The European Space Agency’s BepiColombo mission to the planet, Mercury, is planned for launch in 2012. A lander called the MSE (Mercury Surface Element) has been proposed for the mission. To be compatible with all the constraints for a soft-landing on Mercury, the payload must be highly miniaturized. Although the requirements are challenging, significant study, design, and bread-board work has been performed which suggests that excellent science can be accomplished within a total payload mass of around 7 kg. The MSE would provide a substantial increase in our knowledge of the Hermean surface after that which can be obtained from orbital remote sensing.

Magnetic Helicity measures basic structural properties of magnetic fields such as twist, shear, linking, writhe, and handedness. It is conserved in ideal MHD and approximately conserved during reconnection. The minimum energy state of a field with a given magnetic helicity is a linear force free field. Helicity plays an important role in MHD turbulence and dynamo theory, and provides a valuable observational tool in solar and space physics. Helicity conservation can be tracked from the solar dynamo to active regions to coronal mass ejections to magnetic clouds in interplanetary space.

To fully understand the origin, evolution and topology of solar magnetic fields, one should comprehend their magnetic helicity. Observationally, non-zero helicity reveals itself in the patterns of electric currents inside active regions, superpenumbral sunspot whirls, the shape of coronal loops and the fine structure of chromospheric filaments. Some patterns may bear information about deep sub-photospheric processes (e.g., dynamo, turbulent convection). Others may originate at or near the photosphere. This presentation reviews the observations of magnetic and current helicity on the Sun, discusses the possible mechanisms of helicity generation, and compares them with the observations.

We have conducted 3-D simulations of the complex magnetohydrodynamics of the solar convective envelope in spherical shells using our anelastic spherical harmonics (ASH) code (Brun & Toomre 2002). We here briefly discuss the properties of the kinetic and current helicities established in such systems.

Spatial and temporal distributions of tracers of the alpha-effect in the solar convection zone, such as current helicity and twist factor averaged over solar active regions are available by vector magnetographic observations. We discuss the data obtained at Huairou Solar Observing Station of Chinese Academy of Sciences and confront them with predictions of dynamo theory. At the present time, though the observations are rough, we still have a statistically representative sampling to conclude that the observations do not contradict the theory.

Models of twisted flux tube evolution provide a picture of how magnetic helicity is propagated through the solar convection zone into the corona. According to the models, helicity tends toward an approximately uniform length-density along a tube, rather than concentrating at wider portions. Coronal fields lengthen rapidly during active region emergence, requiring additional helicity to propagate from the submerged flux tube. Recent observations of emerging active regions show an evolution consistent with this prediction, and no evidence of helicity concentrating in wider sections.

It is argued that much of the observed magnetic helicity losses at the solar surface may represent a reduction of an otherwise more dominant nonlinearity of solar and stellar dynamos. This nonlinearity is proportional to the internal twist (as opposed to writhe) of helical and sigmoidal surface structures.

Sigmoids, coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and magnetic clouds (MCs) all show signatures of twisted and writhing magnetic fields. CMEs are often associated with MCs, whose fields are regularly mapped with sensitive magnetometers. These measurements reveal that MC fields are helical, and each MC carries magnetic helicity away from the sun. It is more difficult to determine the magnetic helicity of the corresponding features on the sun. This presentation surveys recent work on helicity in solar features, focusing especially on the interpretation of sigmoids, which are S-shaped, bright features seen in images from the Yohkoh soft X-ray telescope. Several lines of evidence indicate that sigmoids are twisted and writhing flux ropes that erupt as components of CMEs. CMEs may be initiated by MHD-instable flux ropes. The fact that the ejected flux ropes carry off a large amount of positive helicity from the south and negative helicity from the north each solar cycle implies an equal, compensating flow of helicity through the sun’s equatorial plane.

We provide the rationale for the wide applicability of the LCT method for inferring the magnetic helicity of an active region, with an illustrative application made to NOAA 10365. We also report that the determined rate of helicity change is not much sensitive to the free parameters of the LCT method. The application of the method to active regions by several investigators has produced results suggesting that the magnetic helicity of a major active region with flux 1022 Mx may be usually of the order of 1043 Mx2 or less, being twisted at most 0.1 turns as a whole.

Generation and annihilation processes of magnetic helicity in solar coronal active regions are investigated based on the observations and the simulations. We first examined the reliability of the numerical techniques, which enable to measure the magnetic helicity flux through the photosphere based on the magnetogram data. Secondly, in terms of the new technique, we found that magnetic helicities of the both signs are simultaneously injected into active regions. Motivated by this result, finally, we investigated the nonlinear process of the magnetic helicity annihilation, using the three-dimensional numerical simulations. The simulations clearly indicated that the helicity reversal can cause the eruption of large-scale plasmoid through the nonlinear process of the resistive instability growing on the helicity inversion layer. From these studies, we point out that the annihilation of magnetic helicity is a key process for the onset mechanism of solar flares.

We introduce a method to calculate the magnetic helicity density in a given active-region vector magnetogram, and a lower limit of it, based on a linear force-free (Iff) approximation. Moreover, we provide a lower limit of the total magnetic helicity in the active region (AR). A time series of magnetograms can be used to calculate the rate of helicity transport. The results can be then correlated with manifestations of the dynamical activity in ARs, such as flares and filament eruptions.

Twist is a parameter to measure turning of the field lines around axis of the flux tube. Observations show that each active region (AR) has a pronounced overall twist, following hemispheric helicity rule (Pevtsov et al. 1995; Bao & Zhang 1998). αbest, best-fit single value for a whole AR, is used to characterize the overall twist. Writhe is a measure of the spatial turning of the axis of the flux tube. It is described by systematic tilt angle of an AR, an angle of joined line of opposite main polarities with respect to the equator. Observations show that most ARs follow Joy’s Law. The relationship between the twist and writhe is important to studying origin of the twist and solar activities. Canfield & Pevtsov (1998) found the same handedness of the twist as that of writhe, using 99 ARs observed at MSO. However, Tian et al. (2001) found opposite handedness of them for 286 ARs taken at HSOS, among which only 19% have δ magnetic configuration. López Fuentes et al. (2003) also obtained opposite handedness for 22 ARs measured again at MSO, among which 41% have δ magnetic class. Most recently, Tian & Liu (2003) found that the twist and the writhe have same handedness for major flare-producing ARs.

We analyzed the long-term evolution of two active regions (ARs), NOAA 7978 and 8100, from their emergence through their decay using observations from several instruments on board SoHO (MDI, EIT and LASCO) and Yohkoh/SXT. We computed the evolution of the relative coronal magnetic helicity from one central meridian passage to the next, combining data from MDI and SXT with linear force-free models of the coronal magnetic field. Next, we calculated the injection of helicity by photospheric differential rotation using MDI magnetic maps and a mean differential rotation profile. To estimate the depletion of magnetic helicity we counted all the CMEs of which these ARs were the source, and we evaluated their helicity assuming a one to one correspondence with magnetic clouds (MCs) with an average helicity content; this value was computed for a sample of 18 clouds using a cylindrical linear force-free model. Out of our three helicity estimates (variation of coronal magnetic helicity, injection by differential rotation and ejection via CMEs) the one with the largest uncertainty is the amount of helicity ejected via CMEs. However, we determined, by modeling a particular MC using three different approaches in cylindrical geometry (two force-free models and a non force-free model with constant current), that its magnetic helicity content was nearly independent of the model used to fit in situ field observations (Dasso et al. 2003, in preparation). This result justifies our use of the average magnetic helicity value considering only a single MC model. Comparing the three components in the helicity balance (see Table 1), we find that photospheric differential rotation is a minor contributor to the AR magnetic helicity budget. CMEs carry away at least 10 times more helicity than the one differential rotation can provide. Therefore, the magnetic helicity flux needed in the global balance should come from localized photospheric motions that, at least partially, reflect the emergence of twisted flux tubes. Taking into account the magnetic flux in the ARs and the number of turns that a uniformly twisted flux tube should have to survive its rise through the convection zone, we have found that the total helicity carried away in CMEs is approximately equal to the end-to-end helicity of the flux tubes that formed these two ARs. Therefore, we conclude that most of the helicity ejected in CMEs is generated below the photosphere and emerges with the magnetic flux. Extended versions of this work were published in Demoulin et al. (2002, Astronomy & Astrophys. 382, 650) and in Green et al. (2002, Solar Phys. 208, 43), while in Mandrini et al. (2003, Astrophys. & Space Sci., 290, 319) and van Driel-Gesztelyi et al. (2003, Adv. Space Res., 32, 1855) the helicity computations were revised to include the underestimation of magnetic flux density found in MDI data. After this revision, we confirmed our former results.

A typical temperature for the quiet solar corona is ~ 1.5 x 106K, whereas the photosphere – the likely source of the thermal energy – has a temperature less than 6 × 103 K. Although many theories have been advanced to explain why the corona is so much hotter than the photosphere, this old problem remains unsolved. However, there is a mechanism based on second-order transport that may provide the answer, or at least part of the answer. This process, described by the author in Thermodynamic inequalities in gases and magnetoplasmas, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 1996, causes heat to be transported across strong magnetic fields up temperature gradients.

Coronal mass ejections are thought to originate from the over accumulation of magnetic helicity (Rust & Kumar, 1994). While recent studies revealed the incompetence of CME associated active regions in creating enough helicity for CMEs (Nindos, Zhang, & Zhang, 2003 and references therein), we have tried to seek, on the other hand, if particular helicity patterns are retained by CME-associated active regions.

The SOLIS Vector-Spectromagnetograph (VSM) is a compact, highly efficient vector-polarimeter that measures the magnetic field vector over the full solar disk within 12 minutes. Helicity-related quantities will be derived from the observed vector field.

We summarize our attempts simulate the prominence formation model proposed by Martens & Zwaan (2001, ApJ, 558, 872) in which differential rotation drives reconnection between two initially unconnected bipolar active regions to form helical field lines along the polarity inversion line (PIL) between the flux systems.

Helicity in coronal magnetic fields, often occurring in the form of twisted or sheared fields, can provide surplus energy which is available for release in solar flares. In this paper, several models of how this extra, non-potential, energy can be released will be reviewed. For example, twisted flux tubes can release excess energy via the kink instability. Or energy can be released via a transfer of helicity between different magnetic tubes. For untwisted field, the mutual helicity between flux tubes provides a measure of the shear in the fields, and therefore how much energy is available for release in a flare. For twisted flux tubes, the twist helicity of each tube in combination with the mutual helicity between the tubes dictate what type of reconnection the tubes can undergo and how much energy is available for release. Measuring the helicity of coronal active regions, and studying how this helicity affects magnetic energy release is therefore vital for our understanding of and our ability to predict solar flares.

Magnetic clouds are associated with many Coronal Mass Ejections. Many CMEs involve active regions. In this work we focus on the relationship between twelve magnetic clouds and their associated active regions. We use a cylindrically symmetric constant-a force-free model to derive field line twist, total current, and total magnetic flux from in situ observations of magnetic clouds. We compare these properties with those of the associated solar active regions, which we infer from solar vector magnetograms.

Our comparison of fluxes and currents reveals: (1) the total (unsigned) flux ratios ФMC/ФAR tend to be of order unity; (2) the total flux ratios tend to be orders of magnitude larger than the total (unsigned) current ratios IMC/IAR; and (3) there is a statistically significant proportionality between them. Our key findings in comparing total twists αL, where L is the axial dimension of the system, are: (1) the values of (αL)MC are typically an order of magnitude greater than those of (αL)AR; and (2) there is no systematic sign or amplitude relationship between them. These findings compel us to believe that magnetic clouds associated with active region eruptions are formed by magnetic reconnection between these regions and their larger-scale surroundings, rather than pre-existing structures in the corona or chromosphere.