A magnetodynamic mechanism for loop flares

Loop flares are given a new magnetodynamic interpretation. In this model, the top of the magnetic loop is heated up by a collision of magnetic twist-wave packets (non-linear torsional Alfven wave) which are produced in the process of the loop emergence, and stored and released from the footpoints of the loop with some retardation. The appearance of the blueshifted component in CaXIX and FeXXV lines a minute or so before the impulsive phase, and the so-called “instantaneous acceleration” of ions deduced from the nearly simultaneous (with a delay of seconds) occurrence of γ-ray line emission with the impulsive hard X rays, are very naturally explained in the present model which originally aims at providing an explanation of the source of energy, a “blackbox” located at the top of the loop in the loop flare theories discussed thus far.

     

A magnetodynamic mechanism for the heating of emerging magnetic flux tubes and loop flares

A new magnetodynamic model for loop flares is proposed to explain the following observational facts obtained from space during the last solar activity maximum: (i) Blueshifted lines of Ca xix and Fe xxv appear in some cases a minute or so before the initiation of impulsive bursts and relax into the unshifted lines with large width by the time of the onset of impulsive bursts, (ii) the hot source is formed by that time at the top of a loop-like structure, and confined there for a considerable time, and (iii) -ray line enhancement occurs at about the same time as hard X-ray spikes.In our model, the supply of energy to the loop top comes from below the chromosphere immediately before the flare (30 s-1 min before the hard X-ray impulsive bursts) in the form of the relaxing fronts of magnetic twist of opposite sign. These packets are thought to be built up in the process of loop emergence, stored at the footpoints of the loop below the photosphere, and released when the part of the feet floats up further. These released packets of magnetic twist drive the mass in the high chromosphere and transition zone into helical flows with pinch heating, and when these collide at the top of the loop, a very hot region appears there with a violent unwinding of the twists, resulting in the rapid dynamical annihilation of the magnetic energy, . Electrons and ions, raised to medium energies in the pinch at the incidence of the packets to the loop, are accelerated further by the Fermi-I mechanism between the approaching fronts of magnetic twist, and when B is weakened by unwinding they are released towards the chromosphere, and cause simultaneous -ray and hard X-ray bursts.     

A model of impulsive loop flares revisited

A critical examination of the components of the recent impulsive loop flare model of Takakura is made. It is found that his analysis of the stability of the electron distribution resulting from anomalous heat conduction is in error and electron plasma waves would not be excited. Rather, in the regions where the electron/proton temperature ratioT _e/T _i 10, electrostatic ion-cyclotron waves would be excited and in the regions whereT _e 10, ion-acoustic waves would be excited. Ratios ofT _e/T _i 10 occur only in the late time development behind the conduction fronts. Since the anomalous resistivity due to electrostatic ion-cyclotron waves is fortuitously about 70% of the one used by Takakura, the general development will follow closely the one calculated by him. Because the anomalous resistivity due to ion-acoustic waves is about 95 times the one used by Takakura, the development in the parts of the loop whereT _e/T _i 10 for late times would be altered considerably.Also Guest Worker at NOAA Space Environment Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

A magnetic confinement nuclear fusion mechanism for solar flares

We propose a magnetic confinement nuclear fusion mechanism for the evolution of a solar flare in the solar atmosphere.The mechanism agrees with two observed characteristics of explosive flares and coronal mass ejections(CMEs) that have proved to be very difficult to explain with previous mechanisms:the huge enrichments of3 He and the high energy gamma ray radiation.The twisted magnetic flux rope is a typical structure during the solar flares,which is closely related to the solar active region that magnetic fields have almost complete control over the plasma.Consequently,the plasma inside the flux rope is heated to more than 1.0×107 K by an adiabatic compression process,and then the thermonuclear fusion can take place in the flux rope accompanied with high energy gamma rays.We utilize the time-dependent ideal 2.5-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic(MHD) simulation to demonstrate the physical mechanism for producing flares,which reveals three stages of flare development with the process of magnetic energy conversion and intense release during the solar flares and CMEs in the solar atmosphere.Furthermore,we discuss the relationship between magnetic reconnection and solar eruptions.     

A physical mechanism for the production of solar flares

The weakly ionized photospheric layer in the sunspot environment satisfies certain dynamo inequalities (Equations (11) and (13)) resulting in photospheric Hall current systems. The corresponding Joule dissipation is associated with the surrounding plage area. For critical values of the driving or convective winds (speeds 1 km/s), two stream instability results. The computed energy is of the order of that found in solar flares.     

The role of loop footpoints rotation in single loop flares

We consider that single loop flares can be caused by the rotation of loop footpoints. Choosing a typical geometry for this case we find from MHD equations self-consistent expressions and a set equations governing behaviour of all physical quantities. Numerical simulations have revealed that under the determined conditions for the initial azimuthal velocity and current the pinch instability takes place. The most important parameters of the problem are the plasma and the ratio of the initial values of longitudinal and poloidal components of the magnetic field-B ₁. Thus, calculations show that the critical pinch time increases with the increase ofB ₁ and decreases with the increase of plasma . So the most effective flares are probable for the most high loops with strong currents. ForB ₁=10 and =0.01 the critical pinch time is 2.5 s. The critical twist angle for magnetic field depends on the initial one. For low intial twist which corresponds to bigB ₁ the critical one is more less. For exampleB ₁=30 gives 1.8 (when ratio of loop length and radius is 10). Geometrical analysis shows that the present model can explain (for high photospheric rotation) single loop flares taking place on different parts of the loop as on the top of it as closer to one of the footpoints. It depends on the relative rotation momentum of loop footpoints. Subject headings: MHD-Sun:flares.     

A model of impulsive loop flares caused by anomalous heat conduction

Numerical simulation is made of the impulsive loop flare caused by transient heat conduction along the loop with an applied axial electric current.It is assumed that a segment near the top of the coronal loop is heated to above 10⁷ K by a heat input that is small compared with the total flare energy, which is given by the magnetic energy of the initial current. Due to the heat conduction, a hump appears in the velocity distribution of electrons, which may excite electron plasma waves with a sufficiently high intensity to cause an anomalous resistivity, as shown theoretically in a previous paper. In that paper, an effect of the plasma waves on the dynamics of electrons was taken into account consistently, but an anomalous heating due to an ohmic dissipation of the initial current under the anomalous resistivity was not taken into account.The aim of the present study is to study the subsequent dynamics of the heated gas caused by the anomalous heating, but in order to avoid an unpractically long computation time, the energy density of the plasma waves is estimated by the energy density of electrons in the velocity hump, without taking into account the effect of the plasma waves consistently in the dynamics of the electrons.The initial current starts to decay gradually by an ohmic dissipation under the anomalous resistivity occurring near the top of the loop to heat this region more. The enhanced heat conduction causes the velocity humps in a wider location. Consequently, the anomalous heating continues and spreads in a self-generating way even after the end of the initial minor heating. Thus the temperature near the loop top becomes above 10⁸ K and the high-temperature region spreads in both directions along the loop with such a high speed as (2–3) × 10⁴ km s^–1, which is nearly equal to the speed of flux-limited heat conduction. On the other hand, induced electric field estimated from the anomalous resistivity is 3.3 × 10⁷ V at the termination of the present simulation, under the modest initial current of 1.5 A m^–2.X-ray emissions expected from the present model loop, show three sources, two footpoints with unequal brightness and a coronal source expanding along the loop in both directions.     

A trigger mechanism for the emerging flux model of solar flares

The energetics of a current sheet that forms between newly emerging flux and an ambient field are considered. As more and more flux emerges, so the sheet rises in the solar atmosphere. The various contributions to the thermal energy balance in the sheet are approximated and the resulting equation solved for the internal temperature of the sheet. It is found that, for certain choices of the ambient magnetic field strength and velocity, the internal temperature increases until, when the sheet reaches some critical height, no neighbouring equilibrium state exists. The temperature then increases rapidly, seeking a hotter branch of the solution curve. During this dynamic heating, the threshold temperature for the onset of plasma microinstabilities may be attained. It is suggested that this may be a suitable trigger mechanism for the recently proposed emerging flux model of a solar flare.This work was done while the author was participating in the CECAM workshop on Plasma Physics applied to Active Solar Phenomena, August–September 1976 at Orsay, France, and the Skylab Solar Workshop on Solar Flares (sponsored by NASA and NSF and managed by the High Altitude Observatory).     

On “A model of impulsive loop flares revisited” by Smith and Brecht

A criticism of my papers was recently presented by Smith and Brecht, that the electron distribution resulting from anomalous heat conduction is not unstable for electron plasma waves. The aim of the present letter is to show that their criticism is irrelevant.     

X-ray source motion along the loop in two solar flares

We explore the 3–8 keV X-ray source motion along the loop legs in two solar flares observed by the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) on August 12 and November 28, 2002. Firstly, an artificial loop is constructed to have an outline with a fixed width wide enough to cover the X-ray sources at an energy band between 3–60 keV and at various times. Secondly, RHESSI images are reconstructed at 15 energy bands with an 8 s integration window but 1 s cadence. Thirdly, the X-ray source motions are traced from the brightness distribution along the flare loop. We find that these two events tend to start as a single source at 3–8 keV around the loop top, and then separate into two which move downward along the loop legs. These two almost reach the feet of the loop at the hard X-ray (i.e. at 25–50 keV) peak. After that, the two sources move back upward to the loop top and merge together at the same position where they began. The typical timescale is about ～70 s, and the maximum speed can reach 1000 km?s^?1. Such a downward-to-upward motion along the loop is rarely seen in the observations, and it seems to be consistent with the density evolution at the loop top, first decreasing after heating and then increasing due to evaporation.     

Rayleigh-taylor instability in solar prominences as a mechanism for dXouble-ribbon flares

In this paper, the energy storage for a spotless two-ribbon flare is discussed with reference to the morphology of the chromospheric fibrils surrounding a filament prior to the flare. Also, on the basis of the Kippenhahn-Schluter model of filaments, we discuss the instability of magnetic structure in these filaments. We found that once the gradient of the magnetic field or the curvature of the magnetic “trough” exceeds certain critical value, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability will be triggered off, leading to the sudden disappearance (Disparition Brusque) of the filament. At the same time, a neutral current sheet will be formed in the field with magnetic flux concentrated on both sides of the filament. Rapid reconnection of the field lines then lead to the onset of a two-ribbon flare.     

A coronal loop model for the production of X-ray and radio flares in the RS CVn binary HR 1099

The RS CVn binary stellar system HR 1099 is a source of both X-ray and radio flares. We present here a model of the system in which the two types of flare are produced by the same population of mildly-relativistic ( 10) electrons, injected into a coronal loop. After reviewing possible radiation mechanisms we conclude that, given the probable conditions in the flaring region, the radio emission is gyrosynchrotron radiation and the X-ray emission is thermal bremsstrahlung. The thermal X-ray source must lie in the stellar chromosphere, but the apparent absence of plasma absorption at radio frequencies indicates that the radio source is located high in the coronal loop. Using the relationships given by Dulk and Marsh (1982) for the radio emission from a power-law electron energy spectrum,N() ( - 1)^–, we conclude that 3 7, with 30% of the electron population trapped in the radio source. Some implications of these results for one particular version of the model are discussed.     

Coronal explosions as a signature of current loop coalescence in solar flares

The coronal explosions, discovered by De Jager and Boelee (1984), and interpreted by them as manifestations of plasma streaming out of the flare kernels, can also be interpreted as signatures of current loop coalescence in the flaring region.     

Plasma jet and shock formation during current loop coalescence in solar flares

We report on the results of plasma jet and shock formation during the current loop coalescence in solar flares. It is shown by a theoretical model based on the ideal MHD equation that the spiral, two-sided plasma jet can be explosively driven by the plasma rotational motion induced during the two current loop coalescence process. The maximum velocity of the jet can exceed the Alfvén velocity, depending on the plasma (= c _s ² v _A ² ) ratio. The acceleration time getting to the maximum jet velocity is quite short and le than 1 s. The rebound following the plasma collapse driven by magnetic pinch effect can strongly induce super-Alfvénic flow. We present the condition of the shock formation. We briefly discuss the high-energy particle acceleration during the plasma collapse as well as by the shocks.     

Pinch mechanism of energy release of stellar flares

Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory; I. V. Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 405–413, May–June, 1990.     

Pulsation of dark filaments as mechanism of homologous flares

We have analysed the H morphology of the series of homologous flares of 1982 July 12 and found a close connection between the morphological changes in a dark filament and the repeated eruption of the flares, namely, pulsation of dark filaments modulates the repeated eruptions. We believe that newly emerging flux of a pulsating type in the vicinity of dark filaments can give rise to dynamic pinches of the filament plasma, causing the repeated flare eruptions. Our theoretical calculation agrees well with the observed results.     

Magnetic fields,loop prominences and the great flares of August, 1972

Lines of magnetic force, computed under the assumption that the solar corona is free of electric currents, have been compared with loop prominence systems associated with three flares in August, 1972. The computed fields closely match the observations of loops at a height of 40000 km at times 3–4 h after onset of the associated flares. Inferred magnetic field intensities in the loops range from 1300 G where the loops converge into a sunspot to 50–80 G at 40 000 km above the photosphere. The first-seen and lowest-lying loops are sheared with respect to the calculated fields. Higher loops conform more closely to the current-free fieldlines. A model of Barnes and Sturrock is used to relate the degree of shear to the excess magnetic energy available during the flare of August 7. On various lines of evidence, it is suggested that magnetic energy was available to accelerate particles not only during the impulsive phase of the flare, but also during the following 2–3 h. The particle acceleration region seems to be in the magnetic fields just above the visible loops. The bright outer edges of the flare ribbons are identified as particle impact regions. The dense knots of loop prominence material fall to the ribbons' inner edges.On leave from Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.     

A search for solar neutrons during solar flares

The upper limit on the solar neutron flux from 1–20 MeV has been measured, by a neutron detector on the OGO-6 satellite, to be less than 5 × 10^–2 n cm^–2 s^–1 at the 95% confidence level for several flares including two flares of importance 3B and a solar proton event of importance 3B. The measurements are consistent with the models proposed by Lingenfelter (1969) and by Lingenfelter and Ramaty (1967) for solar neutron production during solar flares. The implied upper limit on the flux of 2.2 MeV solar gamma rays is about the same as the 2.2 MeV flux observed by Chupp et al. (1973).     

Energetic electrons as an energy transport mechanism in solar flares

We review the observations and theory relating to the role of energetic electrons in the solar flare, with particular emphasis on discriminating between thermal and nonthermal origins of these electrons. We discuss diagnostics in hard X-rays, especially those relating to the recent observations of the SMM and HINOTORI satellites. We also briefly address the response of the atmosphere to energy input in the form of high energy electrons, in particular through the diagnostics of both the Fe K feature and optically thin transition region lines such as 0V. Finally, we discuss the relative roles of electron and proton heating in -ray flare events.     

Thermal nonequilibrium: A trigger for solar flares?

In this paper, we suggest that a solar flare may be triggered by a lack of thermal equilibrium rather than by a magnetic instability. The possibility of such a thermal nonequilibrium (or catastrophe) is demonstrated by solving approximately the energy equation for a loop under a balance between thermal conduction, optically thin radiation and a heating source. It is found that, if one starts with a cool equilibrium at a few times 10⁴ K and gradually increases the heating or decreases the loop pressure (or decreases the loop length), then, ultimately, critical metastable conditions are reached beyond which no cool equilibrium exists. The plasma heats up explosively to a new quasi-equilibrium at typically 10⁷ K. During such a thermal flaring, any magnetic disruption or particle acceleration are secondary in nature. For a simple-loop (or compact) flare, the cool core of an active-region loop heats up and the magnetic tube of plasma maintains its position. For a two-ribbon flare, the material of an active-region (or plage) filament heats up and expands along the filament; it slowly rises until, at a critical height, the magnetic configuration becomes magnetohydrodynamically unstable and erupts violently outwards. In this case thermal nonequilibrium acts as a trigger for the magnetic eruption and subsequent magnetic energy release as the field closes back down.