Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Oct 1995
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995apj...452..894m&link_type=abstract
Astrophysical Journal v.452, p.894
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
52
Convection, Magnetohydrodynamics: Mhd, Sun: Interior, Sun: Magnetic Fields
Scientific paper
A magnetic flux tube anchored at the bottom of the solar convection zone and rising toward the surface as a result of an undulatory instability can be affected by a sudden catastrophic expansion and weakening of the magnetic field at its apex if the original field strength is below a few times 104 G. Such an "explosion" occurs if the flux tube evolves close enough to (adiabatic) hydrostatic equilibrium along the magnetic field lines in a super-adiabatically stratified environment. This condition is satisfied if the diameter of the tube is small enough for the drag force to dominate the dynamical evolution. For example, rising flux tubes with equipartition field (104 G) at their basis explode in the middle of the convection zone if their magnetic flux is below ≌1021 Mx.
Apart from preventing flux tubes with equipartition field from reaching the surface, the explosion process may have other consequences for the evolution of magnetic fields in the convection zone: (a) it provides a source of weak field to be acted upon by the convective flows in the course of a turbulent dynamo process; (b) upflow of matter into the inflated top of a loop intensifies the magnetic field in the submerged part of the flux tube at the bottom of the convection zone. This might constitute a mechanism to produce the strong azimuthal fields in the overshoot region suggested by recent studies of the undular instability of magnetic flux tubes.
Caligari Peter
Moreno-Insertis Fernando
Schuessler Manfred
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