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Observation of an evolving magnetic flux rope before and during a solar eruption

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  • Jie Zhang

    (School of Physics, Astronomy and Computational Sciences, George Mason University)

  • Xin Cheng

    (School of Physics, Astronomy and Computational Sciences, George Mason University
    Nanjing University)

  • Ming-de Ding

    (Nanjing University)

Abstract

Explosive energy release is a common phenomenon occurring in magnetized plasma systems ranging from laboratories, Earth's magnetosphere, the solar corona and astrophysical environments. Its physical explanation is usually attributed to magnetic reconnection in a thin current sheet. Here we report the important role of magnetic flux rope structure, a volumetric current channel, in producing explosive events. The flux rope is observed as a hot channel before and during a solar eruption from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly telescope on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory. It initially appears as a twisted and writhed sigmoidal structure with a temperature as high as 10 MK, and then transforms toward a semi-circular shape during a slow-rise phase, which is followed by fast acceleration and onset of a flare. The observations suggest that the instability of the magnetic flux rope triggers the eruption, thus making a major addition to the traditional magnetic-reconnection paradigm.

Suggested Citation

  • Jie Zhang & Xin Cheng & Ming-de Ding, 2012. "Observation of an evolving magnetic flux rope before and during a solar eruption," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 3(1), pages 1-6, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:3:y:2012:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms1753
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1753
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