Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2017
Abstract
We present an analysis of the apparent elongation motion of flare ribbons along the polarity inversion line (PIL), as well as the shear of flare loops in several two-ribbon flares. Flare ribbons and loops spread along the PIL at a speed ranging from a few to a hundred km s-1. The shear measured from conjugate footpoints is consistent with the measurement from flare loops, and both show the decrease of shear toward a potential field as a flare evolves and ribbons and loops spread along the PIL. Flares exhibiting fast bidirectional elongation appear to have a strong shear, which may indicate a large magnetic guide field relative to the reconnection field in the coronal current sheet. We discuss how the analysis of ribbon motion could help infer properties in the corona where reconnection takes place.
Digital Commons Citation
Qiu, Jiong; Longcope, Dana W.; Cassak, Paul A.; and Priest, Eric R., "Elongation of Flare Ribbons" (2017). Faculty & Staff Scholarship. 148.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/faculty_publications/148
Source Citation
Qiu, Jiong., Longcope, Dana W., Cassak, Paul A., & Priest, Eric R. (2017). Elongation Of Flare Ribbons. The Astrophysical Journal, 838(1), 17. http://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa6341