Particle Acceleration Due to Coronal Non-null Magnetic Reconnection

Area of Science:

• Solar physics
• Plasma astrophysics
• Space weather

Background:

• Magnetic reconnection is crucial for energy release in the solar atmosphere.
• Topological features like null points are traditionally considered key sites for reconnection and particle acceleration.
• Non-topological reconnection, occurring without these features, is less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and characterize particle acceleration in a novel model of magnetic reconnection.
• To simulate reconnection in the solar corona that forms an erupting flux rope without common topological features.
• To analyze the behavior of electrons and protons in this non-topological scenario.

Main Methods:

• Employed a numerical scheme to evolve gyro-averaged orbit equations for single electrons and protons.
• Simulated particle gyromotion within a fully analytical global magnetic field model.
• Investigated particle acceleration driven by magnetic and electric fields in the absence of topological features.

Main Results:

• Observed significant acceleration of protons and electrons up to 2 MeV.
• Detailed the time-dependent morphology of particle acceleration and impact sites for both species.
• Found that initial conditions and field properties influence acceleration, even in non-topological reconnection.

Conclusions:

• Magnetic reconnection can accelerate particles to high energies in the solar atmosphere without relying on traditional topological structures.
• The findings offer new insights into particle acceleration mechanisms relevant to solar flares and eruptive events.
• This study challenges conventional views and expands the understanding of reconnection dynamics in astrophysical plasmas.