Intermittent heating in the solar corona employing a 3D MHD model

We investigate the spatial and temporal evolution of the heating of the corona of a cool star such as our Sun in a three-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamic (3D MHD) model. We solve the 3D MHD problem numerically in a box representing part of the (solar) corona. The energy balance includes Spitzer heat conduction along the magnetic field and optically thin radiative losses. The self-consistent heating mechanism is based on the braiding of magnetic field lines rooted in the convective photosphere. Magnetic stress induced by photospheric motions leads to currents in the atmosphere which heat the corona through Ohmic dissipation. While the horizontally averaged quantities, such as heating rate, temperature or density, are relatively constant in time, the simulated corona is highly variable and dynamic, on average reaching temperatures and densities as found in observations. The strongest heating per particle is found in the transition region from the chromosphere to the corona. The heating is concentrated in current sheets roughly aligned with the magnetic field and is transient in time and space. This supports the idea that numerous small heating events heat the corona, often referred to a nanoflares

Coronal loops above an Active Region - observation versus model

We conducted a high-resolution numerical simulation of the solar corona above a stable active region. The aim is to test the field-line braiding mechanism for a sufficient coronal energy input. We also check the applicability of scaling laws for coronal loop properties like the temperature and density. Our 3D-MHD model is driven from below by Hinode observations of the photosphere, in particular a high-cadence time series of line-of-sight magnetograms and horizontal velocities derived from the magnetograms. This driving applies stress to the magnetic field and thereby delivers magnetic energy into the corona, where currents are induced that heat the coronal plasma by Ohmic dissipation. We compute synthetic coronal emission that we directly compare to coronal observations of the same active region taken by Hinode. In the model, coronal loops form at the same places as they are found in coronal observations. Even the shapes of the synthetic loops in 3D space match those found from a stereoscopic reconstruction based on STEREO spacecraft data. Some loops turn out to be slightly over-dense in the model, as expected from observations. This shows that the spatial and temporal distribution of the Ohmic heating produces the structure and dynamics of a coronal loops system close to what is found in observations.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, special issu

Current systems of coronal loops in 3D MHD simulations

We study the magnetic field and current structure associated with a coronal loop. Through this we investigate to what extent the assumptions of a force-free magnetic field break down and where they might be justified. We analyse a 3D MHD model of the solar corona in an emerging active region with the focus on the structure of the forming coronal loops. The lower boundary of this simulation is taken from a model of an emerging active region. As a consequence of the emerging magnetic flux and the horizontal motions at the surface a coronal loop forms self-consistently. We investigate the current density along magnetic field inside (and outside) this loop and study the magnetic and plasma properties in and around it. We find that the total current along the loop changes its sign from being antiparallel to parallel to the magnetic field. This is caused by the inclination of the loop together with the footpoint motion. Around the loop the currents form a complex non-force-free helical structure. This is directly related to a bipolar current structure at the loop footpoints at the base of the corona and a local reduction of the background magnetic field (i.e. outside the loop) caused by the plasma flow into and along the loop. The locally reduced magnetic pressure in the loop allows the loop to sustain a higher density, which is crucial for the emission in extreme UV. The acting of the flow on the magnetic field hosting the loop turns out to be also responsible for the observed squashing of the loop. The complex magnetic field and current system surrounding it can be modeled only in 3D MHD models where the magnetic field has to balance the plasma pressure. A 1D coronal loop model or a force-free extrapolation can not capture the current system and the complex interaction of the plasma and the magnetic field in the coronal loop, despite the fact that the loop is under low-$\beta$ conditions.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, published in A&

Heating of the corona in a 3D MHD forward model approach

Observations of the solar corona show loop-like structures formed by plasma at temperatures of one million degrees and higher. Since the solar surface is much cooler than the corona, a heating mechanism must be responsible for the high temperatures. The dissipation of magnetic fields in the corona could provide such a heating mechanism. However, the process of transforming magnetic energy into thermal energy is still not yet understood in detail. To investigate this process and its impact on the heating of the corona, we employ a three-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamical model. This numerical model synthesizes the temporal evolution of the magnetic field above an Active Region. It includes the solar atmosphere from the photosphere up to the corona. The magnetic field in the corona is braided by foot point motions in the photosphere. This is done imilarly to the braiding through granulation in reality. The stressed agnetic field induces currents which are then dissipated in the corona. This dea is known as the DC model (direct current) and was proposed by Parker in 1972. The model reaches a quasi-stationary state, i.e. the energy input by hotospheric motions is counterbalanced by radiative losses in the optically thin corona. As a result, the described heating process creates and sustains a hot corona with a temperature of one million degrees and higher ...thesi

A graph database for persistent identifiers

The Handle Software manages references to resources of information. However, it does not support a search functionality. A prior implementation with Elasticsearch could not efficiently capture the complex structure of our dataset, especially the relationships between handles. In this paper, we apply a graph database together with Elasticsearch to provide more search capabilities to users. In addition, the graph can efficiently store meta-data provided during handle creation. Further use cases for this graph include redundancy detection (two or more handles pointing to the same URL), or bibliographic network analysis

Concept for Setting up the Persistent Identifier Services Working Group in the NFDI Section "Common Infrastructures"

The aim of this NFDI working group is to develop a common strategy for the implementation and extension of PID services that is closely aligned with the needs of NFDI consortia. Resulting solutions should enable FAIR research workflows balancing out generic metadata requirements for PIDs that maximise resource discoverability on the one hand and subject-specific needs on the other. At the technical level, the partners want to realise interoperability between PID types and established systems and build on a high level of maturity here; jointly developed services should be able to be rolled out for the entire NFDI

Spectral analysis of 3D MHD models of coronal structures

We study extreme-ultraviolet emission line spectra derived from three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic models of structures in the corona. In order to investigate the effects of increased magnetic activity at photospheric levels in a numerical experiment, a much higher magnetic flux density is applied at photospheric levels as compared to the Sun. Thus, we can expect our results to highlight the differences between the Sun and more active, but still solar-like stars. We discuss signatures seen in extreme-ultraviolet emission lines synthesized from these models and compare them to signatures found in the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of Doppler shifts in lines formed in the transition region and corona. This is of major interest to test the quality of the underlying magnetohydrodynamic model to heat the corona, i.e. currents in the corona driven by photospheric motions (flux braiding).Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure