Earth Planets Space, 00, 0001–00xx, 2001 Plasmoid-Induced-Reconnection and Fractal Reconnection (2001)
BibTeX
@MISC{Shibata01earthplanets,
author = {Kazunari Shibata and Syuniti Tanuma},
title = {Earth Planets Space, 00, 0001–00xx, 2001 Plasmoid-Induced-Reconnection and Fractal Reconnection},
year = {2001}
}
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Abstract
As a key to undertanding the basic mechanism for fast reconnection in solar flares, plasmoid-inducedreconnection and fractal reconnection are proposed and examined. We first briefly summarize recent solar observations that give us hints on the role of plasmoid (flux rope) ejections in flare energy release. We then discuss the plasmoid-induced-reconnection model, which is an extention of the classical two-ribbon-flare model which we refer to as the CSHKP model. An essential ingredient of the new model is the formation and ejection of a plasmoid which play an essential role in the storage of magnetic energy (by inhibiting reconnection) and the induction of a strong inflow into reconnection region. Using a simple analytical model, we show that the plasmoid ejection and acceleration are closely coupled with the reconnection process, leading to a nonlinear instability for the whole dynamics that determines the macroscopic reconnection rate uniquely. Next we show that the current sheet tends to have a fractal structure via the following process path: tearing ⇒ sheet thinning ⇒ Sweet-Parker sheet ⇒ secondary tearing ⇒ further sheet thinning ⇒... These processes occur repeatedly at smaller scales until a microscopic plasma scale (either the ion Larmor radius or the ion inertial length) is reached where anomalous resistivity or collisionless reconnection can occur. The current sheet eventually has a fractal structure with many plasmoids (magnetic islands) of different sizes. When these plasmoids are ejected out of the current sheets, fast
Keyphrases
fractal reconnection earth planet space current sheet fractal structure recent solar observation whole dynamic fast reconnection plasmoid ejection basic mechanism flux rope magnetic island strong inflow solar flare ion larmor radius anomalous resistivity reconnection process cshkp model many plasmoids flare energy release sweet-parker sheet different size essential role following process path magnetic energy current sheet tends simple analytical model ion inertial length tearing sheet nonlinear instability new model reconnection region microscopic plasma scale collisionless reconnection essential ingredient classical two-ribbon-flare model macroscopic reconnection rate plasmoid-induced-reconnection model
