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Magnetic flux tubes on the Sun

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Abstract

Magnetic fields are the cause of almost all forms of solar activity. Near the solar surface, and possibly in the entire convection zone, these fields occur in the form of isolated flux tubes. In recent years, new views have been developed (and older ones revived) in which this property plays a central role. Here we review these ideas, dealing with the nature of the solar cycle, sunspot structure, the origin of spicules and the source of mechanical heating in the solar atmosphere. The ideas are illustrated with the aid of a simple mathematical model for the behaviour of thin magnetic flux tubes. The properties of inhomogeneities in the corona (coronal loops) are also discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Mathematics, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS, UK

    H. C. Spruit & B. Roberts

  2. Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 1, D-8046, Garching bei München, FRG

    H. C. Spruit

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  1. H. C. Spruit
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  2. B. Roberts
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Spruit, H., Roberts, B. Magnetic flux tubes on the Sun. Nature 304, 401–406 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/304401a0

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