paper

Spontaneous Generation of delta-sunspots in Convective Magnetohydrodynamic Simulation of Magnetic Flux Emergence

arXiv:1911.03909 · doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ab55e7

Abstract

Observations reveal that strong solar flares and coronal mass ejections tend to occur in complex active regions characterized by delta-sunspots, spot rotation, sheared polarity inversion lines (PILs), and magnetic flux ropes. Here we report on the first modeling of spontaneous delta-spot generation as a result of flux emergence from the turbulent convection zone. Utilizing state-of-the-art radiative magnetohydrodynamics code R2D2, we simulate the emergence of a force-free flux tube in the convection zone that stretches down to -140 Mm. Elevated by large-scale convective upflows, the tube appears on the photosphere as two emerging bipoles. The opposite polarities collide against each other due to the subsurface connectivity, and they develop into a pair of closely-packed delta-spots. The Lorentz force drives the spot rotation and a strong counter-streaming flow of 10 km/s at the PIL in delta-spots, which, in tandem with local convection, strengthens the horizontal field to 4 kG and builds up a highly-sheared PIL. In the atmosphere above the PIL, a flux rope structure is created. All these processes follow the multi-buoyant segment theory of the delta-spot formation, and they occur as a natural consequence of interaction between magnetic flux and turbulent convection, suggesting that the generation of delta-spots and the resultant flare eruptions may be a stochastically determined process.

arXiv comment9 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

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