Using the Evolution of Coronal Dimming Regions to Probe the Global Magnetic Field Topology

We demonstrate that study of the evolving magnetic nature of coronal dimming regions can be used to probe the large-scale magnetic structure involved in the eruption of a coronal mass ejection (CME). We analyse the intensity evolution of coronal dimming regions using 195 Å data from the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). We measure the magnetic flux, using data from the SOHO/Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI), in the regions that seem most likely to be related to plasma removal. Then, we compare these magnetic flux measurements to the flux in the associated magnetic cloud (MC). Here, we present our analysis of the well-studied event on 12 May 1997 that took place just after solar minimum in a simple magnetic configuration. We present a synthesis of results already published and propose that driven “interchange reconnection” between the expanding CME structure with ‘`open’' field lines of the northern coronal hole region led to the asymmetric temporal and spatial evolution of the two main dimming regions, associated with this event. As a result of this reconnection process, we find the southern-most dimming region to be the principal foot-point of the MC. The magnetic flux from this dimming region and that of the MC are found to be in close agreement within the same order of magnitude, 10²¹ Mx.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In Situ</Emphasis> Signatures of Interchange Reconnection between Magnetic Clouds and Open Magnetic Fields: A Mechanism for the Erosion of Polar Coronal Holes?

We outline a method to determine the direction of solar open flux transport that results from the opening of magnetic clouds (MCs) by interchange reconnection at the Sun based solely on in-situ observations. This method uses established findings about i) the locations and magnetic polarities of emerging MC footpoints, ii) the hemispheric dependence of the helicity of MCs, and iii) the occurrence of interchange reconnection at the Sun being signaled by uni-directional suprathermal electrons inside MCs. Combining those observational facts in a statistical analysis of MCs during solar cycle 23 (period 1995 – 2007), we show that the time of disappearance of the northern polar coronal hole (1998 – 1999), permeated by an outward-pointing magnetic field, is associated with a peak in the number of MCs originating from the northern hemisphere and connected to the Sun by outward-pointing magnetic field lines. A similar peak is observed in the number of MCs originating from the southern hemisphere and connected to the Sun by inward-pointing magnetic field lines. This pattern is interpreted as the result of interchange reconnection occurring between MCs and the open field lines of nearby polar coronal holes. This reconnection process closes down polar coronal hole open field lines and transports these open field lines equatorward, thus contributing to the global coronal magnetic field reversal process. These results will be further constrainable with the rising phase of solar cycle 24.     

Interchange reconnection between an active region and a coronal hole

With data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly and the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory,we present a magnetic interaction between an isolated coronal hole(CH) and an emerging active region(AR).The AR emerged nearby the CH and interacted with it.Bright loops constantly formed between them,which led to a continuous retreat of the CH boundaries(CHBs).Meanwhile,two coronal dimmings respectively appeared at the negative polarity of the AR and the east boundary of the bright loops,and the AR was partly disturbed.Loop eruptions followed by a flare occurred in the AR.The interaction was also accompanied by many jets and an arc-shaped brightening that appeared to be observational signatures of magnetic reconnection at the CHBs.By comparing the observations with the derived coronal magnetic configuration,it is suggested that the interaction between the CH and the AR excellently agreed with the model of interchange reconnection.It appears that our observations provide obvious evidence for interchange reconnection.     

Magnetic Properties of Metric Noise Storms Associated with Coronal Mass Ejections

Using Nancay Radioheliograph (NRH) imaging observations, combined with SOHO/Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) magnetogram observations and coronal magnetic field extrapolation, we studied the magnetic nature of metric noise storms that are associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Four events are selected: the events of 2000 July 14, 2001 April 26, 2002 August 16 and 2001 March 28. The identified noise storm sources cover or partially cover the active regions (ARs), but the centers of storm sources are offset from the ARs. Using extrapolated magnetic field lines, we find that the noise storm sources trace the boundary between the open and closed field lines. We demonstrate that the disappearance of noise storm source is followed by the appearance of the burst source. The burst sources spread on the solar disk and their distributions correspond to the extent of the CME in LASCO C2 field of view. All the SOHO/Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) dimmings associ- ated with noise storm sources are located at the periphery of noise storms where the magnetic lines of force were previously closed and low-lying. When the closed field becomes partially or fully open, the basic configurations of noise storm sources are changed, then the noise storm sources are no longer observed. These observations provide the information that the variations of noise storms manifest the restructuring or reconfiguring of the coronal magnetic field.     

Transition region and coronal plasmas: instrumentation and spectral analysis

The plasma conditions in the solar atmosphere and, in particular, in coronal holes are summarized, before space-borne instrumentation for observing these regions in vacuum-ultraviolet light is briefly introduced with the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) spectrometer on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) as example. Spectroscopic measurements of small plasma jets are then analyzed in detail. Magnetic reconnection is thought to be responsible for heating the corona of the Sun as well as accelerating the solar wind by converting magnetic energy into thermal and kinetic energies. The continuous outflow of the fast solar wind from coronal holes on ‘open’ field lines, which reach out into interplanetary space, then requires many reconnection events of very small scale sizes – most of them probably below the resolution capabilities of present-day instruments. Our observations of such an event have been obtained with the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) providing both high-resolution imaging and spectral information for structural and dynamical studies. We find whirling or rotating motions as well as jets with acceleration along their propagation paths in close spatial and temporal vicinity to the coronal jet. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Role of Interchange Reconnection in Facilitating a Filament Eruption

We study the interaction between an erupting solar filament and a nearby coronal hole, based on multi-viewpoint observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory and STEREO. During the early evolution of the filament eruption, it exhibits a clockwise rotation that brings its easternmost leg in contact with the oppositely aligned field at the coronal hole boundary. The interaction between the two magnetic-field systems is manifested as the development of a narrow contact layer in which we see enhanced EUV brightening and bi-directional flows, suggesting that the contact layer is a region of strong and ongoing magnetic reconnection. The coronal mass ejection (CME) resulting from this eruption is highly asymmetric, with its southern portion opening up to the upper corona, while the northern portion remains closed and connected to the Sun. We suggest that the erupting flux rope that made up the filament reconnected with both the open and closed fields at the coronal hole boundary via interchange reconnection and closed-field disconnection, respectively, which led to the observed CME configuration.     

Multi-channel observations of plasma outflows and the associated small-scale magnetic field cancellations on the edges of an active region

With the SDO/AIA instrument, continuous and intermittent plasma outflows are observed on the boundaries of an active region along two distinct open coronal loops. By investigating the temporal sequence magnetograms obtained from HMI/SDO, it is found that a small-scale magnetic reconnection probably plays an important role in the generation of the plasma outflows in the coronal loops. It is found that the origin of the plasma outflows coincides with the locations of the small-scale magnetic fields with mixed polarities, which suggests that the plasma outflows along coronal loops probably results from the magnetic reconnection between the small-scale closed emerging loops and the large-scale open active region coronal loops.     

Type-II Bursts in Meter and Deca – Hectometer Wavelengths and Their Relation to Flares and CMEs: II

Solar coronal holes (CHs) are large regions of the corona magnetically open to interplanetary space. The nearly rigid north?–?south CH boundaries (CHBs) of equatorward extensions of polar CHs are maintained while the underlying photospheric fields rotate differentially, so interchange magnetic reconnection is presumed to be occurring continually at the CHBs. The time and size scales of the required reconnection events at CHBs have not been established from previous observations with soft X-ray images. We use TRACE 195 Å observations on 9 December 2000 of a long-lived equatorial extension of the negative-polarity north polar CH to look for changes of ??5 arcsec to >?20 arcsec at the western CHB. Brightenings and dimmings are observed on both short (≈?5 minutes) and long (≈?7 hours) time scales, but the CHB maintains its quasi-rigid location. The transient CHB changes do not appear associated with either magnetic field enhancements or the changes in those field enhancements observed in magnetograms from the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) on SOHO. In seven hours of TRACE observations we find no examples of the energetic jets similar to those observed to occur in magnetic reconnection in polar plumes. The lack of dramatic changes in the diffuse CHB implies that gradual magnetic reconnection occurs high in the corona with large (??10°) loops and/or weak coronal fields. We compare our results with recent observations of active regions at CHBs. We also discuss how the magnetic polarity symmetry surrounding quasi-rigid CHs implies an asymmetry in the interchange reconnection process and a possible asymmetry in the solar wind composition from the eastern and western CHB source regions.     

The Latitudinal Effect of Corotating Interaction Regions on Galactic Cosmic Rays

The response of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) to an isolated enhancement of the non-axisymmetric component of the solar open magnetic field between June and November 1996 is investigated by using a combination of solar observations and numerical modelling of the interplanetary medium. The most obvious coronal hole visible from Earth at the time had little shielding effect on the flux of GCRs, as measured at Earth by neutron monitors. It is found that the evolution of the corotating interaction regions generated by a less obvious coronal hole was the principal controlling factor. Moreover, we demonstrate the imprint of the latitudinal and longitudinal evolution of that coronal hole on the variation of GCRs. The latitudinal extent of this solar minimum corotating interaction region had a determining, but local, shielding effect on GCRs, confirming previous modelling results.     

Magnetic field, helicity and the 2000 July 14 flare in solar active region 9077

In this paper we analyse the non-potential magnetic field and the relationship with current (helicity) in the active region NOAA 9077 in 2000 July, using photospheric vector magnetograms obtained at different solar observatories and also coronal extreme-ultraviolet 171-Å images from the TRACE satellite.
We note that the shear and squeeze of magnetic field are two important indices for some flare-producing regions and can be confirmed by a sequence of photospheric vector magnetograms and EUV 171-Å features in the solar active region NOAA 9077. Evidence on the release of magnetic field near the photospheric magnetic neutral line is provided by the change of magnetic shear, electric current and current helicity in the lower solar atmosphere. It is found that the 'Bastille Day' 3B/5.7X flare on 2000 July 14 was triggered by the interaction of the different magnetic loop systems, which is relevant to the ejection of helical magnetic field from the lower solar atmosphere. The eruption of the large-scale coronal magnetic field occurs later than the decay of the highly sheared photospheric magnetic field and also current in the active region.     

Structure and Dynamics of Interconnecting Loops and Coronal Holes in Active Longitudes

Using SOHO/MDI and SOHO/EIT data we study properties and dynamics of interconnected active regions, and the relations between the photospheric magnetic fields and coronal structures in active longitudes during the beginning of solar cycle 23. The emergence of new magnetic flux results in appearance of new interconnecting loops. The existence of stable coronal structures strongly depends on the photospheric magnetic fluxes and their variations. We present some initial results for a complex of solar activity observed in April 1997, and discuss the role of reconnection in the formation of the interconnected loops and coronal holes.     

Companion Event and Precursor of the X17 Flare on 28 October 2003

A major two-ribbon X17 flare occurred on 28 October 2003, starting at 11:01 UT in active region NOAA 10486. This flare was accompanied by the eruption of a filament and by one of the fastest halo coronal mass ejections registered during the October–November 2003 strong activity period. We focus on the analysis of magnetic field (SOHO/MDI), chromospheric (NainiTal observatory and TRACE), and coronal (TRACE) data obtained before and during the 28 October event. By combining our data analysis with a model of the coronal magnetic field, we concentrate on the study of two events starting before the main flare. One of these events, evident in TRACE images around one hour prior to the main flare, involves a localized magnetic reconnection process associated with the presence of a coronal magnetic null point. This event extends as long as the major flare and we conclude that it is independent from it. A second event, visible in Hα and TRACE images, simultaneous with the previous one, involves a large-scale quadrupolar reconnection process that contributes to decrease the magnetic field tension in the overlaying field configuration; this allows the filament to erupt in a way similar to that proposed by the breakout model, but with magnetic reconnection occurring at Quasi-Separatrix Layers (QSLs) rather than at a magnetic null point. Electronic supplementary material Electronic supplementary material is available for this article at and accessible for authorised users.     

The heating of the solar corona

The heating of the solar corona has been a fundamental astrophysical issue for over sixty years. Over the last decade in particular, space-based solar observatories (Yohkoh, SOHO and TRACE) have revealed the complex and often subtle magnetic-field and plasma interactions throughout the solar atmosphere in unprecedented detail. It is now established that any energy release mechanism is magnetic in origin - the challenge posed is to determine what specific heat input is dominating in a given coronal feature throughout the solar cycle. This review outlines a range of possible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) coronal heating theories, including MHD wave dissipation and MHD reconnection as well as the accumulating observational evidence for quasi-periodic oscillations and small-scale energy bursts occurring in the corona. Also, we describe current attempts to interpret plasma temperature, density and velocity diagnostics in the light of specific localised energy release. The progress in these investigations expected from future solar missions (Solar-B, STEREO, SDO and Solar Orbiter) is also assessed.Received: 6 February 2003, Published online: 14 November 2003 Correspondence to: R. W. Walsh     

Solar coronal heating by magnetic cancellation – II. Disconnected and unequal bipoles

Two-dimensional numerical magnetohydrodynamic simulations of a cancelling magnetic feature (CMF) and the associated coronal X-ray bright point (XBP) are presented. Coronal magnetic reconnection is found to produce the Ohmic heating required for a coronal XBP. During the BP phase where reconnection occurs above the base, about 90–95 per cent of the magnetic flux of the converging magnetic bipole cancels at the base. The last ≈5 to 10 per cent of the base magnetic flux is cancelled when reconnection occurs at the base. Reconnection happens in a time-dependent way in response to the imposed converging footpoint motions. A potential field model gives a good first approximation to the qualitative behaviour of the system, but the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) experiments reveal several quantitative differences: for example, the effects of plasma inertia and a pressure build-up in-between the converging bipole are to delay the onset of coronal reconnection above the base and to lower the maximum X -point height.     

Modelling the Global Solar Corona: Filament Chirality Observations and Surface Simulations

The hemispheric pattern of solar filaments is considered in the context of the global magnetic field of the solar corona. In recent work Mackay and van Ballegooijen have shown how, for a pair of interacting magnetic bipoles, the observed chirality pattern could be explained by the dominant range of bipole tilt angles and helicity in each hemisphere. This study aims to test this earlier result through a direct comparison between theory and observations, using newly developed simulations of the actual surface and 3D coronal magnetic fields over a 6-month period, on a global scale. We consider two key components: (1) observations of filament chirality for the sample of 255 filaments and (2) our new simulations of the large-scale surface magnetic field. Based on a flux-transport model, these will be used as the lower boundary condition for the future 3D coronal simulations. Our technique differs significantly from those of other authors, where the coronal field is either assumed to be purely potential or has to be reset back to potential every 27 days for the photospheric field to remain accurate. In our case we ensure accuracy by the insertion of newly emerging bipolar active regions, based on observed photospheric synoptic magnetograms. The large-scale surface field is shown to remain accurate over the 6-month period, without any resetting. This new technique will enable future simulations to consider the long-term buildup and transport of helicity and shear in the coronal magnetic field over many months or years.     

A Relationship Between Transition Region Brightenings,Abundances, and Magnetic Topology

We present multi-instrument observations of active region (AR) 8048, made between 3 June and 5 June 1997, as part of the SOHO Joint Observing Program 33. This AR has a sigmoid-like global shape and undergoes transient brightenings in both soft X-rays and transition region (TR) lines. We compute a magneto-hydrostatic model of the AR magnetic field, using as boundary condition the photospheric observations of SOHO/MDI. The computed large-scale magnetic field lines show that the large-scale sigmoid is formed by two sets of coronal loops. Shorter loops, associated with the core of the SXT emission, coincide with the loops observed in the hotter CDS lines. These loops reveal a gradient of temperature, from 2 MK at the top to 1 MK at the ends. The field lines most closely matching these hot loops extend along the quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs) of the computed coronal field. The TR brightenings observed with SOHO/CDS can also be associated with the magnetic field topology, both QSL intersections with the photosphere, and places where separatrices issuing from bald patches (sites where field lines coming from the corona are tangent to the photosphere) intersect the photosphere. There are, furthermore, suggestions that the element abundances measured in the TR may depend on the type of topological structure present. Typically, the TR brightenings associated with QSLs have coronal abundances, while those associated with BP separatrices have abundances closer to photospheric values. We suggest that this difference is due to the location and manner in which magnetic reconnection occurs in two different topological structures. Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1013302317042     

Generation of rotational discontinuities by magnetic reconnection associated with microflares

Magnetic reconnection can take place between two plasma regions with antiparallel magnetic field components. In a time-dependent reconnection event, the plasma outflow region consists of a leading bulge region and a trailing reconnection layer. Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) discontinuities, including rotational discontinuities, can be formed in both the bulge region and the trailing layer. In this paper, we suggest that the rotational discontinuities observed in the solar wind may be generated by magnetic reconnection associated with microflares in coronal holes. The structure of the reconnection layer is studied by solving the one-dimensional Riemann problem for the evolution of an initial current sheet after the onset of magnetic reconnection as well as carrying out two-dimensional MHD simulations. As the emerging magnetic flux reconnects with ambient open magnetic fields in the coronal hole, rotational discontinuities are generated in the region with open field lines. It is also found that in the solar corona with a low plasma beta ( 0.01), the magnetic energy is converted through magnetic reconnection mostly into the plasma bulk-flow energy. Since more microflares will generate more rotational discontinuities and also supply more energy to the solar wind, it is expected that the number of rotational discontinuities observed in the solar wind would be an increasing function of solar wind speed. The observation rate of rotational discontinuities generated by microflares is estimated to be dN _RD/dt - f/63 000 s (f > 1) at 1 AU. The present mechanism favors the generation of rotational discontinuities with a large shock normal angle.     

Evolution of the photospheric magnetic field and coronal null points before solar flares

Based on a topological model for the magnetic field of a solar active region (AR), we suggest a criterion for the existence of magnetic null points on the separators in the corona. With the problem of predicting solar flares in mind, we have revealed a model parameter whose decrease means that the AR evolves toward a major eruptive flare. We analyze the magnetic field evolution for AR 9077 within two days before the Bastille Day flare on July 14, 2000. The coronal conditions are shown to have become more favorable for magnetic reconnection, which led to a 3B/X5.7 eruptive flare.     

Eruption of an Active-Region Filament Driven by an Emerging Bipole

1 INTRODUCTION Filaments are cool, dense material suspended in the hot, tenuous corona. It is widely accepted that the global magnetic field surrounding the filaments plays a key role in their formation, structure and stability (Tandberg-Hanssen1995). Fil…