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Small Scale Solar Magnetic Fields: Theory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 March 2016

N. O. Weiss
N. O. Weiss*
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge

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One of the most exciting developments in solar physics over the past eight years has been the success of ground based observers in resolving features with a scale smaller than the solar granulation. In particular, they have demonstrated the existence of intense magnetic fields, with strengths of up to about 1600G. Harvey (1976) has just given an excellent summary of these results.

In solar physics, theory generally follows observations. Inter-granular magnetic fields had indeed been expected but their magnitude came as a surprise. Some problems have been discussed in previous reviews (Schmidt, 1968, 1974; Weiss, 1969; Parker, 1976d; Stenflo, 1976) and the new observations have stimulated a flurry of theoretical papers. This review will be limited to the principal problems raised by these filamentary magnetic fields. I shall discuss the interaction of magnetic fields with convection in the sun and attempt to answer such questions as: what is the nature of the equilibrium in a flux tube? how are the fields contained? what determines their stability? how are such strong fields formed and maintained? and what limits the maximum field strength?

Type
Joint Dicussions
Information
Highlights of Astronomy , Volume 4 , Issue 2: Highlights of Astronomy. As presented at the XVIth General Assembly of the IAU, 1976 (Part II) , 1977 , pp. 241 - 250
Copyright
Copyright © Reidel 1977

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