TY - JOUR
T1 - Limitations of absolute current densities derived from the Semel & Skumanich method
AU - Li, Jing
AU - Fan, Yuhong
PY - 2009/11
Y1 - 2009/11
N2 - Semel and Skumanich proposed a method to obtain the absolute electric current density, |J z |, without disambiguation of 180° in the transverse field directions. The advantage of the method is that the uncertainty in the determination of the ambiguity in the magnetic azimuth is removed. Here, we investigate the limits of the calculation when applied to a numerical MHD model. We have found that the combination of changes in the magnetic azimuth with vanishing horizontal field component leads to errors, where electric current densities are often strong. Where errors occur, the calculation gives |J z | too small by factors typically 1.2-2.0.
AB - Semel and Skumanich proposed a method to obtain the absolute electric current density, |J z |, without disambiguation of 180° in the transverse field directions. The advantage of the method is that the uncertainty in the determination of the ambiguity in the magnetic azimuth is removed. Here, we investigate the limits of the calculation when applied to a numerical MHD model. We have found that the combination of changes in the magnetic azimuth with vanishing horizontal field component leads to errors, where electric current densities are often strong. Where errors occur, the calculation gives |J z | too small by factors typically 1.2-2.0.
KW - Electric current density
KW - Magnetic field
KW - Numerical MHD model
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/70350474482
U2 - 10.1007/s11433-009-0272-1
DO - 10.1007/s11433-009-0272-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:70350474482
SN - 1672-1799
VL - 52
SP - 1678
EP - 1685
JO - Science China: Physics, Mechanics and Astronomy
JF - Science China: Physics, Mechanics and Astronomy
IS - 11
ER -