The Origin and Properties of Magnetic Active Regions on the Sun
                     George Fisher
                     UC Berkeley
 
Abstract:

Theoretical Developments over the past 5 years have led to a much improved
picture of how magnetic fields emerge from deep in the solar interior to
the Sun's surface.  General properties of active regions, such as their
distribution with latitude, their "tilt" angles with respect to the solar
equator, and their overall morphology, can be explained in terms of rising
flux tube models that were developed by myself and collaborators such
as Yuhong Fan and Dana Longcope.

Observations of active regions from the University of Hawaii's Mees Observatory
on Haleakala have resulted in new clues about global properties of the
Sun's magnetic field and how the magnetic field results in the heating of
the Sun's corona and how solar flares are triggered.  I will describe some 
of these results and their impact on the future of Solar Astronomy.