Explosive Instability and Erupting Flux Tubes in a Magnetised Plasma Atmosphere

Abstract

The eruption of multiple flux tubes in a magnetised plasma atmosphere is proposed as a mechanism for explosive release of energy in plasmas. Linearly stable isolated flux tubes are shown to be metastable in a box model magnetised atmosphere in which ends of the field lines are embedded in conducting walls. The energy released by destabilising such field lines can be a significant fraction of the gravitational energy stored in the system. This energy can be released in a fast dynamical time.