Abstract According to current ideas, during the gradual phase of two-ribbon flares magnetic reconnection causes the open field configuration created at flare onset to relax back to a closed, lower energy state. The shapes and orientations of the newly formed loops are indicative of whether the reconnected field is potential or force-free and, in the latter case, afford a direct evaluation of the amount of shear involved. In the present paper we describe an empirical method for deriving the footpoint connectivity of the reconnected field lines, based on the point-by-point variation of the merging rate above the flare site; the latter can in principle be derived from photospheric observations alone. As an illustration we apply the method to a simplistic model of reconnection above a non-uniform surface field. Future application to specific solar events will also be discussed.
The determination of coronal fieldline connectivity from photospheric flare observations
Advances in Space Research ; 8 , 11 ; 209-213
01.01.1989
5 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
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