Coronal Eruptions in Simulations of Magnetic Flux Emergence from the Convection Zone

Abstract:

Solar magnetic fields permeate various layers of the Sun from the interior to the corona and interact with the local plasma. The physical properties of the plasma vary drastically from the convection zone to the corona, with a density drop of 14 orders of magnitude. The interaction between the plasma and magnetic fields strongly distort the field structure during the emergence. The emerged fields dominate the dynamics in the corona and may drive magnetic eruptions, with significant release of magnetic energy into thermal and kinetic energy of the plasma. Here we present numerical simulations of flux emergence into pre-existing fields in a coupled convection-zone-corona system, and study the resulting eruption of the magnetic fields in the corona, e.g. blowout jets. Analysis of the simulation results illustrates how the mass and energy is transferred from the interior into outer atmosphere during the eruptions. Comparison with modern observations provides us a physical understanding of the observed coronal eruptions in flux emerging regions.