Coronal hydromagnetic implosions

The energy in a magnetic field B is distributed in space with density B² over 8π that is also the isotropic magnetic pressure at each point in space. A localized release of magnetic energy would therefore imply a localized reduction of magnetic pressure.

Hence, such a release could lead to an implosion of the magnetic structure as its atmospheric surrounding pushes inward. Whether an implosion would take place immediately depends on how fast the released energy can escape, through optically-thin radiation, thermal conduction, hydromagnetic waves, and, the magnetic channeling of high-energy particles. Methods.We determined whether an expansion or an implosion would occur when cylindrical tubes of twisted flux relaxed to lower energy states.