Elongation of flare ribbons

Jiong Qiu; Dana W. Longcope; Paul A. Cassak; Eric R. Priest

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa6341

Elongation of flare ribbons

Jiong Qiu, Dana W. Longcope, Paul A. Cassak, Eric R. Priest

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We present an analysis of the apparent elongation motion of flare ribbons along the polarity inversion line (PIL), as well as the shear of flare loops in several two-ribbon flares. Flare ribbons and loops spread along the PIL at a speed ranging from a few to a hundred km s^-1. The shear measured from conjugate footpoints is consistent with the measurement from flare loops, and both show the decrease of shear toward a potential field as a flare evolves and ribbons and loops spread along the PIL. Flares exhibiting fast bidirectional elongation appear to have a strong shear, which may indicate a large magnetic guide field relative to the reconnection field in the coronal current sheet. We discuss how the analysis of ribbon motion could help infer properties in the corona where reconnection takes place.

Original language	English
Article number	17
Number of pages	17
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	838
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa6341
Publication status	Published - 20 Mar 2017

Keywords

Magnetic reconnection
Sun: activity
Sun: flare
Sun: magnetic field

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Priest_2017_AJ_FlareRibbons_FinalPubVersion
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title = "Elongation of flare ribbons",

abstract = "We present an analysis of the apparent elongation motion of flare ribbons along the polarity inversion line (PIL), as well as the shear of flare loops in several two-ribbon flares. Flare ribbons and loops spread along the PIL at a speed ranging from a few to a hundred km s-1. The shear measured from conjugate footpoints is consistent with the measurement from flare loops, and both show the decrease of shear toward a potential field as a flare evolves and ribbons and loops spread along the PIL. Flares exhibiting fast bidirectional elongation appear to have a strong shear, which may indicate a large magnetic guide field relative to the reconnection field in the coronal current sheet. We discuss how the analysis of ribbon motion could help infer properties in the corona where reconnection takes place.",

keywords = "Magnetic reconnection, Sun: activity, Sun: flare, Sun: magnetic field",

author = "Jiong Qiu and Longcope, {Dana W.} and Cassak, {Paul A.} and Priest, {Eric R.}",

note = "J.Q., D.W.L., and P.A.C. gratefully acknowledge support by NSF SHINE collaborative grant AGS-1460059. ",

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AU - Qiu, Jiong

AU - Longcope, Dana W.

AU - Cassak, Paul A.

AU - Priest, Eric R.

N1 - J.Q., D.W.L., and P.A.C. gratefully acknowledge support by NSF SHINE collaborative grant AGS-1460059.

PY - 2017/3/20

Y1 - 2017/3/20

N2 - We present an analysis of the apparent elongation motion of flare ribbons along the polarity inversion line (PIL), as well as the shear of flare loops in several two-ribbon flares. Flare ribbons and loops spread along the PIL at a speed ranging from a few to a hundred km s-1. The shear measured from conjugate footpoints is consistent with the measurement from flare loops, and both show the decrease of shear toward a potential field as a flare evolves and ribbons and loops spread along the PIL. Flares exhibiting fast bidirectional elongation appear to have a strong shear, which may indicate a large magnetic guide field relative to the reconnection field in the coronal current sheet. We discuss how the analysis of ribbon motion could help infer properties in the corona where reconnection takes place.

AB - We present an analysis of the apparent elongation motion of flare ribbons along the polarity inversion line (PIL), as well as the shear of flare loops in several two-ribbon flares. Flare ribbons and loops spread along the PIL at a speed ranging from a few to a hundred km s-1. The shear measured from conjugate footpoints is consistent with the measurement from flare loops, and both show the decrease of shear toward a potential field as a flare evolves and ribbons and loops spread along the PIL. Flares exhibiting fast bidirectional elongation appear to have a strong shear, which may indicate a large magnetic guide field relative to the reconnection field in the coronal current sheet. We discuss how the analysis of ribbon motion could help infer properties in the corona where reconnection takes place.

KW - Magnetic reconnection

KW - Sun: activity

KW - Sun: flare

KW - Sun: magnetic field

U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/aa6341

DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/aa6341

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85016829623

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 838

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

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M1 - 17

ER -

Elongation of flare ribbons

Abstract

Keywords

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