THE POWER OUTPUT OF SPINE AND FAN MAGNETIC RECONNECTION SOLUTIONS

The ability of three-dimensional magnetic ''spine'' and ''fan'' reconn ection solutions to provide flarelike energy release is discussed. It is pointed out, on the basis of exact analytic solutions, that fast di ssipation is possible only if the hydromagnetic pressure in the reconn ection region becomes unbounded in the limit of small plasma resistivi ties. The implication is that some ''saturation'' of the power output is inevitable for realistic coronal plasmas. Estimates of the saturate d power, based on limiting the flux pileup in the field, suggest that the geometry of the spine reconnection mechanism precludes significant flare energy release. However, the current sheet structures involved in fan reconnection seem able to release sufficient magnetic energy fa st enough to account for modest flares, even under the conservative as sumption of classical plasma resistivities.