A Nonlinear Force-Free Magnetic Field Approximation Suitable for Fast Forward-Fitting to Coronal Loops. I. Theory

Chapter

Abstract

We derive an analytical approximation of nonlinear force-free magnetic field solutions (NLFFF) that can efficiently be used for fast forward-fitting to solar magnetic data, constrained either by observed line-of-sight magnetograms and stereoscopically triangulated coronal loops, or by 3D vector-magnetograph data. The derived NLFFF solutions provide the magnetic field components B x (x), B y (x), B z (x), the force-free parameter α(x), the electric current density j(x), and are accurate to second-order (of the nonlinear force-free α-parameter). The explicit expressions of a force-free field can easily be applied to modeling or forward-fitting of many coronal phenomena.

Keywords

Sun: corona Sun: magnetic fields 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Dept. ADBSSolar and Astrophysics LaboratoryPalo AltoUSA

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