Paper detail

On the observations of rapid forced reconnection in the solar corona

Using multiwavelength imaging observations from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) on 03 May 2012, we present a novel physical scenario for the formation of a temporary X-point in the solar corona, where plasma dynamics is forced externally by a moving prominence. Natural diffusion was not predominant, however, a prominence driven inflow occurred firstly, forming a thin current sheet and thereafter enabling a forced magnetic reconnection at a considerably high rate. Observations in relation to the numerical model reveal that forced reconnection may rapidly and efficiently occur at higher rates in the solar corona. This physical process may also heat the corona locally even without establishing a significant and self-consistent diffusion region. Using a parametric numerical study, we demonstrate that the implementation of the external driver increases the rate of the reconnection even when the resistivity required for creating normal diffusion region decreases at the X-point. We conjecture that the appropriate external forcing can bring the oppositely directed field lines into the temporarily created diffusion region firstly via the plasma inflows as seen in the observations. The reconnection and related plasma outflows may occur thereafter at considerably larger rates.