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Fast magnetic reconnection in the solar chromosphere mediated by theplasmoid instability

  • Magnetic reconnection in the partially ionized solar chromosphere is studied in 2.5 dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations including radiative cooling and ambipolar diffusion. A Harris current sheet with and without a guide field is considered. Characteristic values of the parameters in the middle chromosphere imply a high magnetic Reynolds number of similar to 10(6)-10(7) in the present simulations. Fast magnetic reconnection then develops as a consequence of the plasmoid instability without the need to invoke anomalous resistivity enhancements. Multiple levels of the instability are followed as it cascades to smaller scales, which approach the ion inertial length. The reconnection rate, normalized to the asymptotic values of magnetic field and Alfven velocity in the inflow region, reaches values in the range similar to 0.01-0.03 throughout the cascading plasmoid formation and for zero as well as for strong guide field. The outflow velocity reaches approximate to 40 km s(-1). Slow-mode shocks extend from the X-points, heatingMagnetic reconnection in the partially ionized solar chromosphere is studied in 2.5 dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations including radiative cooling and ambipolar diffusion. A Harris current sheet with and without a guide field is considered. Characteristic values of the parameters in the middle chromosphere imply a high magnetic Reynolds number of similar to 10(6)-10(7) in the present simulations. Fast magnetic reconnection then develops as a consequence of the plasmoid instability without the need to invoke anomalous resistivity enhancements. Multiple levels of the instability are followed as it cascades to smaller scales, which approach the ion inertial length. The reconnection rate, normalized to the asymptotic values of magnetic field and Alfven velocity in the inflow region, reaches values in the range similar to 0.01-0.03 throughout the cascading plasmoid formation and for zero as well as for strong guide field. The outflow velocity reaches approximate to 40 km s(-1). Slow-mode shocks extend from the X-points, heating the plasmoids up to similar to 8 x 10(4) K. In the case of zero guide field, the inclusion of both ambipolar diffusion and radiative cooling causes a rapid thinning of the current sheet (down to similar to 30 m) and early formation of secondary islands. Both of these processes have very little effect on the plasmoid instability for a strong guide field. The reconnection rates, temperature enhancements, and upward outflow velocities from the vertical current sheet correspond well to their characteristic values in chromospheric jets.show moreshow less

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Author details:Lei Ni, Bernhard KliemORCiDGND, Jun Lin, Ning Wu
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/799/1/79
ISSN:0004-637X
ISSN:1538-4357
Title of parent work (English):The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics
Publisher:IOP Publ. Ltd.
Place of publishing:Bristol
Publication type:Article
Language:English
Year of first publication:2015
Publication year:2015
Release date:2017/03/27
Tag:Sun: activity; Sun: chromosphere; magnetic reconnection; magnetohydrodynamics (MHD); radiation: dynamics
Volume:799
Issue:1
Number of pages:16
Funding institution:NSFY [11203069]; Yunnan Province [2011FB113]; key Laboratory of Solar Activity grant [KLSA201404]; China Scholarship Council (CSC) [201404910269]; Western Light of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Program 973 [2011CB811403, 2013CBA01503]; NSFC [11273055, 11333007]; CAS [KJCX2-EW-T07, XDB09000000]; Chinese Academy of Sciences [2012T1J0017]; DFG
Organizational units:Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Physik und Astronomie
Peer review:Referiert
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