Energy Propagation into a Flare Kernel during a Solar Flare
Melrose, D. B., Energy Propagation into a Flare Kernel during a Solar Flare, ApJ, 387, 403 (1992) (ADS)
(click on the image for a larger version)
This simplistic cartoon shows one of a pair of Alfvenic shear waves
propagating away from a model energy-release site in the corona,
along a current-carrying (hence twisted) flux tube.
Although simplified to a toy model, the analysis is complicated, even though
in principle the Poynting flux might be all one really needs to
understand in terms of flare energy transport.
The paper points out that energy flows parallel to the ambient B field in this mode,
whereas in a reconnection-type event it would be locally perpendicular.
The Archivist found this to be a hard paper to read.
It is fairly unique in the early literature in tackling the problem of Poynting
flux, which seems so fundamental.
The paper also discusses the flare process in terms of the restructuring
of the coronal current system.
See also the author's later "loop-loop" cartoon.
This simplistic cartoon shows one of a pair of Alfvenic shear waves propagating away from a model energy-release site in the corona, along a current-carrying (hence twisted) flux tube. Although simplified to a toy model, the analysis is complicated, even though in principle the Poynting flux might be all one really needs to understand in terms of flare energy transport. The paper points out that energy flows parallel to the ambient B field in this mode, whereas in a reconnection-type event it would be locally perpendicular. The Archivist found this to be a hard paper to read. It is fairly unique in the early literature in tackling the problem of Poynting flux, which seems so fundamental. The paper also discusses the flare process in terms of the restructuring of the coronal current system. See also the author's later "loop-loop" cartoon.