Topological Quantification of the "Anemone" (Branching) Solar Flares

TL;DR

This paper introduces a topological framework using dynamical systems and Morse-Smale theory to quantify and predict complex branching solar flares known as 'anemone' flares, based on magnetic null points and sources.

Contribution

It develops universal topological relations linking null points and sources in anemone flares, aiding their quantification and prediction in complex magnetic structures.

Findings

Derived universal topological relations between null points and sources.

Provided a method for quantifying observed anemone flares.

Enabled prediction of new flares in complex magnetic configurations.

Abstract

The so-called "anemone" solar flares are an interesting type of the space plasma phenomena, where multiple null points of the magnetic field are connected with each other and with the magnetic sources by the separators, thereby producing the complex branching configurations. Here, using the methods of dynamical systems and Morse-Smale theory, we derive a few universal topological relations between the numbers of the null points and sources of various kinds with arbitrary arrangement in the above-mentioned structures. Such relations can be a valuable tool both for a quantification of the already-observed anemone flares and for a prediction of the new ones in complex magnetic configurations.