Open AccessSolar coronal heating by magnetic cancellation – I. Connected equal bipoles
Author(s) -
Von Rekowski B.,
Parnell C. E.,
Priest E. R.
Publication year - 2006
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.09801.x
Subject(s) - physics , magnetic reconnection , magnetohydrodynamic drive , astrophysics , magnetic flux , magnetohydrodynamics , nanoflares , corona (planetary geology) , flux (metallurgy) , coronal loop , solar flare , coronal hole , magnetic field , computational physics , solar wind , coronal mass ejection , materials science , quantum mechanics , astrobiology , venus , metallurgy
We present two‐dimensional numerical magnetohydrodynamic simulations of a cancelling magnetic feature and the associated coronal X‐ray bright point. Coronal reconnection is found to produce significant Ohmic heating, and at the same time about 90 per cent of the magnetic flux is cancelled. The presence of downflows accelerates the process of flux cancellation in the early phase. The last 10 per cent of the cancellation takes place by reconnection at the base. Reconnection occurs in a time‐dependent way in response to the footpoint motions, and the resulting sequence of magnetic configurations is close to potential.