Abstract Magnetic reconnection is thought to be a key process in most solar eruptions. Thanks to high-resolution observations and simulations, the studied scale of the reconnection process has become smaller and smaller. Spectroscopic observations show that the reconnection site can be very small, which always exhibits a bright core and two extended wings with fast speeds, i.e., transition-region explosive events. In this paper, using the PLUTO code, we perform a 2-D magnetohydrodynamic simulation to investigate small-scale reconnection in double current sheets. Based on our simulation results, such as the line-of-sight velocity, number density and plasma temperature, we can synthesize the line profile of Si IV 1402.77 Å which is a well known emission line used to study transition-region explosive events on the Sun. The synthetic line profile of Si IV 1402.77 Å is complex with a bright core and two broad wings which can extend to nearly 200 km s−1. Our simulation results suggest that the transition-region explosive events on the Sun are produced by plasmoid instability during small-scale magnetic reconnection.

Keywords Sun: transition region — line: profiles — methods: numerical — magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)

https://doi.org/10.1088/1674–4527/19/5/67