Three-dimensional Turbulent Reconnection within the Solar Flare Current Sheet
Solar flares can release coronal magnetic energy explosively and may impact the safety of near-Earth space environments. Their structures and properties on the macroscale have been interpreted successfully by the generally accepted 2D standard model, invoking magnetic reconnection theory as the key...
| 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 Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acf19d |
| _version_ | 1797690509752270848 |
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| author | Yulei Wang Xin Cheng Mingde Ding Zhaoyuan Liu Jian Liu Xiaojue Zhu |
| author_facet | Yulei Wang Xin Cheng Mingde Ding Zhaoyuan Liu Jian Liu Xiaojue Zhu |
| author_sort | Yulei Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Solar flares can release coronal magnetic energy explosively and may impact the safety of near-Earth space environments. Their structures and properties on the macroscale have been interpreted successfully by the generally accepted 2D standard model, invoking magnetic reconnection theory as the key energy conversion mechanism. Nevertheless, some momentous dynamical features as discovered by recent high-resolution observations remain elusive. Here, we report a self-consistent high-resolution 3D magnetohydrodynamical simulation of turbulent magnetic reconnection within a flare current sheet. It is found that fragmented current patches of different scales are spontaneously generated with a well-developed turbulence spectrum at the current sheet, as well as at the flare loop-top region. The close coupling of tearing mode and Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities plays a critical role in developing turbulent reconnection and in forming dynamical structures with synthetic observables in good agreement with realistic observations. The sophisticated modeling makes a paradigm shift from the traditional to a 3D turbulent reconnection model unifying flare dynamical structures of different scales. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T02:00:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-be4192c36b774956939845ae73e26375 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T02:00:34Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-be4192c36b774956939845ae73e263752023-09-07T17:36:48ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052023-01-019542L3610.3847/2041-8213/acf19dThree-dimensional Turbulent Reconnection within the Solar Flare Current SheetYulei Wang0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9863-5917Xin Cheng1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2837-7136Mingde Ding2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4978-4972Zhaoyuan Liu3Jian Liu4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7484-401XXiaojue Zhu5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7878-0655School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of China ; xincheng@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory for Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics ( Nanjing University ), Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of China ; xincheng@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory for Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics ( Nanjing University ), Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of China ; xincheng@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory for Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics ( Nanjing University ), Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of ChinaShandong Computer Science Center (National Supercomputing Center in Jinan), Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, People’s Republic of China; Advanced Algorithm Joint Lab, Shandong Computer Science Center, Qilu University of Technology , Jinan 250014, People’s Republic of ChinaAdvanced Algorithm Joint Lab, Shandong Computer Science Center, Qilu University of Technology , Jinan 250014, People’s Republic of China; School of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of ChinaMax Planck Institute for Solar System Research , Göttingen, D-37077, GermanySolar flares can release coronal magnetic energy explosively and may impact the safety of near-Earth space environments. Their structures and properties on the macroscale have been interpreted successfully by the generally accepted 2D standard model, invoking magnetic reconnection theory as the key energy conversion mechanism. Nevertheless, some momentous dynamical features as discovered by recent high-resolution observations remain elusive. Here, we report a self-consistent high-resolution 3D magnetohydrodynamical simulation of turbulent magnetic reconnection within a flare current sheet. It is found that fragmented current patches of different scales are spontaneously generated with a well-developed turbulence spectrum at the current sheet, as well as at the flare loop-top region. The close coupling of tearing mode and Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities plays a critical role in developing turbulent reconnection and in forming dynamical structures with synthetic observables in good agreement with realistic observations. The sophisticated modeling makes a paradigm shift from the traditional to a 3D turbulent reconnection model unifying flare dynamical structures of different scales.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acf19dSolar flaresSolar magnetic reconnectionMagnetohydrodynamical simulations |
| spellingShingle | Yulei Wang Xin Cheng Mingde Ding Zhaoyuan Liu Jian Liu Xiaojue Zhu Three-dimensional Turbulent Reconnection within the Solar Flare Current Sheet The Astrophysical Journal Letters Solar flares Solar magnetic reconnection Magnetohydrodynamical simulations |
| title | Three-dimensional Turbulent Reconnection within the Solar Flare Current Sheet |
| title_full | Three-dimensional Turbulent Reconnection within the Solar Flare Current Sheet |
| title_fullStr | Three-dimensional Turbulent Reconnection within the Solar Flare Current Sheet |
| title_full_unstemmed | Three-dimensional Turbulent Reconnection within the Solar Flare Current Sheet |
| title_short | Three-dimensional Turbulent Reconnection within the Solar Flare Current Sheet |
| title_sort | three dimensional turbulent reconnection within the solar flare current sheet |
| topic | Solar flares Solar magnetic reconnection Magnetohydrodynamical simulations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/acf19d |
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