Solar particle acceleration at reconnecting 3D null points

DOI10.1051/0004-6361/201218857zbMATH Open1260.85095arXiv1201.4846OpenAlexW2000771027WikidataQ69025742 ScholiaQ69025742MaRDI QIDQ4906008FDOQ4906008

Authors: A. Stanier, P. K. Browning, S. Dalla 

Publication date: 21 February 2013

Published in: Astronomy & Astrophysics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Context: The strong electric fields associated with magnetic reconnection in solar flares are a plausible mechanism to accelerate populations of high energy, non-thermal particles. One such reconnection scenario occurs at a 3D magnetic null point, where global plasma flows give rise to strong currents in the spine axis or fan plane. Aims: To understand the mechanism of charged particle energy gain in both the external drift region and the diffusion region associated with 3D magnetic reconnection. In doing so we evaluate the efficiency of resistive spine and fan models for particle acceleration, and find possible observables for each. Method: We use a full orbit test particle approach to study proton trajectories within electromagnetic fields that are exact solutions to the steady and incompressible magnetohydrodynamic equations. We study single particle trajectories and find energy spectra from many particle simulations. The scaling properties of the accelerated particles with respect to field and plasma parameters is investigated. Results: For fan reconnection, strong non-uniform electric drift streamlines can accelerate the bulk of the test particles. The highest energy gain is for particles that enter the current sheet, where an increasing "guide field" stabilises particles against ejection. The energy is only limited by the total electric potential energy difference across the fan current sheet. The spine model has both slow external electric drift speed and weak energy gain for particles reaching the current sheet. Conclusions: The electromagnetic fields of fan reconnection can accelerate protons to the high energies observed in solar flares, gaining up to 0.1 GeV for anomalous values of resistivity. However, the spine model, which gave a harder energy spectrum in the ideal case, is not an efficient accelerator after pressure constraints in the resistive model are included.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1201.4846

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zbMATH Keywords

magnetic reconnectionacceleration of particlesSun: flaresSun: coronaSun: particle emissionSun: X-rays, \(\gamma\)-rays

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Magnetohydrodynamics and electrohydrodynamics (76W05) Electromagnetic theory (general) (78A25) Radiative transfer in astronomy and astrophysics (85A25)

Cited In (2)

• Generation of highly energetic electrons at reconnection outflow shocks during solar flares
• Particle acceleration in solar flares: linking magnetic energy release with the acceleration process

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