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.     

Spatial Characterization of a Flare Using Radio Observations and Magnetic Field Topology

Using magnetograms, EUV and Hα images, Owens Valley Solar Array microwave observations, and 212-GHz flux density derived from the Solar Submillimeter Telescope data, we determine the spatial characteristics of the 1B/M6.9 flare that occurred on November 28, 2001, starting at 16:26 UT in active region (AR) NOAA 9715. This flare is associated with a chromospheric mass ejection or surge observed at 16:42 UT in the Hα images. We compute the coronal magnetic field under the linear force-free field assumption, constrained by the photospheric data of the Michelson Doppler Imager and loops observed by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope. The analysis of the magnetic field connectivity allows us to conclude that magnetic field reconnection between two different coronal/chromospheric sets of arches was at the origin of the flare and surge, respectively. The optically thick microwave spectrum at peak time shows a shape compatible with the emission from two different sites. Fitting gyrosynchrotron emission to the observed spectrum, we derive parameters for each source. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article () contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Kinematic reconnection at a magnetic null point: fan-aligned current

Magnetic reconnection at a three-dimensional null point is a natural extension of the familiar two-dimensional X-point reconnection. A model is set up here for reconnection at a null point with current directed parallel to the fan plane, by solving the kinematic, steady, resistive magnetohydrodynamic equations in its vicinity. The magnetic field is assumed to be steady, and a localised diffusion region surrounding the null point is also assumed, outside which the plasma is ideal. Particular attention is focussed on the way that the magnetic flux changes its connections as a result of the reconnection. The resultant plasma flow is found to cross the spine and fan of the null, and thus transfer magnetic flux between topologically distinct regions. Solutions are also found in which the flow crosses either the spine or fan only.     

X-Ray Jet Dynamics in a Polar Coronal Hole Region

New X-ray observations of the north polar region taken from the X-ray Telescope (XRT) of the Hinode spacecraft are used to analyze several time sequences showing small loop brightenings with a long ray above. We focus on the formation of the jet and discuss scenarios to explain the main features of the events: the relationship with the expected surface magnetism, the rapid and sudden radial motion, and possibly the heating, based on the assumption that the jet occurs above a null point of the coronal magnetic field. We conclude that 2-D reconnection models should be complemented in order to explain the observational details of these events and suggest that alternative scenarios may exist.     

剪切流动和电阻撕裂模的相互作用

本文在细长柱位形下数值研究了具有剪切流动的电流片中电阻撕裂模不稳定性的非线性演化。结果表明，电流片附近Ｓｅｃｈ形式的剪切流动，将导致电阻撕裂模不稳定性的发展，且不稳定性增长率随着剪切参数Ｒｒ的增加而增长，导致磁岛的形成和快速的磁能释放。这种剪切流动和撕裂模的耦合过程以及超热不稳定性的相互作用，改变了磁拱中的磁场剪切强度或者说电流密度梯度，从而驱动电阻撕裂模不稳定性的发展，这种过程对于等离子体电流密     

太阳耀斑磁重联的数值模拟

数值模拟了太阳耀斑中二维磁重联过程。结果表明,当重联Ｘ 点比较高时,演化过程能再现双带耀斑中耀斑环的运动等主要特征;当重联Ｘ 点比较低时,可解释致密耀斑的观测特征。结果还表明,耀斑环上升和重联点上升之间没有直接的联系。     

行星际磁场By分量对地球磁层顶场向电流调制

采用三维可压缩MHD数值模拟研究了行星际磁场By分量的变化对磁层顶重联区场向电流大小和分布的影响. 行星际磁场通过模拟区x=-Lx处左边界条件By来影响重联过程，从而改变重联区的场向电流. 研究结果表明边界条件By的突然改变，能使重联区场向电流迅速增加，甚至达到增大一个量级的水平.By本身的存在(即不为零)也会使场向电流维持在一个较高的水平. 由于行星际磁场By分量不为零，而形成模拟区磁场By不对称分布，这种不对称分布是场向电流不对称分布产生的主要原因. 这些结果是与Orsted卫星最新观测结果和地 面观测结果相符合的，它表明行星际磁场By分量对地球空间场向电流有较大的调制作用.     

地球磁层顶磁场重联的动力学过程

用三维可压缩MHD数值模拟研究了在磁场重联过程中电子压力梯度项的效应研究结果发现在较高等离子体β,较小离子惯性尺度条件下,广义欧姆定理中压力梯度项在重联过程的作用不可忽略.在磁重联过程中,压力梯度项虽然没有明显改变磁场拓扑结构和重联速度,但它使电子和离子速度明显增大.由于在离子惯性尺度下,离子和电子运动解耦,电子是电流的主要载流子,所以场向电流也增大,并导致核心磁场明显增大.考虑到场向电流是磁层电离层耦合的一个重要因素,所以电子压力梯度项的引入加强了行星际磁场南向期间磁层电离层的耦合.电子压力梯度项还在重联区激发了波动,该波动可向重联区外传播.     

Cusp Modeling and Observations at Low Altitude

Cusp properties have been investigated with an open-field line particle precipitation model and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite observations. Particular emphasis is placed on the effects of IMF B_y, since previous studies focus mostly on IMF B_z. The model-data comparisons for various IMF configurations show that the model captures the large-scale features of the particle precipitation very well, not only in the cusp region, but also in other open-field line regions such as the mantle, polar rain, and open-field line low-altitude boundary layer (LLBL). When the IMF is strongly duskward/dawnward and weakly southward, the model predicts the occurrence of double cusp near noon: one cusp at lower latitude and one at higher latitude. The lower latitude cusp ions originate from the low-latitude magnetosheath whereas the higher latitude ions originate from the high-latitude magnetosheath. The lower latitude cusp is located in the region of weak azimuthal E × B drift, resulting in a dispersionless cusp. The higher latitude cusp is located in the region of strong azimuthal and poleward E × B drift. Because of a significant poleward drift, the higher latitude cusp dispersion has some resemblance to that of the typical southward IMF cusp. Occasionally, the two parts of the double cusp have such narrow latitudinal separation that they give the appearance of just one cusp with extended latitudinal width. From the 40 DMSP passes selected during periods of large (positive or negative) IMF B_y and small negative IMF B_z, 30 (75%) of the passes exhibit double cusps or cusps with extended latitudinal width. The double cusp result is consistent with the following statistical results: (1) the cusp’s latitudinal width increases with |IMF B_y| and (2) the cusp’s equatorward boundary moves to lower latitude with increasing |IMF B_y|.     

引力场中磁场重联的数值研究──（Ⅰ）磁岛的形成和合并

数值研究了引力场中电阻撕裂模不稳定性所引起的磁场重联，结果表明，在电流片长度Ｌ＝１Ｈ、半宽度δ＝Ｈ／２４的情况下，电流片两端附近将出现两个Ｘ线的磁场重联，并形成磁岛和高温高密度的等离子体团．磁岛宽度随着时间而增长，在ｔ≈５５τ_Ａ时达到饱和，最大饱和岛宽约为４δ．同时从ｔ≈３７τ_Ａ开始，磁岛中心位置逐渐下降；在ｔ＝５７τ_Ａ时发生结合不稳定性，磁岛与底部附近的闭合磁场区合并，导致磁场湮灭和磁能的快速释放．另一方面，由于引力场和等离子体非均匀性的影响，顶部附近随时间而增长的等离子体外流速度达１．１４Ｖ_Ａ∞；磁岛中等离子体向下运动的最大速度达１．４１Ｖ_Ａ∞，且大于局地声速；在磁岛前方可形成快激波．这些结果可用于解释双带耀斑中后随耀斑环的形成、磁场湮灭和磁能释放、以及Ｄｏｐｐｌｅｒ速度图上观测到的红移现象．