HR: 08:00h
AN: SH41A-01 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Pre-Eruptive and Eruptive Magnetic Structures in the Solar Corona
AU: * Forbes, T G
EM: terry.forbes@unh.edu
AF: University of New Hampshire, EOS Institute, Morse Hall 39 College Road University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 United States
AB: One of the greatest difficulties in the development of models of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and flares is the lack of information about the coronal magnetic field prior to its eruption. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that only the component of the magnetic field generated by currents flowing in the corona contributes to the energy release. The amount of energy released during a CME or flare implies that net change in the total magnetic field in the corona is no more than about 10 percent on average. However, there may be localized regions where the changes are significantly greater, perhaps on the order of 100 percent. The pattern of these localized changes can be used to distinguish between various models. For example, flux rope models of CMEs and eruptive flares imply that the transverse field at the base of the corona can reverse sign in the region immediately below the flux rope, but that the transverse field further away increases. Recent observational studies suggest that such CME and flare associated changes in the coronal magnetic field will not penetrate to the level of the photosphere, but will be confined to regions above an altitude of 400 km or higher. Thus, observations of the chromospheric and coronal fields are needed to make progress in understanding the mechanism of solar eruptions.
DE: 7513 Coronal mass ejections
DE: 7519 Flares
DE: 7524 Magnetic fields
DE: 7531 Prominence eruptions
DE: 7835 Magnetic reconnection
SC: SPA - Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting