Explosive Events and the Evolution of the Photospheric Magnetic Field

TL;DR

This study investigates the connection between explosive events in the solar transition region and changes in the photospheric magnetic field, providing observational evidence supporting magnetic reconnection as a driving mechanism.

Contribution

It offers new observational data linking explosive events to magnetic field evolution in the photosphere, highlighting the role of magnetic reconnection in these phenomena.

Findings

38% of explosive events are associated with magnetic field changes within 1 hour.

Discussion of potential ambiguities in high sensitivity magnetogram analysis.

Supports magnetic reconnection as a key process in explosive events.

Abstract

Transition region explosive events have long been suggested as direct signatures of magnetic reconnection in the solar atmosphere. In seeking further observational evidence to support this interpretation, we study the relation between explosive events and the evolution of the solar magnetic field as seen in line-of-sight photospheric magnetograms. We find that about 38% of events show changes of the magnetic structure in the photosphere at the location of an explosive event over a time period of 1 h. We also discuss potential ambiguities in the analysis of high sensitivity magnetograms.