“Bursty” Reconnection Following Solar Eruptions: MHD Simulations and Comparison with Observations

Abstract

Posteruptive arcades are frequently seen in the aftermath of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The formation of these loops at successively higher altitudes, coupled with the classic two-ribbon flare seen in H$α$, are interpreted as reconnection of the coronal magnetic field that has been dragged outward by the CME. White-light observations of rays, which have been interpreted as being coincident with the current sheet at the reconnection site underneath the erupting CME, also provide evidence for its occurrence. Blobs occasionally seen within these rays suggest an even richer level of structure. In this report, we present numerical simulations that reproduce both the observed rays and the formation and evolution of the blobs. We compare their properties with SOHO/LASCO observations of similar structures, and relate their formation to standard theories of reconnection.