TY - JOUR
T1 - Three-dimensional magnetic reconnection in astrophysical plasmas
AU - Li, Ting
AU - Priest, E.
AU - Guo, R.
N1 - Funding: This research is supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB41000000), the National Natural Science Foundations of China (11773039, 11903050, 11790304, 11790300 and 41704169), the National Key R&D Program of China (2019YFA0405000), Key Programs of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (QYZDJ-SSW-SLH050), the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS (2017078) and NAOC Nebula Talents Program. R.G. is supported by the Incoming Post-Docs in Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Materials and Agrobiotechnology (IPD-STEMA) project from Université de Liège.
PY - 2021/5/26
Y1 - 2021/5/26
N2 - Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process in laboratory, magnetospheric, solar and astrophysical plasmas, whereby magnetic energy is converted into heat, bulk kinetic energy and fast particle energy. Its nature in two dimensions is much better understood than that in three dimensions, where its character is completely different and has many diverse aspects that are currently being explored. Here, we focus on the magnetohydrodynamics of three-dimensional reconnection in the plasma environment of the Solar System, especially solar flares. The theory of reconnection at null points, separators and quasi-separators is described, together with accounts of numerical simulations and observations of these three types of reconnection. The distinction between separator and quasi-separator reconnection is a theoretical one that is unimportant for the observations of energy release. A new paradigm for solar flares, in which three-dimensional reconnection plays a central role, is proposed.
AB - Magnetic reconnection is a fundamental process in laboratory, magnetospheric, solar and astrophysical plasmas, whereby magnetic energy is converted into heat, bulk kinetic energy and fast particle energy. Its nature in two dimensions is much better understood than that in three dimensions, where its character is completely different and has many diverse aspects that are currently being explored. Here, we focus on the magnetohydrodynamics of three-dimensional reconnection in the plasma environment of the Solar System, especially solar flares. The theory of reconnection at null points, separators and quasi-separators is described, together with accounts of numerical simulations and observations of these three types of reconnection. The distinction between separator and quasi-separator reconnection is a theoretical one that is unimportant for the observations of energy release. A new paradigm for solar flares, in which three-dimensional reconnection plays a central role, is proposed.
KW - Coronal heating
KW - Magnetic fields
KW - Magnetic reconnection
KW - Magnetohydrodynamics
KW - MHD
KW - Solar flares
U2 - 10.1098/rspa.2020.0949
DO - 10.1098/rspa.2020.0949
M3 - Review article
SN - 1364-5021
VL - 477
JO - Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
IS - 2249
M1 - 20200949
ER -