Issue |
A&A
Volume 486, Number 1, July IV 2008
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 325 - 329 | |
Section | The Sun | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:200809455 | |
Published online | 27 May 2008 |
Particle-in-cell simulations of return current in solar flares
Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 25165 Ondřejov, Czech Republic e-mail: [karlicky;nickeler;barta]@asu.cas.cz
Received:
25
January
2008
Accepted:
18
April
2008
Aims. We numerically study a formation of the return current generated in solar flares.
Methods. For simulations of the return current in the beam-plasma system, a 3D particle-in-cell electromagnetic code is used.
Results. In conditions of solar flares with the electron beam fluxes of EF = 9.1 109-4.55
1010 erg s-1 cm-2, the
beam-plasma interaction with the return current is studied. We found that the
electron beam relaxes to the plateau distribution function as known from
electrostatic simulations. Simultaneously, due to electromagnetic effects and
the Buneman instability of the prescribed Maxwell-shifted return current, the
electron distribution function evolves to a new stationary state with a new
form of the return current. In this final state the return current is formed
not only by electrons in the bulk of the electron distribution function, but
also by electrons in the extended tail. We use the results of simulations to
estimate the critical beam fluxes for the processes under study in the low
corona, the transition region and the upper chromosphere.
Key words: Sun: flares / Sun: chromosphere / Sun: transition region
© ESO, 2008
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