The effect of field-line twist on the dynamic nature and electric current structure of emerging magnetic field on the Sun

  • An, Jun-Mo (School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Magara, Tetsuya (School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Lee, Hwan-Hee (School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Kang, Ji-Hye (School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University)
  • Published : 2012.04.03

Abstract

We use three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations to investigate how the dynamic state of emerging magnetic field is related to the twist of field lines. Emergence of magnetic field is considered as one of the key physical process producing solar activity such as flares, jets, and coronal mass ejections. To understand these activities we have to know dynamic nature and electric current structure provided by emerging magnetic field. To demonstrate dynamic nature of field lines, we focus on the factors such as curvature of magnetic field line and scale height of magnetic field strength. These factors show that strong twist case forms two-part structure in which the central part is close to a force-free state while the outer marginal part is in a fairly dynamic state. For weak twist case, it still shows two-part structure but the tendency becomes weaker than strong twist case. We discuss how the curvature distribution affects the dynamic nature of emerging magnetic field. We also investigate electric current distribution provided by emerging field lines to show a possible relation between electric current structure and sigmoid observed in a preflare phase.

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