Solar Magnetic Flux Tubes

Solar Magnetic Flux Tubes (MFT), also called "pores", are magnetic field concentrations near the surface of the sun. They are caused by surrounding convective motion which brings together small components of magnetic field. There are three stages in the life of an MFT:

1. Formation, which takes from three to five minutes
2. Stable stage, which lasts tens of minutes
3. Collapse, or the move to an unstable state, which again takes tens of minutes

Top View

QuickTime | Real | MPEG

Bottom View

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The variable that is depicted in these visualizations is magnetic pressure. Magnetic pressure is defined as the strength of the magnetic field, squared. Brighter colors represent higher pressure. There is an inverse relationship between gas pressure and magnetic pressure. i.e. the brown regions are areas of high gas pressure.

The collapse of a Solar Magnetic Flux Tube (MFT) visualized in these animations is brought on due to cooling at the sun's surface. At the beginning of the animation you are seeing the ends of the stable stage. The pore in front, center is beginning to go unstable, as indicated by the formation of the two lobes in the blue areas. As the evolution progresses these twin lobes, which are characteristic of the unstable stage, become more and more distinct. The lobes are caused by the existence of a high-pressure gas regions which forms between the lobes.