2012/06/14 by Robert F. Stein, Åke Nordlund · 111 citations
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #Computational physics #Convection #Flux (metallurgy) #Geometry #Loop (graph theory) #Magnetic field #Magnetic flux #Materials science #Mathematics #Mechanics #Optics #Physics #Range (aeronautics) #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/2041-8205/753/1/l13
published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters 753(1), L13 (IOP Publishing)
openalex publication_date 2012/06/14 · arxiv created 2012/07/18 · arxiv updated 2012/07/19 · openalex created_date 2020/11/23 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Magnetoconvection can produce an active region without an initial coherent flux tube. A simulation was performed where a uniform, untwisted, horizontal magnetic field of 1 kG strength was advected into the bottom of a computational domain 48 Mm wide by 20 Mm deep. The up and down convective motions produce a hierarchy of magnetic loops with a wide range of scales, with smaller loops riding "piggy-back" in a serpentine fashion on larger loops. When a large loop approaches the surface, it produces a small active region with a compact leading spot and more diffuse following spots.