The resistances of the photosphere and of a flaring coronal loop

✍ Scribed by D. B. Melrose; A. N. McClymont

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 504 KB
• Volume: 113
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0038-0938
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00147704

✦ Synopsis

We consider two aspects of solar flares from the point of view of circuit theory. First, we show that the so-called "dynamo models", which invoke an analogy between the Earth's magnetosphere-ionosphere circuit and the solar corona-photosphere circuit, are iLlfounded. Second, we consider the rate of coronal energy release in the impulsive phase of a modest flare, and show that, if the energ~y going into mass motion can be neglected, the corona must present a resistance of about 10 -~ 12. Classical resistivity, even in a highly filamented circuit, cannot provide so high a resistance. Anomalous resistivity due to ion sound turbulence can provide the required resistance in this case, but is insufficient to explain the very high power levels inferred in some fast spikes.