arXiv subjects

P. Démoulin

Publications and source records attributed to P. Démoulin.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Evolution of Hard X-ray Sources and Ultraviolet Solar Flare Ribbons for a Confined Eruption of a Magnetic Flux Rope

We study the magnetic field structures of hard X-ray sources and flare ribbons of the M1.1 flare in active region NOAA 10767 on 2005 May 27. We have found in a nonlinear force-free field extrapolation, over the same polarity inversion line, a small pre-eruptive magnetic flux rope located next to sheared magnetic arcades. Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) and Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) observed this confined flare in the X-ray bands and ultraviolet (UV) 1600 Å\ bands, respectively. In this event magnetic reconnection occurred at several locations. It first started at the location of the pre-eruptive flux rope. Then, the observations indicate that magnetic reconnection occurred between the pre-eruptive magnetic flux rope and the sheared magnetic arcades more than 10 minutes before the flare peak. It implied the formation of the larger flux rope, as observed with TRACE. Next, hard X-ray (HXR) sources appeared at the footpoints of this larger flux rope at the peak of the flare. The associated high-energy particles may have been accelerated below the flux rope, in or around a reconnection region. Still, the close spatial association between the HXR sources and the flux rope footpoints favors an acceleration within the flux rope. Finally, a topological analysis of a large solar region including the active regions NOAA 10766 and 10767 shows the existence of large-scale Quasi-Separatrix Layers (QSLs) before the eruption of the flux rope. No enhanced emission was found at these QSLs during the flare, but the UV flare ribbons stopped at the border of the closest large-scale QSL.

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arXiv2011

Dynamical evolution of a magnetic cloud from the Sun to 5.4 AU

Magnetic Clouds (MCs) are a particular subset of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICMEs), forming large scale magnetic flux ropes. In this work we analyze the evolution of a particular MC (observed on March 1998) using {\it in situ} observations made by two spacecraft approximately aligned with the Sun, the first one at 1 AU from the Sun and the second one at 5.4 AU. We study the MC expansion, its consequent decrease of magnetic field intensity and mass density, and the possible evolution of the so-called global ideal-MHD nvariants. We describe the magnetic configuration of the MC at both spacecraft using different models and compute relevant global quantities (magnetic fluxes, helicity and energy) at both helio-distances. We also track back this structure to the Sun, in order to find out its solar source. We find that the flux rope is significantly distorted at 5.4 AU. However, we are able to analyze the data before the flux rope center is over-passed and compare it with observations at 1 AU. From the observed decay of magnetic field and mass density, we quantify how anisotropic is the expansion, and the consequent deformation of the flux rope in favor of a cross section with an aspect ratio at 5.4 AU of $\approx 1.6$ (larger in the direction perpendicular to the radial direction from the Sun). We quantify the ideal-MHD invariants and magnetic energy at both locations, and find that invariants are almost conserved, while the magnetic energy decays as expected with the expansion rate found. The use of MHD invariants to link structures at the Sun and the interplanetary medium is supported by the results of this multispacecraft study. We also conclude that the local dimensionless expansion rate, that is computed from the velocity profile observed by a single spacecraft, is very accurate for predicting the evolution of flux ropes in the solar wind.

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arXiv2010

Homologous Flares and Magnetic Field Topology in Active Region NOAA 10501 on 20 November 2003

We present and interpret observations of two morphologically homologous flares that occurred in active region (AR) NOAA 10501 on 20 November 2003. Both flares displayed four homologous H-alpha ribbons and were both accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The central flare ribbons were located at the site of an emerging bipole in the center of the active region. The negative polarity of this bipole fragmented in two main pieces, one rotating around the positive polarity by ~ 110 deg within 32 hours. We model the coronal magnetic field and compute its topology, using as boundary condition the magnetogram closest in time to each flare. In particular, we calculate the location of quasiseparatrix layers (QSLs) in order to understand the connectivity between the flare ribbons. Though several polarities were present in AR 10501, the global magnetic field topology corresponds to a quadrupolar magnetic field distribution without magnetic null points. For both flares, the photospheric traces of QSLs are similar and match well the locations of the four H-alpha ribbons. This globally unchanged topology and the continuous shearing by the rotating bipole are two key factors responsible for the flare homology. However, our analyses also indicate that different magnetic connectivity domains of the quadrupolar configuration become unstable during each flare, so that magnetic reconnection proceeds differently in both events.

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arXiv2007

Progressive transformation of a flux rope to an ICME

The solar wind conditions at one astronomical unit (AU) can be strongly disturbed by the interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). A subset, called magnetic clouds (MCs), is formed by twisted flux ropes that transport an important amount of magnetic flux and helicity which is released in CMEs. At 1 AU from the Sun, the magnetic structure of MCs is generally modeled neglecting their expansion during the spacecraft crossing. However, in some cases, MCs present a significant expansion. We present here an analysis of the huge and significantly expanding MC observed by the Wind spacecraft during 9 and 10 November, 2004. After determining an approximated orientation for the flux rope using the minimum variance method, we precise the orientation of the cloud axis relating its front and rear magnetic discontinuities using a direct method. This method takes into account the conservation of the azimuthal magnetic flux between the in- and out-bound branches, and is valid for a finite impact parameter (i.e., not necessarily a small distance between the spacecraft trajectory and the cloud axis). Moreover, using the direct method, we find that the ICME is formed by a flux rope (MC) followed by an extended coherent magnetic region. These observations are interpreted considering the existence of a previous larger flux rope, which partially reconnected with its environment in the front. These findings imply that the ejected flux rope is progressively peeled by reconnection and transformed to the observed ICME (with a remnant flux rope in the front part).

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arXiv2007

The magnetic field topology associated to two M flares

On 27 October, 2003, two GOES M-class flares occurred in the lapse of three hours in active region NOAA 10486. The two flares were confined and their associated brightenings appeared at the same location, displaying a very similar shape both at the chromospheric and coronal levels. We focus on the analysis of magnetic field (SOHO/MDI), chromospheric (HASTA, Kanzelhoehe Solar Observatory, TRACE) and coronal (TRACE) observations. By combining our data analysis with a model of the coronal magnetic field, we compute the magnetic field topology associated to the two M flares. We find that both events can be explained in terms of a localized magnetic reconnection process occurring at a coronal magnetic null point. This null point is also present at the same location one day later, on 28 October, 2003. Magnetic energy release at this null point was proposed as the origin of a localized event that occurred independently with a large X17 flare on 28 October, 2003, at 11:01 UT. The three events, those on 27 October and the one on 28 October, are homologous. Our results show that coronal null points can be stable topological structures where energy release via magnetic reconnection can happen, as proposed by classical magnetic reconnection models.

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