An AB Initio Approach to Solar Coronal Loops

Abstract

Data from recent numerical simulations of the solar corona and transition\nregion are analysed and the magnetic field connection between the low corona\nand the photosphere is found to be close to that of a potential field. The\nfieldline to fieldline displacements follow a power law distribution with\ntypical displacements of just a few Mm. Three loops visible in emulated\nTransition Region And Coronal Explorer (TRACE) filters are analysed in detail\nand found to have significantly different heating rates and distributions\nthereof, one of them showing a small scale heating event. The dynamical\nstructure is complicated even though all the loops are visible in a single\nfilter along most of their lengths. None of the loops are static, but are in\nthe process of evolving into loops with very different characteristics.\nDifferential Emission Measure (DEM) curves along one of the loops illustrate\nthat DEM curves have to be treated carefully if physical characteristics are to\nbe extracted.\n