日冕磁场重建方法在研究太阳爆发活动中的应用

太阳是与地球关系最为密切的天体.发生在日面上的剧烈爆发性活动可能对人类的生存环境产生巨大影响甚至是灾难性后果.包含太阳耀斑、暗条爆发和日冕物质抛射在内的太阳爆发活动是同一物理过程的不同表现形式,其能量来源于爆发前储存在日冕中的磁场自由能.因此,了解日冕磁场的3维结构是理解太阳爆发的触发机制以及活动区的稳定性等现象的前提.由于观测技术限制,目前尚无法对日冕磁场进行常规观测,因此发展了多种利用可常规观测的光球磁场来重建日冕磁场的方法.主要评述近10 yr来各种日冕磁场重建方法在研究太阳爆发活动中的应用.     

Observational Features of Large-Scale Structures as Revealed by the Catastrophe Model of Solar Eruptions

Large-scale magnetic structures are the main carrier of major eruptions in the solar atmosphere. These structures are rooted in the photosphere and are driven by the unceas-ing motion of the photospheric material through a series of equilibrium configurations. The motion brings energy into the coronal magnetic field until the system ceases to be in equilib-rium. The catastrophe theory for solar eruptions indicates that loss of mechanical equilibrium constitutes the main trigger mechanism of major eruptions, usually shown up as solar flares, eruptive prominences, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Magnetic reconnection which takes place at the very beginning of the eruption as a result of plasma instabilities/turbulence inside the current sheet, converts magnetic energy into heating and kinetic energy that are responsible for solar flares, and for accelerating both plasma ejecta (flows and CMEs) and energetic particles. Various manifestations are thus related to one another, and the physics behind these relationships is catastrophe and magnetic reconnection. This work reports on re- cent progress in both theoretical research and observations on eruptive phenomena showing the above manifestations. We start by displaying the properties of large-scale structures in the corona and the related magnetic fields prior to an eruption, and show various morphological features of the disrupting magnetic fields. Then, in the framework of the catastrophe theory, we look into the physics behind those features investigated in a succession of previous works, and discuss the approaches they used.     

Evolving coronal holes and interplanetary erupting stream disturbances

Coronal holes and interplanetary disturbances are important aspects of the physics of the Sun and heliosphere. Interplanetary disturbances are identified as an increase in the density turbulence compared with the ambient solar wind. Erupting stream disturbances are transient large-scale structures of enhanced density turbulence in the interplanetary medium driven by the high-speed flows of low-density plasma trailing behind for several days. Here, an attempt has been made to investigate the solar cause of erupting stream disturbances, mapped by Hewish & Bravo (1986) from interplanetary scintillation (IPS) measurements made between August 1978 and August 1979 at 81.5 MHz. The position of the sources of 68 erupting stream disturbances on the solar disk has been compared with the locations of newborn coronal holes and/or the areas that have been coronal holes previously. It is found that the occurrence of erupting stream disturbances is linked to the emergence of new coronal holes at the eruption site on the solar disk. A coronal hole is indicative of a radial magnetic field of a predominant magnetic polarity. The newborn coronal hole emerges on the Sun, owing to the changes in magnetic field configuration leading to the opening of closed magnetic structure into the corona. The fundamental activity for the onset of an erupting stream seems to be a transient opening of pre-existing closed magnetic structures into a new coronal hole, which can support highspeed flow trailing behind the compression zone of the erupting stream for several days.     

Radio observations of the fine structure inside a post-CME current sheet

A solar radio burst was observed in a coronal mass ejection/flare event by the Solar Broadband Radio Spectrometer at the Huairou Solar Observing Station on2004 December 1. The data exhibited various patterns of plasma motions, suggestive of the interaction between sunward moving plasmoids and the flare loop system during the impulsive phase of the event. In addition to the radio data, the associated whitelight, Hα, extreme ultraviolet light, and soft and hard X-rays were also studied.     

Coronal structures as tracers of sub-surface processes

The solar corona – one of the most spectacular celestial shows and yet one of the most challenging puzzles – exhibits a spectrum of structures related to both the quiet Sun and active regions. In spite of dramatic differences in appearance and physical processes, all these structures share a common origin: they are all related to the solar magnetic field. The origin of the field is beneath the turbulent convection zone, where the magnetic field is not a master but a slave, and one can wonder how much the coronal magnetic field “remembers” its dynamo origin. Surprisingly, it does. We will describe several observational phenolmena that indicate a close relationship between coronal and sub-photospheric processes.     

The Emission Heights of Transition Region Lines in an Equatorial Coronal Hole and the Surrounding Quiet Sun

Using the correlation between the radiance or Doppler velocity and the extrapolated magnetic field, we determined the emission heights of a set of solar transition region lines in an equatorial coronal hole and in the surrounding quiet Sun region. We found that for all of the six lower-transition-region lines, the emission height is about 4-5 Mm in the equatorial coronal hole, and around 2 Mm in the quiet Sun region. This result confirms the previous findings that plasma with different temperature can coexist at the same layer of transition region. In the quiet Sun region, the emission height of the upper-transition-region line Ne viii is almost the same that of the lower-transition-region line, but in the coronal hole, it is twice as high. This difference reveals that the outflow of Ne Ⅷ is a signature of solar wind in the coronal hole and is just a mass supply to the large loops in the quiet Sun.     

太阳剩余磁场研究进展

太阳剩余磁场是指形成于太阳主序星阶段之前，深藏在太阳辐射核内部的原始磁场。由于太阳内部高电导率和准静态等因素，其剩余磁场耗散相当缓慢，而得以保留至今。太阳剩余磁场的存在不仅能够解释太阳活动的很多不对称性现象，如南北不对称性、活动经度与活动穴、低纬度冕洞和Maunder极小期等，还能通过改变自激发发电机模型的边值条件而影响整个太阳表面磁场的分布与演化。从观测结果和理论模型两方面评述了太阳剩余磁场的研究成果及最新进展，并简单讨论了进一步努力的方向。     

Does the solar magnetic field increase?

We consider measurements of the general magnetic field (GMF) of the Sun as a star at four world observatories from 1968 until 1999. We show that, within the error limits, the mean strength of the photospheric magnetic field H (of its longitudinal component, in magnitude) has not changed over the last 32 years. This is in conflict with the recent conclusion by Lockwood et al. (1999) that the solar coronal magnetic field increased by 40% from 1964 until 1996 and has almost doubled in the last 100 years. The causes of discrepancies in the results are discussed. At the same time, the GMF exhibits a natural 11-year variation associated with the solar cycle. The strength of the photospheric longitudinal magnetic field (in absolute value) averaged over 32 years is 0.46 G (at an rms GMF strength of 0.57 G). The mean GMF for all years of measurements had a south polarity: $\bar H = - 0.030 \pm 0.018 G$ . The difference from zero is statistically significant at 1.7σ (90%) and may be directly related to the outstanding problem of the solar magnetic “monopole.”     

Magnetic Field Strengths and Structures from Radio Observations of Solar Active Regions

Radio observations of some active regions (ARs) obtained with the Nobeyama radioheliograph at λ=1.76cm are used for estimating the magnetic field strength in the upper chromosphere, based on thermal bremsstrahlung. The results are compared with the magnetic field strength in the photosphere from observations with the Solar Magnetic Field Telescope (SMFT) at Huairou Solar Observing Station of Beijing Astronomical Observatory. The difference in the magnetic field strength between the two layers seems reasonable. The solar radio maps of active regions obtained with the Nobeyama radioheliograph, both in total intensity (I-map) and in circular polarizations (V-map), are compared with the optical magnetograms obtained with the SMFT. The comparison between the radio map in circular polarization and the longitudinal photospheric magnetogram of a plage region suggest that the radio map in circular polarization is a kind of magnetogram of the upper chromosphere. The comparison of the radio map in total intensity with the photospheric vector magnetogram of an AR shows that the radio map in total intensity gives indications of magnetic loops in the corona, thus we have a method of defining the coronal magnetic structure from the radio I-maps at λ=1.76 cm. Analysing the I-maps, we identified three components: (a) a compact bright source; (b) a narrow elongated structure connecting two main magnetic islands of opposite polarities (observed in both the optical and radio magnetograms); (c) a wide, diffuse, weak component that corresponds to a wide structure in the solar active region which shows in most cases an S or a reversed S contour, which is probably due to the differential rotation of the Sun. The last two components suggest coronal loops on different spatial scales above the neutral line of the longitudinal photospheric magnetic field.     

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.     

Global Coronal Seismology

Following the observation and analysis of large-scale coronal-wave-like disturbances, we discuss the theoretical progress made in the field of global coronal seismology. Using simple mathematical techniques we determine average values for the magnetic field together with a magnetic map of the quiet Sun. The interaction between global coronal waves and coronal loops allows us to study loop oscillations in a much wider context, i.e. we connect global and local coronal oscillations.     

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 magnetic field in the solar atmosphere

This publication provides an overview of magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere with the focus lying on the corona. The solar magnetic field couples the solar interior with the visible surface of the Sun and with its atmosphere. It is also responsible for all solar activity in its numerous manifestations. Thus, dynamic phenomena such as coronal mass ejections and flares are magnetically driven. In addition, the field also plays a crucial role in heating the solar chromosphere and corona as well as in accelerating the solar wind. Our main emphasis is the magnetic field in the upper solar atmosphere so that photospheric and chromospheric magnetic structures are mainly discussed where relevant for higher solar layers. Also, the discussion of the solar atmosphere and activity is limited to those topics of direct relevance to the magnetic field. After giving a brief overview about the solar magnetic field in general and its global structure, we discuss in more detail the magnetic field in active regions, the quiet Sun and coronal holes.     

Three Super Active Regions in the Descending Phase of Solar Cycle 23

We analyze the magnetic configurations of three super active regions, NOAA 10484, 10486 and 10488, observed by the Huairou Multi-Channel Solar Telescope (MCST) from 2003 October 18 to November 4. Many energetic phenomena, such as flares (including a X-28 flare) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), occurred during this period. We think that strong shear and fast emergence of magnetic flux are the main causes of these events. The question is also of great interest why these dramatic eruptions occurred so close together in the descending phase of the solar cycle.     

Energetics and Propagation of Coronal Mass Ejections in Different Plasma Environments

Based on previous work, we investigate the propagation of CMEs in a more realistic plasma environment than the isothermal atmosphere, and find that it is a slightly faster reconnection for flux ropes to break free. The average Alfven Mach number MA for the inflow into the reconnection site has to be at least 0.013 in order to give a plausible eruption (compared to MA = 0.005 for the isothermal atmosphere). Taking MA = 0.1, we find that the energy output and the electric field induced inside the current sheet match the temporal behavior inferred from the energetic, long duration, CME-associated X-ray events. The results indicate that catastrophic loss of equilibrium in the coronal magnetic field provides the most promising mechanism for major solar eruptions, and that the more energetic the eruption is, the earlier the associated flare peaks. The variation of the output power with the background field strength revealed by our calculations implies the poor correlation between slow CMEs and solar flares. Th     

Properties of filaments in solar cycle 20-23 from McIntosh Archive

A filament is a cool, dense structure suspended in the solar corona. The eruption of a filament is often associated with a coronal mass ejection(CME), which has an adverse effect on space weather. Hence,research on filaments has attracted much attention in the recent past. The tilt angle of active region(AR)magnetic bipoles is a crucial parameter in the context of the solar dynamo, which governs the conversion efficiency of the toroidal magnetic field to poloidal magnetic field. Filaments always form over polarity inversion lines(PILs), so the study of tilt angles for these filaments can provide valuable information about generation of a magnetic field in the Sun. We investigate the tilt angles of filaments and other properties using McIntosh Archive data. We fit a straight line to each filament to estimate its tilt angle. We examine the variation of mean tilt angle with time. The latitude distribution of positive tilt angle filaments and negative tilt angle filaments reveals that there is a dominance of positive tilt angle filaments in the southern hemisphere and negative tilt angle filaments dominate in the northern hemisphere. We study the variation of the mean tilt angle for low and high latitudes separately. Investigations of temporal variation with filament number indicate that total filament number and low latitude filament number vary cyclically, in phase with the solar cycle. There are fewer filaments at high latitudes and they also show a cyclic pattern in temporal variation. We also study the north-south asymmetry of filaments with different latitude criteria.     

Magnetic flux ropes in the solar corona: structure and evolution toward eruption

Magnetic flux ropes are characterized by coherently twisted magnetic field lines, which are ubiquitous in magnetized plasmas. As the core structure of various eruptive phenomena in the solar atmosphere, flux ropes hold the key to understanding the physical mechanisms of solar eruptions,which impact the heliosphere and planetary atmospheres. The strongest disturbances in the Earth's space environments are often associated with large-scale flux ropes from the Sun colliding with the Earth's magnetosphere, leading to adverse, sometimes catastrophic, space-weather effects. However, it remains elusive as to how a flux rope forms and evolves toward eruption, and how it is structured and embedded in the ambient field. The present paper addresses these important questions by reviewing current understandings of coronal flux ropes from an observer's perspective, with an emphasis on their structures and nascent evolution toward solar eruptions, as achieved by combining observations of both remote sensing and in-situ detection with modeling and simulation. This paper highlights an initiation mechanism for coronal mass ejections(CMEs) in which plasmoids in current sheets coalesce into a 'seed' flux rope whose subsequent evolution into a CME is consistent with the standard model, thereby bridging the gap between microscale and macroscale dynamics.     

Modeling coronal magnetic field using spherical geometry: cases with several active regions

The magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere structure the plasma, store free magnetic energy and produce a wide variety of active solar phenomena, like flare and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The distribution and strength of magnetic fields are routinely measured in the solar surface (photosphere). Therefore, there is considerable interest in accurately modeling the 3D structure of the coronal magnetic field using photospheric vector magnetograms. Knowledge of the 3D structure of magnetic field lines also help us to interpret other coronal observations, e.g., EUV images of the radiating coronal plasma. Nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) models are thought to be viable tools for those task. Usually those models use Cartesian geometry. However, the spherical nature of the solar surface cannot be neglected when the field of view is large. In this work, we model the coronal magnetic field above multiple active regions using NLFFF extrapolation code using vector magnetograph data from the Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun survey (SOLIS)/Vector Spectromagnetograph (VSM) as a boundary conditions. We compare projections of the resulting magnetic field lines solutions with their respective coronal EUV-images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO/AIA) observed on October 15, 2011 and November 13, 2012. This study has found that the NLFFF model in spherical geometry reconstructs the magnetic configurations for several active regions which agrees to some extent with observations. During October 15, 2011 observation, there are substantial number of trans-equatorial loops carrying electric current.     

Numerical simulations of fast and slow coronal mass ejections

Solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) show a large variety in their kinematic properties. CMEs originating in active regions and accompanied by strong flares are usually faster and accelerated more impulsively than CMEs associated with filament eruptions outside active regions and weak flares. It has been proposed more than two decades ago that there are two separate types of CMEs, fast (impulsive) CMEs and slow (gradual) CMEs. However, this concept may not be valid, since the large data sets acquired in recent years do not show two distinct peaks in the CME velocity distribution and reveal that both fast and slow CMEs can be accompanied by both weak and strong flares. We present numerical simulations which confirm our earlier analytical result that a flux‐rope CME model permits describing fast and slow CMEs in a unified manner. We consider a force‐free coronal magnetic flux rope embedded in the potential field of model bipolar and quadrupolar active regions. The eruption is driven by the torus instability which occurs if the field overlying the flux rope decreases sufficiently rapidly with height. The acceleration profile depends on the steepness of this field decrease, corresponding to fast CMEs for rapid decrease, as is typical of active regions, and to slow CMEs for gentle decrease, as is typical of the quiet Sun. Complex (quadrupolar) active regions lead to the fastest CMEs. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Penetration of coronal magnetic fields into solar-wind streams

The formation of solar-wind stream structure is investigated. Characteristic features of the solar and coronal magnetic-field structure, morphological features of the white-light corona, and radio maps of the solar-wind transition (transonic) region are compared. The solar-wind stream structure is detected and studied by using radio maps of the transition region, the raggedness of its boundaries, and their deviation from spherical symmetry. The radio maps have been constructed from radioastronomical observations in 1995–1997. It is shown that the structural changes in the transition region largely follow the changes occurring in regions closer to the Sun, in the circumsolar magnetic-field structure, and in the solar-corona structure. The correlations between the magnetic-field strength in the solar corona and the location of the inner (nearest the Sun) boundary of the transition region are analyzed. The distinct anticorrelation between the coronal magnetic-field strength and the distance of the transition region from the Sun is a crucial argument for the penetration of solar magnetic fields into plasma streams far from the Sun.