their positions are almost coincident with the two bright ribbons of the flare, and their shapes are also extremely similar with them. The light curve of the total electric current intensity on Sept. 6 shows that the electric current intensity enhanced sharply during the strong X9.3 flare eruption, and this phenomenon persisted for several hours. The results of this study strongly support the model of QSL (Quasi-Separatrix Layer) 3D magnetic reconnection.     

Solar Flare Activity and Variability of Electric Current Helicity

1 INTRODUCTIONRecently Bao, Zhang, Ai, and Zhang (1999), using Huairou vector magnetograph data,have shown that the average current helicity (h.) or the curreflt helicity imbalance ph of activeregions change rapidly after so1ar flares. Up'an the onset of flares it tends to decrease for a fewhours and then to increase again, whereas ifQ some cases the flare promotes an increase in thecurrent helicity The observations led to tbe fol1owing conclusions: (1) raPid and substantialchanges of c…     

Multiresolution Analysis of Active Region Magnetic Structure and its Correlation with the Mount Wilson Classification and Flaring Activity

Two different multiresolution analyses are used to decompose the structure of active-region magnetic flux into concentrations of different size scales. Lines separating these opposite polarity regions of flux at each size scale are found. These lines are used as a mask on a map of the magnetic field gradient to sample the local gradient between opposite polarity regions of given scale sizes. It is shown that the maximum, average, and standard deviation of the magnetic flux gradient for α,β,β γ, and β γ δ active-regions increase in the order listed, and that the order is maintained over all length scales. Since magnetic flux gradient is strongly linked to active-region activity, such as flares, this study demonstrates that, on average, the Mt. Wilson classification encodes the notion of activity over all length scales in the active-region, and not just those length scales at which the strongest flux gradients are found. Further, it is also shown that the average gradients in the field, and the average length-scale at which they occur, also increase in the same order. Finally, there are significant differences in the gradient distribution, between flaring and non-flaring active regions, which are maintained over all length scales. It is also shown that the average gradient content of active-regions that have large flares (GOES class “M” and above) is larger than that for active regions containing flares of all flare sizes; this difference is also maintained at all length scales. All of the reported results are independent of the multiresolution transform used. The implications for the Mt. Wilson classification of active-regions in relation to the multiresolution gradient content and flaring activity are discussed.     

A comparison between magnetic shear and flare shear in a well-observed M-class flare

We give an extensive multi-wavelength analysis of an eruptive M1.0/1N class solar flare, which occurred in the active region NOAA 10044 on 2002 July 26. Our empha-sis is on the relationship between magnetic shear and flare shear. Flare shear is defined as the angle formed between the line connecting the centroids of the two ribbons of the flare and the line perpendicular to the magnetic neutral line. The magnetic shear is computed from vector magnetograms observed at Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO), while the flare shear is computed from Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) 1700A images. By a detailed comparison, we find that: 1) The magnetic shear and the flare shear of this event are basically consistent, as judged from the directions of the transverse mag-netic field and the line connecting the two ribbons' centroids. 2) During the period of the enhancement of magnetic shear, flare shear had a fast increase followed by a fluctuated decrease. 3) When the magnetic shear stopped its enhancement, the fluctuated decreasing behavior of the flare shear became very smooth. 4) Hard X-ray (HXR) spikes are well correlated with the unshearing peaks on the time profile of the rate of change of the flare shear. We give a discussion of the above phenomena.     

Fast magnetic reconnection with Cowling’s conductivity

The aim of the present paper is to explore the mechanism of fast Sweet–Parker’s magnetic reconnection with the Cowling’s conductivity. Cowling derived the resistivity of plasma with three components: electrons, ions and neutral particles in magnetic field theoretically after Spitzer. The resistivity is much larger than the Spitzer’s. According to the idea of partially ionized plasmas ejected into the corona as the trigger of flares, we adopt Cowling’s Conductivity to Sweet–Parker’s reconnection model in this paper. The result shows that the reconnection rate can be improved a lot in solar corona and approaches the timescale of solar flare in the absence of anomalous resistivity.     

Relationship between Powerful Flares and Dynamic Evolution of the Magnetic Field at the Solar Surface

Powerful flares are closely related to the evolution of the complex magnetic field configuration at the solar surface. The strength of the magnetic field and speed of its evolution are two vital parameters in the study of the change of magnetic field in the solar atmosphere. We propose a dynamic and quantitative depiction of the changes in complexity of the active region: E=u×B, where u is the velocity of the footpoint motion of the magnetic field lines and B is the magnetic field. E represents the dynamic evolution of the velocity field and the magnetic field, shows the sweeping motions of magnetic footpoints, exhibits the buildup process of current, and relates to the changes in nonpotentiality of the active region in the photosphere. It is actually the induced electric field in the photosphere. It can be deduced observationally from velocities computed by the local correlation tracking (LCT) technique and vector magnetic fields derived from vector magnetograms. The relationship between E and ten X-class flares of four active regions (NOAA 10720, 10486, 9077, and 8100) has been studied. It is found that (1) the initial brightenings of flare kernels are roughly located near the inversion lines where the intensities of E are very high, (2) the daily averages of the mean densities of E and its normal component (E _n) decrease after flares for most cases we studied, whereas those of the tangential component of E (E _t) show no obvious regularities before and after flares, and (3) the daily averages of the mean densities of E _t are always higher than those of E _n, which cannot be naturally deduced by the daily averages of the mean densities of B _n and B _t.     

A New Model for Propagating Parts of EIT Waves: A Current Shell in a CME

EIT waves are observed in EUV as bright fronts. Some of these bright fronts propagate across the solar disk. EIT waves are all associated with a flare and a CME and are commonly interpreted as fast-mode magnetosonic waves. Propagating EIT waves could also be the direct signature of the gradual opening of magnetic field lines during a CME. We quantitatively addressed this alternative interpretation. Using two independent 3D MHD codes, we performed nondimensional numerical simulations of a slowly rotating magnetic bipole, which progressively result in the formation of a twisted magnetic flux tube and its fast expansion, as during a CME. We analyse the origins, the development, and the observability in EUV of the narrow electric currents sheets that appear in the simulations. Both codes give similar results, which we confront with two well-known SOHO/EIT observations of propagating EIT waves (7 April and 12 May 1997), by scaling the vertical magnetic field components of the simulated bipole to the line of sight magnetic field observed by SOHO/MDI and the sign of helicity to the orientation of the soft X-ray sigmoids observed by Yohkoh/SXT. A large-scale and narrow current shell appears around the twisted flux tube in the dynamic phase of its expansion. This current shell is formed by the return currents of the system, which separate the twisted flux tube from the surrounding fields. It intensifies as the flux tube accelerates and it is co-spatial with weak plasma compression. The current density integrated over the altitude has the shape of an ellipse, which expands and rotates when viewed from above, reproducing the generic properties of propagating EIT waves. The timing, orientation, and location of bright and faint patches observed in the two EIT waves are remarkably well reproduced. We conjecture that propagating EIT waves are the observational signature of Joule heating in electric current shells, which separate expanding flux tubes from their surrounding fields during CMEs or plasma compression inside this current shell. We also conjecture that the bright edges of halo CMEs show the plasma compression in these current shells.     

Linear Correlations between Peak Frequency of Gyrosynchrotron Spectrum and Photosphere Magnetic Fields

The gyrosynchrotron spectra are computed in a nonuniform magnetic field case, taking into account the self-and gyroresonanceabsorption. It is found that the peak frequency νp of the gyrosynchrotron spectrum systematically increases with the increasing photosphere magnetic field strength B0 and increasing viewing angle θ. It is also found for the first time that there are good positive linear correlations between νp and B0, and between log νp and log θ, with linear correlation coefficient 0.99 between νp and B0 and 0.95 between log νp and log θ. We apply the correlations to analyze two burst events observed with OVSA and find that the evolution tendencies of the photosphere magnetic field strength B0 estimated from the above expression are comparable with the observational results of SOHO/MDI. We also give a comparison of the diagnostic results of coronal magnetic field strength in both uniform and nonuniform source models.     

Ha Line Polarization in the 2B/X4.8 Flare of 2002 July 23

On 2002 July 23, a 2B/X4.8 flare was observed in the Ha line spec-tropolarimetrically by the Large Solar Vacuum Telescope of Baikal Astrophysical Observatory. Linear polarization of 3%-10% was detected in the Ha line, particularly where the line showed central reversal. The linear polarization is mainly radial on the solar disk and appears at the impulsive phase of the hard X-ray and 7-ray bursts. It is limited to some relatively small regions of the flare. The polarization in a limited small region (~ 4" - 5") changed its direction within a short period of time (~ 10s).