Abstract
The free energy associated with current sheets formed by displacing magnetic dipoles in a highly conducting medium is discussed. Specific models are illustrated, based on the idea that the free energy of a magnetic field in the solar atmosphere is the energy librated after the field has relaxed to a potential state that preserves the photospheric flux distribution. Previous calculations by other authors based on the consideration of discrete currents were incorrect because the interaction between the atmospheric currents and the highly conducting photosphere was not accounted for properly. It is shown that when this interaction is included, the consideration of discrete currents leads to the same result based on continuous magnetic field consideration.
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The National Center of Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
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Low, B.C., Hu, Y.Q. The energy of electric current sheets. Sol Phys 84, 83–98 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00157446
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00157446