Quasi-periodic Slipping Magnetic Reconnection During an X-class Solar Flare Observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

TL;DR

This study reports the first observation of quasi-periodic slipping motion of flare loops during an X-class solar flare, revealing insights into magnetic reconnection dynamics and associated plasma flows.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed observation of quasi-periodic slipping reconnection during an X-class flare, linking ribbon dynamics with plasma flows and spectral line shifts.

Findings

Observed apparent slipping velocity of 20-110 km/s.

Detected redshifts of 30-50 km/s at moving knots.

Identified quasi-periodic pattern with 3-6 min period.

Abstract

We firstly report the quasi-periodic slipping motion of flare loops during an eruptive X-class flare on 2014 September 10. The slipping motion was investigated at a specific location along one of the two ribbons and can be observed throughout the impulsive phase of the flare. The apparent slipping velocity was 20-110 km/s and the associated period was 3$-$6 min. The footpoints of flare loops appeared as small-scale bright knots observed in 1400 {\AA}, corresponding to fine structures of the flare ribbon. These bright knots were observed to move along the southern part of the longer ribbon and also exhibited a quasi-periodic pattern. The Si IV 1402.77 {\AA} line was redshifted by 30-50 km/s at the locations of moving knots with a ~ 40-60 km/s line width, larger than other sites of the flare ribbon. We suggest that the quasi-periodic slipping reconnection is involved in this process and the redshift at the bright knots is probably indicative of reconnection downflow. The emission line of Si IV at the northern part of the longer ribbon also exhibited obvious redshifts of about 10-70 km/s in the impulsive phase of the flare, with the redshifts at the outer edges of the ribbon larger than those in the middle. The redshift velocities at post-flare loops reached about 80-100 km/s in the transition region.