Abstract
Powerful flares are closely related to the evolution of the complex magnetic field configuration at the solar surface. The strength of the magnetic field and speed of its evolution are two vital parameters in the study of the change of magnetic field in the solar atmosphere. We propose a dynamic and quantitative depiction of the changes in complexity of the active region: E=u×B, where u is the velocity of the footpoint motion of the magnetic field lines and B is the magnetic field. E represents the dynamic evolution of the velocity field and the magnetic field, shows the sweeping motions of magnetic footpoints, exhibits the buildup process of current, and relates to the changes in nonpotentiality of the active region in the photosphere. It is actually the induced electric field in the photosphere. It can be deduced observationally from velocities computed by the local correlation tracking (LCT) technique and vector magnetic fields derived from vector magnetograms. The relationship between E and ten X-class flares of four active regions (NOAA 10720, 10486, 9077, and 8100) has been studied. It is found that (1) the initial brightenings of flare kernels are roughly located near the inversion lines where the intensities of E are very high, (2) the daily averages of the mean densities of E and its normal component (E n) decrease after flares for most cases we studied, whereas those of the tangential component of E (E t) show no obvious regularities before and after flares, and (3) the daily averages of the mean densities of E t are always higher than those of E n, which cannot be naturally deduced by the daily averages of the mean densities of B n and B t.
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Liu, J., Zhang, Y. & Zhang, H. Relationship between Powerful Flares and Dynamic Evolution of the Magnetic Field at the Solar Surface. Sol Phys 248, 67–84 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-008-9149-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-008-9149-0