When a longitudinal band of magnetic flux is embedded in a region where the rotation rate varies with latitude, the band will tend to tip under certain conditions. The images above show a computer simulation of such a tipping instability. The left image shows the magnetic field after an initially east-west oriented band has tipped, with orange and blue denoting eastward and westward magnetic flux. The center and right panels show the velocity in the longitudinal direction and the vorticity variation associated with the tipping of the bands.
Source: SOLAR CONVECTION AND INTERNAL ROTATION, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, High Altitude Observatory
