Spatial and Statistical Properties of Electric Current Density in the Nonlinear Force-Free Model of Active Region 12158

  • Kang, Jihye (School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Magara, Tetsuya (School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Inoue, Satoshi (Max-Plank Institute for Solar System Research in Germany)
  • 강지혜 (경희대학교 우주탐사학과) ;
  • ;
  • Published : 2016.04.12

Abstract

The formation process of a current sheet is important for solar flare from a viewpoint of a space weather prediction. We therefore derive the temporal development of the spatial and statistical distribution of electric current density distributed in a flare-producing active region to describe the formation of a current sheet. We derive time sequence distribution of electric current density by applying a nonlinear force-free approximation reconstruction to Active Region 12158 that produces an X1.6-class flare. The time sequence maps of photospheric vector magnetic field used for reconstruction are captured by a Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) onboard Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) on 10th September, 2014. The spatial distribution of electric current density in NLFFF model well reproduce observed sigmoidal structure at the preflare phase, although a layer of high current density shrinks at the postflare phase. A double power-law profile of electric current density is found in statistical analysis. This may be expected to use an indicator of the occurrence of a solar flare.

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