The Topology and Evolution of the Bastille Day Flare
Aulanier, G., E. E. DeLuca, S. K. Antiochos, R. A. McMullen, and L. Golub, The Topology and Evolution of the Bastille Day Flare, ApJ, 540, 1126-1142 (2000) (ADS)
(click on the image for a larger version)
Inspired by the "Bastille day 2000" flare, SOL2000-07-14 (so beautifully observed
by Yohkoh) this cartoon tries to extract the not-so-beautiful magnetic framework.
It is not well done from some points of view (if this was a flare,
where are the X-rays?) but it seems to be
scrupulous about showing the field lines.
Often cartoons don't show the fate of field lines individually,
which makes it confusing; sometimes a badly drawn cartoon will even
leave a field line with an end, thus violating one of Maxwell's equations.
This cartoon is also memorable for showing not one but three kinds of
reconnection: "weak", "strong", and "relaxation". In each of these
situations, do we have the same microphysics?
Possibly a careful study of the paper would show how these relate to the
non-ideal terms in Ohm's Law.
Note that the plasma has to be assumed
to be stationary before a field-line representation makes sense in
any case.
Here we see the reconnection scenarios of "breakout", and 3D hints of spines and fans.
Inspired by the "Bastille day 2000" flare, SOL2000-07-14 (so beautifully observed by Yohkoh) this cartoon tries to extract the not-so-beautiful magnetic framework. It is not well done from some points of view (if this was a flare, where are the X-rays?) but it seems to be scrupulous about showing the field lines. Often cartoons don't show the fate of field lines individually, which makes it confusing; sometimes a badly drawn cartoon will even leave a field line with an end, thus violating one of Maxwell's equations. This cartoon is also memorable for showing not one but three kinds of reconnection: "weak", "strong", and "relaxation". In each of these situations, do we have the same microphysics? Possibly a careful study of the paper would show how these relate to the non-ideal terms in Ohm's Law. Note that the plasma has to be assumed to be stationary before a field-line representation makes sense in any case. Here we see the reconnection scenarios of "breakout", and 3D hints of spines and fans.