1. Observations of the Formation, Development, and Structure of a Current Sheet in an Eruptive Solar Flare
- Author
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Daniel B. Seaton, Allison E. Bartz, and Jonathan M. Darnel
- Subjects
Physics ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Solar flare ,Event (relativity) ,FOS: Physical sciences ,Astronomy and Astrophysics ,Magnetic reconnection ,Astrophysics ,01 natural sciences ,law.invention ,Current sheet ,Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics ,13. Climate action ,Space and Planetary Science ,law ,0103 physical sciences ,Physics::Space Physics ,Coronal mass ejection ,Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics ,Development (differential geometry) ,Current (fluid) ,010303 astronomy & astrophysics ,Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR) ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Flare - Abstract
We present AIA observations of a structure we interpret as a current sheet associated with an X4.9 flare and coronal mass ejection that occurred on 2014~February~25 in NOAA Active Region 11990. We characterize the properties of the current sheet, finding that the sheet remains on the order of a few thousand km thick for much of the duration of the event and that its temperature generally ranged between $8-10\,\mathrm{MK}$. We also note the presence of other phenomena believed to be associated with magnetic reconnection in current sheets, including supra-arcade downflows and shrinking loops. We estimate that the rate of reconnection during the event was $M_{A} \approx 0.004-0.007$, a value consistent with model predictions. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of this event for reconnection-based eruption models., Comment: Animation accompanying Figure 2 available at https://figshare.com/articles/SDO_AIA_131_2014-Feb-25_Current_Sheet/4052061
- Published
- 2016
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