Title:
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS OF CORONAL RAIN IN SOLAR CORONAL LOOPS
Abstract: Coronal rain constitutes one of the most compelling phenomena in the solar atmosphere, wherein cold, dense plasma condensations form within the hot corona and subsequently precipitate toward the chromosphere along magnetic field lines. In this thesis, we present magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) numerical simulations of coronal rain formation and dynamics using the PLUTO code.
Beginning with 1D simulations that reproduce catastrophic cooling and thermal inversion at the loop apex, we extend our analysis to 2D configurations with rectilinear loops and subsequently to complete 2.5D MHD simulations in arcade geometry. The primary objective is to investigate the formation dynamics of condensed blobs under randomized turbulent heating and to analyze the deformation of magnetic field lines induced by the weight of condensed plasma.
Our results demonstrate that impulsive heating localized at the footpoints successfully triggers Thermal Non-Equilibrium (TNE) cycles, leading to the formation of coronal condensations with densities and temperatures consistent with observational constraints. In the 2.5D simulations, we observe the formation of complex structures and blob deformation during descent. Furthermore, the analysis of field lines reveals that the pressure exerted by condensed plasma is capable of locally deforming the magnetic structure, thereby influencing the falling dynamics and demonstrating non-negligible coupling between plasma thermodynamics and magnetic topology.
Our results demonstrate that impulsive heating localized at the footpoints successfully triggers Thermal Non-Equilibrium (TNE) cycles, leading to the formation of coronal condensations with densities and temperatures consistent with observational constraints. In the 2.5D simulations, we observe the formation of complex structures and blob deformation during descent. Furthermore, the analysis of field lines reveals that the pressure exerted by condensed plasma is capable of locally deforming the magnetic structure, thereby influencing the falling dynamics and demonstrating non-negligible coupling between plasma thermodynamics and magnetic topology.