Catastrophe versus instability for the eruption of a toroidal solar magnetic flux rope

B. Kliem; J. Lin; T. G. Forbes; E. R. Priest; T. Toeroek

doi:10.1088/0004-637X/789/1/46

Catastrophe versus instability for the eruption of a toroidal solar magnetic flux rope

B. Kliem^*, J. Lin, T. G. Forbes, E. R. Priest, T. Toeroek

^*Corresponding author for this work

Pure Mathematics

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Abstract

The onset of a solar eruption is formulated here as either a magnetic catastrophe or as an instability. Both start with the same equation of force balance governing the underlying equilibria. Using a toroidal flux rope in an external bipolar or quadrupolar field as a model for the current-carrying flux, we demonstrate the occurrence of a fold catastrophe by loss of equilibrium for several representative evolutionary sequences in the stable domain of parameter space. We verify that this catastrophe and the torus instability occur at the same point; they are thus equivalent descriptions for the onset condition of solar eruptions.

Original language	English
Article number	46
Number of pages	13
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	789
Issue number	1
Early online date	13 Jun 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/789/1/46
Publication status	Published - 1 Jul 2014

Keywords

Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)
Sun: corona
Sun: coronal mass ejections (CMEs)
Sun: filaments, prominences
Sun: flares
Sun: magnetic fields
Coronal mass ejections
2010 April 8
Active regions
Prominence eruptions
Torus instability
Kink instability
Sunspot rotation
Field evolution
Emerging flux
Flares

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Priest_2014_TAJ_Catastrophe
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title = "Catastrophe versus instability for the eruption of a toroidal solar magnetic flux rope",

abstract = "The onset of a solar eruption is formulated here as either a magnetic catastrophe or as an instability. Both start with the same equation of force balance governing the underlying equilibria. Using a toroidal flux rope in an external bipolar or quadrupolar field as a model for the current-carrying flux, we demonstrate the occurrence of a fold catastrophe by loss of equilibrium for several representative evolutionary sequences in the stable domain of parameter space. We verify that this catastrophe and the torus instability occur at the same point; they are thus equivalent descriptions for the onset condition of solar eruptions.",

keywords = "Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), Sun: corona, Sun: coronal mass ejections (CMEs), Sun: filaments, prominences, Sun: flares, Sun: magnetic fields, Coronal mass ejections, 2010 April 8, Active regions, Prominence eruptions, Torus instability, Kink instability, Sunspot rotation, Field evolution, Emerging flux, Flares",

author = "B. Kliem and J. Lin and Forbes, {T. G.} and Priest, {E. R.} and T. Toeroek",

note = "B.K. acknowledges support by the Chinese Academy of Sciences under grant No. 2012T1J0017. He also acknowledges support by the DFG, the STFC, and the NSF. J.L.'s work was supported by 973 Program grants 2013CB815103 and 2011CB811403, NSFC grants 11273055, and 11333007, and CAS grant KJCX2-EW-T07 to Yunnan Observatory. E.R.P. is grateful to the Leverhulme Trust for financial support. The contribution of T.T. was supported by NASA's HTP, LWS, and SR&T programs and by NSF.",

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doi = "10.1088/0004-637X/789/1/46",

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AU - Kliem, B.

AU - Lin, J.

AU - Forbes, T. G.

AU - Priest, E. R.

AU - Toeroek, T.

N1 - B.K. acknowledges support by the Chinese Academy of Sciences under grant No. 2012T1J0017. He also acknowledges support by the DFG, the STFC, and the NSF. J.L.'s work was supported by 973 Program grants 2013CB815103 and 2011CB811403, NSFC grants 11273055, and 11333007, and CAS grant KJCX2-EW-T07 to Yunnan Observatory. E.R.P. is grateful to the Leverhulme Trust for financial support. The contribution of T.T. was supported by NASA's HTP, LWS, and SR&T programs and by NSF.

PY - 2014/7/1

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N2 - The onset of a solar eruption is formulated here as either a magnetic catastrophe or as an instability. Both start with the same equation of force balance governing the underlying equilibria. Using a toroidal flux rope in an external bipolar or quadrupolar field as a model for the current-carrying flux, we demonstrate the occurrence of a fold catastrophe by loss of equilibrium for several representative evolutionary sequences in the stable domain of parameter space. We verify that this catastrophe and the torus instability occur at the same point; they are thus equivalent descriptions for the onset condition of solar eruptions.

AB - The onset of a solar eruption is formulated here as either a magnetic catastrophe or as an instability. Both start with the same equation of force balance governing the underlying equilibria. Using a toroidal flux rope in an external bipolar or quadrupolar field as a model for the current-carrying flux, we demonstrate the occurrence of a fold catastrophe by loss of equilibrium for several representative evolutionary sequences in the stable domain of parameter space. We verify that this catastrophe and the torus instability occur at the same point; they are thus equivalent descriptions for the onset condition of solar eruptions.

KW - Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)

KW - Sun: corona

KW - Sun: coronal mass ejections (CMEs)

KW - Sun: filaments, prominences

KW - Sun: flares

KW - Sun: magnetic fields

KW - Coronal mass ejections

KW - 2010 April 8

KW - Active regions

KW - Prominence eruptions

KW - Torus instability

KW - Kink instability

KW - Sunspot rotation

KW - Field evolution

KW - Emerging flux

KW - Flares

U2 - 10.1088/0004-637X/789/1/46

DO - 10.1088/0004-637X/789/1/46

M3 - Article

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 789

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

M1 - 46

ER -

Catastrophe versus instability for the eruption of a toroidal solar magnetic flux rope

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Keywords

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