Magnetic reconnection in 2D stratified atmospheres

II. Observational consequences

¹ High Altitude Observatory, NCAR, 3450 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
² Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh, BT61 9DG, N. Ireland
³ University of St. Andrews, School of Mathematics and Statistics, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS, Scotland, UK e-mail: klaus@mcs.st-and.ac.uk

Corresponding author: I. Roussev, ilr@ucar.edu

Received: 1 August 2001
Accepted: 4 December 2001

Abstract

We synthesise three resonance transitions of Li-like ions, C iv 1548.2 Å, O vi 1031.9 Å, and Ne viii 770.4 Å, based on the MHD experiments presented in Part I of this study. Part I involved 2D MHD modelling of magnetic reconnection events in stratified magneto-hydrostatic atmospheres selected to represent a “quiet” Sun transition region environment. Here in Part II, we discuss some observable consequences of these simulations by including effects of non-equilibrium ionization in a 1D approximation. All spectral line syntheses are done along a particular ray, oriented vertically along the initial current structure. Computed time-series, in the three spectral lines, reveal both blue- and red-shifted Doppler components. It is found to be easier to detect the reconnection event in the various emission lines as strongly Doppler-shifted components as the stratification increases. We predict what the observational consequences of these reconnection events would be, if various spatial resolutions under 1 arcsec become available in future observations. This work is a continuation of previous numerical studies related to solar explosive events.