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arXiv · 2606.13953

Twisted-pair unilateral reconnection: A unifying driver for magnetically powered astrophysical bursts

Shu-Ping Yan·Wenhui Yu·Jing Ye·Siming Liu·Yang Su·Huirong Yan·Ping Zhang·Guotianci Xu·Jun Lin·Haisheng Ji·Zongjun Ning·Wei Chen·Li Ji·Jingxing Wang
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Abstract

Magnetic reconnection in twisted loops has long been invoked as an engine powering energetic transients from black hole accretion to neutron star mergers, yet never directly observed. Here we report the first direct observation of the complete reconnection of this type in a solar flare. We find a magnetic loop twisted to about 540 degrees, far exceeding the 180 degrees twist assumed in existing simulations. This extreme twist inherently enables efficient multiple X-line reconnection, akin to the role of turbulence in contemporary theory. Remarkably, the intertwined end breaks unilaterally after reconnection (unlike symmetric breaking in simulations), forming open field lines that release hot plasma -- providing a promising mechanism for coronal generation or heating. We first detect hard X-ray emission from the current sheet, directly proving it as a particle accelerator. Moreover, we discover a power-law relationship between quasi-periodic oscillation frequency and magnetic field strength across solar flares, black hole binaries, active galactic nuclei, magnetars, and gamma-ray bursts. This relation identifies twisted-pair unilateral reconnection as a common burst mechanism and provides a natural ruler for cosmic magnetic fields. These findings establish an observational foundation for future reconnection theory and simulations, offering a unified framework for magnetically powered bursts.

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Shu-Ping Yan, Wenhui Yu, Jing Ye, Siming Liu, Yang Su, Huirong Yan, Ping Zhang, Guotianci Xu, Jun Lin, Haisheng Ji, Zongjun Ning, Wei Chen, Li Ji, Jingxing Wang. 2026-06-11. Twisted-pair unilateral reconnection: A unifying driver for magnetically powered astrophysical bursts. https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.13953

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