A Survey of Changes in Magnetic Helicity Flux on the Photosphere During Relatively Low Class Flares

TL;DR

This study analyzes magnetic helicity flux changes during low-class solar flares, revealing impulsive helicity transport linked to sunspot motions and Lorentz force changes, even in less energetic events.

Contribution

It provides new insights into magnetic helicity and energy transport mechanisms during small flares, highlighting the role of sunspot motions and Lorentz force changes.

Findings

Impulsive helicity flux changes occur in some low-class flares.

Magnetic energy transport during these flares is directed inward.

Sunspot motions correlate with impulsive helicity and Lorentz force changes.

Abstract

Using the 135-second cadence of the photospheric vector data provided by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager telescope on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory, we examined the time-evolution of magnetic helicity fluxes across the photosphere during 16 flares with the energy class lower than M5.0. During the flare in 4 out of 16 events, we found impulsive changes in the helicity fluxes. This indicates that even the flare with less energy could be associated with anomalistic transportation of the magnetic helicity across the photosphere. Accompanying the impulsive helicity fluxes, the poynting fluxes across the photosphere evolved from positive to negative. As such, the transportations of magnetic energy across the photosphere were toward solar interior during these flares. In each of the 4 events, the impulsive change in the helicity flux was always mainly contributed by abrupt change in horizontal velocity field on a sunspot located near the flaring polarity inversion line. The velocity field on each sunspot shows either an obvious vortex patten or an shearing patten relative to the another magnetic polarity, which tended to relax the magnetic twist or shear in the corona. During these flares, abrupt change in the Lorentz force acting on these sunspots were found. The rotational motions and shearing motions of these sunspots always had the same directions with the resultant Lorentz forces. These results support the view that the impulsive helicity transportation during the flare could be driven by the change in the Lorentz force applied on the photosphere.