A&A 495, 953-957 (2009)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:200811034

Signatures of Sweet-Parker magnetic reconnection in the solar chromosphere

Y. E. Litvinenko¹ and J. Chae<sup>2

1</sup>  Department of Mathematics, University of Waikato, PB 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
²  Astronomy Program, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, Korea

Received 25 September 2008 / Accepted 8 January 2009

Abstract
Aims. Predicted and observed signatures of magnetic reconnection in the solar chromosphere are discussed.
Methods. Compressible reconnection scalings for the Sweet-Parker current sheet in the chromosphere are derived, which generalize earlier treatments by including both the Lorentz force and the pressure gradient in the reconnection outflow as possible drivers of reconnection jets. The theoretical scalings were tested against the measured speed, density, and temperature of an extreme-ultraviolet jet, observed with TRACE. Model predictions for the reconnection jet parameters as functions of height above the solar photosphere were computed.
Results. The predicted variation of reconnection jet parameters with height appears to correspond to the observed wide range of parameters of chromospheric jet-like features.

Key words: Sun: activity -- Sun: chromosphere -- Sun: magnetic fields

© ESO 2009

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