Observing coronal mass ejections without coronagraphs
Hudson, H. S. and E. W. Cliver, Observing coronal mass ejections without coronagraphs, Journal of Geophysical Research, 106, 25199-25214 (2001) (ADS)
(click on the image for a larger version)
One of the worst cartoons in the Archive: hand-drawn, no color, no helpful
legends... also note that the explanation given in the reference describes "shrinking"
field lines, when obviously a dynamical field cannot correctly be
described in terms of field lines at all.
In this cartoon the heavy dashed lines represent "isomagnetobar", or maybe
"magnetoisobar" surfaces, which collapse as energy converts from
the magnetic field into other forms.
The solid lines show (unmoving) magnetic field lines:
solid, pre-flare; dotted, post-flare.
Note that the latter includes both closed fields and newly opened fields.
See further 1,
2, or most simply
3.
Apologies for placing the Archivist brazenly in the company of the
great stars of the demi-monde of solar cartooning, but not to worry!
This millennium is still young and we all love to draw cartoons.
There will be more, and ours will be buried and long forgotten.
Note that there is now a much better, more colorful,
recent cartoon
that avoids all mention of the slippery concept of the magnetic field line.
One of the worst cartoons in the Archive: hand-drawn, no color, no helpful legends... also note that the explanation given in the reference describes "shrinking" field lines, when obviously a dynamical field cannot correctly be described in terms of field lines at all. In this cartoon the heavy dashed lines represent "isomagnetobar", or maybe "magnetoisobar" surfaces, which collapse as energy converts from the magnetic field into other forms. The solid lines show (unmoving) magnetic field lines: solid, pre-flare; dotted, post-flare. Note that the latter includes both closed fields and newly opened fields. See further 1, 2, or most simply 3.
Apologies for placing the Archivist brazenly in the company of the great stars of the demi-monde of solar cartooning, but not to worry! This millennium is still young and we all love to draw cartoons. There will be more, and ours will be buried and long forgotten. Note that there is now a much better, more colorful, recent cartoon that avoids all mention of the slippery concept of the magnetic field line.