a Institut für Astronomie and Astrophysik, Universität München, D-81679, Munchen, Germany
b Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks AK 99775-7320, U.S.A.
Abstract:
We investigate magnetic reconnection in a multiple current sheet configuration by means of three-dimensional resistive MHD simulations. This configuration might be of interest in the solar corona context, e.g. for coronal helmet streamers. We present results of our simulations of the linear and nonlinear development of the tearing mode instability. In particular, we highlight the changes in magnetic topology and the resulting plasma dynamics. Our results indicate that reconnection in complex coronal neighboring magnetic flux systems efficiently converts magnetic field energy into thermal energy and leads to small-scale tongue outflows rather than large-scale coronal mass ejections.