Simulating solar MHD
Two aspects of solar MHD are discussed in relation to the work of the MHD simulation group at KIS. Photospheric magneto-convection, the nonlinear interaction of magnetic field and convection in a strongly stratified, radiating fluid, is a key process of general astrophysical relevance. Comprehen...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
1999-05-01
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| Series: | Annales Geophysicae |
| Online Access: | https://www.ann-geophys.net/17/578/1999/angeo-17-578-1999.pdf |
| Summary: | Two aspects of solar MHD are discussed in
relation to the work of the MHD simulation group at KIS. Photospheric
magneto-convection, the nonlinear interaction of magnetic field and convection
in a strongly stratified, radiating fluid, is a key process of general
astrophysical relevance. Comprehensive numerical simulations including radiative
transfer have significantly improved our understanding of the processes and have
become an important tool for the interpretation of observational data. Examples
of field intensification in the solar photosphere ('convective collapse') are
shown. The second line of research is concerned with the dynamics of flux tubes
in the convection zone, which has far-reaching implications for our
understanding of the solar dynamo. Simulations indicate that the field strength
in the region where the flux is stored before erupting to form sunspot groups is
of the order of 10<sup>5</sup> G, an order of magnitude larger than previous
estimates based on equipartition with the kinetic energy of convective flows.<br><br><b>Key words. </b>Solar physics · astrophysics and astronomy
(photosphere and chromosphere; stellar interiors and dynamo theory; numerical
simulation studies). |
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| ISSN: | 0992-7689 1432-0576 |