Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2007-05-26
Adv.Space Res.40:1780-1786,2007
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
7 pages, 4 figures, Adv. Spa. Res., in press,
Scientific paper
10.1016/j.asr.2007.02.011
It remains an open question how magnetic energy is rapidly released in the solar corona so as to create solar explosions such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Recent studies have confirmed that a system consisting of a flux rope embedded in a background field exhibits a catastrophic behavior, and the energy threshold at the catastrophic point may exceed the associated open field energy. The accumulated free energy in the corona is abruptly released when the catastrophe takes place, and it probably serves as the main means of energy release for CMEs at least in the initial phase. Such a release proceeds via an ideal MHD process in contrast with nonideal ones such as magnetic reconnection. The catastrophe results in a sudden formation of electric current sheets, which naturally provide proper sites for fast magnetic reconnection. The reconnection may be identified with a solar flare associated with the CME on one hand, and produces a further acceleration of the CME on the other. On this basis, several preliminary suggestions are made for future observational investigations, especially with the proposed KuaFu satellites, on the roles of the MHD catastrophe and magnetic reconnection in the magnetic energy release associated with CMEs and flares.
Chen Yafeng
Hu Yong-Qing
Xia Li-Dong
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