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Flux rope, hyperbolic flux tube, and late EUV phases in a non-eruptive circular-ribbon flare

Masson, S; Pariat, E; Valori, G; Deng, N; Liu, C; Wang, H; Reid, H; (2017) Flux rope, hyperbolic flux tube, and late EUV phases in a non-eruptive circular-ribbon flare. Astronomy and Astrophysics , 604 , Article A76. 10.1051/0004-6361/201629654. Green open access

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Abstract

We present a detailed study of a confined circular flare dynamics associated with 3 UV late phases in order to understand more precisely which topological elements are present and how they constrain the dynamics of the flare. We perform a non-linear force free field extrapolation of the confined flare observed with the HMI and AIA instruments onboard SDO. From the 3D magnetic field we compute the squashing factor and we analyse its distribution. Conjointly, we analyse the AIA EUV light curves and images in order to identify the post-flare loops, their temporal and thermal evolution. By combining both analysis we are able to propose a detailed scenario that explains the dynamics of the flare. Our topological analysis shows that in addition to a null-point topology with the fan separatrix, the spine lines and its surrounding Quasi-Separatix Layers halo (typical for a circular flare), a flux rope and its hyperbolic flux tube (HFT) are enclosed below the null. By comparing the magnetic field topology and the EUV post-flare loops we obtain an almost perfect match 1) between the footpoints of the separatrices and the EUV 1600~\AA{} ribbons and 2) between the HFT's field line footpoints and bright spots observed inside the circular ribbons. We showed, for the first time in a confined flare, that magnetic reconnection occured initially at the HFT, below the flux rope. Reconnection at the null point between the flux rope and the overlying field is only initiated in a second phase. In addition, we showed that the EUV late phase observed after the main flare episode are caused by the cooling loops of different length which have all reconnected at the null point during the impulsive phase.

Type: Article
Title: Flux rope, hyperbolic flux tube, and late EUV phases in a non-eruptive circular-ribbon flare
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201629654
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201629654
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Sun: magnetic fields, Sun: flares, Sun: UV radiation, magnetic reconnection
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Space and Climate Physics
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1547660
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