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On August 17,
2011, the sun emitted a solar flare. Two of
NASA's spavecraft, SDO and RHESSI witnessed the event. They saw
more than jut the flare; they captured magnetic reconnection.
Magnetic reconnection is when magnetic fields connect and disconnect,
explosively transferring energy. Scientists believe magnetic
reconnection drives almost every dynamic event on the sun, including
solar flares. While we cannot see
magnetic field lines, NASA's SDO can observe solar
particles that move along them, tracing out giant arcades of magnetic loops
on the sun's surface. Watch the magnetic structure in the background.
The cusp flattens out on top. We see reconnection occur as an
X shape begins to form and then splits - with half the solar material
falling down and the other half escaping into space. A flare
bursts from the arcade of loops, and reconnection propagates further down
the arcade. The observation is verified by RHESSI data.
RHESSI saw pockets of high temperatures above and below the loop.
This signature arrangement indicates reconnection.
The two data sets provide visual evidence of reconnection producing a solar
flare and will help scientists understand the role magnetic reconnection
plays in these amazing eruptions.
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