Abstract
This review summarizes our recent results connected with the theoretical and observational aspects of plasmoids in solar flares. We show that the plasmoids play a very important role in the primary flare process – in the magnetic field reconnection. It is shown how the plasmoids are formed, how they move and interact, and how the flare current sheet is fragmented due to these processes. Furthermore, we present a successive merging of the plasmoids, which not only very efficiently accelerate particles, but also it can produce large plasmoids which are sometimes observed in the X-ray emission. Considering the plasmoids the radio drifting pulsating structures (DPSs), narrowband dm-spikes and the above-the-loop-top hard X-ray sources are interpreted. Some interesting radio spectra, relevant to this topic, are added.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ohyama, M., Shibata, K.: X-ray plasma ejection associated with an impulsive flare on 1992 October 5: Physical conditions of X-ray plasma ejection. Astrophys. J. 499, 934–944 (1998)
Kliem, B., Karlický, M., Benz, A.O.: Solar flare radio pulsations as a signature of dynamic magnetic reconnection. Astron. Astrophys. 360, 715–728 (2000)
Khan, J.I., Vilmer, N., Saint-Hilaire, P., Benz, A.O.: The solar coronal origin of a slowly drifting decimetric-metric pulsation structure. Astron. Astrophys. 388, 363–372 (2002)
Karlický, M., Fárník, F., Mészárosová, H.: High-frequency slowly drifting structures in solar flares. Astron. Astrophys. 395, 677–683 (2002)
Karlický, M.: Series of high-frequency slowly drifting structures mapping the flare magnetic field reconnection. Astron. Astrophys. 417, 325–332 (2004)
Karlický, M., Bárta, M.: Drifting pulsating structures generated during tearing and coalescence processes in a flare current sheet. Astron. Astrophys. 464, 735–740 (2007)
Bárta, M., Karlický, M., Žemlička, R.: Plasmoid dynamics in flare reconnection and the frequency drift of the drifting pulsating structure. Solar Phys. 253, 173–189 (2008)
Karlický, M., Bárta, M., Rybák, J.: Radio spectra generated during coalescence processes of plasmoids in a flare current sheet. Astron. Astrophys. 514, id.A28 (2010)
Drake, J.F., Shay, M.A., Thongthai, W., Swisdak, M.: Production of energetic electrons during magnetic reconnection. Phys. Rev. Letters 94, id.095001 (2005)
Drake, J.F., Swisdak, M., Che, H., Shay, M. A.: Electron acceleration from contracting magnetic islands during reconnection. Nature 443, 553–556 (2006)
Hoshino, M.: Electron surfing acceleration in magnetic reconnection. J. Geophys. Res. 110, id. A10215 (2005)
Pritchett, P.L.: Relativistic electron production during guide field magnetic reconnection. J. Geophys. Res. 111, id.A10212 (2006)
Pritchett, P.L.: Energetic electron acceleration during multi-island coalescence. Phys. Plasmas 15, 102105-102105-9 (2008)
Karlický, M.: Separation of accelerated electrons and positrons in the relativistic reconnection. Astrophys. J. 674, 1211–1216 (2008)
Bárta, M., Vršnak, B., Karlický, M.: Dynamics of plasmoids formed by the current sheet tearing, Astron. Astrophys. 477, 649–655 (2008)
Kolomanski, S., Karlický, M.: The interaction of a plasmoid with a loop-top kernel. Astron. Astrophys. 475, 685–693 (2007)
Milligan, R.O., McAteer, R.T.J., Dennis, B.R., Young, C.A.: Evidence of a plasmoid-looptop interaction and magnetic inflows during a solar flare/coronal mass ejection eruptive event. Astrophys. J. 713, 1292–1300 (2010)
Shibata, K., Tanuma, S.: Plasmoid-induced-reconnection and fractal reconnection. Earth Planets Space 53, 473–482 (2001)
Bárta, M., Büchner, J., Karlický, M.: Multi-scale MHD approach to the current sheet filamentation in solar coronal reconnection. Adv. Space Res. 45, 10–17 (2010)
Bárta, M., Büchner, J., Karlický, M., Skála, J.: Spontaneous Current-layer Fragmentation and Cascading Reconnection in Solar Flares. I. Model and Analysis. Astrophys. J. 737, id. 24 (2011)
Bárta, M., Büchner, J., Karlický, M., Kotrč, P.: Spontaneous current-layer fragmentation and cascading reconnection in solar flares. II. Relation to observations. Astrophys. J. 730, id.47 (2011)
Loureiro, N.F., Schekochihin, A.A., Cowley, S.C.: Instability of current sheets and formation of plasmoid chains. Physics of Plasmas 14, 100703–100703-4 (2007)
Uzdensky, D.A., Loureiro, N.F., Schekochihin, A.A.: Fast magnetic reconnection in the plasmoid-dominated regime. Physical Review Letters 105, 235002–235002-4 (2010)
Hoshino, M., Nishida, A., Yamamoto, T., Kokubun, S.: Turbulent magnetic field in the distant magnetotail: Bottom-up process of plasmoid formation? Geophys. Res. Lett. 21, 2935–2938 (1994)
Saito, S., Sakai, J.I.: The emission of electromagnetic waves during the coalescence of two parallel current loops in solar flares. Astrophys. J. 616, L179–L182 (2004)
Karlický, M., Bárta, M.: Successive merging of plasmoids and fragmentation in a flare current sheet and their X-ray and radio signatures. Astrophys. J. 733, id.107 (2011)
Masuda, S., Kosugi, T., Hara, H., Tsuneta, S., Ogawara, Y.: A loop-top hard X-ray source in a compact solar flare as evidence for magnetic reconnection. Nature 371, 495–497 (1994)
Tomczak, M.: The analysis of hard X-ray radiation of flares with occulted footpoints. Astron. Astrophys. 366, 294–305 (2001)
Petrosian, V., Donaghy, T.Q., McTierman, J.M.: Loop top hard X-ray emission in solar flares: Images and statistics. Astrophys. J. 569, 459–473 (2002)
Krucker, S., Lin, R.P.: Hard X-ray emissions from partially occulted solar flares. Astrophys. J. 673, 1181–1187 (2008)
Krucker, S., Hudson, H.S., Glesener, L., White, S.M., Masuda, S., Wuelser, J.P., Lin, R.P.: Measurements of the coronal acceleration region of a solar flare. Astrophys. J. 714, 1108–1119 (2010)
Benz, A.O.: Millisecond radio spikes. Solar Phys. 104, 99–110 (1986)
Karlický, M.: Narrowband dm-spikes as indication of flare mass ejection. Solar Phys. 92, 329–342 (1984)
Stähli, M., Magun, A.: The microwave spectrum of solar millisecond spikes. Solar Phys. 104, 117–123 (1986)
Benz, A.O., Jaeggi, M., Zlobec, P.: Fine structure near the starting frequency of solar type III radio bursts. Astron. Astrophys. 109, 305–313 (1982)
Zlobec, P., Karlický, M.: Narrowband dm-spikes observed during the 15 June 1991 flare. Solar Phys. 182, 477–496 (1998)
Mészárosová, H., Veronig, A., Zlobec, P., Karlický, M.: Analysis of solar narrow band dm-spikes observed at 1420 and 2695 MHz. Astron. Astrophys. 407, 1115–1125 (2003)
Güdel, M., Zlobec, P.: Polarization and emission mode of solar radio spikes. Astron. Astrophys. 299, 299–309 (1991)
Kuijpers, J., Van der Post, P., Slottje, C.: Runaway acceleration in a radio flare. Astron. Astrophys. 103, 331–338 (1981)
Fleishman, G.D., Yastrebov, S.G.: On the harmonic structure of solar radio spikes. Solar Phys. 154, 361–369 (1994)
Karlický, M., Sobotka, M., Jiřička, K.: Narrowband dm-Spikes in the 2 GHz Frequency Range and MHD Cascading Waves in Reconnection Outflows. Solar Phys. 168, 375–383 (1996)
Karlický, Jiřička, K., Sobotka, M.: Power-law spectra of 1-2 GHz narrowband dm-spikes. Solar Phys., 195, 165–174 (2000)
Bárta, M., Karlický, M.: Turbulent plasma model of the narrowband dm-spikes. Astron. Astrophys. 379, 1045–1051 (2001)
Jiřička, K., Karlický, M., Mészárosová, H., Snížek, V.: Global statistics of 0.8-2.0 Ghz radio bursts and fine structures observed during 1992–2000 by the Ondřejov radiospectrograph. Astron. Astrophys. 375, 243–250 (2001)
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the grants P209/12/0103, P209/10/1680 (GA CR), and the research project AV0Z10030501 of the Astronomical Institute AS.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Karlický, M., Bárta, M. (2012). Plasmoids in Solar Flares and Their Radio and X-ray Signatures. In: Leubner, M., Vörös, Z. (eds) Multi-scale Dynamical Processes in Space and Astrophysical Plasmas. Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings, vol 33. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30442-2_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30442-2_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-30441-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-30442-2
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)