Formation of jet-driven forced reconnection region and associated plasma blobs in a prominence segment

Abstract

We use data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory to study the most likely formation of a forced reconnection region and associated plasma blobs, triggered by jetlike structures in a prominence segment. Around 05:44 UT on 2017 December 16th, hot jetlike structures lifted from a nearby active region and fell obliquely on one side of the prominence segment with velocities of ≈45–65 km s−1. These eruptions compressed the boundaries of the prominence and flux rope, forming an elongated reconnection region with inflow velocities of 47–52 km s−1 and 36–49 km s−1 in the projected plane. A thin, elongated reconnection region was formed, with multiple magnetic plasma blobs propagating bidirectionally at velocities of 91–178 km s−1. These dense blobs, associated with ongoing reconnection, may also be linked to the onset of Kelvin–Helmholtz (K-H) instability. The blobs are attributed to plasmoids, moving at slower speeds (91–178 km s−1) due to the high density in the prominence segment. The dimensionless reconnection rate varied from 0.57–0.28, 0.53–0.26, and 0.41–0.20, indicating reconnection rate enhancement and supporting the forced reconnection scenario. After reconnection, the prominence plasma heated to 6 MK, releasing significant thermal energy (≈5.4 × 1027 erg), which drained cool prominence plasma and heated it to coronal temperatures. The ubiquity of jets and outflows in the solar atmosphere makes the aforementioned reconnection and possible coexistence of K-H instability potentially important for the magnetic energy release and heating in the solar atmosphere.