Magnetically coupled atmosphere, fast sausage MHD waves, and forced magnetic field reconnection during the SOL2014-09-10T17:45 flare

TL;DR

This study investigates the behavior of MHD waves and magnetic reconnection during a major solar flare, revealing how wave energy transfer and magnetic field coupling contribute to coronal heating.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of wave transfer mechanisms and magnetic coupling in the solar atmosphere during a flare, highlighting their role in coronal energy distribution.

Findings

Fast sausage MHD waves propagate from photosphere to corona.

Magnetic flux tubes connect atmospheric layers, facilitating energy transfer.

Wave dispersive nature contributes to coronal heating.

Abstract

We study the physical properties and behavior of the solar atmosphere during the GOES X1.6 solar flare on 2014 September 10. The steady plasma flows and the fast sausage MHD waves were analysed with the wavelet separation method. The magnetically coupled atmosphere and the forced magnetic field reconnection were studied with the help of the Vertical-Current Approximation Non-linear Force-Free Field code. We studied a mechanism of MHD wave transfer from the photosphere without dissipation or reflection before reaching the corona and a mechanism of the wave energy distribution over the solar corona. We report a common behavior of (extreme)ultraviolet steady plasma flows (speed of 15.3 -> 10.9 km/s) and fast sausage MHD waves (Alfven speed of 13.7 -> 10.3 km/s and characteristic periods of 1 587 -> 1 607 s), propagating in cylindrical plasma waveguides of the individual atmospheric layers (photosphere -> corona) observed by SDO/AIA/HMI and IRIS space instruments. A magnetically coupled solar atmosphere by a magnetic field flux tube above a sunspot umbra and a magnetic field reconnection forced by the waves were analysed. The solar seismology with trapped, leakage, and tunnelled modes of the waves, dissipating especially in the solar corona, is discussed with respect to its possible contribution to the outer atmosphere heating. We demonstrate that a dispersive nature of fast sausage MHD waves, which can easily generate the leaky and other modes propagating outside of their waveguide, and magnetic field flux tubes connecting the individual atmospheric layers can distribute the magnetic field energy across the active region. This mechanism can contribute to the coronal energy balance and to our knowledge on how the coronal heating is maintained.