Investigation of magnetic topology and triggering mechanisms of a C-class flare and active-region blowout jet

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic topology and triggering mechanisms of a solar C-class flare and associated blowout jet using magnetohydrodynamic simulations, revealing the role of magnetic reconnection and null point dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a data-constrained MHD simulation approach to analyze the magnetic reconnection processes triggering blowout jets and flares in active regions.

Findings

Magnetic reconnection triggers the jet and flare simultaneously.

Presence of a 3D null point and flux rope in the active region.

Spontaneous creation and annihilation of 3D null pairs observed.

Abstract

Coronal jets are collimated plasma eruptions which are ubiquitous in the solar atmosphere. Believed to be triggered by magnetic reconnection, these jets can contribute to various phenomena, including coronal heating and particle acceleration. Coronal jets are a contemporary area of research with their onset mechanism meriting further attention. Importantly, a subclass of jets, the blowout jets, are particularly interesting because of their broad spire, suggesting substantial three-dimensional (3D) reconnection between open and closed field lines involving 3D null points. Consequently, here we explore the onset of a blowout jet associated with Active Region (AR) SPoCA 29093 detected by Spatial Possibilistic Clustering Algorithm (SPoCA). This AR produced a C1.1-class flare on 10 November 2022 and we investigate it using a data-constrained magnetohydrodynamic simulation initiated with a non force-free-field (NFFF) extrapolation of the photospheric magnetic field. Key elements of the extrapolated field lines are the presence of a 3D null and a magnetic flux rope (MFR) co-located with the jet activity region, the evolution of which is further traced in the simulation. The simulation suggests that magnetic reconnection is responsible for the evolution of the MFR, leading to a near-simultaneous onset of the flare and jet as observed by the AIA/SDO. In particular, the simulation shows spontaneous creation and annihilation of 3D null pairs via magnetic reconnection near the jet region. Such spontaneous null pair generation, in principle, can trigger or contribute to coronal jets; opening up a new avenue for further research.