Evolution of reconnection flux during eruption of magnetic flux ropes

TL;DR

This study combines 3D MHD simulations and observational data to analyze how reconnection flux evolves during magnetic flux rope eruptions, revealing its critical role in CME dynamics.

Contribution

It presents a realistic 3D MHD model of CME eruptions and compares simulation results with observational data to understand reconnection flux evolution.

Findings

Reconnection flux correlates linearly with CME speed.

Magnetic reconnection initiates with current sheet formation and leads to flux rope expulsion.

Simulation results align with observational data from HMI and AIA.

Abstract

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are powerful drivers of space weather, with magnetic flux ropes (MFRs) widely regarded as their primary precursors. However, the variation in reconnection flux during the evolution of MFR during CME eruptions remains poorly understood. In this paper, we develop a realistic 3D magneto-hydrodynamic model using which we explore the temporal evolution of reconnection flux during the MFR evolution using both numerical simulations and observational data. Our initial coronal configuration features an isothermal atmosphere and a potential arcade magnetic field beneath which an MFR emerges at the lower boundary. As the MFR rises, we observe significant stretching and compression of the overlying magnetic field beneath it. Magnetic reconnection begins with the gradual formation of a current sheet, eventually culminating with the impulsive expulsion of the flux rope. We analyze the temporal evolution of reconnection fluxes during two successive MFR eruptions while continuously emerging the twisted flux rope through the lower boundary. We also conduct a similar analysis using observational data from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) for an eruptive event. Comparing our MHD simulation with observational data, we find that reconnection flux play a crucial role in determination of CME speeds. From the onset to the eruption, the reconnection flux shows a strong linear correlation with the velocity. This nearly realistic simulation of a solar eruption provides important insights into the complex dynamics of CME initiation and progression.