Open AccessThe rise of twisted magnetic flux tubes
Author(s) -
Hughes D. W.,
Falle S. A. E. G.,
Joarder P.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1998.01622.x
Subject(s) - physics , sunspot , magnetic flux , flux tube , magnetic field , photosphere , flux (metallurgy) , l shell , astrophysics , convection zone , field strength , mercury's magnetic field , interplanetary magnetic field , convection , mechanics , solar wind , earth's magnetic field , materials science , quantum mechanics , metallurgy
Sunspots are caused by the eruption of magnetic flux tubes through the solar photosphere: current theories of the internal magnetic field of the Sun suggest that such tubes must rise relatively unscathed from the base of the convection zone. In order to understand how the structure of the magnetic field within a buoyant flux tube affects its stability as it rises, we have considered the quasi‐two‐dimensional rise of isolated magnetic flux tubes through an adiabatically stratified atmosphere. The magnetic field is initially helical; we have investigated a range of initial field configurations, varying the distribution and strength of the twist of the field.