Moving Plasmoid and Formation of the Neutral Sheet in a Solar Flare

Tsuneta, Saku, Moving Plasmoid and Formation of the Neutral Sheet in a Solar Flare, ApJ, 483, 507-514 (1997) (ADS)

The cartoon

(click on the image for a larger version)

One of the most completely detailed cartoons in the "standard model" sequence, CSHKP, stemming from Yohkoh/SXT observations of the flare SOL1991-12-02. This cartoon historically summarizes the thinking along these lines that these pioneering soft X-ray observations of flares revealed. Unfortunately some details are wrong and others missing, but this basic CSHKP view seems to persist in spite of that.

      Note that the basic features of this cartoon go far back in time, but that the quantitative description in the cartoon text is new. The event described (SOL1991-12-02) was perhaps the first clearly-observed "plasmoid" ejection event from Yohkoh/SXT, which introduced soft X-ray imaging with excellent time resolution. To the Archivist's mind the cartoon contains obvious mismatches with the observations (e.g., why is the plasmoid not super-hot, since it's fed by reconnection too? Where in the theory does the "cool channel" arise?). Also note that Yohkoh later discovered, via the SADs observation, that the outflow is not that fast and does not appear to shock. but on the other hand this first view is based on the observations - except for the usual tendentious names - so one cannot be too critical.

Date: 2006 August 13

Update: 2019 December 02