Prompt particle acceleration and plasma jet formation during current loop coalescence in solar flares

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (24) References (16) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Prompt Particle Acceleration and Plasma Jet Formation during Current Loop Coalescence in Solar Flares Sakai, Jun-Ichi Abstract Numerical simulations based on the theory of Sakai and Tajima (1986) are used to study high-energy particle acceleration during current loop coalescence in solar flares. The results show that the electrons and protons can be quasi-periodically accelerated to relativistic energies in a very short period of time (much less than 1 sec) when the ratio of poloidal (loop current) to toroidal (potential field) components of the magnetic field is greater than one. It is shown that the spiral two-sided plasma jet can be explosively driven by the plasma rotational motion during the two-current loop coalescence process. Also, it is found that the rebound following the plasma collapse caused by the magnetic pinch effect may induce super-magnetosonic flow that can lead to fast magnetosonic shock waves. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series Pub Date: June 1990 DOI: 10.1086/191468 Bibcode: 1990ApJS...73..321S Keywords: Coronal Loops; Particle Acceleration; Plasma Jets; Solar Flares; Magnetic Field Configurations; Magnetoelastic Waves; Relativistic Particles; Solar Electrons; Solar Magnetic Field; Solar Protons; Solar Physics; HYDROMAGNETICS; PARTICLE ACCELERATION; SUN: FLARES full text sources ADS |