Numerical simulations of kink instability in line-tied coronal Loops

Abstract

The results from numerical simulations carried out using a new shock-capturing, Lagrangian-remap, 3D MHD code, Lare3d are presented. We study the evolution of the m = 1 kink mode instability in a photospherically line-tied coronal loop that has no net axial current. During the non-linear evolution of the kink instability, large current concentrations develop in the neighbourhood of the infinite length mode rational surface. We investigate whether this strong current saturates at a finite value or whether scaling indicates current sheet formation. In particular, we consider the effect of the shear, defined by r / where = LB /rBz is the fieldline twist of the loop, on the current concentration. We also include a non-uniform resistivity in the simulations and observe the amount of free magnetic energy released by magnetic reconnection.