Abstract

Strong radio emission of energetic electrons is observed in some solar flares. The origin of energetic electrons is, however, not fully known. In this letter we suggest that oblique shocks are created in reconnection jets in solar flares, and that energetic electrons are accelerated by shocks. We examine 2D MHD simulations of magnetic reconnection with high spacial resolution by assuming an anomalous resistivity model. As a result, magnetic reconnection is found to occur after a secondary tearing instability at the current sheet. We find that, during nonsteady Petschek reconnection, oblique shocks are created by an even mode of the Kelvin–Helmholtz-like instability in the reconnection jet when we assume an anomalous resistivity model. Furthermore, bursty, time-dependent reconnection ejects many plasmoids from the diffusion region, and creates shocks. We suggest that these shocks can be possible sites of particle acceleration in solar flares.

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