arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to T. Yokoyama.
This white paper summarizes major scientific challenges and opportunities in understanding magnetic reconnection and related explosive phenomena as a fundamental plasma process.
It has recently been recognized that the convective velocities achieved in the current solar convection simulations might be over-estimated. The newly-revealed effects of the prevailing small-scale magnetic field within the convection zone may offer possible solutions to this problem. The small-scale magnetic fields can reduce the convective amplitude of small-scale motions through the Lorentz-force feedback, which concurrently inhibits the turbulent mixing of entropy between upflows and downflows. As a result, the effective Prandtl number may exceed unity inside the solar convection zone. In this paper, we propose and numerically confirm a possible suppression mechanism of convective velocity in the effectively high-Prandtl number regime. If the effective horizontal thermal diffusivity decreases (the Prandtl number accordingly increases), the subadiabatic layer which is formed near the base of the convection zone by continuous depositions of low entropy transported by adiabatically downflowing plumes is enhanced and extended. The global convective amplitude in the high-Prandtl thermal convection is thus reduced especially in the lower part of the convection zone via the change in the mean entropy profile which becomes more subadiabatic near the base and less superadiabatic in the bulk.
This paper presents a three-dimensional simulation of chromospheric jets with twisted magnetic field lines. Detailed treatments of the photospheric radiative transfer and the equation of states allow us to model realistic thermal convection near the solar surface, which excites various MHD waves and produces chromospheric jets in the simulation. A tall chromospheric jet with a maximum height of 10--11 Mm and lifetime of 8--10 min is formed above a strong magnetic field concentration. The magnetic field lines are strongly entangled in the chromosphere, which helps the chromospheric jet to be driven by the Lorentz force. The jet exhibits oscillatory motion as a natural consequence of its generation mechanism. We also find that the produced chromospheric jet forms a cluster with a diameter of several Mm with finer strands. These results imply a close relationship between the simulated jet and solar spicules.
Growth, electronic and magnetic properties of $γ'$-Fe$_{4}$N atomic layers on Cu(001) are studied by scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy/magnetic circular dichroism. A continuous film of ordered trilayer $γ'$-Fe$_{4}$N is obtained by Fe deposition under N$_{2}$ atmosphere onto monolayer Fe$_{2}$N/Cu(001), while the repetition of a bombardment with 0.5 keV N$^{+}$ ions during growth cycles results in imperfect bilayer $γ'$-Fe$_{4}$N. The increase in the sample thickness causes the change of the surface electronic structure, as well as the enhancement in the spin magnetic moment of Fe atoms reaching $\sim$ 1.4 $μ_{\mathrm B}$/atom in the trilayer sample. The observed thickness-dependent properties of the system are well interpreted by layer-resolved density of states calculated using first principles, which demonstrates the strongly layer-dependent electronic states within each surface, subsurface, and interfacial plane of the $γ'$-Fe$_{4}$N atomic layers on Cu(001).
Spatially averaged (> 50'') EUV spectral lines in the transition region of solar quiet regions are known to be redshifted. Because the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is unclear, we require additional physical information on the lower corona for limiting the theoretical models. To acquire this information, we measured the Doppler shifts over a wide coronal temperature range (log T[K]=5.7--6.3) using the spectroscopic data taken by the Hinode EUV Imaging Spectrometer. By analyzing the data over the center-to-limb variations covering the meridian from the south to the north pole, we successfully measured the velocity to an accuracy of 3 km/s. Below log T[K] = 6.0, the Doppler shifts of the emission lines were almost zero with an error of 1--3 km/s; above this temperature, they were blueshifted with a gradually increasing magnitude, reaching - 6.3 +/- 2.1 km/s at log T[K]=6.25.
In this second paper in the series, we investigate occurrence frequencies of apparent unipolar processes, cancellation, and emergence of patch structures in quiet regions. Apparent unipolar events are considerably more frequent than cancellation and emergence as per our definition, which is consistent with Lamb et al. (2013). Furthermore, we investigate the frequency distributions of changes in flux during apparent unipolar processes are and found that they concentrate around the detection limit of the analysis. Combining these findings with the results of our previous paper, Iida et al. (2012), that merging and splitting are more dominant than emergence and cancellation, these results support the understanding that apparent unipolar processes are actually interactions with and among patches below the detection limit and that there still are numerous flux interactions between the flux range in this analysis and below the detection limit. We also investigate occurrence frequency distributions of flux decrease during cancellation. We found a relatively strong dependence, 2.48$\pm$0:26 as a power-law index. This strong dependence on flux is consistent with the model, which is suggested in the previous paper.
We investigate the effect of coronal temperature on the formation process of solar chromospheric jets using two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the region from the upper convection zone to the lower corona. We develop a new radiative magnetohydrodynamic code for the dynamic modeling of the solar atmosphere, employing a LTE equation of state, optically thick radiative loss in the photosphere, optically thin radiative loss in the chromosphere and the corona, and thermal conduction along the magnetic field lines. Many chromospheric jets are produced in the simulations by shock waves passing through the transition region. We find that these jets are projected farther outward when the coronal temperature is lower (similar to that in coronal holes) and shorter when the coronal temperature is higher (similar to that in active regions). When the coronal temperature is high, the deceleration of the chromospheric jets is consistent with the model in which deceleration is determined by the periodic chromospheric shock waves. However, when the coronal temperature is low, the gravitational deceleration becomes more important and the chromospheric jets approach ballistic motion.
In this paper we show that the phase mixing of continuum Alfvén waves and/or continuum slow waves in magnetic structures of the solar atmosphere as, e.g., coronal arcades, can create the illusion of wave propagation across the magnetic field. This phenomenon could be erroneously interpreted as fast magnetosonic waves. The cross-field propagation due to phase mixing of continuum waves is apparent because there is no real propagation of energy across the magnetic surfaces. We investigate the continuous Alfvén and slow spectra in 2D Cartesian equilibrium models with a purely poloidal magnetic field. We show that apparent superslow propagation across the magnetic surfaces in solar coronal structures is a consequence of the existence of continuum Alfvén waves and continuum slow waves that naturally live on those structures and phase mix as time evolves. The apparent cross-field phase velocity is related to the spatial variation of the local Alfvén/slow frequency across the magnetic surfaces and is slower than the Alfvén/sound velocities for typical coronal conditions. Understanding the nature of the apparent cross-field propagation is important for the correct analysis of numerical simulations and the correct interpretation of observations.
We investigate small-scale dynamo action in the solar convection zone through a series of high resolution MHD simulations in a local Cartesian domain with 1$R_\odot$ (solar radius) of horizontal extent and a radial extent from 0.715 to 0.96$R_\odot$. The dependence of the solution on resolution and diffusivity is studied. For a grid spacing of less than 350 km, the root mean square magnetic field strength near the base of the convection zone reaches 95% of the equipartition field strength (i.e. magnetic and kinetic energy are comparable). For these solutions the Lorentz force feedback on the convection velocity is found to be significant. The velocity near the base of the convection zone is reduced to 50% of the hydrodynamic one. In spite of a significant decrease of the convection velocity, the reduction in the enthalpy flux is relatively small, since the magnetic field also suppresses the horizontal mixing of the entropy between up- and downflow regions. This effect increases the amplitude of the entropy perturbation and makes convective energy transport more efficient. We discuss potential implications of these results for solar global convection and dynamo simulations.
We present a high-resolution, highly stratified numerical simulation of rotating thermal convection in a spherical shell. Our aim is to study in detail the processes that can maintain a near surface shear layer (NSSL) as inferred from helioseismology. Using the reduced speed of sound technique we can extend our global convection simulation to $0.99\,R_{\odot}$ and include near the top of our domain small-scale convection with short time scales that is only weakly influenced by rotation. We find the formation of a NSSL preferentially in high latitudes in the depth range $r=0.95-0.975R_\odot$. The maintenance mechanisms are summarized as follows. Convection under weak influence of rotation leads to Reynolds stresses that transport angular momentum radially inward in all latitudes. This leads to the formation of a strong poleward directed meridional flow and a NSSL, which is balanced in the meridional plane by forces resulting from the $\langle v'_r v'_θ\rangle$ correlation of turbulent velocities. The origin of the required correlations depends to some degree on latitude. In high latitudes a positive correlation $\langle v'_rv'_θ\rangle$ is induced in the NSSL by the poleward meridional flow whose amplitude increases with the radius, while a negative correlation is generated by the Coriolis force in bulk of the convection zone. In low latitudes a positive correlation $\langle v'_rv'_θ\rangle$ results from rotationally aligned convection cells ("banana cells"). The force caused by these Reynolds stresses is in balance with the Coriolis force in the NSSL.
We investigate the triggering mechanisms of plasma eruptions in the solar atmosphere due to interactions between emerging flux and coronal arcade fields by using two-dimensional MHD simulations. We perform parameter surveys with respect to arcade field height, magnetic field strength, and emerging flux location. Our results show that two possible mechanisms exist, and which mechanism is dominant depends mostly on emerging flux location. One mechanism appears when the location of emerging flux is close to the polarity inversion line (PIL) of an arcade field. This mechanism requires reconnection between the emerging flux and the arcade field, as pointed out by previous studies. The other mechanism appears when the location of emerging flux is around the edge of an arcade field. This mechanism does not require reconnection between the emerging flux and the arcade field but does demand reconnection in the arcade field above the PIL. Furthermore, we found that the eruptive condition for this mechanism can be represented by a simple formula.
The Nice model of the dynamical instability and migration of the giant planets can explain many properties of the present Solar System, and can be used to constrain its early architecture. In the jumping-Jupiter version of the Nice model, required from the terrestrial planet constraint and dynamical structure of the asteroid belt, Jupiter has encounters with an ice giant. Here we study the survival of the Galilean satellites in the jumping-Jupiter model. This is an important concern because the ice-giant encounters, if deep enough, could dynamically perturb the orbits of the Galilean satellites, and lead to implausible results. We performed numerical integrations where we tracked the effect of planetary encounters on the Galilean moons. We considered three instability cases from Nesvorny & Morbidelli (2012) that differed in the number and distribution of encounters. We found that in one case, where the number of close encounters was relatively small, the Galilean satellite orbits were not significantly affected. In the other two, the orbital eccentricities of all moons were excited by encounters, Callisto's semimajor axis changed, and, in a large fraction of trials, the Laplace resonance of the inner three moons was disrupted. The subsequent evolution by tides damps eccentricities and can recapture the moons in the Laplace resonance. A more important constraint is represented by the orbital inclinations of the moons, which can be excited during the encounters and not appreciably damped by tides. We find that one instability case taken from Nesvorny & Morbidelli (2012) clearly fails this constraint. This shows how the regular satellites of Jupiter can be used to set limits on the properties of encounters in the jumping-Jupiter model, and help us to better understand how the early Solar System evolved.
A relativistic helicity has been formulated in the four-dimensional Minkowski space-time. Whereas the relativistic distortion of space-time violates the conservation of the conventional helicity, the newly defined relativistic helicity conserves in a barotropic fluid or plasma, dictating a fundamental topological constraint. The relation between the helicity and the vortex-line topology has been delineated by analyzing the linking number of vortex filaments which are singular differential forms representing the pure states of Banach algebra. While the dimension of space-time is four, vortex filaments link, because vorticities are primarily 2-forms and the corresponding 2-chains link in four dimension; the relativistic helicity measures the linking number of vortex filaments that are proper-time cross-sections of the vorticity 2-chains. A thermodynamic force yields an additional term in the vorticity, by which the vortex filaments on a reference-time plane are no longer pure states. However, the vortex filaments on a proper-time plane remain to be pure states, if the thermodynamic force is exact (barotropic), thus, the linking number of vortex filaments conserves.
Current analytical and numerical modelling suggest the existence of ubiquitous thin current sheets in the corona that could explain the observed heating requirements. On the other hand, new high resolution observations of the corona indicate that its magnetic field may tend to organise itself in fine strand-like structures of few hundred kilometres widths. The link between small structure in models and the observed widths of strand-like structure several orders of magnitude larger is still not clear. A popular theoretical scenario is the nanoflare model, in which each strand is the product of an ensemble of heating events. Here, we suggest an alternative mechanism for strand generation. Through forward modelling of 3D MHD simulations we show that small amplitude transverse MHD waves can lead in a few periods time to strand-like structure in loops in EUV intensity images. Our model is based on previous numerical work showing that transverse MHD oscillations can lead to Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities that deform the cross-sectional area of loops. While previous work has focused on large amplitude oscillations, here we show that the instability can occur even for low wave amplitudes for long and thin loops, matching those presently observed in the corona. We show that the vortices generated from the instability are velocity sheared regions with enhanced emissivity hosting current sheets. Strands result as a complex combination of the vortices and the line-of-sight angle, last for timescales of a period and can be observed for spatial resolutions of a tenth of loop radius.
We carry out non-rotating high-resolution calculations of the solar global convection, which resolve convective scales of less than 10 Mm. To cope with the low Mach number conditions in the lower convection zone, we use the reduced speed of sound technique (RSST), which is simple to implement and requires only local communication in the parallel computation. In addition, the RSST allows us to expand the computational domain upward to about $0.99 R_{\odot}$ as it can also handle compressible flows. Using this approach, we study the solar convection zone on the global scale, including small-scale near-surface convection. In particular, we investigate the influence of the top boundary condition on the convective structure throughout the convection zone as well as on small-scale dynamo action. Our main conclusions are: 1. The small-scale downflows generated in the near-surface layer penetrate into deeper layers to some extent and excite small-scale turbulence in the region $>0.9R_\odot$, where $R_\odot$ is the solar radius. 2. In the deeper convection zone ($<0.9R_\odot$), the convection is not influenced by the location of the upper boundary. 3. Using an LES approach, we can achieve small-scale dynamo action and maintain a field of about $0.15-0.25 B_\mathrm{eq}$ throughout the convection zone, where $B_\mathrm{eq}$ is the equipartition magnetic field to the kinetic energy. 4. The overall dynamo efficiency varies significantly in the convection zone as a consequence of the downward directed Poynting flux and the depth variation of the intrinsic convective scales.
Using two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics calculations, we investigate a twist gen- eration mechanism on a magnetic flux tube at the base of the solar convection zone based on the idea of Choudhuri, 2003, Sol. Phys., 215, 31 in which a toroidal mag- netic field is wrapped by a surrounding mean poloidal field. During generation of the twist, the flux tube follows four phases. (1) It quickly splits into two parts with vortex motions rolling up the poloidal magnetic field. (2) Owing to the physical mechanism similar to that of the magneto-rotational instability, the rolled-up poloidal field is bent and amplified. (3) The magnetic tension of the disturbed poloidal magnetic field re- duces the vorticity, and the lifting force caused by vortical motion decreases. (4) The flux tube gets twisted and begins to rise again without splitting. Investigation of these processes is significant because it shows that a flux tube without any initial twist can rise to the surface in relatively weak poloidal fields.
We investigate an intensification mechanism for the magnetic field near the base of the solar convection zone that does not rely on differential rotation. Such mechanism in addition to differential rotation has been suggested by studies of flux emergence, which typically require field strength in excess of those provided by differential rotation alone. We study here a process in which potential energy of the superadiabatically stratified convection zone is converted into magnetic energy. This mechanism, know as explosion of magnetic flux tubes, has been previously studied in the thin flux tube approximation as well as two-dimensional MHD simulations, we expand the investigation to three-dimensional MHD simulations. Our main result is that enough intensification can be achieved in a three-dimensional magnetic flux sheet as long as the spatial scale of the imposed perturbation normal to the magnetic field is sufficiently large. When this spatial scale is small, the flux sheet tends to rise toward the surface, resulting in a significant decrease of the magnetic field amplification.
We have studied the relationship between the velocity and temperature of a solar EUV jet. The highly accelerated jet occurred in the active region NOAA 10960 on 2007 June 5. Multi-wavelength spectral observations with EIS/Hinode allow us to investigate Doppler velocities at the wide temperature range. We analyzed the three-dimensional angle of the jet from the stereoscopic analysis with STEREO. Using this angle and Doppler velocity, we derived the true velocity of the jet. As a result, we found that the cool jet observed with \ion{He}{2} 256 Å$\log_{10}T_e[\rm{K}] = 4.9$ is accelerated to around $220 \rm{km/s}$ which is over the upper limit of the chromospheric evaporation. The velocities observed with the other lines are under the upper limit of the chromospheric evaporation while most of the velocities of hot lines are higher than that of cool lines. We interpret that the chromospheric evaporation and magnetic acceleration occur simultaneously. A morphological interpretation of this event based on the reconnection model is given by utilizing the multi-instrumental observations.