HR: 08:45h
AN: SP11C-02    [Abstracts]
TI: Numerical Simulations of Bipolar Magnetic Field Decay in Turbulent Convection
AU: * DeRosa, M L
EM: derosa@lmsal.com
AF: Lockheed Martin ATC, 3251 Hanover St. B/252, Palo Alto, CA 94304 United States
AU: Hurlburt, N E
EM: hurlburt@lmsal.com
AF: Lockheed Martin ATC, 3251 Hanover St. B/252, Palo Alto, CA 94304 United States
AB: We present numerical simulations of compressible magnetoconvection in spherical segments, seeking to examine the decay of active region magnetic fields on the sun. It is surprising that after their emergence, active regions are observed to persist in relative stasis for long periods of time (weeks to months) before suddenly disintegrating. We perform a series of calculations to investigate this process, in which we drive turbulent convection (Rayleigh numbers of order 10⁷) within two- and three-dimensional spherical segments, and measure the decay rates of the embedded bipolar magnetic fields.
DE: 7500 SOLAR PHYSICS, ASTROPHYSICS, AND ASTRONOMY
DE: 7524 Magnetic fields
DE: 7529 Photosphere
SC: Solar Physics Division - AAS [SP]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly