Force Free Magnetic Flux Rope with a High Current Density on the Axis

Abstract

A new model of a force-free magnetic flux rope with a high concentration of electric current on the axis is presented. The general property of axisymmetric force-free magnetic ropes is that with the exit of the top of the magnetic loop-rope into the corona, the external pressure that keeps it from lateral expansion steadily decreases, and with some critical decrease in this pressure, the longitudinal magnetic field of the rope becomes zero on the surface where the electric current changes its sign (it is current inversion surface—CIS). In this case, the force-free parameter \(\alpha (r)\) and the azimuthal electric current j_ϕ(r) experience a second-order discontinuity on this surface, so that in the vicinity of CIS their values begin to increase without limit. The current (drift) speed of electrons here will inevitably exceed the speed of ion sound. This serves as a trigger for the heating of non-isothermal plasma (so it turns out T_e \( \gg \) T_i) and the excitation of plasma ion-acoustic instability of the plasma not only near the CIS, but also in the central region of the rope, on its axis, where the current density is especially high. The appearance of anomalous resistance leads to rapid dissipation of the magnetic field and the generation of a super-Dreicer electric field. The Parker effect, associated with the equalization (with some delay) of the torque along the axis of the rope due to the transfer of the azimuthal field to the region of energy release, leads to quasiperiodic pulsations of hard flare radiation and, ultimately, ensures the flare release of the most part of free magnetic energy accumulated in the rope.