Coronal Heating and Solar Wind Generation by Flux Cancellation Reconnection
In this paper, we propose that flux cancellation on small granular scales (≲1000 km) ubiquitously drives reconnection at a multitude of sites in the low solar atmosphere, contributing to chromospheric/coronal heating and the generation of the solar wind. We analyze the energy conversion in these sma...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2023-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad03eb |
| _version_ | 1827576964647485440 |
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| author | D. I. Pontin E. R. Priest L. P. Chitta V. S. Titov |
| author_facet | D. I. Pontin E. R. Priest L. P. Chitta V. S. Titov |
| author_sort | D. I. Pontin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper, we propose that flux cancellation on small granular scales (≲1000 km) ubiquitously drives reconnection at a multitude of sites in the low solar atmosphere, contributing to chromospheric/coronal heating and the generation of the solar wind. We analyze the energy conversion in these small-scale flux cancellation events using both analytical models and three-dimensional, resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. The analytical models—in combination with the latest estimates of flux cancellation rates—allow us to estimate the energy release rates due to cancellation events, which are found to be on the order 10 ^6 –10 ^7 erg cm ^−2 s ^−1 , sufficient to heat the chromosphere and corona of the quiet Sun and active regions, and to power the solar wind. The MHD simulations confirm the conversion of energy in reconnecting current sheets, in a geometry representing a small-scale bipole being advected toward an intergranular lane. A ribbon-like jet of heated plasma that is accelerated upward could also escape the Sun as the solar wind in an open-field configuration. We conclude that through two phases of atmospheric energy release—precancellation and cancellation—the cancellation of photospheric magnetic flux fragments and the associated magnetic reconnection may provide a substantial energy and mass flux contribution to coronal heating and solar wind generation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:20:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a3cc3d655b14521b480230773cd07c8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:20:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a3cc3d655b14521b480230773cd07c82023-12-21T10:57:34ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572023-01-0196015110.3847/1538-4357/ad03ebCoronal Heating and Solar Wind Generation by Flux Cancellation ReconnectionD. I. Pontin0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1089-9270E. R. Priest1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3621-6690L. P. Chitta2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9270-6785V. S. Titov3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7053-4081School of Information and Physical Sciences, University of Newcastle , Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia ; david.pontin@newcastle.edu.auSchool of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews , St Andrews, KY16 9SS, UKMax Planck Institute for Solar System Research , Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077, Göttingen, GermanyPredictive Science Inc. , 990 Mesa Rim Road, Suite 170, San Diego, CA 92121, USAIn this paper, we propose that flux cancellation on small granular scales (≲1000 km) ubiquitously drives reconnection at a multitude of sites in the low solar atmosphere, contributing to chromospheric/coronal heating and the generation of the solar wind. We analyze the energy conversion in these small-scale flux cancellation events using both analytical models and three-dimensional, resistive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. The analytical models—in combination with the latest estimates of flux cancellation rates—allow us to estimate the energy release rates due to cancellation events, which are found to be on the order 10 ^6 –10 ^7 erg cm ^−2 s ^−1 , sufficient to heat the chromosphere and corona of the quiet Sun and active regions, and to power the solar wind. The MHD simulations confirm the conversion of energy in reconnecting current sheets, in a geometry representing a small-scale bipole being advected toward an intergranular lane. A ribbon-like jet of heated plasma that is accelerated upward could also escape the Sun as the solar wind in an open-field configuration. We conclude that through two phases of atmospheric energy release—precancellation and cancellation—the cancellation of photospheric magnetic flux fragments and the associated magnetic reconnection may provide a substantial energy and mass flux contribution to coronal heating and solar wind generation.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad03ebSolar coronal heatingSolar chromospheric heatingSolar magnetic reconnectionSolar windSolar physicsSolar magnetic fields |
| spellingShingle | D. I. Pontin E. R. Priest L. P. Chitta V. S. Titov Coronal Heating and Solar Wind Generation by Flux Cancellation Reconnection The Astrophysical Journal Solar coronal heating Solar chromospheric heating Solar magnetic reconnection Solar wind Solar physics Solar magnetic fields |
| title | Coronal Heating and Solar Wind Generation by Flux Cancellation Reconnection |
| title_full | Coronal Heating and Solar Wind Generation by Flux Cancellation Reconnection |
| title_fullStr | Coronal Heating and Solar Wind Generation by Flux Cancellation Reconnection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coronal Heating and Solar Wind Generation by Flux Cancellation Reconnection |
| title_short | Coronal Heating and Solar Wind Generation by Flux Cancellation Reconnection |
| title_sort | coronal heating and solar wind generation by flux cancellation reconnection |
| topic | Solar coronal heating Solar chromospheric heating Solar magnetic reconnection Solar wind Solar physics Solar magnetic fields |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad03eb |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dipontin coronalheatingandsolarwindgenerationbyfluxcancellationreconnection AT erpriest coronalheatingandsolarwindgenerationbyfluxcancellationreconnection AT lpchitta coronalheatingandsolarwindgenerationbyfluxcancellationreconnection AT vstitov coronalheatingandsolarwindgenerationbyfluxcancellationreconnection |