[Loops] coronal loops flowchart

[Klimchuk, James]

Dear Loop Lovers,

 

     A number of you have expressed interest in a flowchart I showed at
the Loops III Workshop that deals with the isothermal/multi-thermal
issue, so I am attaching a copy here.  It tries to present the reasoning
behind the conclusion that some loops must be multi-thermal (composed of
unresolved, impulsively-heated strands at different temperatures).  The
boxes with blue type contain questions that can be answered
observationally.  Depending on the answers, an isothermal interpretation
might be reasonable.  However, if the answers lead to the lower-right
corner of the chart, then there is a major inconsistency and therefore
something fundamental that we do not understand.

     At the time of the workshop, there was a question of whether the
observed over densities can be explained by thermal nonequilibrium (the
lack of equilibrium when steady heating is sufficiently highly
concentrated near the footpoints).  I can now confirm that it can.
However, whether the other observational properties can also be
explained is currently being investigated.

 

Best wishes,

Jim

 

 

----------------------------------------

James A. Klimchuk      

Space Science Division 

Naval Research Lab                      

Washington, DC  20375  

USA

klimchuk at nrl.navy.mil

Phone: 202-404-8136

Fax:   202-404-7997

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