Transient rotation of photospheric vector magnetic fields associated with a solar flare

Yan Xu (), Wenda Cao, Kwangsu Ahn, Ju Jing, Chang Liu, Jongchul Chae, Nengyi Huang, Na Deng, Dale E. Gary and Haimin Wang
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Yan Xu: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Wenda Cao: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Kwangsu Ahn: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Ju Jing: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Chang Liu: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Jongchul Chae: Seoul National University
Nengyi Huang: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Na Deng: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Dale E. Gary: New Jersey Institute of Technology
Haimin Wang: New Jersey Institute of Technology

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract As one of the most violent eruptions on the Sun, flares are believed to be powered by magnetic reconnection. The fundamental physics involving the release, transfer, and deposition of energy have been studied extensively. Taking advantage of the unprecedented resolution provided by the 1.6 m Goode Solar Telescope, here, we show a sudden rotation of vector magnetic fields, about 12–20° counterclockwise, associated with a flare. Unlike the permanent changes reported previously, the azimuth-angle change is transient and cospatial/temporal with Hα emission. The measured azimuth angle becomes closer to that in potential fields suggesting untwist of flare loops. The magnetograms were obtained in the near infrared at 1.56 μm, which is minimally affected by flare emission and no intensity profile change was detected. We believe that these transient changes are real and discuss the possible explanations in which the high-energy electron beams or Alfve′n waves play a crucial role.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02509-w

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