Magnetic reconnection as the origin of galactic-ridge x-ray emission

We present a scenario for the origin of the hot plasma in our Galaxy as a m odel of strong X-ray emission [similar to 3 - 10 keV; L-X (2 - 10 keV) simi lar to 10(38) erg s(-1)], called Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission (GRXE), whic h has been observed near to the galactic plane. GRXE is thermal emission fr om a hot component (similar to 7 keV) and a cool component (similar to 0 8 keV). Observations suggest that the hot component is diffuse, and that it i s not escaping away freely. Both what heats the hot component and what conf ines it in the galactic ridge still remain puzzling, while the cool compone nt is believed to be created by supernovae. We propose a new scenario: the hot component is heated by magnetic reconnection, and confined by a helical magnetic field produced by magnetic reconnection. We solved two-dimensiona l magnetohydrodynamic equations numerically to study how magnetic reconnect ion, triggered by a supernova explosion, creates hot plasmas and magnetic i slands (helical tubes), and how the magnetic islands confine the hot plasma s in the Galaxy. This is one of the possible mechanisms to trigger reconnec tion in the Galaxy. We conclude that magnetic reconnection is able to heat the GRXE plasma if the magnetic field is localized in an intense flux tube with B-local similar to 30 mu G.