edu.ucar.opensky::articles:25995 UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact 2025-12-24T19:55:26.724405 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7bv7mhp Topological nature of the Parker magnetostatic theorem 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z publication https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7bv7mhp https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0124164 Low, Boon C. author UCAR/NCAR - Library publisher The two-plate initial boundary-value problem of Parker is reviewed, treating the relaxation of a 3D magnetic field prescribed with an arbitrary topology to a terminal force-free field in a cold, viscous, electrically perfect fluid conductor. Anchored by their foot-points at the perfectly conducting rigid plates, the relaxing field preserves its topology. The Parker magnetostatic theorem states that for most prescribed field topologies, the terminal field must embed current sheets. The elements of this theorem are reviewed and analyzed to relate this initial boundary-value problem to (i) the variational problem for a force-free field of a given topology and (ii) the direct construction of a force-free field in terms of its pair of Euler flux functions. New insights and understanding are presented on the theorem as the compelling basis of the Parker theory of solar coronal heating. UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact PDF Text theme Resource Type 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z publication Copyright author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. None eng geoscientificInformation