Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userFractal Reconnection in Solar and Stellar Environments
43
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
Recent space based observations of the Sun revealed that magnetic reconnection is ubiquitous in the solar atmosphere, ranging from small scale reconnection (observed as nanoflares) to large scale one (observed as long duration flares or giant arcades). Often the magnetic reconnection events are associated with mass ejections or jets, which seem to be closely related to multiple plasmoid ejections from fractal current sheet. The bursty radio and hard X-ray emissions from flares also suggest the fractal reconnection and associated particle acceleration. We shall discuss recent observations and theories related to the plasmoid-induced-reconnection and the fractal reconnection in solar flares, and their implication to reconnection physics and particle acceleration. Recent findings of many superflares on solar type stars that has extended the applicability of the fractal reconnection model of solar flares to much a wider parameter space suitable for stellar flares are also discussed.
rate research
Read More
An abstract mathematical concept of fractal organization of certain complex objects received significant attention in astrophysics during last decades. The concept evolved into a broad field including multi-fractality and intermittency, percolation theory, self-organized criticality, theory of catastrophes, etc. Such a strong mathematical and physical approach provide new possibilities for exploring various aspects of astrophysics. In particular, in the solar and stellar magnetism, multi-fractal properties of magnetized plasma turned to be useful for understanding burst-like dynamics of energy release events, conditions for turbulent dynamo action, nature of turbulent magnetic diffusivity, and even the dual nature of solar dynamo. In this review, I will briefly outline how the ideas of multi-fractality are used to explore the above mentioned aspects of solar magnetism.
UV bursts are transients in the solar atmosphere with an increased impulsive emission in the extreme UV lasting for one to several tens of minutes. They often show spectral profiles indicative of a bi-directional outflow in response to magnetic reconnection. To understand UV bursts, we study how motions of magnetic elements at the surface can drive the self-consistent formation of a current sheet resulting in plasmoid-mediated reconnection. In particular, we want to study the role of the height of the reconnection in the atmosphere. We conducted numerical experiments solving the 2D MHD equations from the solar surface to the upper atmosphere. Motivated by observations, we drove a small magnetic patch embedded in a larger system of magnetic field of opposite polarity. This configuration creates an X-type neutral point in the initial potential field. The models are characterized by the plasma-beta at the height of this X point. The driving at the surface stretches the X-point into a current sheet, where plasmoids appear, and a bi-directional jet forms. This is consistent with what is expected for UV bursts or explosive events, and we provide a self-consistent model of the formation of the reconnection region in such events. The gravitational stratification gives an explanation for why explosive events are restricted to a temperature range around a few 0.1 MK, and the presence of plasmoids in the reconnection process provides an understanding of the observed variability during the transient events on a timescale of minutes. Our numerical experiments provide a comprehensive understanding of UV bursts and explosive events, in particular of how the atmospheric response changes if the reconnection happens at different plasma-beta, that is, at different heights in the atmosphere. This analysis also gives new insight into how UV bursts might be related to the photospheric Ellerman bombs.
Magnetic reconnection is a basic plasma process of dramatic rearrangement of magnetic topology, often leading to a violent release of magnetic energy. It is important in magnetic fusion and in space and solar physics --- areas that have so far provided the context for most of reconnection research. Importantly, these environments consist just of electrons and ions and the dissipated energy always stays with the plasma. In contrast, in this paper I introduce a new direction of research, motivated by several important problems in high-energy astrophysics --- reconnection in high energy density (HED) radiative plasmas, where radiation pressure and radiative cooling become dominant factors in the pressure and energy balance. I identify the key processes distinguishing HED reconnection: special-relativistic effects; radiative effects (radiative cooling, radiation pressure, and Compton resistivity); and, at the most extreme end, QED effects, including pair creation. I then discuss the main astrophysical applications --- situations with magnetar-strength fields (exceeding the quantum critical field of about 4 x 10^13 G): giant SGR flares and magnetically-powered central engines and jets of GRBs. Here, magnetic energy density is so high that its dissipation heats the plasma to MeV temperatures. Electron-positron pairs are then copiously produced, making the reconnection layer highly collisional and dressing it in a thick pair coat that traps radiation. The pressure is dominated by radiation and pairs. Yet, radiation diffusion across the layer may be faster than the global Alfven transit time; then, radiative cooling governs the thermodynamics and reconnection becomes a radiative transfer problem, greatly affected by the ultra-strong magnetic field. This overall picture is very different from our traditional picture of reconnection and thus represents a new frontier in reconnection research.
113 -
N. Nishizuka Institute of Space andn Astronautical Science
, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
2013
We propose the particle acceleration model coupled with multiple plasmoid ejections in a solar flare. Unsteady reconnection produces plasmoids in a current sheet and ejects them out to the fast shocks, where particles in a plasmoid are reflected upstream the shock front by magnetic mirror effect. As the plasmoid passes through the shock front, the reflection distance becomes shorter and shorter driving Fermi acceleration, until it becomes proton Larmor radius. The fractal distribution of plasmoids may also have a role in naturally explaining the power-law spectrum in nonthermal emissions.
Solar flares are powerful radiations occuring in the Suns atmosphere. They are powered by magnetic reconnection, a phemonenon that can convert magnetic energy into other forms of energy such as heat and kinetic energy, and it is believed to be ubiquitous in the universe. With the ever increasing spatial and temporal resolutions of solar observations, as well as numerical simulations benefiting from increasing computer power, we can now probe into the nature and the characteristics of magnetic reconnection in 3D to better understand its consequences during eruptive flares in our stars atmosphere. We review in the following the efforts made on different fronts to approach the problem of magnetic reconnection. In particular, we will see how understanding the magnetic topology in 3D helps locating the most probable regions for reconnection to occur, how the current layer evolves in 3D and how reconnection leads to the formation of flux ropes, plasmoids and flaring loops.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
