Magnetic 'pole-antipole' configuration as an alternative model for solar plasma loops and sunspots' nature

Abstract

We propose here an alternative model of a solar plasma loop where the configuration of a loop matches that of the lines of force of a magnetic monopole-antimonopole system instead of a fictitious magnetic dipole. It is shown that although identical in large distances these two configurations crucially differ in a short distance from the place of location. Some light is shed on a close connection between loop prominences and sunspots; a conclusion is arrived at that sunspots could be viewed as 3-dimensional topological solitons, i. e., as regions in the Sun's atmosphere where the magnetic charge is smoothed out and where, hence, the classical Maxwell theory is rather unapplicable.

Spherical symmetry and double size-scale of sunspots naturally occurs in this model. It should also be stressed that since the Higgs fields and gauge fields fall exponentially to their vacuum values there must be a sharp boundary between the photosphere and the penumbra as well as between the penumbra and the umbra.

Finally, since the magnetic charge is of a topological origin it is conserved independently of dynamics; so in our model a sunspot does not need any other forces to be present to keep it compact-hence also a relative “long-livedness” of sunspots.