Observation of all pre- and post-reconnection structures involved in three-dimensional reconnection geometries in solar eruptions

Abstract

We report on observations of the two newly-identified reconnection geometries involving erupting flux ropes. In 3D, a flux rope can reconnect either with a surrounding coronal arcade (recently named "ar-rf" reconnection) or with itself ("rr-rf" reconnection), and both kinds of reconnection create a new flux rope field line and a flare loop. For the first time, we identify all four constituents of both reconnections in a solar eruptive event, the filament eruption of 2011 June 07 observed by SDO/AIA. The ar-rf reconnection manifests itself as shift of one leg of the filament by more than 25" northward. At its previous location, a flare arcade is formed, while the new location of the filament leg previously corresponded to a footpoint of a coronal loop in 171 A. In addition, the evolution of the flare ribbon hooks is also consistent with the occurrence of ar--rf reconnection as predicted by MHD simulations. Specifically, the growing hook sweeps footpoints of preeruptive coronal arcades, and these locations become inside the hook. Furthermore, the rr-rf reconnection occurs during the peak phase above the flare arcade, in an apparently X-type geometry involving a pair of converging bright filament strands in the erupting filament. A new flare loop forms near the leg of one of the strands, while a bright blob, representing a remnant of the same strand, is seen ascending into the erupting filament. All together, these observations vindicate recent predictions of the 3D standard solar flare model.

The Astrophysical Journal, accepted

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Cited by in corpus (8)

• Complete replacement of magnetic flux in a flux rope during a coronal mass ejection
• Imaging evidence for solar wind outflows originating from a CME footpoint
• Observations of a prominence eruption and loop contraction
• Electric current evolution at the footpoints of solar eruptions
• Saddle-shaped solar flare arcades
• The Causes of Peripheral Coronal Loop Contraction and Disappearance Revealed in a Magnetohydrodynamic Simulation of Solar Eruption
• Filament Leg--Leg Reconnection as a Source of Prominent Supra-Arcade Downflows
• Radiative Magnetohydrodynamic Simulation of the Confined Eruption of a Magnetic Flux Rope: Magnetic Structure and Plasma Thermodynamics