Simulations of Switchback, Fragmentation and Sunspot Pair in δ -Sunspots during Magnetic Flux Emergence

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 21; no. 2; p. 586
• Main Authors: Chang, Che-Jui, Kiang, Jean-Fu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 15.01.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Atmosphere; Catastrophic events; Contact angle; Coronal mass ejection; coronal mass ejection (CME); Field strength; Fragmentation; Initial conditions; Magnetic fields; Magnetic flux; magnetic flux emergence; Magnetism; Plasma; polarity inversion line (PIL); Simulation; solar flare; Sunspots; Temperature; δ-sunspot; polarity inversion line (PIL); solar flare; δ-sunspot; magnetic flux emergence; coronal mass ejection (CME)
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s21020586

Strong flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), launched from δ-sunspots, are the most catastrophic energy-releasing events in the solar system. The formations of δ-sunspots and relevant polarity inversion lines (PILs) are crucial for the understanding of flare eruptions and CMEs. In this work, the kink-stable, spot-spot-type δ-sunspots induced by flux emergence are simulated, under different subphotospheric initial conditions of magnetic field strength, radius, twist, and depth. The time evolution of various plasma variables of the δ-sunspots are simulated and compared with the observation data, including magnetic bipolar structures, relevant PILs, and temperature. The simulation results show that magnetic polarities display switchbacks at a certain stage and then split into numerous fragments. The simulated fragmentation phenomenon in some δ-sunspots may provide leads for future observations in the field.