Abstract
The solar corona is now recognized as a highly inhomogeneous plasma that comprises a complex network of individual arch and loop-like structures1. This has led to the recent idea that the isolated ‘coronal loop’ may form a basic building block of quiescent solar and stellar atmospheres2,3. Theoretical studies4,5, however, suggest that isolated loops are violently unstable and hence should collapse on the radiative time scale of the plasma. The simple fact that loops exist stably over long periods demonstrates the inadequacy of the current theory. We point out here that a crucial ingredient is missing from the theory and hence reconcile the existence of coronal loops with the disruptive effect of the radiative instability.
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References
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Craig, I., McClymont, A. Are coronal loops stable?. Nature 294, 333–334 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/294333a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/294333a0
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