Development of a topological model for solar flares

DÉMOULIN, P.; HÉNOUX, J.C.; MANDRINI, C.H.

SOLAR PHYSICS

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 1992 vol. 139 p. 105 - 123

0038-0938

The topology of 3D potential and linear force-free fields is analyzed to study the roles of interacting large-scale structures in solar flares. A distribution of dipoles located below the photosphere is used to model the magnetic field and thereby define the field connectivity in terms of the dipoles at the ends of field lines. Specific attention is given to the parts of the solar-flare process that occur at the separatrices and the separator and when these locations are available. In the 2D model the separator generally appears above the photosphere when a parasitic bipole and field lines are present with specific characteristics. The separatrices of the potential and the force-free models tend to become closer in the regions where flares are more likely to occur. The potential field can therefore be used to determine the location of the separatrices for comparison with the position of H alpha kernels.