Impulsively fast magnetic reconnection in solar flares and coronal mass ejections and in laboratory plasma merging experiments

C. Z. Cheng, Y. Ono, Y. Hayashi, Y. H. Yang, G. S. Choe

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

A mechanism of impulsively fast magnetic reconnection associated with acceleration of flux rope motion is presented. As the flux rope moves away from the reconnecting current sheet, its velocity is accelerated and then reaches to a constant value or decreases. The reconnection rate is peak concurrently with the maximum acceleration. In solar flares and coronal mass ejections, the model explained that the impulsive non-thermal hard X-ray emission occurred during the solar flare rising phase is correlated in time with the acceleration phase of coronal mass ejections. The model also predicts the peak reconnection electric field in the current sheet to be about 1 kV/m for X-class flares, which is later confirmed by the magnetic reconnection electric field estimation inferred from the observed two-ribbon expansion of solar flares. We also demonstrated for the first time in laboratory plasma merging experiments the correlation of the impulsively fast magnetic reconnection with the acceleration of plasmoid ejected from the current sheet using the TS-4 device of the Tokyo University. We conclude that the plasmoid/flux rope acceleration is a key mechanism for the impulsive enhancement of magnetic reconnection rate.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication39th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2012, EPS 2012 and the 16th International Congress on Plasma Physics
Pages592-595
Number of pages4
StatePublished - 2012
Event39th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2012, EPS 2012 and the 16th International Congress on Plasma Physics - Stockholm, Sweden
Duration: 2 Jul 20126 Jul 2012

Publication series

Name39th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2012, EPS 2012 and the 16th International Congress on Plasma Physics
Volume1

Conference

Conference39th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2012, EPS 2012 and the 16th International Congress on Plasma Physics
Country/TerritorySweden
CityStockholm
Period2/07/126/07/12

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