6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Quantifying Quantifying Reconnection* Reconnection*

Dana Longcope, Dave Dana Longcope, Dave McKenzieMcKenzie

Jonathan Cirtain, Jason Jonathan Cirtain, Jason ScottScott

Montana State UniversityMontana State University

* NASA * NASA grant NAG5-grant NAG5-1048910489

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

PrototypePrototype** of Solar-B of Solar-BReconnection Reconnection ObservationObservation

• New ARNew AR emerges emerges near old AR near old AR• Catalog interconnections Catalog interconnections (EUV/SXR (EUV/SXR TRACE/YohkoTRACE/Yohko))

• Make a magnetic model Make a magnetic model (LOS M-gram (LOS M-gram SoHO/MDISoHO/MDI))• Interp’ data w.r.t. the modelInterp’ data w.r.t. the model• Learn about reconnectionLearn about reconnection

Requires:Requires: long series m-grams long series m-grams (low (low cadence)cadence)

long series EUV/SXR long series EUV/SXR (hi cadence)(hi cadence)T sensitivity 1 - 10 MKT sensitivity 1 - 10 MK

* TRACE* TRACESoHO SoHO

Solar-ASolar-AGOESGOES

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

AR emergenceAR emergence

00:0000:00 12:0012:00 00:0000:00 12:0012:00

Aug 10, 2001Aug 10, 2001 Aug 11, 2001Aug 11, 200100:0000:00

PHOTOSPHERE (SoHO/MDI)

CORONA (TRACE)

7:347:34

AR9574AR9574

AR9570AR9570

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (LZW) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Why this is Why this is reconnection*reconnection*

EmergeEmerged fluxd flux

Reconnected fluxReconnected flux

Old fluxOld fluxBaum &Baum &

BratenahlBratenahl19761976

95709570 95749574

Tsuneta 1996

* It is NOT a flare* It is NOT a flare

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Catalog Interconn’ing Catalog Interconn’ing loops:loops:

Synthetic slitSynthetic slitseparatingseparatingdiff. ARsdiff. ARs

TRACE 171 images:TRACE 171 images:5139 images @ 28 sec5139 images @ 28 sec7:00 Aug10 – 23:59 Aug117:00 Aug10 – 23:59 Aug11BG subtractedBG subtracted

(Longcope et al. 2005)(Longcope et al. 2005)

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Loops are brightfeatures

Lots ofLots ofloops:loops:~9:00~9:00 14:0014:00

Gen’lGen’lbright’gbright’g

11stst loop: loop:12:3612:36

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Finding the loopsFinding the loops• Identify peaksIdentify peaks in slit-intensityin slit-intensity• loop loop = fw @ hm= fw @ hm

25 26 24 22 23

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Finding the loopsFinding the loops

Verify Verify spatialspatialcorrespond-correspond-ence w/ ence w/ intercon’inintercon’inggloopsloops

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Magnetic ModelMagnetic Model

Identify distinct regions with |BIdentify distinct regions with |Bzz| > 45 G| > 45 G

SoHO/MDI movie

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Magnetic evolutionMagnetic evolution

Series of m-gramsSeries of m-grams

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Coronal FieldCoronal Field

Inter-connecting flux:Inter-connecting flux:

Ψ=⋅∫σ

lA d

Interconnection Interconnection (PF)(PF) Increasing

AR9574AR9574

P051P051

€

∇×B = 0

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Flux in 171 A loopsFlux in 171 A loops

Each Each looploop is a field-line bundle ( is a field-line bundle (flux tubeflux tube))

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Flux in 171 A loopsFlux in 171 A loops

Cummulative loop areasCummulative loop areasFlux if BFlux if B00 = = 120 G120 G

Flux in Flux in pot’lpot’lmodelmodel

d

A = (d/2)2

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Reconnection observedReconnection observed

24 hour delay24 hour delay

Reconn’n burstReconn’n burst10101717 Mx/sec Mx/sec

Heating ~ 5 x 1026 erg/sec

emergence

= 10= 102121 Mx Mx

0.1 GV0.1 GV1 GV1 GV

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Heating then coolingHeating then coolingReconnection burstReconnection burstGOES 1-8 AGOES 1-8 A

3hr cooling7.5 MK -> 1 MK

TRACE 171 ATRACE 171 A looploopss

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Heating then coolingHeating then cooling

Yohkoh SXT

Hot (~7.5 MK) Hot (~7.5 MK) after after

reconnection…reconnection…

TRACE 171 A

EM

T

~ 10 hrs

GOES 1-8 A

SXT filter ratioSXT filter ratio

moviemovie

cool ~ 0.3 hrs

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Model of energy Model of energy storagestorage

Constrain Flux & minimize energy…

0

WWfcefce

WWpotpot

WW

( )L

W2

2)v(Ψ−Ψ≈Δ

WW

Flux Constrained Flux Constrained EquilibriumEquilibrium(Longcope 2002)(Longcope 2002)

W ~ 10W ~ 103131 ergs ergs

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Consequence of latencyConsequence of latencyGOES 1-8 AGOES 1-8 A

GOES 0.5-4 AGOES 0.5-4 A

Radiated power P ~ 5 x 10Radiated power P ~ 5 x 102626 erg/secerg/sec

Radiated energy 10Radiated energy 103131 ergsergs

2710=Iψ&

WWFCEFCE = 10 = 103131

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Role(s) of Current Role(s) of Current SheetSheet

10101818 Mx of newly Mx of newlyreconnected fluxreconnected flux

(1% of (1% of ))

ReleasesReleasesE ~ I E ~ I

~ 10~ 102828 ergs ergs

6th Solar-B Science Meeting Kyoto, Nov. 10, 2005

Summary: Summary: Reconnection LessonsReconnection Lessons

1.1. AR emergence ==> reconnection AR emergence ==> reconnection (unambiguous case)(unambiguous case)

2.2. Reconnection in brief (6 hour) Reconnection in brief (6 hour) burst burst after after delaydelay of ~24 hours of ~24 hours

3.3. Separator reconnectionSeparator reconnection4.4. Produces scores of ~10Produces scores of ~1018 18 Mx loopsMx loops5.5. Delayed reconnection ==> Delayed reconnection ==>

storagestorage of energy: of energy: 10103131 ergs ergs