Reconnection and Field Line Shrinkage in Solar Flares
Forbes, T. G. and L. W. Acton, Reconnection and Field Line Shrinkage in Solar Flares, ApJ, 459, 330 (1996) (ADS)
(click on the image for a larger version)
Two views of the CSHKP model, invoked to describe the loop shrinkage
(called "dipolarization" in the magnetospheric literature) following
large-scale reconnection.
Some intrinsic details appear here: on
the left, magnetic reconnection in the "supermagnetosonic regime";
right, the same in the "submagnetosonic regime", described by the
authors as reflecting strong and weak reconnecting fields respectively.
Perhaps there is a way to explain slow reconnection outflows - sort
of what the SADs seem to be showing us.
Note that the left cartoon is neatly labeled "hard X-rays" at loop
top, whereas almost invariably the hard X-rays come from the loop
footpoints.
This seems pretty far off the mark.
However the process of shrinkage seems consistent with the Archivist's
own cartoon.
So... how wrong could it be?
Two views of the CSHKP model, invoked to describe the loop shrinkage (called "dipolarization" in the magnetospheric literature) following large-scale reconnection. Some intrinsic details appear here: on the left, magnetic reconnection in the "supermagnetosonic regime"; right, the same in the "submagnetosonic regime", described by the authors as reflecting strong and weak reconnecting fields respectively. Perhaps there is a way to explain slow reconnection outflows - sort of what the SADs seem to be showing us.
Note that the left cartoon is neatly labeled "hard X-rays" at loop top, whereas almost invariably the hard X-rays come from the loop footpoints. This seems pretty far off the mark. However the process of shrinkage seems consistent with the Archivist's own cartoon. So... how wrong could it be?