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

We propose a model for the jetting activity that is commonly observed in the Sun's corona, especially in the open-field regions of polar coronal holes. Magnetic reconnection is the process driving the jets and a relevant magnetic configuration is the well known null-point and fan-separatrix topology. The primary challenge in explaining the observations is that reconnection must occur in a short-duration energetic burst, rather than quasi-continuously as is implied by the observations of long-lived structures in coronal holes, such as polar plumes. The key idea underlying our model for jets is that reconnection is forbidden for an axisymmetrical null-point topology. Consequently, by imposing a twisting motion that maintains the axisymmetry, magnetic stress can be built up to high levels until an ideal instability breaks the symmetry and leads to an explosive release of energy via reconnection. Using three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations, we demonstrate that this mechanism does produce massive, high-speed jets driven by nonlinear Alfven waves. We discuss the implications of our results for observations of the solar corona.

/pdf/a-model-for-solar-polar-jets-59ijmmkhhd.pdf

A model for solar polar jets

The differential affine velocity estimator (DAVE) that we developed in 2006 for estimating velocities from line-of-sight magnetograms is modified to directly incorporate horizontal magnetic fields to produce a differential affine velocity estimator for vector magnetograms (DAVE4VM). The DAVE4VM's performance is demonstrated on the synthetic data from the anelastic pseudospectral ANMHD simulations that were used in the recent comparison of velocity inversion techniques by Welsch and coworkers. The DAVE4VM predicts roughly 95% of the helicity rate and 75% of the power transmitted through the simulation slice. Intercomparison between DAVE4VM and DAVE and further analysis of the DAVE method demonstrates that line-of-sight tracking methods capture the shearing motion of magnetic footpoints but are insensitive to flux emergence - the velocities determined from line-of-sight methods are more consistent with horizontal plasma velocities than with flux transport velocities. These results suggest that previous studies that rely on velocities determined from line-of-sight methods such as the DAVE or local correlation tracking may substantially misrepresent the total helicity rates and power through the photosphere.

/pdf/tracking-vector-magnetograms-with-the-magnetic-induction-3jvh0onlzk.pdf

Tracking Vector Magnetograms with the Magnetic Induction Equation

Driving major solar flares and eruptions: A review

We describe magnetohydrodynamic simulations of a bipolar active region embedded in the Sun's global background field and subjected to twisting footpoint displacements concentrated near its polarity inversion lines to produce strong magnetic shear. The dipole moments of the active region and background field are antiparallel, so that the initially potential magnetic field contains a coronal null. This configuration supports magnetic breakout eruptions in our simulations that exhibit three novel features. First, the eruptions are multiple and homologous: the flare reconnection following each eruption reforms the magnetic null, setting the stage for a subsequent episode of breakout reconnection and eruption driven by the ongoing footpoint motions. Second, the eruptions are confined; that is, their rapidly rising, moderately sheared field lines do not escape the Sun but instead come to rest in the outer corona, comprising a large coronal loop formed by reconnection during the rise phase. Third, the most strongly sheared field lines of the active region are quite flat prior to eruption, expand upward sharply during the event, and lose most of their shear through reconnection with overlying flux, while lower lying field lines survive the eruption and recover their flat configuration within a few hours. These behaviors are consistent with filament disappearance followed by reformation in place. We also find that the upward motion of the erupting sheared flux exhibits a distinct three-phase acceleration profile. All of these features of our simulations—homology, confinement, reformation, and multiphase acceleration—are well established aspects of solar eruptions.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/588011/pdf

Homologous Confined Filament Eruptions via Magnetic Breakout

Active Region (AR) NOAA 10486 was a super AR in the declining phase of solar cycle 23. Dominated by the rapidly rotating positive polarity of an extensive δ sunspot, it produced several powerful flare-CMEs. We study the evolution and properties of the rotational motion of the major poles of positive polarities and estimate the accumulated helicity injected by them. We also present two homologous flares that occurred in the immediate periphery of the rotating sunspots. The main results are as follows: i) anticlockwise rotational motions are identified in the main poles of positive polarities in the AR; the fastest of them is about 220° for six days. ii) The helicity injection inferred from such rotational motion during the interval from October 25 to 30 is about − 3.0×1043 Mx2, which is comparable that calculated by the local correlation tracking (LCT) method (− 5.2×1043 Mx2) in the whole AR. It is suggested that both methods reveal the essential topological properties of the AR, even if the former includes only the major poles and the fine features of the magnetic field are neglected. iii) It is found that there is a good spatial and temporal correspondence between the onset of two homologous CME-associated flares and the rotational motion of sunspots. This suggests that the rotational motions of sunspots not only relate to the transport of magnetic energy and complexity from the low atmosphere to the corona but may also play a key role in the onset of the homologous flares.

Relationship between rotating sunspots and flares

We present in this paper a statistical study aimed at understanding the possible relationship between surface magnetic field variation and CME initiation. The three samples studied comprise 189 CME-source regions, 46 active regions, and 15 newly emerging active regions. Both large-scale and small-scale variations of longitudinal magnetic fields of these regions are studied. To quantitatively study these variations, three physical quantities are calculated: the average total magnetic flux (ATF), the flux variation rate (FVR), and the normalized flux variation rate (NFVR). Our results show that 60% of the CME-source regions are found to have magnetic flux increases during 12 hours before CME eruptions and 40% are found to have magnetic flux decreases. The NFVR of CME-source regions are found to be statistically identical to those of active regions, averaged over 111 hours, and significantly smaller than those of newly emerging active regions. In addition 91% of the CME-source regions are found to have small-scale flux emergence, whereas small-scale flux emergences are also easily identified in active regions during periods with no solar surface activity. Our study suggests that the relationship between flux emergence and CME eruption is complex and the appearance of flux emergence alone is not unique for the initiation of CME eruption.

On the Relationship between Flux Emergence and CME Initiation

We analyze the magnetic configurations of three super active regions, NOAA 10484, 10486 and 10488, observed by the Huairou Multi-Channel Solar Tele- scope (MCST) from 2003 October 18 to November 4. Many energetic phenomena, such as flares (including a X-28 flare) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), occurred during this period. We think that strong shear and fast emergence of magnetic flux are the main causes of these events. The question is also of great interest why these dramatic eruptions occurred so close together in the descending phase of the solar cycle.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1009-9271/3/6/491/pdf

Three Super Active Regions in the Descending Phase of Solar Cycle 23

Powerful flares are closely related to the evolution of the complex magnetic field configuration at the solar surface. The strength of the magnetic field and speed of its evolution are two vital parameters in the study of the change of magnetic field in the solar atmosphere. We propose a dynamic and quantitative depiction of the changes in complexity of the active region: E=u×B, where u is the velocity of the footpoint motion of the magnetic field lines and B is the magnetic field. E represents the dynamic evolution of the velocity field and the magnetic field, shows the sweeping motions of magnetic footpoints, exhibits the buildup process of current, and relates to the changes in nonpotentiality of the active region in the photosphere. It is actually the induced electric field in the photosphere. It can be deduced observationally from velocities computed by the local correlation tracking (LCT) technique and vector magnetic fields derived from vector magnetograms. The relationship between E and ten X-class flares of four active regions (NOAA 10720, 10486, 9077, and 8100) has been studied. It is found that (1) the initial brightenings of flare kernels are roughly located near the inversion lines where the intensities of E are very high, (2) the daily averages of the mean densities of E and its normal component (E
 n) decrease after flares for most cases we studied, whereas those of the tangential component of E (E
 t) show no obvious regularities before and after flares, and (3) the daily averages of the mean densities of E
 t are always higher than those of E
 n, which cannot be naturally deduced by the daily averages of the mean densities of B
 n and B
 t.

Relationship between powerful flares and dynamic evolution of the magnetic field at the solar surface

Fifty interconnecting loops (ILs) that are induced by new-born active regions are investigated. The formation period of four ILs including two same-hemisphere interconnecting loops (HILs) and two transequatorial loops (TLs) are analyzed. The magnetic flux related with these loops is studied. Considering the active region pairs related with the IL as a magnetic system, the total magnetic flux has a tendency of increasing for this system, the signs of net magnetic flux tend to be opposite for the active region pairs. There is no difference between HILs and TLs in this aspect.

https://sun.bao.ac.cn/staff/chj/chj/solphy3.pdf

Yin Zhang

Papers

Relationship between rotating sunspots and flares

On the Relationship between Flux Emergence and CME Initiation

Three Super Active Regions in the Descending Phase of Solar Cycle 23

Relationship between powerful flares and dynamic evolution of the magnetic field at the solar surface

An Analysis of the Formation of Interconnecting Loops