Letter to the Editor

First nonlinear force-free field extrapolations of SOLIS/VSM data

¹ Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany e-mail: [thalmann;wiegelmann]@mps.mpg.de
² National Solar Observatory, 85719 Tucson, Arizona e-mail: raouafi@noao.edu

Received: 21 May 2008
Accepted: 30 July 2008

Abstract

Aims. We study the coronal magnetic field structure inside active regions and its temporal evolution. We attempt to compare the magnetic configuration of an active region in a very quiet period with that for the same region during a flare.

Methods. Probably for the first time, we use vector magnetograph data from the Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun survey (SOLIS) to model the coronal magnetic field as a sequence of nonlinear force-free equilibria. We study the active region NOAA 10960 observed on 2007 June 7 with three snapshots taken during a small C1.0 flare of time cadence 10 min and six snapshots during a quiet period.

Results. The total magnetic energy in the active region was approximately  J. Before the flare the free magnetic energy was about 5% of the potential field energy. A part of this excess energy was released during the flare, producing almost a potential configuration at the beginning of the quiet period.

Conclusions. During the investigated period, the coronal magnetic energy was only a few percent higher than that of the potential field and consequently only a small C1.0 flare occurred. This was compared with an earlier investigated active region 10540, where the free magnetic energy was about 60% higher than that of the potential field producing two M-class flares. However, the free magnetic energy accumulates before and is released during the flare which appears to be the case for both large and small flares.