Kathy Reeves Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Terry Forbes University of New Hampshire Partitioning of energy in a loss-of-equilibrium CME model
Initial Model Configuration Flux rope with current I surface sources sun’s surface
Equilibrium Curve Forbes & Priest, ApJ,1995
Effect of Gravity Distance to footpoint Height of flux rope Reeves & Forbes, IAUS, 2005
Model Assumptions 2D, infinite planar geometry No MHD waves Reconnection rate (M A ) given at center of current sheet Gas pressure is small compared to magnetic pressure Boundary Condition: A(x,0) = A 0 H(λ - |x|) Lin & Forbes, JGR, 2000
Force on flux rope: Conservation of Flux: Faraday’s Law: Energy conservation: Thermal Energy: Model Equations
Poynting Flux Thermalized
Energy Release
Effect of M A on Energy Time (s) Energy (x ergs) M A = M A = M A = 0.1 Reeves & Forbes, ApJ, 2005
Conclusions Inclusion of gravitational forces in the model introduce cases where there is no catastrophe point (i.e. no eruption) Thermal energy release depends on magnetic field strength Value of M A determines percentage of released energy that goes into thermal energy