Formation of intensive magnetic flux tubes in a converging flow of partially ionized solar photospheric plasma (Q1610271)

A mechanism yielding formation of strong magnetic field flux tubes at edges of super-granular cells is elaborated assuming convergent plasma motions in initially weak photospheric magnetic fields. A slab of partially ionized plasma is subject to dynamic compression by opposite plasma flows, which eventually results in a hydromagnetic Rayleigh-Taylor type instability and in formation of individual high intensity magnetic flux tubes. The authors also discuss thermal effects and temperature distribution due to Joule heating in such a partially ionized plasma configuration.