Ultra-high-resolution observations of persistent null-point reconnection in the solar corona
2023 | journal article. A publication with affiliation to the University of Göttingen.
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Ultra-high-resolution observations of persistent null-point reconnection in the solar corona
Cheng, X.; Priest, E. R.; Li, H. T.; Chen, J.; Aulanier, G.; Chitta, L. P. & Wang, Y. L. et al. (2023)
Nature Communications, 14(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37888-w
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Details
- Authors
- Cheng, X.; Priest, E. R.; Li, H. T.; Chen, J.; Aulanier, G.; Chitta, L. P.; Wang, Y. L.; Peter, H.; Zhu, X. S.; Xing, C.; Parenti, S.
- Abstract
- Abstract Magnetic reconnection is a key mechanism involved in solar eruptions and is also a prime possibility to heat the low corona to millions of degrees. Here, we present ultra-high-resolution extreme ultraviolet observations of persistent null-point reconnection in the corona at a scale of about 390 km over one hour observations of the Extreme-Ultraviolet Imager on board Solar Orbiter spacecraft. The observations show formation of a null-point configuration above a minor positive polarity embedded within a region of dominant negative polarity near a sunspot. The gentle phase of the persistent null-point reconnection is evidenced by sustained point-like high-temperature plasma (about 10 MK) near the null-point and constant outflow blobs not only along the outer spine but also along the fan surface. The blobs appear at a higher frequency than previously observed with an average velocity of about 80 km s −1 and life-times of about 40 s. The null-point reconnection also occurs explosively but only for 4 minutes, its coupling with a mini-filament eruption generates a spiral jet. These results suggest that magnetic reconnection, at previously unresolved scales, proceeds continually in a gentle and/or explosive way to persistently transfer mass and energy to the overlying corona.
- Issue Date
- 2023
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- eISSN
- 2041-1723
- Language
- English