Engineering topics

Hood, A. W.

Publications and source records attributed to Hood, A. W..

5 records

DOE OSTI2016

3D MHD MODELING OF TWISTED CORONAL LOOPS

We perform MHD modeling of a single bright coronal loop to include the interaction with a non-uniform magnetic field. The field is stressed by random footpoint rotation in the central region and its energy is dissipated into heating by growing currents through anomalous magnetic diffusivity that switches on in the corona above a current density threshold. We model an entire single magnetic flux tube in the solar atmosphere extending from the high- β chromosphere to the low- β corona through the steep transition region. The magnetic field expands from the chromosphere to the corona. The maximum resolution is ∼30 km. We obtain an overall evolution typical of loop models and realistic loop emission in the EUV and X-ray bands. The plasma confined in the flux tube is heated to active region temperatures (∼3 MK) after ∼2/3 hr. Upflows from the chromosphere up to ∼100 km s{sup −1} fill the core of the flux tube to densities above 10{sup 9} cm{sup −3}. More heating is released in the low corona than the high corona and is finely structured both in space and time.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

AN MHD AVALANCHE IN A MULTI-THREADED CORONAL LOOP

For the first time, we demonstrate how an MHD avalanche might occur in a multithreaded coronal loop. Considering 23 non-potential magnetic threads within a loop, we use 3D MHD simulations to show that only one thread needs to be unstable in order to start an avalanche even when the others are below marginal stability. This has significant implications for coronal heating in that it provides for energy dissipation with a trigger mechanism. The instability of the unstable thread follows the evolution determined in many earlier investigations. However, once one stable thread is disrupted, it coalesces with a neighboring thread and this process disrupts other nearby threads. Coalescence with these disrupted threads then occurs leading to the disruption of yet more threads as the avalanche develops. Magnetic energy is released in discrete bursts as the surrounding stable threads are disrupted. The volume integrated heating, as a function of time, shows short spikes suggesting that the temporal form of the heating is more like that of nanoflares than of constant heating.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1991

The fibril structure of prominences

It is suggested that the fibril structure of prominences may be caused by filamentation during its formation by radiative instability. Also discussed are the effects of other types of instability and a mechanism for the formation of vertical threads is given. The models indicate that highly inhomogeneous density structures can exist in the presence of smooth profiles for the plasma pressure and magnetic field. In the particular models the plasma pressure of a fibril prominence is higher and the vertical magnetical field is weaker than in a uniform prominence model, while the mass is substantially smaller.

Priest, E. R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

Magnetohydrodynamic instability

There have been major advances in the theory of magnetic reconnection and of magnetic instability, with important implications for the observations, as follows: (1) Fast and slow magnetic shock waves are produced by the magnetohydrodynamics of reconnection and are potential particle accelerators. (2) The impulsive bursty regime of reconnection gives a rapid release of magnetic energy in a series of bursts. (3) The radiative tearing mode creates cool filamentary structures in the reconnection process. (4) The stability analyses imply that an arcade can become unstable when either its height or twist of plasma pressure become too great.

Priest, E. R.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The stability of coronal and prominence magnetic fields

The significance of the localized instabilities is not yet fully understood. The nonlinear coupling of these modes may give rise to an explosive instability, with the modes coupling to longer wavelengths. On the other hand, if the modes saturate early, than the main effect of the instability may be an enhancement of transport coefficients. Nonetheless, the equation provides a simple test for the stability of cylindrical magnetic fields.

Hood, A. W.↗