Abstract
We develop a simple, but physically consistent, model of heating and particle acceleration by fast tearing modes, for modeling compact loop flares or erupting prominences. It is shown that there is a slow preheating, over many e -foldings of the instability, after which a rapid heating takes place in approximately one e-folding. The role of anomalous resistivity excited by the induced electric field during tearing is discussed, and how both thermal conduction and plasma expansion may play a role in cooling. Estimates for the total number of thermal and non-thermal electrons generated by one fast tearing mode are given, and it is argued that collisional tearing modes give rise to a primarily thermal plasma.
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Spicer, D.S. First phase heating and particle acceleration during solar flares by fast tearing modes. Sol Phys 71, 115–124 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00153611
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00153611