Plasmoids, Flows, and Jets During Magnetic Reconnection in a Failed Solar Eruption

TL;DR

This study analyzes a failed solar filament eruption, revealing the roles of plasmoids, jets, and magnetic reconnection in the process, and contrasting observed tiny jets with nanoflare-heating models.

Contribution

It provides detailed multiwavelength observations of a failed eruption, highlighting the dynamics of plasmoids and jets during magnetic reconnection in a null-point topology.

Findings

Multiple jets originated from the null-point cusp prior to filament rise.

Repetitive plasma blobs formed in the null-point current sheet.

The filament failed to produce a coronal mass ejection despite reconnection activity.

Abstract

We report a detailed analysis of a failed eruption and flare in active region 12018 on 2014 April 3 using multiwavelength observations from SDO/AIA, IRIS, STEREO, and Hinode/SOT. At least four jets were observed to emanate from the cusp of this small active region (large bright point) with a null-point topology during the two hours prior to the slow rise of a filament. During the filament slow rise multiple plasma blobs were seen, most likely formed in a null-point current sheet near the cusp. The subsequent filament eruption, which was outside the IRIS field of view, was accompanied by a flare but remained confined. During the explosive flare reconnection phase, additional blobs appeared repetitively and moved bidirectionally within the flaring region below the erupting filament. The filament kinked, rotated, and underwent leg-leg reconnection as it rose, yet it failed to produce a coronal mass ejection. Tiny jet-like features in the fan loops were detected during the filament slow-rise/pre-flare phase. We interpret them as signatures of reconnection between the ambient magnetic field and the plasmoids leaving the null-point sheet and streaming along the fan loops. We contrast our interpretation of these tiny jets, which occur within the large-scale context of a failed filament eruption, with the local nanoflare-heating scenario proposed by Antolin et al. (2021).