Li, Jing, D. L. Mickey, and B. J. LaBonte, The X3 Flare of 2002 July 15, ApJ, 620, 1092-1100 (2005) (ADS)
(click on the image for a larger version)
Cartoon based on SOL2002-07-15, a flare involving a very remarkable
helical eruption.
The cartoon (middle panel) correctly depicts its winding geometry, believe it or not.
This is in the category of "not really a cartoon"
because it does not pretend to do more than represent the observations.
But the authors clearly have various theoretical ideas about
large-scale magnetic reconnection in mind, and clearly this cartoon
favors the general class of models with complex polarities.
The yellow regions conceal the magic of reconnection, in this nice view.
Readers should please note that the TRACE movie of this event shows
the exquisite (and rarely observed) multi-turn helical structure in eruption,
only for a very few frames; the movie is most remarkable and should be seen.
Going off on a tangent here, the movie also shows ribbon structures in successive
events that actually cross over each others' locations.
How can this occur and yet involve irreversible dissipative processes, such
as magnetic reconnection?
Cartoon based on SOL2002-07-15, a flare involving a very remarkable helical eruption. The cartoon (middle panel) correctly depicts its winding geometry, believe it or not. This is in the category of "not really a cartoon" because it does not pretend to do more than represent the observations. But the authors clearly have various theoretical ideas about large-scale magnetic reconnection in mind, and clearly this cartoon favors the general class of models with complex polarities. The yellow regions conceal the magic of reconnection, in this nice view. Readers should please note that the TRACE movie of this event shows the exquisite (and rarely observed) multi-turn helical structure in eruption, only for a very few frames; the movie is most remarkable and should be seen.
Going off on a tangent here, the movie also shows ribbon structures in successive events that actually cross over each others' locations. How can this occur and yet involve irreversible dissipative processes, such as magnetic reconnection?
Bold, primary colors...