FieldLine

class pfsspy.fieldline.FieldLine(x, y, z, output)

Bases: object

A single magnetic field line.

Parameters
  • y, z (x,) – Field line coordinates in cartesian coordinates.

  • output (Output) – The PFSS output through which this field line was traced.

Attributes Summary

coords

Field line SkyCoord.

expansion_factor

Magnetic field expansion factor.

is_open

Returns True if one of the field line is connected to the solar surface and one to the outer boundary, False otherwise.

polarity

Magnetic field line polarity.

solar_footpoint

Solar surface magnetic field footpoint.

source_surface_footpoint

Solar surface magnetic field footpoint.

Attributes Documentation

coords

Field line SkyCoord.

expansion_factor

Magnetic field expansion factor.

The expansion factor is defnied as \((r_{\odot}^{2} B_{\odot}) / (r_{ss}^{2} B_{ss}))\)

Returns

exp_fact – Field line expansion factor.

Return type

float

is_open

Returns True if one of the field line is connected to the solar surface and one to the outer boundary, False otherwise.

polarity

Magnetic field line polarity.

Returns

pol – 0 if the field line is closed, otherwise sign(Br) of the magnetic field on the solar surface.

Return type

int

solar_footpoint

Solar surface magnetic field footpoint.

This is the ends of the magnetic field line that lies on the solar surface.

Returns

footpoint

Return type

SkyCoord

Notes

For a closed field line, both ends lie on the solar surface. This method returns the field line pointing out from the solar surface in this case.

source_surface_footpoint

Solar surface magnetic field footpoint.

This is the ends of the magnetic field line that lies on the solar surface.

Returns

footpoint

Return type

SkyCoord

Notes

For a closed field line, both ends lie on the solar surface. This method returns the field line pointing out from the solar surface in this case.