New sites for magnetic reconnection

  • Released Tuesday, December 17th, 2019
  • Updated Wednesday, November 15th, 2023 at 12:13AM
  • ID: 4761

HD and UHD movie views of the plasma flowing along magnetic fields lines visible at 171Å.

This sequence of solar imagery from Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) reveals some observational evidence of a previously theorized alternative driver of magnetic reconnection.

Plasma flows tracing the magnetic field configuration (AIA 171Å imagery), and a nearby prominence (AIA 304Å imagery) illustrate this interchange of matter and energy. The primary event of interest occurs just above the active region on the left limb of the Sun between 14:00 and 15:00 hours UT on May 3, 2012.

HD and UHD movie views of the solar prominence visible at 304Å.

4Kx4K frames of the plasma flowing along magnetic fields lines visible at 171Å.

4Kx4K frames of the solar prominence visible at 304Å.

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NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

Missions

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