Spatially Separated Electron and Proton Beams in a Simulated Solar Coronal Jet

Pallister, Ross; Wyper, Peter F.; Pontin, David I.; DeVore, C. Richard; Chiti, Federica

Abstract

Magnetic reconnection is widely accepted to be a major contributor to nonthermal particle acceleration in the solar atmosphere. In this paper we investigate particle acceleration during the impulsive phase of a coronal jet, which involves bursty reconnection at a magnetic null point. A test-particle approach is employed, using electromagnetic fields from a magnetohydrodynamic simulation of such a jet. Protons and electrons are found to be accelerated nonthermally both downwards toward the domain's lower boundary and the solar photosphere, and outwards along the axis of the coronal jet and into the heliosphere. A key finding is that a circular ribbon of particle deposition on the photosphere is predicted, with the protons and electrons concentrated in different parts of the ribbon. Furthermore, the outgoing protons and electrons form two spatially separated beams parallel to the axis of the jet, signatures that may be observable in in-situ observations of the heliosphere.

Citation

Pallister, R., Wyper, P. F., Pontin, D. I., DeVore, C. R., & Chiti, F. (2021). Spatially Separated Electron and Proton Beams in a Simulated Solar Coronal Jet. Astrophysical Journal, 923(2), Article 163. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac2e6d

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Dec 20, 2021
• Publication Date: Dec 20, 2021
• Deposit Date: Dec 23, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 4, 2022
• Journal: Astrophysical Journal
• Print ISSN: 0004-637X
• Electronic ISSN: 1538-4357
• Publisher: American Astronomical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 923
• Issue: 2
• Article Number: 163
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac2e6d
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1221621