Large-scale coronal heating, clustering of coronal bright points, and concentration of magnetic flux

By combining quiet-region Fe MI coronal images from SOHO/EIT with magnetogr ams from NSO/Kitt Peak and from SOHO/MDI, we show that the population of ne twork coronal bright points and the magnetic flux content of the network ar e both markedly greater under the bright half of the large-scare quiet coro na than under the dim half. These results (I) support the view that the hea ting of the entire corona in quiet regions and coronal holes is driven by f ine scale magnetic activity (microflares, explosive events, spicules) seate d low in the magnetic network, and (2) suggest that this large-scale modula tion of the magnetic flux and coronal heating is a signature of giant conve ction cells.