MAGNETIC RECONNECTION ALONG QUASI-SEPARATRIX LAYERS AS A DRIVER OF UBIQUITOUS ACTIVE REGION OUTFLOWS

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 2009 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/705/1/926· OSTI ID:21378306

Baker, D; Van Driel-Gesztelyi, L; Murray, M J ^[1]; Mandrini, C H ^[2]; Demoulin, P ^[3]

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1. University College London, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6NT (United Kingdom)
2. Instituto de AstronomIa y fisica del Espacio, CONICET-UBA, CC. 67, Suc. 28, 1428 Buenos Aires (Argentina)
3. Observatoire de Paris, LESIA, UMR 8109 (CNRS), Meudon-Principal Cedex (France)

Hinode's EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) has discovered ubiquitous outflows of a few to 50 km s{sup -1} from active regions (ARs). These outflows are most prominent at the AR boundary and appear over monopolar magnetic areas. They are linked to strong non-thermal line broadening and are stronger in hotter EUV lines. The outflows persist for at least several days. Using Hinode EIS and X-Ray Telescope observations of AR 10942 coupled with magnetic modeling, we demonstrate that the outflows originate from specific locations of the magnetic topology where field lines display strong gradients of magnetic connectivity, namely quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs), or in the limit of infinitely thin QSLs, separatrices. We found the strongest AR outflows to be in the vicinity of QSL sections located over areas of strong magnetic field. We argue that magnetic reconnection at QSLs separating closed field lines of the AR and either large-scale externally connected or 'open' field lines is a viable mechanism for driving AR outflows which are likely sources of the slow solar wind.

• OSTI ID: 21378306
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 705; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
LAYERS
LINE BROADENING
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
MATHEMATICS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
SIMULATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
SPECTROMETERS
STARS
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR WINDS
SUN
TELESCOPES
TOPOLOGY