Bibcode
Knölker, M.; Schmidt, W.; Martínez-Pillet, V.; Gandorfer, A.; Barthol, P.; Peter, H.; Wiegelmann, T.; Solanki, S. K.; Borrero, J. M.
Bibliographical reference
Solar Physics, Volume 283, Issue 2, pp.253-272
Advertised on:
4
2013
Journal
Citations
24
Refereed citations
23
Description
Observations with the balloon-borne Sunrise/ Imaging Magnetograph
eXperiment (IMaX) provide high spatial resolution (roughly 100 km at
disk center) measurements of the magnetic field in the photosphere of
the quiet Sun. To investigate the magnetic structure of the chromosphere
and corona, we extrapolate these photospheric measurements into the
upper solar atmosphere and analyze a 22-minute long time series with a
cadence of 33 seconds. Using the extrapolated magnetic-field lines as
tracer, we investigate temporal evolution of the magnetic connectivity
in the quiet Sun's atmosphere. The majority of magnetic loops are
asymmetric in the sense that the photospheric field strength at the loop
foot points is very different. We find that the magnetic connectivity of
the loops changes rapidly with a typical connection recycling time of
about 3±1 minutes in the upper solar atmosphere and 12±4
minutes in the photosphere. This is considerably shorter than previously
found. Nonetheless, our estimate of the energy released by the
associated magnetic-reconnection processes is not likely to be the sole
source for heating the chromosphere and corona in the quiet Sun.
Related projects
Solar and Stellar Magnetism
Magnetic fields are at the base of star formation and stellar structure and evolution. When stars are born, magnetic fields brake the rotation during the collapse of the mollecular cloud. In the end of the life of a star, magnetic fields can play a key role in the form of the strong winds that lead to the last stages of stellar evolution. During
Tobías
Felipe García