The Emergence of Weakly Twisted Flux Ropes Without Convection

Initially subsurface magnetic flux ropes arrive at the photosphere due either to the action of a buoyancy force or to convective motions which cause the flux rope to rise. In the former case, it is commonly assumed that a minimum twist is needed for the flux rope to maintain its coherence throughout its rise, and that absent this twist, drag forces will break up the rising structure, preventing a coherent emergence. It is therefore thought that convective motions are responsible for the emergence of weakly twisted flux ropes. We present simulations of a weakly twisted toroidal flux rope initially situated deep in the convection zone rising buoyantly to the photosphere. We show that - despite its weak twist - it is able to emerge through the photosphere while maintaining its coherence and argue that convective motions are not necessary for the emergence of weakly twisted flux ropes. We analyze the photospheric and coronal signatures resulting from this emerging flux rope and discuss implications for observations. This work has been supported by the Chief of Naval Research and the NASA Heliophysics Supporting Research Program.