Observations and Simulations of Reconnecting Current Sheets in the Solar Corona

Jets and mass ejections are ubiquitous features of the Sun’s corona. These explosive dynamics are all believed to be driven by magnetic reconnection at two types of current sheets that form in the solar atmosphere: those that form at magnetic null points and separatrix surfaces, and those, such as the heliospheric current sheet, that form as a result of a large expansion of a bipolar magnetic field. In our breakout model, both types of current sheets are essential for the explosive release of magnetic energy. We report on the first direct observations of reconnection and island formation in a null-point current sheet associated with a large coronal jet. The topology and velocities of the islands are in excellent agreement with our numerical simulations of coronal jets. We discuss the implications of the observations and our models for understanding the energetic particles produced by these events and their release into interplanetary space, as well as the implications for observations by Solar Orbiter and the Parker Solar Probe.

This work was supported by the NASA Living With a Star Program.