Large-scale dynamics and magnetic structure of solar active regions

Coaligned solar C IV Dopplergrams, photospheric magnetograms, and H-alpha filtergrams have been studied in order to ascertain the flow properties of active regions and the relationship of these flows to active region magnetic fields. The observed features are spatially well correlated, and the combined data show active regions to be divisible into strong field regions, weak field corridors between strong fields of opposite polarity, and surrounding weak field areas. An idealized topological model is proposed in which the vertical fields of strong field regions diverge rapidly with height to become virtually horizontal in the adjacent low-lying areas. 56 references