Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, led by Yadan Duan, have made significant strides in understanding the dynamics of interchange reconnection in the sun’s atmosphere, using high-resolution data from the Solar Orbiter’s Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI). Their findings, published in the journal Nature Astronomy, shed light on the complex processes that drive solar jets and solar wind, which are crucial for understanding space weather and its potential impacts on Earth’s energy infrastructure.
Interchange reconnection is a process where magnetic field lines in the sun’s atmosphere, or corona, break and reconnect, releasing energy and accelerating particles. This process is believed to be a significant driver of solar jets and solar wind, which can affect space weather and, consequently, energy systems on Earth. The researchers observed a small-scale fan-spine-like magnetic structure in the low corona, where interchange reconnection occurred continuously around multiple null points—the points where the magnetic field is zero. This reconnection exhibited a quasi-periodicity of about 200 seconds, covering nearly the entire evolution of the system.
The study revealed that the dynamics of interchange reconnection are likely influenced by emerging magnetic structures, such as mini-filaments and emerging arcades. The researchers also observed a curtain-like feature near the reconnection region, persistently generating outflows. This feature is similar to separatrix curtains reported in pseudo-streamer structures, which are larger-scale magnetic configurations.
The findings demonstrate the complex and variable nature of interchange reconnection dynamics within small-scale fan-spine topology. Moreover, they provide insights into the self-similarity of magnetic field configurations across multiple temporal and spatial scales. Understanding these processes is crucial for predicting space weather events, which can impact satellite operations, power grids, and other energy infrastructure on Earth.
The research was published in Nature Astronomy, a prestigious journal known for its high-impact studies in astronomy and astrophysics. The insights gained from this study can help improve space weather forecasting models, which are essential for protecting energy systems and other critical infrastructure from the potentially harmful effects of solar activity.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.