Scaling laws of free magnetic energy stored in a solar emerging flux region

Abstract

This Letter reports scaling laws of free magnetic energy stored in a solar emerging flux region which is a key to understanding the energetics of solar active phenomena such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. By performing three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations that reproduce several emerging flux regions of different magnetic configurations, we derive power-law relationships among emerged magnetic flux, free magnetic energy and relative magnetic helicity in these emerging flux regions. Since magnetic flux is an observable quantity, the scaling law between magnetic flux and free magnetic energy may give a way to estimate invisible free magnetic energy responsible for solar active phenomena. © The Author 2014.