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Energy build-up and release mechanisms in solar and auroral flares

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Abstract

Flare phenomena in the solar atmosphere and in the terrestrial magnetosphere exhibit many similarities. The mechanical energy of enhanced photospheric motion is converted and stored in the form of magnetic potential energy in sunspot fields, which is analogous to the case of the growth phase of magnetospheric substorms. The energy release during the explosive phase is initiated by a sudden collapse in the magnetic field topology and the X-type magnetic neutral point is created in the corona. Subsequent electrical discharge takes place in the form of an intense electrojet current flowing in the base of the chromosphere at the altitude where the Cowling conductivity is a maximum. It is suggested that the field-aligned precipitation of hot electrons and the Ohmic heating in the chromosphere result in major features of solar flares.

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  1. Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science, University of Tokyo, 153, Komaba, Tokyo, Japan

    Tatsuzo Obayashi

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  1. Tatsuzo Obayashi
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Obayashi, T. Energy build-up and release mechanisms in solar and auroral flares. Sol Phys 40, 217–226 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00183163

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00183163

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