Tracking magnetic flux and helicity from the Sun to Earth: Multi-spacecraft analysis of a magnetic cloud and its solar source

Abstract

Aims. We analyze the complete chain of effects from the Sun to Earth - caused by a solar eruptive event in order to better understand the dynamic evolution of magnetic-field-related quantities in interplanetary space, in particular that of magnetic flux and helicity. Methods. We study a series of connected events -a confined C4.5 flare, a flare-less filament eruption, and a double-peak M-class flare - that originated in NOAA active region (AR) 12891 on late 2021 November 1 and early 2021 November 2. We deduce the magnetic structure of AR 12891 using stereoscopy and nonlinear force-free (NLFF) magnetic field modeling, allowing us to identify a coronal flux rope and to estimate its axial flux and helicity. Additionally, we compute reconnection fluxes based on flare ribbon and coronal dimming signatures from remote sensing imagery. Comparison to corresponding quantities for the associated magnetic cloud (MC) deduced from in situ measurements from Solar Orbiter and near-Earth spacecraft allows us to draw conclusions on the evolution of the associated interplanetary coronal mass ejection (CME). The latter analysis is aided by the application of geometric fitting techniques (graduated cylindrical shell modeling; GCS) and interplanetary propagation models (drag-based ensemble modeling; DBEM) to the interplanetary CME. Results. NLFF modeling suggests the magnetic structure of the host AR was in the form of a left-handed (negative-helicity) flux rope reaching altitudes of 8- 10 Mm above photospheric levels, which is in close agreement with the corresponding stereoscopic estimate. GCS and DBEM modeling suggest that the ejected flux rope propagated in a self-similar expanding manner through interplanetary space. Comparison of magnetic fluxes and helicities processed by magnetic reconnection in the solar source region and the respective budgets of the MC indicate a considerable contribution from the eruptive process, though the pre-eruptive budgets also appear to be relevant.