Photospheric Response to an Ellerman Bomb-like Event-An Analogy of Sunrise/IMaX Observations and MHD Simulations

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal. Supplement series Vol. 229; no. 1; p. 5
• Main Authors: Danilovic, S., Solanki, S. K., Barthol, P., Gandorfer, A., Gizon, L., Hirzberger, J., Riethmüller, T. L., van Noort, M., Rodríguez, J. Blanco, Del Toro Iniesta, J. C., Suárez, D. Orozco, Schmidt, W., Pillet, V. Martínez, Knölker, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The American Astronomical Society 01.03.2017
• Subjects: Analogies; ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; HEATING; IRON IONS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETIC RECONNECTION; MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS; MHD; PHOTOSPHERE; Simulation; SPATIAL RESOLUTION; SUN; Sun: activity; Sun: magnetic fields; Sun: photosphere; Sunrise; techniques: photometric; THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS; VELOCITY
• ISSN: 0067-0049; 1538-4365
• DOI: 10.3847/1538-4365/229/1/5

Ellerman Bombs are signatures of magnetic reconnection, which is an important physical process in the solar atmosphere. How and where they occur is a subject of debate. In this paper, we analyze Sunrise/IMaX data, along with 3D MHD simulations that aim to reproduce the exact scenario proposed for the formation of these features. Although the observed event seems to be more dynamic and violent than the simulated one, simulations clearly confirm the basic scenario for the production of EBs. The simulations also reveal the full complexity of the underlying process. The simulated observations show that the Fe i 525.02 nm line gives no information on the height where reconnection takes place. It can only give clues about the heating in the aftermath of the reconnection. However, the information on the magnetic field vector and velocity at this spatial resolution is extremely valuable because it shows what numerical models miss and how they can be improved.