Physical Mechanism of a Solar Flare Based on the Accumulation of the Energy in the Magnetic Field of the Current Sheet in the Solar Corona

• Published in: Cosmic research 2019-11, Vol.57 (6), p.389-406
• Main Authors: Podgorny, I. M., Podgorny, A. I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acceleration; Astronomy; Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Astrophysics and Cosmology; Atmosphere; Computer simulation; Corona; Cosmic rays; Current sheets; Deceleration; Electric fields; Electron beams; Electron energy; Emission; Field aligned currents; Magnetic fields; Magnetohydrodynamics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Shock waves; Solar atmosphere; Solar corona; Solar cosmic rays; Solar energy; Solar flares; Solar magnetic field; Solar surface; Space Exploration and Astronautics; Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics; X-ray emissions
• ISSN: 0010-9525; 1608-3075
• DOI: 10.1134/S0010952519060054

During a solar flare, the magnetic energy of ~10 32 erg is released in a few dozens of minutes. The invariability of the magnetic field on the solar surface during flares proves the appearance of a flare in the corona. An analysis of the dynamics of the electron temperature of the solar atmosphere provides independent evidence of the coronal origin of the flare. The appearance of the flare in the corona is explained by the release of the energy accumulated in the magnetic field of the current sheet. To study the flare situation, numerical MHD simulation was performed for a real active region. The simulation results showed the appearance of a current sheet, which position coincides with the position of the observed source of thermal X-ray emission. A methodology for calculations in real time scale has been developed. Based on the mechanism of energy release in the current sheet, an electrodynamic model of a solar flare is proposed, which explains its main observed manifestations. Sources of hard X-ray emission appear due to deceleration in the lower dense layers of the solar atmosphere of electron beams accelerated in field-aligned currents. The acceleration of solar cosmic rays occurs in the current sheet by the electric field E = – V × B / c , and not in shock waves.