Non-neutral current sheets and solar flare energetics
Abstract
In the context of the solar flare problem, simple self-consistent models for 'nonneutral' current sheets are considered. Characteristics of high-temperature turbulent current sheets (HTCS) with a small transverse component of magnetic field are determined for conditions in the solar corona. The energy output of such an HTCS is much larger than that of a 'neutral' sheet. This makes it possible to consider the HTCS as an energy source in flaring loops during the 'hot' or 'main' phase of a flare. The role of a longitudinal magnetic field in a current sheet is less important for HTCS. As a result of the compression of a longitudinal field, there appears an electric current circulating around the sheet. This current may induce strong Joule heating, if the compression is large. This 'additional' heating is realized because of the annihilation of the main component, not the longitudinal component of magnetic field. The effect is small for HTCS, but may be significant for preflare current sheets.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- July 1986
- Bibcode:
- 1986A&A...163..210S
- Keywords:
-
- Current Sheets;
- Neutral Currents;
- Solar Flares;
- Solar Magnetic Field;
- Coronal Loops;
- Ion Acoustic Waves;
- Magnetic Field Configurations;
- Magnetohydrodynamic Flow;
- Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence;
- Plasma Conductivity;
- Solar Physics