Laboratory demonstration of slow rise to fast acceleration of arched magnetic flux ropes. Issue 18 (17th September 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ha, Bao N.; Bellan, Paul M.
• Is Part Of: Geophysical research letters. Volume 43:Issue 18(2016)
• Page Start: 9390
• Page End: 9396
• Publication Date: 2016-09-17
• Subjects: Laboratory -- Coronal Mass Ejection -- Plasma -- Flux Rope; Geophysics -- Periodicals; Planets -- Periodicals; Lunar geology -- Periodicals; 550
• DOI: 10.1002/2016GL069744
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0094-8276

Abstract

Abstract: We demonstrate the slow rise to fast acceleration of an arched plasma‐filled magnetic flux rope. The flux rope expansion is inhibited by an externally applied customizable strapping field. When the strapping field is not too strong and not too weak, expansion forces build up while the flux rope is in the strapping field region. When the flux rope moves to a critical height beyond the peak strapping field region, the plasma accelerates quickly corresponding to the observed slow rise to fast acceleration of solar eruptions. This behavior is in agreement with the predictions of the torus instability. Key Points: Laboratory demonstration of slow‐rise to fast eruption, a mysterious feature of CMEs Our results are consistent with the torus instability, and electric currents provide the perturbation We find quantitative agreement between imaging, magnetic probes, and circuit analysis