Solar Flares and Magnetic Shear

[Newbie]

This article explains how magnetic shear occurs in sunspots. Please copy and paste link into browser if link doesn't work.

https://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/flaremag.shtml

Magnetic shear (twisting of the Sun's magnetic field), is related to solar flares.

The link above contains an animation referred to below:

The H-alpha images are displayed in the left-hand panel of the animation. The magnetic field measurements are displayed on top of the H-alpha image in the right-hand panel. The solid lines are "neutral lines" that separate areas with opposite magnetic polarity (positive from negative or north from south). The tickmarks point in the direction of the horizontal, or transverse, component of the magnetic field. Normally the transverse field is directed across (or perpendicular to) the neutral lines so that the magnetic field lines travel from the positive polarity regions directly to the negative polarity regions. In this example we see several areas where the tickmarks are directed almost parallel to the neutral lines. The magnetic field is said to be sheared in these regions.

Over the last few years we have found that flaring activity is closely associated with sheared magnetic fields. Measurements of magnetic shear in and around sunspots allows us to predict the occurence of many large solar flares.

The sheared locations possess abundant free magnetic energy for solar flares. Shearing can be considered as a flow of magnetic energy. 

HMI magnetograms are coloured coded to show differing polarities ie negative red and positve blue within active regions.

The deeper the colour ie the darker the blue or red of the sunspot the greater the intensity of the magnetic field. When these darkest coloured areas are pushed up very close to each other magnetic shear is greatest, because of the intensity of the opposite polarity magnetic fields being twisted, distorted and sheared.

Newbie. 

Edited August 29, 2022 by Newbie

[Archmonoth]

Good article, thanks for posting it.

 

This is related and meant to add a little more. Positive charge flow can get "pinched" and results in phenomena like lightning bolts on Earth. Pinch (plasma physics) - Wikipedia

 

 

I would guess the same happens with the Sun, both shear from opposite charges and pinching with positive charge. I know shear is included, but is pinching included on any predictions/monitoring? 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2022 by Archmonoth

[MinYoongi]

This post should make it into the FAQ!

[Sam Warfel]

46 minutes ago, MinYoongi said:

This post should make it into the FAQ!

I moved this to the insightful reading forum