FORCED FIELD EXTRAPOLATION OF THE MAGNETIC STRUCTURE OF THE Hα FIBRILS IN THE SOLAR CHROMOSPHERE

Abstract

We present a careful assessment of forced field extrapolation using the Solar Dynamics Observatory /Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager magnetogram. We use several metrics to check the convergence property. The extrapolated field lines below 3600 km appear to be aligned with most of the H α fibrils observed by the New Vacuum Solar Telescope. In the region where magnetic energy is far larger than potential energy, the field lines computed by forced field extrapolation are still consistent with the patterns of H α fibrils while the nonlinear force-free field results show a large misalignment. The horizontal average of the lorentz force ratio shows that the forced region where the force-free assumption fails can reach heights of 1400–1800 km. The non-force-free state of the chromosphere is also confirmed based on recent radiation magnetohydrodynamics simulations.