Premium
A three‐dimensional simulation of a coronal streamer
Author(s) -
Linker Jon A.,
Van Hoven Gerard,
Schnack Dalton D.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl017i013p02281
Subject(s) - current sheet , magnetohydrodynamic drive , physics , multipole expansion , magnetohydrodynamics , current (fluid) , magnetic field , mechanics , current density , computational physics , field (mathematics) , flow (mathematics) , helmet streamer , classical mechanics , geophysics , coronal mass ejection , solar wind , mathematics , quantum mechanics , pure mathematics , thermodynamics
We have used a time‐dependent magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation to investigate the magnetic topology of an idealized streamerlike configuration in three dimensions. Starting from an initially current‐free multipole field and a transonic flow, a quasi‐steady, streamerlike configuration forms. The simulated streamer exhibits a closed magnetic field region bounded by a current layer and surrounded by open fields. This helmet region is surmounted by a current layer, with an enhanced density in the closed field and current sheet regions. The simulated streamer has a finite longitudinal extent, with the closed field region primarily confined to the center of the structure.