Fluxon Simulations of Magnetic Reconnection at Coronal Hole Boundaries
Abstract
Because the equatorial extensions of polar coronal holes rotate more rigidly than the underlying photosphere, they have long been assumed to have substantial magnetic reconnection at their boundaries. However, evidence for this reconnection has been sparse until very recently. We assume that reconnection facilitated by the evolving small-scale magnetic fields can drive at least some of the coronal hole boundary evolution. We hypothesize that a bias in the direction of that reconnection, perhaps imposed by the faster rotation of the upper corona, is sufficient to give equatorial coronal holes their rigid rotation. We present some preliminary simulations using FLUX, a reconnection-controlled coronal MHD simulation framework, of the reconnection at coronal hole - quiet sun boundaries.
- Publication:
-
Solar Heliospheric and INterplanetary Environment (SHINE 2011)
- Pub Date:
- July 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011shin.confE.172L