Breakout Reconnection Observed by the TESIS EUV Telescope

TL;DR

This paper provides observational evidence of coronal mass ejection breakout reconnection using TESIS EUV telescope data, confirming the breakout model scenario with detailed timing of magnetic and plasma dynamics.

Contribution

First direct observation of CME breakout reconnection in the solar corona, validating the breakout model with multi-wavelength and magnetic field data.

Findings

Observed loop motions and bright stripe indicating breakout reconnection

CME acceleration coincided with flare arcade formation

CME dynamics matched the breakout model scenario

Abstract

We present experimental evidence of the coronal mass ejection (CME) breakout reconnection, observed by the TESIS EUV telescope. The telescope could observe solar corona up to 2 $R_\odot$ from the Sun center in the Fe 171 \AA\ line. Starting from 2009 April 8 TESIS, observed an active region (AR) that had a quadrupolar structure with an X-point 0.5 $R_\odot$ above photosphere. A reconstructed from the MDI data magnetic field also has a multipolar structure with an X-point above the AR. At 21:45 UT on April 9, the loops near the X-point started to move away from each other with a velocity of $\approx$ 7 km s$^{-1}$. At 01:15 UT on April 10, a bright stripe appeared between the loops, and the flux in the GOES 0.5-4 \AA\ channel increased. We interpret the loops' sideways motion and the bright stripe as evidence of the breakout reconnection. At 01:45 UT, the loops below the X-point started to slowly move up. At 15:10 UT, the CME started to accelerate impulsively, while at the same time a flare arcade formed below the CME. After 15:50 UT, the CME moved with constant velocity. The CME evolution precisely followed the breakout model scenario.