The evolution of the Net Twist Current and the Net Shear Current in active region NOAA 10930

Abstract

The electric current exists because of the non-potential magnetic field in solar active regions. We present the evolution of net current in the solar active region NOAA 10930 as the sum of shear current and twist current by using 27 high-resolution vector magnetograms obtained with Hinode/SOT-SP during 9 – 15 December 2006. This active region was highly eruptive and produced a large number of flares ranging from B to X class. We derived local distribution of shear and twist current densities in this active region and studied the evolution of net shear current (NSC) and net twist current (NTC) in the N-polarity and S-polarity regions separately. We found the following: i) The twist current density was dominant in the umbrae. ii) The footpoint of the emerging flux rope showed a dominant twist current. iii) The shear current density and twist current density appeared in alternate bands around the umbrae. iv) On the scale of the active region, NTC was always larger than NSC. v) Both NTC and NSC decreased after the onset of an X3.4 class flare that occurred on 13 December 2006.