Magnetic Structure in Successively Erupting Active Regions: Comparison of Flare-Ribbons with Quasi-Separatrix Layers

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic topology of erupting active regions using NLFFF modeling, revealing that flare ribbons correspond to QSLs and sigmoid structures, enhancing understanding of eruption mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison of QSLs and flare ribbons in successively erupting active regions, linking magnetic topology with observed flare features.

Findings

QSLs enclose core bipolar regions with inverse-S flare ribbons.

Flare ribbons are largely inverse-S shaped, matching QSL locations.

QSLs outline flare ribbons, indicating weakly twisted flux ropes.

Abstract

This paper studies the magnetic topology of successively erupting active regions (ARs) 11429 and 12371. Employing vector magnetic field observations from Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager, the pre-eruptive magnetic structure is reconstructed by a model of non-linear force-free field (NLFFF). For all the five CMEs from these ARs, the pre-eruptive magnetic structure identifies an inverse-S sigmoid consistent with the coronal plasma tracers in EUV observations. In all the eruption cases, the quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs) of Large Q values are continuously enclosing core field bipolar regions in which inverse-S shaped flare ribbons are observed. These QSLs essentially represent the large connectivity gradients between the domains of twisted core flux within the inner bipolar region and the surrounding potential like arcade. It is consistent with the observed field structure largely with the sheared arcade. The QSL maps in the chromosphere are compared with the flare-ribbons observed at the peak time of the flares. The flare ribbons are largely inverse-S shape morphology with their continuity of visibility is missing in the observations. For the CMEs in the AR 12371, the QSLs outline the flare ribbons as a combination of two inverse J-shape sections with their straight parts being separated. These QSLs are typical with the weakly twisted flux rope. Similarly, for the CMEs in the AR 11429, the QSLs are co-spatial with the flare ribbons both in the middle of the PIL and in the hook sections. In the frame work of standard model of eruptions, the observed flare ribbons are the characteristic of the pre-eruptive magnetic structure being sigmoid which is reproduced by {\bf the} NLFFF model with a weakly twisted flux rope at the core.