Abstract
A mechanism is proposed explaining the structures consisting of plasma arcs, as observed in X-ray photographs of solar active regions. It is suggested that the width of the arcs corresponds to the cut-off wavelength of a Rayleigh-Taylor instability which develops due to a difference in density between the plasma in the arcs and the plasma in the surrounding region. The transverse component of the magnetic field necessary to stabilize the instability at a wavelength corresponding to the width of the arcs is estimated to be of the order of 0.1 G.
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References
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Gajewski, R. On the nature of plasma arcs in solar active regions. Sol Phys 35, 385–394 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00151961
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00151961