Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2005
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2005hia....13..128l&link_type=abstract
Highlights of Astronomy, Vol. 13, as presented at the XXVth General Assembly of the IAU - 2003 [Sydney, Australia, 13 - 26 July
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
Helicity in coronal magnetic fields often occurring in the form of twisted or sheared fields provides energy above that of the equivalent potential field which can be released as a flare. I will discuss several models of how this extra non-potential energy can be released. For example models for the emergence of twisted flux tubes and delta-spots into the corona show that the twist energy of these fields can be released via the kink instability. The kink instability can also lead to energy release when footpoint motions twist coronal flux tubes. Helicity is also important for energy release in reconnections between magnetic flux regions. For untwisted field the mutual helicity between the regions provides a measure of the shear in the fields and therefore how much energy is available for release in a flare. For twisted flux tubes the twist helicity of each tube in combination with the mutual helicity between the tubes dictate what type of reconnection the tubes can undergo and how much energy is available. This illustrates how measuring the helicity of coronal regions and studying how this helicity affects magnetic energy release is vital for our understanding of and our ability to predict solar flares.
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