Reconstruction of the Three-Dimensional Coronal Magnetic Field
Abstract
Studies of solar flares indicate that the mechanism of flares is magnetic in character and that the coronal magnetic field is a key to understanding solar high-energy phenomena. In our ongoing research we are conducting a systematic study of a large database of observations which includes both coronal structure (from the Soft X-ray Telescope on the Yohkoh spacecraft) and photospheric vector magnetic fields (from the Haleakala Stokes Polarimeter at Mees Solar Observatory). We compare the three-dimensional nonlinear force-free coronal magnetic field, computed from photospheric boundary data, to images of coronal structure. In this paper we outline our techniques and present results for active region AR 7220/7222. We show that the computed force-free coronal magnetic field agrees well with Yohkoh X-ray coronal loops, and we discuss the properties of the coronal magnetic field and the soft X-ray loops.
- Publication:
-
Solar Physics
- Pub Date:
- August 1997
- DOI:
- 10.1023/A:1004927101300
- Bibcode:
- 1997SoPh..174..311J
- Keywords:
-
- Flare;
- Coronal Loop;
- Vector Magnetic Field;
- Solar Observatory;
- Coronal Structure