Magnetic reconnection is understood to be the main physical process that facilitates the transformation of magnetic energy into heat, motion, and particle acceleration during solar eruptions. Yet, observational constraints on reconnection region properties and dynamics are limited due to a lack of high-cadence and high-spatial-resolution observations. By studying the evolution and morphology of postreconnected field-lines footpoints, or flare ribbons and vector photospheric magnetic field, we estimate the magnetic reconnection flux and its rate of change with time to study the flare reconnection process and dynamics of the current sheet above. We compare high-resolution imaging data to study the evolution of the fine structure in flare ribbons as ribbons spread away from the polarity inversion line. Using data from two illustrative events (one M- and X-class flare), we explore the relationship between the ribbon-front fine structure and the temporal development of bursts in the reconnection region. Additionally, we use the
A bald patch (BP) is a magnetic topological feature where U-shaped field lines turn tangent to the photosphere. Field lines threading the BP trace a separatrix surface where reconnection preferentially occurs. Here we study the evolution of multiple, strong-field BPs in AR 12673 during the most intense, X9.3 flare of solar cycle 24. The central BP, located between the initial flare ribbons, largely “disintegrated” within 35 minutes. The more remote, southern BP survived. The disintegration manifested as a 9° rotation of the median shear angle; the perpendicular component of the horizontal field (with respect to the polarity inversion line) changed sign. The parallel component exhibited a step-wise, permanent increase of 1 kG, consistent with previous observations of the flare-related “magnetic imprint.” The observations suggest that magnetic reconnection during a major eruption may involve entire BP separatrices, leading to a change of magnetic topology from BPs to sheared arcades.
more » « less- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10306451
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.3847
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters
- Volume:
- 921
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 2041-8205
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: Article No. L23
- Size(s):
- ["Article No. L23"]
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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