Magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a solar flare: 2. Flare model and simulation using active-region magnetic maps

The results of a three-dimensional MHD simulation and data obtained using specialized spacecraft made it possible to construct an electrodynamic model of solar flares. A flare results from explosive magnetic reconnection in a current sheet above an active region, and electrons accelerated in field-aligned currents cause hard X rays on the solar surface. In this review, we considered works where the boundary and initial conditions on the photosphere were specified directly from the magnetic maps, obtained by SOHO MDI in the preflare state, in order to simulate the formation of a current sheet. A numerical solution of the complete set of MHD equations, performed using the new-generation PERESVET program, demonstrated the formation of several current sheets before a series of flares. A comparison of the observed relativistic proton spectra and the simulated proton acceleration along a magnetic field singular line made it possible to estimate the magnetic reconnection rate during a flare (∼10⁷ cm s⁻¹). Great flares (of the X class) originate after an increase in the active region magnetic flux up to 10²² Mx.     

Relation between the active region magnetic field and solar flares

A weak active region (NOAA 11158) appeared on the solar disk near the eastern limb. This region increased rapidly and, having reached the magnetic flux higher than 10²² Mx, produced an X-class flare. Only weak field variations at individual points were observed during the flare. An analysis of data with a resolution of 45 s did not indicate any characteristic features in the photospheric field dynamics during the flare. When the flux became higher than 3 × 10²² Mx, active region NOAA 10720 produced six X-class flares. The field remained quiet during these flares. An increase in the magnetic flux above ～10²² Mx is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for the appearance of powerful flares. Simple active regions do not produce flares. A flare originates only when the field distribution in an active region is complex and lines of polarity inversion have a complex shape. Singular lines of the magnetic field can exist only above such active regions. The current sheets, in the magnetic field of which the solar flare energy is accumulated, originate in the vicinity of these lines.     

Microwave radiation of solar active regions before X flares according to the RATAN-600 observations in 2011

The evolution of the microwave radiation from four active regions, where strong X-ray flares (X-class, GOES) occurred in 2011, has been studied. Daily multiwavelength RATAN-600 radio observations of the Sun in the 1.6–8.0 cm range have been used. It has been indicated that the radiosource above the photospheric magnetic field neutral line (above the region with the maximal convergence of the fields opposite in sign) becomes predominant in the structure of the active region microwave radiation one to two days before a powerful flare as in the eruptive events previously studied with RATAN-600. The appearance of such a radiosource possibly reflects the current sheet formation in the corona above the active region. The energy necessary for a flare is stored in the magnetic field of active region, which can be considered as a factor for predicting a powerful flare.     

Radio-heliographic diagnostics of the potential flare productivity of active regions

As deduced from the data with high spatial resolution obtained at the radio heliographs of the Siberian Solar Radio Telescope (SSRT, 5.7 GHz) and the Nobeyama radio heliograph (NoRH, 17 GHz), radio brightness centers in the distribution of the Stokes parameter I are shifted relative to the distribution of the parameter V 1–2 days before an intense flare. It has been shown that this phenomenon can be related to the behavior of quasi-stationary sources over the inversion line of the radial component of the magnetic field (neutral-line associated sources (NLSs)). These sources have a brightness temperature up to 106 K and a circular polarization up to 90%. The origination of NLSs is associated with the outflow of a new magnetic flux into the atmosphere of an active region that is a classical factor of the flare activity. Therefore, an NLS is a precursor of power solar flares and can be used as a forecast factor. Owing to the high resolution of the SSRT, the deviation of the observed polarization distribution of microwave radiation of the active region from the normal one within the solar disk zone containing the active region can be used as a precursor of the preflare state of the active region. As a result, the single-frequency Tanaka-Enome criterion is modified. The use of the data from two radio heliographs (SSRT and NoRH) allows us to propose a two-frequency criterion of normal longitudinal zones that is more efficient for short-term forecasting of solar flares. Preflare features associated with the displacement of brightness centers in I and V, which is manifested as the transformation of NLSs into spot sources, are fine attributes added to forecast according to the two-frequency criterion. This is illustrated by an example of active region 10930, which produced power proton flares on December 6 and 13, 2006.     

Superconcentration of photospheric sources of the large-scale open solar magnetic field in the main zone of active longitudes, differential rotation blocking, and origination of the four-sector structure. 1. The field and solar activity dynamics

The phenomena of superconcentration of the large-scale field photospheric sources in the main zone of active longitudes, blocking of regular differential rotation by these sources, and origination of the four-sector structure of the solar magnetic field during the decline phase of cycle 23 have been considered in more detail and taking into account the polar correction. It has been indicated that superconcentration was formed due to the penetration of photospheric sources into the zone from the western surroundings of this zone and owing to the generation of the large-scale field in the zone itself. The dynamics of a blocking-induced complex MHD disturbance with reflected from the zone and reconnecting photospheric sources of negative and positive polarity, respectively, and the transformation of the bisector structure into the four-sector one have been considered. It has been indicated that the dynamics of this MHD disturbance was responsible for that of associated solar activity: the generation of sunspot groups, appearance of flares, and, finally, origination of a powerful heliospheric storm and the solar-terrestrial extrastorm of July 22–27, 2004.     

太阳活动区磁场与CMEs和太阳质子事件

文中选了５ 个典型活动区, 分析了这些活动区的磁场, 与活动区相应的ＣＭＥｓ, 太阳爆发事件和太阳质子事件我们发现, 对于Ｅ ≥１０ｍｅＶ 的太阳质子事件有相应的源活动区, 源耀斑和ＣＭＥ; 活动区矢量磁场有剪切, 磁场剪切越强质子事件越强; 多数在质子耀斑发生前出现磁流浮现; 太阳１０ｃｍ 射电爆发持续时间长文中结果还佐证了Ｓｈｅａｌｙ 等的结果： Ｘ 射线耀斑的长持续时间与ＣＭＥ 的发生正相关另外,在５ 个活动区中, 有三个大耀斑发生前没有明显的磁剪切作为它们的先兆, 它们是非质子源耀斑这是Ｍｏｏｒｅ, Ｈａｇｙａｒｄ 和Ｄａｖｉｓ 的磁场强剪切是耀斑产生的必要条件的反例     

On a Magnetic Anomaly in the Umbra of the Following Spot of an NOAA 12192 Active Region

This paper examines the evolution and morphology of a magnetic anomaly: the appearance and disappearance of a longitudinal magnetic flux with opposite polarity at an area of about 10 arc seconds in the umbra of the following sunspot of an NOAA 12192 active region, which was observed from 21 to 26 October 2014 in the SDO/HMI and SOLIS/VSM magnetograms. Information collected by spacecraft and under on-ground observations including data from the Sun Service of the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences are analyzed. Based on the methods of observation and determination of longitudinal magnetic fields in SDO/HMI in line FeI 6173.34 Å it was revealed, that combinations of contours appearing due to magnetic force lines inclinations relative to the line-of-sight and line-of-sight velocities can cause a significant undervalue of the magnetic field intensity in magnetograms, but polarity does not reverse. The fine spatial structure, evolution features, close correlation with ultraviolet loops system in SDO/AIA images, “moustaches”, and no temporal and spatial correlation with flares point to a connection between the detected anomaly and the new magnetic flux emergence of opposite polarity in a spot’s umbra at an earlier decay stage. We analyze magnetic force lines reconnection and show that annigilation of the magnetic fields of opposite polarities can take place for many hours at small (~30 km) scales and this fact is verified by observation results. There are additional facts in favor of the cluster model of a solar spot by Severny-Parker.

     

Dynamics of the magnetic field and velocity field in an emerging active region

The dynamics of the magnetic field and velocity field during the birth and an early development stage of a major active region is studied. SOHO MDI longitudinal-component magnetograms, Dopplergrams, and continuum images are used. The presence of an enhanced material upflow in the photosphere during the passing of the top of the magnetic flux loop, forming the active region, is revealed. The maximum upflow velosity is 2 km/s and the maximum size of the upflow area exceeds 20000 km. The lifetime of the upflow is about two hours. The undulating form of the magnetic flux tubes crossing the photosphere is confirmed. A structural-analysis technique is used to show that the trailing polarity field at the formation stage of the active region is more highly structured than the leading polarity field.     

MHD nature of the origination,dynamics, geoeffectiveness,and disappearance of the four-sector structure of the solar magnetic field during the cycle 23 decline phase

The MHD nature of the origination, dynamics, geoeffectiveness, and disappearance of the four-sector structure of the solar magnetic field during the cycle 23 decline phase has been established. A prolonged ordered MHD process including the chain of the interrelated phenomena (unknown before this study), which begin and end in one of the main zones of active longitudes and are responsible for the above nature of the four-sector structure, has been detected as a result of the simulation of the large-scale open solar magnetic field and an analysis of the dynamics of this field fluxes. These phenomena are as follows: the extreme concentration of the photospheric field sources of the same sign in the zone of active longitudes; blocking of regular differential rotation by these sources; origination of a nonstationary MHD disturbance in the form of a four-sector structure, traveling in the direction of solar rotation at a nearly Alfvén velocity; upset of blocking, displacement of blocking sources from the zone, and their shearing motion relative to a traveling MHD disturbance; deceleration and dissipation of a four-sector MHD disturbance; and reconstruction of a bisector structure. The interactions during this process, which lasted from May 2004 to December 2005, were accompanied by the generation of an ordered succession of heliospheric and solar-terrestrial disturbances including the series of nine extrastorms that were observed from July 2004 to September 2005 and were the last storms in the finished cycle 23 of solar activity.     

Simulating solar MHD

Two aspects of solar MHD are discussed in relation to the work of the MHD simulation group at KIS. Photospheric magneto-convection, the nonlinear interaction of magnetic field and convection in a strongly stratified, radiating fluid, is a key process of general astrophysical relevance. Comprehensive numerical simulations including radiative transfer have significantly improved our understanding of the processes and have become an important tool for the interpretation of observational data. Examples of field intensification in the solar photosphere (‘convective collapse’) are shown. The second line of research is concerned with the dynamics of flux tubes in the convection zone, which has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the solar dynamo. Simulations indicate that the field strength in the region where the flux is stored before erupting to form sunspot groups is of the order of 10⁵ G, an order of magnitude larger than previous estimates based on equipartition with the kinetic energy of convective flows.     

Displacement of large-scale open solar magnetic fields from the zone of active longitudes and the heliospheric storm of November 3–10, 2004: 2. “Explosion” of singularity and dynamics of sunspot formation and energy release

A more detailed scenario of one stage (August–November 2004) of the quasibiennial MHD process “Origination ... and dissipation of the four-sector structure of the solar magnetic field” during the decline phase of cycle 23 has been constructed. It has been indicated that the following working hypothesis on the propagation of an MHD disturbance westward (in the direction of solar rotation) and eastward (toward the zone of active longitudes) with the displacement of the large-scale open solar magnetic field (LOSMF) from this zone can be constructed based on LOSMF model representations and data on sunspot formation, flares, active filaments, and coronal ejections as well as on the estimated contribution of sporadic energy release to the flare luminosity and kinetic energy of ejections: (1) The “explosion” of the LOSMF singularity and the formation in the explosion zone of an anemone active region (AR), which produced the satellite sunspot formation that continued west and east of the “anemone,” represented a powerful and energy-intensive source of MHD processes at this stage. (2) This resulted in the origination of two “governing” large-scale MHD processes, which regulated various usual manifestations of solar activity: the fast LOSMF along the neutral line in the solar atmosphere, strongly affecting the zone of active longitudes, and the slow LOSMF in the outer layers of the convection zone. The fronts of these processes were identified by powerful (about 10³¹ erg) coronal ejections. (3) The collision of a wave reflected from the zone of active longitudes with the eastern front of the hydromagnetic impulse of the convection zone resulted in an increase in LOSMF magnetic fluxes, origination of an active sector boundary in the zone of active longitudes, shear-convergent motions, and generation and destabilization of the flare-productive AR 10696 responsible for the heliospheric storm of November 3–10, 2004.     

Magnetohydrodynamic Simulation of Preflare Situations in the Solar Corona with the Use of Parallel Computing

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - The use of parallel computations on Nvidia Tesla GPUs allows the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation of preflare situations in the solar corona above an active region...     

Origin and structures of solar eruptions Ⅱ: Magnetic modeling

The topology and dynamics of the three-dimensional magnetic field in the solar atmosphere govern various solar eruptive phenomena and activities, such as flares, coronal mass ejections, and filaments/prominences. We have to observe and model the vector magnetic field to understand the structures and physical mechanisms of these solar activities. Vector magnetic fields on the photosphere are routinely observed via the polarized light, and inferred with the inversion of Stokes profiles. To analyze these vector magnetic fields, we need first to remove the 180° ambiguity of the transverse components and correct the projection effect. Then, the vector magnetic field can be served as the boundary conditions for a force-free field modeling after a proper preprocessing. The photospheric velocity field can also be derived from a time sequence of vector magnetic fields.Three-dimensional magnetic field could be derived and studied with theoretical force-free field models, numerical nonlinear force-free field models, magnetohydrostatic models, and magnetohydrodynamic models. Magnetic energy can be computed with three-dimensional magnetic field models or a time series of vector magnetic field. The magnetic topology is analyzed by pinpointing the positions of magnetic null points, bald patches, and quasi-separatrix layers. As a well conserved physical quantity,magnetic helicity can be computed with various methods, such as the finite volume method, discrete flux tube method, and helicity flux integration method. This quantity serves as a promising parameter characterizing the activity level of solar active regions.     

Intersector disbalance of the large-scale open solar magnetic field fluxes,active and passive boundaries,and solar-terrestrial extrastorms

The dynamics (from rotation to rotation) of the absolute values of the large-scale open solar magnetic field fluxes in the four-sector field structure has been considered for the first time, using CRs 2032–2035 in July–October 2005 as examples. An important role of the ratio of the fluxes at the eastern and western sector boundaries (Φ _E /Φ _W ) is confirmed. As in the cases of the two-sector structure, Φ _E /Φ _W > 1 is typical of active rigidly corotating boundaries with intense sunspot formation, flares, and interplanetary and geomagnetic disturbances. A remarkable property of the considered structure was the presence of a rapidly increasing flux in an initially narrow sector and the flux interaction with a stable rigidly corotating sector in the zone of the main active longitudes, which caused an unexpectedly strong geoeffective long-range action of flares near the corresponding active boundary.     

Signs of Preflare Situation in Solar Ultraviolet and Microwave Emission

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - The spatial dynamics of microwave emission (data from the Nobeyama Radioheliograph) of active regions with a complex magnetic field configuration before powerful flares,...     

Solar-terrestrial storm of November 18–20, 2003. 1. Near-Earth disturbances in the solar wind

The structure, configuration, dynamics, and solar sources of the near-Earth MHD disturbance of the solar wind on November 20, 2003, is considered. The disturbances of October 24 and November 22 after flares from the same AR 10484 (10501) are compared. The velocity field in the leading part of the sporadic disturbance is for the first time studied in the coordinate system stationary relative to the bow shock. A possible scenario of the physical processes in the course of this solar-terrestrial storm is discussed in comparison with the previously developed scenario for the storm of July 15, 2000. It has been indicated that (1) the near-Earth disturbance was observed at the sector boundary (HCS) and in its vicinities and (2) the disturbance MHD structure included: the complicated bow shock, wide boundary layer with reconnecting fields at a transition from the shock to the magnetic cloud, magnetic cloud with a magnetic cavity including packed substance of an active filament, and return shock layer (supposedly). It has been found out that the shock front configuration and the velocity field are reproduced at an identical position of AR and HCS relative to the Earth on November 20 and 24. It has been indicated that the maximal magnetic induction in the cloud satisfied the condition B _m = (8πn ₁ m _p)^1/2(D ? NV₁), i.e., depended on the dynamic impact on the cloud during all three storms [Ivanov et al., 1974]. When the disturbance was related to solar sources, the attention has been paid to the parallelism of the axes of symmetry of the active filament, transient coronal hole, coronal mass ejection, zero line of the open coronal field (HCS), and the axis of the near-Earth magnetic cloud: the regularity previously established in the scenario of the storm of July 15, 2000 [Ivanov et al., 2005]. It has been indicated that the extremely large B _m value in the cloud of October 20 was caused by a strong suppression of the series of postflare shocks reflected from the heliospheric streamer.     

Possibility of real time scale MHD simulation above an active region

The MHD simulations of preflare situation in the corona above the real active region (AR) are performed without any assumptions about the solar flare mechanism. All conditions for simulation are taken from observations. Such approach is directed to understand the flare mechanism. The observed SOHO MDI magnetic maps are used. The special numerical methods are developed and realized in the PERESVET code for numerical simulation in the real time scale. The first results of real time scale MHD simulation during several first minutes are presented. Initiation of current sheet (CS) creation in the vicinity of the magnetic field X-line is shown. The possibilities of real time scale MHD simulation of preflare situation on modern computers using the developed mathematical methods are discussed.     

Skin-layer of the eruptive magnetic flux rope in large solar flares

The analysis of observations of large solar flares made it possible to propose a hypothesis on existence of a skin-layer in magnetic flux ropes of coronal mass ejections. On the assumption that the Bohm coefficient determines the diffusion of magnetic field, an estimate of the skin-layer thickness of ~10⁶ cm is obtained. According to the hypothesis, the electric field of ~0.01–0.1 V/cm, having the nonzero component along the magnetic field of flux rope, arises for ~5 min in the surface layer of the eruptive flux rope during its ejection into the upper corona. The particle acceleration by the electric field to the energies of ~100 MeV/nucleon in the skin-layer of the flux rope leads to their precipitation along field lines to footpoints of the flux rope. The skin-layer presence induces helical or oval chromospheric emission at the ends of flare ribbons. The emission may be accompanied by hard X-ray radiation and by the production of gamma-ray line at the energy of 2.223 MeV (neutron capture line in the photosphere). The magnetic reconnection in the corona leads to a shift of the skin-layer of flux rope across the magnetic field. The area of precipitation of accelerated particles at the flux-rope footpoints expands in this case from the inside outward. This effect is traced in the chromosphere and in the transient region as the expanding helical emission structures. If the emission extends to the spot, a certain fraction of accelerated particles may be reflected from the magnetic barrier (in the magnetic field of the spot). In the case of exit into the interplanetary space, these particles may be recorded in the Earth’s orbit as solar proton events.     

Features of Microwave Radiation and Magnetographic Characteristics of Solar Active Region NOAA 12242 Before the X1.8 Flare on December 20, 2014

This paper continues the cycle of authors’ works on the detection of precursors of large flares (M5 and higher classes) in active regions (ARs) of the Sun by their microwave radiation and magnetographic characteristics. Generalization of the detected precursors of strong flares can be used to develop methods for their prediction. This paper presents an analysis of the development of NOAA AR 12242, in which an X1.8 flare occurred on December 20, 2014. The analysis is based on regular multiazimuth and multiwavelength observations with the RATAN-600 radio telescope in the range 1.65–10 cm with intensity and circular polarization analysis and data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). It was found that a new component appeared in the AR microwave radiation two days before the X-flare. It became dominant in the AR the day before the flare and significantly decreased after the flare. The use of multiazimuth observations from RATAN-600 and observations at 1.76 cm from the Nobeyama Radioheliograph made it possible to identify the radio source that appeared before the X-flare with the site of the closest convergence of opposite polarity fields near the neutral line in the AR. It was established that the X-flare occurred 20 h after the total gradient of the magnetic field of the entire region calculated from SDO/HMI data reached its maximum value. Analysis of the evolution of the microwave source that appeared before the X-flare in AR 12242 and comparison of its parameters with the parameters of other components of the AR microwave radiation showed that the new source can be classified as neutral line associated sources (NLSs), which were repeatedly detected by the RATAN-600 and other radio telescopes 1–3 days before the large flares.     

地球磁尾中不同类型磁结构的磁螺度演化特征

在二维三分量MHD数值模拟的基础上 ,对地球磁尾不同类型磁结构的形成作磁螺度分析 .研究表明 ,对于由晨昏电场产生的磁尾驱动重联过程 ,通过系统边界输运的磁螺度通量是引起系统总磁螺度变化的直接原因 .不同的初始磁螺度密度分布和磁螺度通量输运 ,可以引起中性片区域磁螺度密度分布的不同演化 ,从而导致具有不同拓扑位形磁结构的形成 .