Recurrent solar jets in active regions

TL;DR

This study uses 3D resistive MHD simulations to demonstrate how recurrent jets in active regions are generated by magnetic flux emergence and reconnection, revealing a self-consistent cycle of jet activity.

Contribution

First 3D simulation showing recurrent solar jets caused by magnetic flux emergence and reconnection in active regions.

Findings

Recurrent jets occur in successive phases perpendicular to each other.

Magnetic energy and hot plasma are released during each jet phase.

System reaches an equilibrium with reduced reconnection efficiency after multiple jets.

Abstract

We study the emergence of a toroidal flux tube into the solar atmosphere and its interaction with a pre-existing field of an active region. We investigate the emission of jets as a result of repeated reconnection events between colliding magnetic fields. We perform 3D simulations by solving the time-dependent, resistive MHD equations in a highly stratified atmosphere. A small active region field is constructed by the emergence of a toroidal magnetic flux tube. A current structure is build up and reconnection sets in when new emerging flux comes into contact with the ambient field of the active region. The topology of the magnetic field around the current structure is drastically modified during reconnection. The modification results in a formation of new magnetic systems that eventually collide and reconnect. We find that reconnection jets are taking place in successive recurrent phases in directions perpendicular to each other, while in each phase they release magnetic energy and hot plasma into the solar atmosphere. After a series of recurrent appearance of jets, the system approaches an equilibrium where the efficiency of the reconnection is substantially reduced. We deduce that the emergence of new magnetic flux introduces a perturbation to the active region field, which in turn causes reconnection between neighboring magnetic fields and the release of the trapped energy in the form of jet-like emissions. This is the first time that self-consistent recurrency of jets in active regions is shown in a three-dimensional experiment of magnetic flux emergence.