1. Kathy Reeves Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Terry Forbes University of New Hampshire Partitioning of energy in a loss-of-equilibrium CME model

2. Initial Model Configuration Flux rope with current I surface sources sun’s surface

3. Equilibrium Curve Forbes & Priest, ApJ,1995

4. Effect of Gravity Distance to footpoint Height of flux rope Reeves & Forbes, IAUS, 2005

5. 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

6. Force on flux rope: Conservation of Flux: Faraday’s Law: Energy conservation: Thermal Energy: Model Equations

7. Poynting Flux Thermalized

8. Energy Release

9. Effect of M A on Energy Time (s) Energy (x 10 31 ergs) M A = 0.001 M A = 0.006 M A = 0.1 Reeves & Forbes, ApJ, 2005

10. 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