PARTICLE ACCELERATION IN FRAGMENTING PERIODIC RECONNECTING CURRENT SHEETS IN SOLAR FLARES

Journal Article · Fri Sep 10 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/720/2/1603· OSTI ID:21460010

Gordovskyy, M; Browning, P K

Proton and electron acceleration in a fragmenting periodic current sheet (CS) is investigated, based on the forced magnetic reconnection scenario. The aim is to understand the role of CS fragmentation in high-energy beam generation in solar flares. We combine magnetohydrodynamics and test-particle models to consider particle trajectories consistent with a time-dependent reconnection model. It is shown that accelerated particles in such a model form two distinct populations. Protons and electrons moving in open magnetic field have energy spectra that are a combination of the initial Maxwellian distribution and a power-law high-energy (E>20 keV) part. The second population contains particles moving in a closed magnetic field around O-points. These particles move predominantly along the guiding field and their energies fall within quite a narrow range between {approx}1 MeV and {approx}10 MeV. It is also found that particles moving in an open magnetic field have a considerably wider pitch-angle distribution.

• OSTI ID: 21460010
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 720, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/720/2/1603; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ENERGY SPECTRA
INCLINATION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
PROTONS
SOLAR FLARES
SUN
TIME DEPENDENCE
BARYONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
HADRONS
HYDRODYNAMICS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
MECHANICS
NUCLEONS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SPECTRA
STARS
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR FLARES