3D magnetic field configuration of small-scale reconnection events in the solar plasma atmosphere

TL;DR

This paper investigates the 3D magnetic field structures of small-scale solar reconnection events, classifying their configurations and discussing their implications for understanding energy release in the solar atmosphere.

Contribution

It provides a classification of magnetic configurations in small-scale solar reconnection events based on recent observations, highlighting the significance of twisted flux tubes.

Findings

Magnetic configurations are classified into two groups: anti-parallel and twisted flux tubes.

Reconnection occurs mainly between anti-parallel components, relevant for small-scale events.

The configurations are analogous to laboratory plasma collision scenarios.

Abstract

The outer solar atmosphere, i.e., the corona and the chromosphere, is replete with small energy-release events, which are accompanied by transient brightening and jet-like ejections. These events are considered to be magnetic reconnection events in the solar plasma, and their dynamics have been studied using recent advanced observations from the Hinode spacecraft and other observatories in space and on the ground. These events occur at different locations in the solar atmosphere, and vary in their morphology and amount of the released energy. The magnetic field configurations of these reconnection events are inferred based on observations of magnetic fields at the photospheric level. Observations suggest that these magnetic configurations can be classified into two groups. In the first group, two anti-parallel magnetic fields reconnect to each other, yielding a 2D emerging flux configuration. In the second group, helical or twisted magnetic flux tubes are parallel or at a relative angle to each other. Reconnection can occur only between anti-parallel components of the magnetic flux tubes and may be referred to as component reconnection. The latter configuration type may be more important for the larger class of small-scale reconnection events. The two types of magnetic configurations can be compared to counter-helicity and co-helicity configurations, respectively, in laboratory plasma collision experiments.