  n order to better understand the solar genesis of interplanetary magnetic
clouds (MCs) we model the magnetic and topological properties of four large
eruptive solar flares and relate them to observations. We use the
three-dimensional Minimum Current Corona model \cite{Longcope1996d} and
observations of pre-flare photospheric magnetic field and flare ribbons to
derive values of reconnected magnetic flux, flare energy, flux rope helicity
and orientation of the flux rope poloidal field. We compare model predictions
of those quantities to flare and MC observations and within the estimated
uncertainties of the methods used find the following. The predicted model
reconnection fluxes are equal to or lower than the reconnection fluxes inferred
from the observed ribbon motions. Both observed and model reconnection fluxes
match the MC poloidal fluxes. The predicted flux rope helicities match the MC
helicities. The predicted free energies lie between the observed energies and
the estimated total flare luminosities. The direction of the leading edge of
the MC's poloidal field is aligned with the poloidal field of the flux rope in
the AR rather than the global dipole field. These findings compel us to believe
that magnetic clouds associated with these four solar flares are formed by
low-corona magnetic reconnection during the eruption, rather than eruption of
pre-existing structures in the corona or formation in the upper corona with
participation of the global magnetic field. We also note that since all four
flares occurred in active regions without significant pre-flare flux emergence
and cancellation, the energy and helicity we find are stored by shearing and
rotating motions, which are sufficient to account for the observed radiative
flare energy and MC helicity.

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics