A clue to the preflare configuration of a magnetic loop is obtained based on Taylor's hypothesis that the decay of energy to a minimum with magnetic helicity remaining constant leads to a force free state. The numerical investigation (Riyopoulos et al. 1982) of a MHD turbulent plasma indicates that a high energy and nearly force free state of the plasma decays to a minimum energy state with a release of energy via magnetic reconnection processes.
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