Flare Energy Release at the Magnetic Field Polarity Inversion Line during the M1.2 Solar Flare of 2015 March 15. II. Investigation of Photospheric Electric Current and Magnetic Field Variations Using HMI 135 s Vector Magnetograms

Abstract

Abstract This work is a continuation of Paper I and is devoted to the analysis of nonthermal electron dynamics and plasma heating in the confined M1.2 class solar flare SOL2015-03-15T22:43, revealing energy release in the highly sheared interacting magnetic loops in the low corona, above the polarity inversion line (PIL). The aim of the present work is to perform the first extensive quantitative analysis of the photospheric magnetic field and photospheric vertical electric current (PVEC) dynamics in the confined flare region near the PIL using new vector magnetograms obtained with the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory with a high temporal resolution of 135 s. Data analysis reveals sharp changes of the magnetic structure and PVEC associated with flare onset near the PIL. It is found that the strongest plasma heating and electron acceleration are associated with the largest increase in the magnetic reconnection rate, total PVEC, and effective PVEC density in the flare ribbons. Observations and nonlinear force-free field extrapolations show that the magnetic field structure around the PIL is consistent with a tether-cutting magnetic reconnection (TCMR) geometry. We give a qualitative interpretation of the observed dynamics of the flare ribbons, magnetic field, PVEC, and electron acceleration within the TCMR scenario.