Hα plages and electric currents in active regions of the Sun
Abstract
The radiation of Hα plages versus the structure of the vertical component of electric currents was studied. The electric currents were calculated using the observations of the magnetic field carried out in Fe I λ5250.2 Å line at the vector-magnetograph of the Crimean observatory. It is shown that the plage area in places with high current density increases with the growth of plage brightness. It means that the electric currents play an important role for plage heating. It is also established that the brighter the plages, the more often they occur in the places of upward currents. The authors conclude that, besides Joule losses, high-energy particles, which are probably constantly accelerated in the corona, are also important for plage heating. Similar asymmetry with respect to the current sign is observed in Hα flares location. The homogeneity of flare and plage phenomena is manifested by their heating by anisotropical beams of high-energy charged particles. They differ only in the power of the process.
- Publication:
-
Bulletin Crimean Astrophysical Observatory
- Pub Date:
- 1988
- Bibcode:
- 1988BCrAO..79...21A
- Keywords:
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- Solar Plages: Heating;
- Solar Active Regions: Heating