Relating magnetic reconnection to coronal heating

TL;DR

This paper investigates the relationship between magnetic reconnection and coronal heating, providing measurements and estimates that suggest reconnection significantly contributes to maintaining the corona's high temperature.

Contribution

It presents the first measurement linking magnetic reconnection rates to energy dissipation in the solar corona, supporting reconnection as a key heating mechanism.

Findings

Reconnection rate correlates with energy dissipation in the corona.

Estimated reconnection-driven heating matches observed coronal temperatures.

Generalized relation applicable to various solar regions.

Abstract

It is clear that the solar corona is being heated and that coronal magnetic fields undergo reconnection all the time. Here we attempt to show that these two facts are in fact related - i.e. coronal reconnection generates heat. This attempt must address the fact that topological change of field lines does not automatically generate heat. We present one case of flux emergence where we have measured the rate of coronal magnetic reconnection and the rate of energy dissipation in the corona. The ratio of these two, $P/\dot{\Phi}$, is a current comparable to the amount of current expected to flow along the boundary separating the emerged flux from the pre-existing flux overlying it. We can generalize this relation to the overall corona in quiet Sun or in active regions. Doing so yields estimates for the contribution to corona heating from magnetic reconnection. These estimated rates are comparable to the amount required to maintain the corona at its observed temperature.