Magnetic reconnection in flux-tubes undergoing spinning footpoint motions

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Aims. Photospheric motions acting on the coronal magnetic field have the potential to build up huge amounts of magnetic energy. The energy may be released through magnetic reconnection, and so a detailed understanding of the 3D process is crucial if its implications for coronal heating are to be fully addressed.

Methods. A 3D MHD experiment is described in which misaligned magnetic flux tubes are subjected to simple spinning boundary motions.

Results. The resulting shear between adjacent flux systems generates a twisted central separator current sheet that extends vertically throughout the domain. Current density is amplified to a sufficient extent that reconnection begins, and occurs everywhere along the separator current sheet, while the separatrix current sheets that exist in the early stages of the experiment are found to be unimportant in the systems dynamical evolution. In 2D cross-sections, the reconnection process exhibits many similarities to the regime of flux pile-up reconnection.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)615-623
Number of pages9
JournalAstronomy & Astrophysics
Volume473
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2007

Keywords

  • magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)
  • Sun : magnetic fields
  • Sun : corona
  • Sun : activity
  • ELEMENTARY HEATING EVENTS
  • KINEMATIC RECONNECTION
  • ALIGNED CURRENT
  • CURRENT SHEETS
  • SOLAR CORONA
  • NULL POINT
  • ENERGY
  • FIELDS
  • SEPARATORS
  • MECHANISM

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Magnetic reconnection in flux-tubes undergoing spinning footpoint motions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this