Many classes of transient solar phenomena, such as flares, flare sprays, and eruptive prominences, cause major disruptions in the magnetic geometry of the overlying corona. Typically, the results from Skylab indicate that pre-existing closed magnetic loops in the corona are torn open by the force of the disruption. We examine here some of the theoretical consequences to be expected during the extended relaxation phase which must follow such events. This phase is characterized by a gradual reconnection of the outward-distended field lines. In particular, the enhanced coronal expansion which occurs on open field lines just before they reconnect appears adequate to supply the large downward mass fluxes observed in Ha loop prominence systems that form during the post-transient relaxation. In addition, this enhanced flow may produce nonrecurrent high speed streams in the solar wind after such events. Calculations of the relaxation phase for representative field geometries and the resulting flow configurations are described.

Magnetic reconnection in the corona and the loop prominence phenomenon

SOLAR flares are thought to be the result of magnetic reconnection — the merging of antiparallel magnetic fields and the consequent release of magnetic energy. Flares are classified into two types1: compact and two-ribbon. The two-ribbon flares, which appear as slowly-developing, long-lived large loops, are understood theoretically2–6 as arising from an eruption of a solar prominence that pulls magnetic field lines upward into the corona. As the field lines form an inverted Y-shaped structure and relax, the reconnection of the field lines takes place. This view has been supported by recent observations7–10. A different mechanism seemed to be required, however, to produce the short-lived, impulsive compact flares. Here we report observations made with the Yohkoh11 Hard X-ray Telescope12 and Soft X-ray Telescope13, which show a compact flare with a geometry similar to that of a two-ribbon flare. We identify the reconnection region as the site of particle acceleration, suggesting that the basic physics of the reconnection process (which remains uncertain) may be common to both types of flare.

A loop-top hard X-ray source in a compact solar flare as evidence for magnetic reconnection

We present observations of the magnetic field configuration and its transformation in six solar eruptive events that show good agreement with the standard bipolar model for eruptive flares. The observations are X-ray images from the Yohkoh soft X-ray telescope (SXT) and magnetograms from Kitt Peak National Solar Observatory, interpreted together with the 1-8 Angstrom X-ray flux observed by Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). The observations yield the following interpretations: (1) Each event is a magnetic explosion that occurs in an initially closed single bipole in which the core field is sheared and twisted in the shape of a sigmoid, having an oppositely curved elbow on each end. The arms of the opposite elbows are sheared past each other so that they overlap and are crossed low above the neutral line in the middle of the bipole. The elbows and arms seen in the SXT images are illuminated strands of the sigmoidal core field, which is a continuum of sheared/twisted field that fills these strands as well as the space between and around them; (2) Although four of the explosions are ejective (appearing to blow open the bipole) and two are confined (appearing to be arrested within the closed bipole), all six begin the same way. In the SXT images, the explosion begins with brightening and expansion of the two elbows together with the appearance of short bright sheared loops low over the neutral line under the crossed arms and, rising up from the crossed arms, long strands connecting the far ends of the elbows; and (3) All six events are single-bipole events in that during the onset and early development of the explosion they show no evidence for reconnection between the exploding bipole and any surrounding magnetic fields. We conclude that in each of our events the magnetic explosion was unleashed by runaway tether-cutting via implosive/explosive reconnection in the middle of the sigmoid, as in the standard model. The similarity of the onsets of the two confined explosions to the onsets of the four ejective explosions and their agreement with the model indicate that runaway reconnection inside a sheared core field can begin whether or not a separate system of overlying fields, or the structure of the bipole itself, allows the explosion to be ejective. Because this internal reconnection apparently begins at the very start of the sigmoid eruption and grows in step with the explosion, we infer that this reconnection is essential for the onset and growth of the magnetic explosion in eruptive flares and coronal mass ejections.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/320559/pdf

Onset of the Magnetic Explosion in Solar Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections

We present an overview of solar flares and associated phenomena, drawing upon a wide range of observational data primarily from the RHESSI era Following an introductory discussion and overview of the status of observational capabilities, the article is split into topical sections which deal with different areas of flare phenomena (footpoints and ribbons, coronal sources, relationship to coronal mass ejections) and their interconnections We also discuss flare soft X-ray spectroscopy and the energetics of the process The emphasis is to describe the observations from multiple points of view, while bearing in mind the models that link them to each other and to theory The present theoretical and observational understanding of solar flares is far from complete, so we conclude with a brief discussion of models, and a list of missing but important observations

An Observational Overview of Solar Flares

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the largest-scale eruptive phenomenon in the solar system, expanding from active region-sized nonpotential magnetic structure to a much larger size. The bulk of plasma with a mass of ∼ 1011,1013 kg is hauled up all the way out to the interplanetary space with a typical velocity of several hundred or even more than 1000 km s−1, with a chance to impact our Earth, resulting in hazardous space weather conditions. They involve many other much smaller-sized solar eruptive phenomena, such as X-ray sigmoids, filament/prominence eruptions, solar flares, plasma heating and radiation, particle acceleration, EIT waves, EUV dimmings, Moreton waves, solar radio bursts, and so on. It is believed that, by shedding the accumulating magnetic energy and helicity, they complete the last link in the chain of the cycling of the solar magnetic field. In this review, I try to explicate our understanding on each stage of the fantastic phenomenon, including their pre-eruption structure, their triggering mechanisms and the precursors indicating the initiation process, their acceleration and propagation. Particular attention is paid to clarify some hot debates, e.g., whether magnetic reconnection is necessary for the eruption, whether there are two types of CMEs, how the CME frontal loop is formed, and whether halo CMEs are special.

/pdf/coronal-mass-ejections-models-and-their-observational-basis-18wrfif7lq.pdf

Coronal Mass Ejections: Models and Their Observational Basis

An outline is presented of the physical processes involved in the emerging flux model, which appears to explain naturally many solar flare observations. The separate physical phases of the basic model include a preflare heating phase as the new flux emerges, an impulsive phase as high-energy particles are accelerated, a flash (or explosive) phase when the H-alpha intensity increases, and a main phase while it decreases. The extent and morphology of the main phase emission depend on the structure of the magnetic field region in which the new flux finds itself imbedded. It is suggested that a (small) simple loop flare occurs if the new flux appears in a region where no great amount of magnetic energy in excess of potential is stored. A two-ribbon flare occurs if the flux emerges near the polarity inversion line of an active region that has begun to develop filaments.

An emerging flux model for the solar flare phenomenon

A complete halo coronal mass ejection (CME) was observed by the SOHO Large-Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) coronagraphs on May 12, 1997. It was associated with activity near Sun center, implying that it was aimed earthward. Three days later on May 15 an interplanetary shock and magnetic cloud/flux rope transient was detected at the Wind spacecraft 190 RE upstream of Earth. The long enduring southward magnetic fields associated with these structures triggered a geomagnetic storm. The CME was associated with a small coronal arcade that formed over a filament eruption with expanding double ribbons in Hα emission. The flare was accompanied by a circular EUV wave, and the arcade was flanked by adjacent dimming regions. We surmise that these latter regions marked the feet of a flux rope that expanded earthward into the solar wind and was observed as the magnetic cloud at Wind. To test this hypothesis we determined key parameters of the solar structures on May 12 and compared them with the modeled flux rope parameters at Wind on May 15. The measurements are consistent with the flux rope originating in a large coronal structure linked to the erupting filament, with the opposite-polarity feet of the rope terminating in the depleted regions. However, bidirectional electron streaming was not observed within the cloud itself, suggesting that there is not always a good correspondence between such flows and ejecta.

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2000JA000021

The origin and development of the May 1997 magnetic cloud

We report observations on the two-ribbon flare of 1980 May 21 by the Hard X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer, the Hard X-Ray Burst Spectrometer, and the UV Spectrometer and Polarimeter aboard the Solar Maximum Mission, as well as H..cap alpha.. and magnetic field data. Our conslusions are (1) the impulsive 16--30 keV X-ray spike bursts originated from separate locations of approx.8'' width, coinciding in position with H..cap alpha.. flare kernels. This hard X-ray emission was caused by beams of accelerated electrons. (2) The impulsive spike bursts came from the footprints of loops arched over a 30'' region where new magnetic flux emerged, which caused eruption of a filament immediately before the flare. (3) Temperatures in excess off 7 x 10/sup 7/ K were observed during the thermal phase. The hot plasma component cooled by anomalous heat conduction, requiring a continuous energy release of approx.2 x 10/sup 29/ ergs s/sup -1/ initially, to approx.4 x 10/sup 28/ ergs s/sup -1/ later on.

Origin and location of the hard X-ray emission in a two-ribbon flare

An asymmetric, expanding arch, photographed in the inner corona with an X-ray telescope on 13 August, 1973, is identified as the source of the mass ejected in a white light transient in the outer corona. The morphology, angular position, estimated mass and apparent rate of upward acceleration of the lower coronal arch are similar to those of the arch seen passing through the outer corona. The mass of material removed from the lower corona is estimated at 2 × 1015 g, and the upward movement is consistent with a constant acceleration of 12.5 m s−2 between 1.3 and 5 R⊙.

Expansion of an X-ray coronal arch into the outer corona

The X-ray telescope experiment aboard the Skylab/ATM mission provided high-resolution soft X-ray images of the lower corona away from active regions, revealing frequent large-scale transient X-ray enhancements which could often be associated with the disappearance of H-alpha filaments. The X-ray emitting structures featured peak brightnesses similar to those of nonflaring active region structures, durations from 3 to 40 hours, shapes that in general outlined the preexisting H-alpha filaments to as large as 400,000 km, apparent expansion velocities of the order of tens of km/sec, and observed peak temperatures of the order of a few million degrees. One such event is described and analyzed in detail. Two explanations of the events are discussed: (1) excess cool material is present in the filament cavity, contributing to the X-ray enhancement, and (2) the enhancement is due to the compression of preexisting material by a changing magnetic field.

D. M. Rust

Papers

An emerging flux model for the solar flare phenomenon

The origin and development of the May 1997 magnetic cloud

Origin and location of the hard X-ray emission in a two-ribbon flare

Expansion of an X-ray coronal arch into the outer corona

Coronal X-ray enhancements associated with H-alpha filament disappearances