Galsgaard, Klaus

Contact Email: klaus@mcs.st-and.ac.uk
Institute: University of St Andrews
Institute of Mathematics and Statistic scotland
First Coauthor: Robert W. Walsh
Institute: UCLAN
Subject Area: The Sun
Waveband: Radio
Technique: Computational Astrophysics
Presentation: Oral Contribution: Tuesday
Title: A Numerical Investigations of A Simple 3D Magnetic Flux Interaction Event
Abstract: Recent investigation of the behaviour of the flux distribution in the solar photosphere - the magnetic carpet - shows that individual flux elements have an average life-time of about 24 hours. During this time they emerge, interacts with the neighbouring flux through merging, fragmentation and annihilation and disappears again. These dynamical interactions forces the field line connectivity between the individual flux concentrations to change and free magnetic energy available for heating the solar plasma is released. Open questions are: How does the energy release take place? Which implications does it have for the structure of the corona? How much energy is released? We need to know the answers to these questions before the implication of the magnetic carpet on the coronal heating process can be understood. We investigate the dynamical evolution of a simple magnetic topology based on two unbalanced flux sources. This magnetic topology is stressed by imposing vortex motions on the sources, expecting this leads to the formation of localised current structures where magnetic reconnection may eventually take place.