Abstract
The structure of the outer solar atmosphere and its magnetic coupling to the photospheric motions indicate the existence of large-scale current systems. The heating and the dynamics of coronal structures is therefore governed by electrodynamic coupling of these structures to the underlying photosphere.
In a structured corona, the heating is enhanced because of several processes such as resonance absorption of Alfvénic surface waves, anomalous Joule heating, reconnection and the related topological dissipation.
The global thermal and dynamic behaviour of coronal structures can be fruitfully described in terms of equivalent electrodynamic circuits, taking into account the paramount role of the photospheric boundaries.
Coronal current systems may be stable, as in the case of coronal loops, but occassionally they show catastrophic behaviour if the current intensity surpasses a critical threshold.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alfvén, H.: 1981, Cosmic Plasma, D. Reidel Publ. Co., Dordrecht, Holland.
Baum, P. J. and Brantenahl, A.: 1982, preprint.
Baum, P. J., Bratenahl, A., and Kamin, G.: 1978, Astrophys. J. 226, 286.
Benz, A. and Wentzel, D. G.: 1981, Astron. Astrophys. 94, 100.
Colgate, S.: 1978, Astrophys. J. 221, 1068.
Heyvaerts, J. and Kuperus, M.: 1978, Astron. Astrophys. 64, 219.
Hollweg, J.: 1981, in F. Q. Orrall (ed.), Proc. Skylab Workshop on Solar Active Regions, p. 277.
Ionson, J. A.: 1978, Astrophys. J. 226, 650.
Ionson, J. A.: 1982, Astrophys. J. 254, 318.
Kuperus, M.: 1976, Solar Phys. 47, 79.
Kuperus, M.: 1981, in Guyenne and Lévy (eds.), Proc. Int. School and Workshop on Plasma Astrophysics, held at Varenna, Como, Italy, 27 Aug.–7 Sept. 1981, ESA, SP-161, p. 113.
Kuperus, M. and Raadu, M. A.: 1974, Astron. Astrophys. 31, 189.
Kuperus, M. and Van Tend, W.: 1981, Solar Phys. 71, 125.
Kuperus, M., Ionson, J. A. and Spicer, D. S.: 1981, Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 19, 7.
Parker, E. N.: 1979, Cosmical Magnetic Fields Oxford, Clarendon, p. 359.
Parker, E. N.: 1981, Astrophys. J. 244, 631.
Parker, E. N.: 1982, preprint.
Priest, E. R. and Soward, A. M.: 1976, in V. Bumba and J. K. Kleczek (eds.), ‘Basic Mechanisms of Solar Activity’, IAU Symp. 71, 353.
Rosner, R. and Knobloch, E.: 1982, Astrophys. J., to be published.
Rosner, R., Golub, L., Coppi, B., and Vaiana, G. S.: 1978a, Astrophys. J. 222, 317.
Rosner, R., Tucker, W. H., and Vaiana, G. S.: 1978b, Astrophys. J. 220, 643.
Schnack, D. and Killeen, J.: 1979, Nuclear Fusion 19, 877.
Smithson, R. C.: 1973, Solar Phys. 29, 365.
Spicer, D. S.: 1977, Solar Phys. 53, 305.
Spicer, D. S.: 1979, in M. Kuperus (ed.), Proc. CECAM Workshop Solar Flare Physics, held at Orsay, June1979.
Spicer, D. S.: 1982, Space Sci. Rev. 31, 351.
Spicer, D. S. and Brown, J. C: 1981, in S. Jordan (ed.), The Sun as a Star, NASA SP-450, p. 413.
Syrovatskii, S. I.: 1978, Solar Phys. 58, 89.
Syrovatskii, S. I.: 1981, Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 19, 163.
Van Tend, W.: 1979, ‘Magnetohydrodynamical and Thermal Processes in Solar Flare Energy Build Up and Release’, thesis University of Utrecht.
Van Tend, W. and Kuperus, M.: 1978, Solar Phys. 59, 115.
Vasyliunas, V. M.: 1975, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 13, 303.
Wentzel, D. G.: 1981, in S. Jordan (ed.), The Sun as a Star, NASA SP-450, p. 331.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kuperus, M. Electrodynamics of the outer solar atmosphere. Space Sci Rev 34, 47–54 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00221195
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00221195