Evidence for tether-cutting reconnection in a quadrupole magnetic configuration in the April 9, 2001, M7.9 flare

Vasyl Yurchyshyn, M. Karlickỳ, Q. Hu, Haimin Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

We studied the M7.9 flare on April 9,2001 that occurred within a δ-sunspot of active region NOAA 9415. We used a multi-wavelength data set. which includes Yohkoh, TRACE, SOHO. and ACE spacecraft observations, Potsdam and Ondřejov radio data and Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) images in order to study the large-scale structure of this two-ribbon flare that was accompanied by a very fast coronal mass ejection (CME). We analyzed light curves of the flare emission as well as the structure of the radio emission and report the following: the timing of the event, i.e., the fact that the initial brightenings, associated with the core magnetic field, occurred earlier than the remote brightening (RB), argue against the break-out model in the early phase of this event. We thus conclude that the M7.9 flare and the CME were triggered by a tether-cutting reconnection deep in the core field connecting the δ-spot and this reconnection formed an unstable flux rope. Further evolution of the erupted flux rope could be described either by the "standard" flare model or a break-out type of the reconnection. The complex structure of flare emission in visible, X-ray, and radio spectral ranges point toward a scenario which involves multiple reconnection processes between extended closed magnetic structures.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)147-160
Number of pages14
JournalSolar Physics
Volume235
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2006

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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