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Modeling Repeatedly Flaring δ Sunspots

Piyali Chatterjee, Viggo Hansteen, and Mats Carlsson
Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 101101 – Published 7 March 2016
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Abstract

Active regions (ARs) appearing on the surface of the Sun are classified into α, β, γ, and δ by the rules of the Mount Wilson Observatory, California on the basis of their topological complexity. Amongst these, the δ sunspots are known to be superactive and produce the most x-ray flares. Here, we present results from a simulation of the Sun by mimicking the upper layers and the corona, but starting at a more primitive stage than any earlier treatment. We find that this initial state consisting of only a thin subphotospheric magnetic sheet breaks into multiple flux tubes which evolve into a colliding-merging system of spots of opposite polarity upon surface emergence, similar to those often seen on the Sun. The simulation goes on to produce many exotic δ sunspot associated phenomena: repeated flaring in the range of typical solar flare energy release and ejective helical flux ropes with embedded cool-dense plasma filaments resembling solar coronal mass ejections.

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  • Received 23 September 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.101101

© 2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

  1. Physical Systems
Plasma Physics

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A New Twist in Simulating Solar Flares

Published 7 March 2016

Simulations show for the first time how the magnetic fields that produce solar flares can extend out of the Sun by acquiring a twist.

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Authors & Affiliations

Piyali Chatterjee1,2,*, Viggo Hansteen1, and Mats Carlsson1

  • 1Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1029 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway
  • 2Indian Institute of Astrophysics, II Block Koramangala, Bengaluru-560034, India

  • *piyali.chatterjee@astro.uio.no

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Issue

Vol. 116, Iss. 10 — 11 March 2016

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