Particle Acceleration in a Three-Dimensional Model of Reconnecting Coronal Magnetic Fields

Particle acceleration in large-scale turbulent coronal magnetic fields is considered. Using test particle calculations, it is shown that both cellular automata and three dimensional MHD models lead to the production of relativistic particles on sub-second timescales with power law distribution functions. In distinction with the monolithic current sheet models for solar flares, particles gain energy by multiple interactions with many current sheets. Difficulties that need to be addressed, such as feedback between particle acceleration and MHD, are discussed.