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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0The Astrophysical Journal

Exploring Magnetic Reconnection in a Sub-A-class Microflare Using Data-constrained Numerical Simulation and Multi-instrument Observations

  • Simrat Kaur1,2
  • Ramit Bhattacharyya1
  • Satyam Agarwal3
  • Qiang Hu3
  1. 1Udaipur Solar Observatory
  2. 2Indian Institute of Technology
  3. 3The University of Alabama in Huntsville
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Abstract

Solar flares are intermittent events that convert free magnetic energy into heat and kinetic energy of charged particles, along with a rearrangement of magnetic field lines (MFLs) through magnetic reconnection. This work investigates an active-region sub-A-class microflare detected by the Solar X-ray Monitor on board Chandrayaan-2. The MFL topology, its evolution, and the associated magnetic reconnection in the flaring region are investigated. The coronal magnetic field is constructed using the nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) extrapolation model, indicating the presence of a magnetic flux rope (MFR) at the flaring location. Notably, this MFR exhibits regions of high magnetic field gradient and a nonuniform distribution of twist along its axis. Furthermore, the dynamics of the MFR is explored using a three-dimensional data-constrained magnetohydrodynamics simulation performed using the EULAG-MHD code. The simulation shows overall untangling of the MFLs that constitute the MFR, along with changes in their connectivity, which suggests underlying magnetic reconnection. Further, a few representative MFLs belonging to the MFR over a given time span are advected with the plasma flow to maintain their identity. These field lines show a change in connectivity, and such reconnections can contribute to the unfurling of the MFR. The overall scenario is generally consistent with the concept of braiding reconnection in an MFR.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{kaur2026exploring,
  title = {{Exploring Magnetic Reconnection in a Sub-A-class Microflare Using Data-constrained Numerical Simulation and Multi-instrument Observations}},
  author = {Simrat Kaur and Ramit Bhattacharyya and Satyam Agarwal and Qiang Hu},
  journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/aeae37},
  url = {https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aeae37},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Exploring Magnetic Reconnection in a Sub-A-class Microflare Using Data-constrained Numerical Simulation and Multi-instrument Observations
AU  - Simrat Kaur
AU  - Ramit Bhattacharyya
AU  - Satyam Agarwal
AU  - Qiang Hu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/06
JO  - The Astrophysical Journal
DO  - 10.3847/1538-4357/aeae37
UR  - https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aeae37
AB  - Solar flares are intermittent events that convert free magnetic energy into heat and kinetic energy of charged particles, along with a rearrangement of magnetic field lines (MFLs) through magnetic reconnection. This work investigates an active-region sub-A-class microflare detected by the Solar X-ray Monitor on board Chandrayaan-2. The MFL topology, its evolution, and the associated magnetic reconnection in the flaring region are investigated. The coronal magnetic field is constructed using the nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) extrapolation model, indicating the presence of a magnetic flux rope (MFR) at the flaring location. Notably, this MFR exhibits regions of high magnetic field gradient and a nonuniform distribution of twist along its axis. Furthermore, the dynamics of the MFR is explored using a three-dimensional data-constrained magnetohydrodynamics simulation performed using the EULAG-MHD code. The simulation shows overall untangling of the MFLs that constitute the MFR, along with changes in their connectivity, which suggests underlying magnetic reconnection. Further, a few representative MFLs belonging to the MFR over a given time span are advected with the plasma flow to maintain their identity. These field lines show a change in connectivity, and such reconnections can contribute to the unfurling of the MFR. The overall scenario is generally consistent with the concept of braiding reconnection in an MFR.
SN  - 1538-4357
SN  - 0004-637X
ER  -