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Yadan Duan

Publications and source records attributed to Yadan Duan.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Observational Evidence of Solar Spicules Associated with Microfilament Eruptions Using DKIST

The formation mechanism of spicules is fundamentally important for understanding mass and energy transport from the chromosphere into the corona. Recent studies suggested that spicules may be powered by microfilament eruptions. However, direct observational evidence remains limited due to insufficient spatial resolution. Using high-resolution H$\alpha$ broadband observations from the Visible Broadband Imager (VBI) onboard the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST), we identify 30 spicule events triggered by microfilament eruptions in a quiet Sun region near the solar disk center on 2023 August 29. The detected microfilaments have an average length of $0.93\pm0.46$ Mm and a minimum length of 0.17 Mm, substantially smaller than previously reported minifilaments. We identify two distinct morphological classes of ejecta: individual spicules associated with smaller microfilaments, and enhanced spicular activities associated with larger microfilaments. Moreover, some events exhibit apparent twisting motions. All these high-resolution observations provide compelling evidence that spicules can be triggered by microfilament eruptions.

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Repeated Sunspot Light Bridge Jets Associated with Slipping Base Brightenings

Light bridge (LB) jets offer a unique window into small-scale eruptive phenomena within sunspots, the Sun's strongest magnetic environments; however, their generation mechanism remains a subject of debate. Using high-resolution observations from the New Vacuum Solar Telescope (NVST), we investigated six recurrent light bridge jets and the slipping motions of their jet base points (JBPs). Analogous to coronal jets, our observations show that these LB jets are characterized by a preceding JBP followed by a collimated jet spire. The JBP of each repeated jet along the LB displays apparent slipping motion at velocities of 0.6-1.5 km/s, which is temporally correlated with quasi-periodic enhanced photospheric horizontal motion of 1.3-6.5 km/s. Following the slipping JBPs, the resulting jet spires' fronts display similar slipping behaviors within the upper solar atmosphere. The Chinese Ha Solar Explorer (CHASE) reveals Ellerman-bomb-like spectral signatures at the JBPs, confirming that magnetic reconnection is operating at the jet base. Based on these results, we propose that repeated 3D reconnection occurring between the horizontal LB field and the ambient vertical umbral field may drive these LB jets. This process appears to be driven and/or modulated by quasi-periodic horizontal motion fueled by convective upflows and the transport of magnetic flux along the light bridge. This work suggests that some LB jets share a common reconnection-driven mechanism with coronal jets and provides direct evidence of slipping reconnection occurring along the sunspot light bridge.

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Quasiperiodic Slipping Motion of Flare Ribbon Fine Structures Anchored in a Sunspot Light Bridge

We used high-resolution observations from the New Vacuum Solar Telescope and the Solar Dynamics Observatory to carry out a detailed multiwavelength analysis of the fine structures in the flare ribbon of a C3.9-class flare on 22 April 2021. A segment of the flare ribbon was rooted in a sunspot light bridge and exhibited discrete substructures, which we term "burrs", with equivalent diameters of 233-895 km and inter-core separations of 1129-1739 km. These structures are characterized by discrete redshifted cores accompanied by "tails" with lengths of 700-1370 km and widths of 310-600 km that show faint blueshifts. The burrs display systematic slipping motions along the ribbon, with apparent velocities decreasing from about 40 to 21 km/s, and show a distinct quasi-periodicity of about 6 minutes in H-alpha and EUV passbands. Differential emission measure analysis indicates that the emitting plasma is multi-thermal and dominated by temperatures of 1-2 MK. The observed morphology and kinematics are consistent with impulsive energy deposition by precipitating plasmoids, or oblique flux ropes, produced by tearing-mode fragmentation in the coronal current sheet. The close spatiotemporal association between the tails and blueshifts supports the interpretation that these features are related to untwisting magnetic flux ropes. The approximately 6-minute periodicity further suggests that the reconnection process may be modulated by photospheric p-mode oscillations coupled with tearing-mode instability. These results provide observational evidence that light-bridge-anchored fine structures can act as elementary units of flare energy release.

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The fine dynamics in homologous and recurrent jets induced by persistent rising loops and mini-filaments

Jets are common eruptive phenomena in the solar atmosphere which may occur repeatedly. Many studies of their fine dynamics have been conducted. However, the fine dynamics of persistent interactions among various features that drive recurrent coronal jets have not been studied in detail. In this paper, we use observations from the Solar Orbiter to report persistent interactions between rising loops/mini-filaments and a fan-spine-like structure, which produced more than 22 ejections. Many loops and mini-filaments under the fan-spine-like structure rose with speeds of $8 - 58\,\mathrm{km~s^{-1}}$ and an average of $27\,\mathrm{km~s^{-1}}$. These rising loops and mini-filaments interacted with the fan-spine-like structure successively, producing ejections with speeds ranging from 25 to 186\,\rm km\,s$^{-1}$ and an average at $80\,\rm km~s^{-1}$. We observed the fine dynamics of the drivers of these recurrent jets in detail, including partial eruption of mini-filaments, formation of a new mini-filament by contraction of remaining threads from the partially-erupted mini-filament, and interaction between rising loops (or mini-filaments) and the fan-spine-like structure. Brightenings appeared near the footpoint of these rising structures, followed by the formation of current sheets. Some arcades at the outflow region contracted with speeds of around $10\,\rm km~s^{-1}$, and the outflow region moved at around $8\,\rm km~s^{-1}$ toward the opposite direction. Bright blobs were observed in the current sheets, and they propagated at speeds averaging at $21\,\rm km\,s^{-1}$ and had an average width of 296\,km. We emphasize the vital roles of persistent rising loops and/or mini-filaments in producing recurrent jets by interacting with the fan-like structure, and show their detailed dynamics with unprecedentedly-high-resolution observations.

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Fine Structure and Formation Mechanism of a Sunspot Bipolar Light Bridge in NOAA AR 13663

Bipolar Light Bridges (BLBs) are bright regions located between sunspot umbrae of opposite magnetic polarity. They are typically characterized by strong magnetic fields and intense flows, which are believed to be closely associated with major solar flares. Despite their importance, their fine structure, formation and evolution remain poorly understood. In this work, we analyze the observations of a well-defined BLB obtained by the Goode Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory and the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The high-resolution GST observations reveal that the BLB is composed of fine, penumbral filament-like structures with widths of approximately 100-150 km. The corresponding Doppler velocity maps present a stable pattern of spatially adjacent red- and blueshifted patches within the BLB throughout the 5.5-hour GST observation. HMI observations show that the BLB arises from the converging and shearing motions of sunspots with opposite polarities. Penumbral regions originating from different polarities gradually evolve and interact, eventually forming the BLB. The observed Doppler velocity pattern, characterized by red- and blueshifted patches, can be interpreted as a projection effect of the Evershed flow within the penumbrae. Therefore, we argue that the BLB is formed through the compression and stretching of penumbral structures from oppositely polarized sunspots.

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Solar jet-induced perturbation propagating through coronal loops and in-loop electron beam transport indicated by type II and type N radio bursts

Solar type II radio bursts are commonly attributed to coronal shocks driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs). However, some metric type II bursts have occasionally been reported to occur in the absence of a CME and to be associated with weak solar activities. This study aims to identify the driver of the coronal shock in this kind of type II event. We investigate a high-frequency metric type II burst with clear band splitting, observed simultaneously by the Chashan Broadband Solar radio spectrograph and the Nan\c{c}ay Radioheliograph. It is associated with a C3.1-class flare and a small-scale jet, but without a detectable CME in the coronagraphs. The type II burst is preceded by multiple type III bursts, one of which exhibits characteristics of a type N burst. The type II burst source is associated with the jet-induced perturbation front propagating through nearby closed loops at a speed of $\sim$880 km s$^{-1}$, rather than the much slower jet front. This suggests that the disturbance initiated by the jet can convert to a shock wave within low Alfv\'enic coronal loops, providing the necessary conditions for electron acceleration and subsequent radio emission. Our findings offer new insights into the formation mechanism of high-frequency type II bursts associated with weak flares and jets.

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Resolving Interchange Reconnection Dynamics in a Fan-Spine-like Topology Observed by Solar Orbiter

Interchange reconnection is believed to play a significant role in the production of solar jets and solar wind. However, the dynamics of interchange reconnection in the low corona might be more complex than recognized before in higher temporal and spatial resolutions. Using unprecedentedly high-resolution observations from the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) onboard the Solar Orbiter, we analyze the dynamics of interchange reconnection in a small-scale fan-spine-like topology. Interchange reconnection that continuously occurs around the multi-null points of the fan-spine-like system exhibits a quasi-periodicity of ~200 s, nearly covering the entire evolution of this system. Continuous evolution and reversal of multiple current sheets are observed over time near the null point. These results reveal that the dynamics of interchange reconnection are likely modulated by the emerging magnetic structures, such as mini-filaments and emerging arcades. Moreover, a curtain-like feature with a width of 1.7 Mm is also observed near the interchange reconnection region and persistently generates outflows, which is similar to the separatrix curtain reported in the pseudo-streamer structure. This study not only demonstrates the complex and variable reconnection dynamics of interchange reconnection within small-scale fan-spine topology but also provides insights into the self-similarity of magnetic field configurations across multiple temporal and spatial scales.

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Witnessing Magnetic Reconnection in Tangled Superpenumbral Fibrils Around a Sunspot

Three-dimensional magnetic reconnection is a fundamental plasma process crucial for heating the solar corona and generating the solar wind, but resolving and characterizing it on the Sun remains challenging. Using high-quality data from the Chinese New Vacuum Solar Telescope, the Solar Dynamics Observatory, and the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, this work presents highly suggestive direct imaging evidence of magnetic reconnection during the untangling of braided magnetic structures above a sunspot. These magnetic structures, visible as bright superpenumbral threads in extreme ultraviolet passbands, initially bridge opposite-polarity magnetic fluxes and then gradually tangle in their middle section. Magnetic extrapolation reveals the fibrils to form a small flux rope that is twisted and braided, possibly created by persistent and complex photospheric motions. During untangling, repetitive reconnection events occur inside the flux rope, accompanied by transient plasma heating, bidirectional outflowing blobs, and signatures of nanojets. Emission analysis reveals that the outflowing blobs are multi-thermal structures with temperatures well below 1 MK, undergoing rapid cooling and leaving emission imprints in H{\alpha} images. The measured reconnection angles indicate that 16%-22% of the magnetic field along each thread is anti-parallel, with the remaining field acting as a guide field. The estimated energy released during these reconnection events is comparable to nanoflares, which can be powered by up to 6% of the magnetic energy stored in the anti-parallel field. This work presents a textbook example of magnetic flux rope reconnection in the solar atmosphere, providing new insights into fine-scale energy release processes within sunspot superpenumbral fibrils.

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Reconnection nanojets in an erupting solar filament with unprecedented high speeds

Solar nanojets are small-scale jets generated by component magnetic reconnection, characterized by collimated plasma motion perpendicular to the reconnecting magnetic field lines. As an indicator of nanoflare events, they are believed to play a significant role in coronal heating. Using high-resolution extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) imaging observations from the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) onboard the Solar Orbiter mission, we identified 27 nanojets in an erupting filament on September 30, 2024. They are potentially associated with the untwisting of magnetic field lines of the filament. Most nanojets exhibit velocities around 450 km s$^{-1}$, with the fastest reaching approximately 800 km s$^{-1}$, significantly higher than previously reported but comparable to the typical coronal Alfv\'en speed. To our knowledge, these are the highest speeds ever reported for small-scale jets (less than ~1 Mm wide) in the solar atmosphere. Our findings suggest that these nanoflare-type phenomena can be more dynamic than previously recognized and may contribute to the energy release process of solar eruptions and the heating of coronal active regions.

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Ubiquitous Small-scale EUV Upflow-Like Events above Network Regions Observed by the Solar Orbiter/Extreme Ultraviolet Imager

Universal small-scale solar activity in quiet region are suggested to be a potential source of solar wind and the upper solar atmosphere. Here, with the high-resoltion 174 \AA~imaging observations from the Solar Orbiter/Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), we investigate 59 EUV upflow-like events observed in the quiet Sun. Their average apparent (plane-of-sky) velocity, lifetime, and propagation distance are measured as 62 $\speed$, 68.6 s and 3.94 Mm, respectively. These upflow-like events exhibit dynamic characteristics but lack base brightening, featuring a hot front and subsequent cold plasma ejection. 39\% of the EUV upflow-like events exhibit recurrent characteristics. Unprecedented high-resolution 174 \AA~observations reveal that some EUV upflow-like events exhibit blob-like fine structures and multi-strand evolutionary features, and some upflow-like events can cause localized haze-like plasma heating ahead of their spire region during the ejection process. A subset of the EUV upflow-like events covered by the Solar Dynamics Observatory reveals that they appear at the chromospheric networks. Through emission measure analysis, we found that these upflow-like events eject hot plasma of transient region or coronal temperature (an average of $\sim$10$^{5.5}$K). We suggest that EUV upflow-like events may be EUV counterparts of chromospheric spicules and/or transition region network jets, and play a role in heating localized corona above the network regions.

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Fast Downflows Observed during a Polar Crown Filament Eruption

Solar filaments can undergo eruptions and result in the formation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which could significantly impact planetary space environments. Observations of eruptions involving polar crown filaments, situated in the polar regions of the Sun, are limited. In this study, we report a polar crown filament eruption (SOL2023-06-12), characterized by fast downflows below the filament. The downflows appear instantly after the onset of the filament eruption and persist for approximately 2 hours, exhibiting plane-of-sky (POS) velocities ranging between 92 and 144 km s$^{-1}$. They originate from the leading edge of the filament and no clear acceleration is observed. Intriguingly, these downflows appear at two distinct sites, symmetrically positioned at the opposite ends of the conjugate flare ribbons. Based on the observations, we propose that the filament might be supported by a magnetic flux rope (MFR), and these downflows possibly occur along the legs of the MFR. The downflows likely result from continuous reconnections between the MFR and the overlying magnetic field structures, and could either be reconnection outflows or redirected filament materials. We also observed horizontal drifting of the locations of downflows, which might correspond to the MFR's footpoint drifting. This type of downflows can potentially be utilized to track the footpoints of MFRs during eruptions.

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On the Determining Physical Factor of Jet-Related Coronal Mass Ejection's Morphology in the High Corona

A solar jet can often cause coronal mass ejections (CMEs) with different morphologies in the high corona, for example, jet-like CMEs, bubble-like CMEs, and so-called twin CMEs that include a pair of simultaneous jet-like and bubble-like CMEs. However, what determines the morphology of a jet-related CME is still an open question. Using high spatiotemporal resolution stereoscopic observations taken by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) from October 2010 to December 2012, we performed a statistical study of jet-related CMEs to study the potential physical factors that determine the morphology of CMEs in the outer corona. Our statistical sample includes 16 jet-related CME events of which 7 are twin CME events and 9 are jet-like narrow CMEs. We find that all CMEs in our sample were accompanied by filament-driven blowout jets and Type III radio bursts during their initial formation and involved magnetic reconnection between filament channels and the surrounding magnetic fields. Most of our cases occurred in a fan-spine magnetic configuration. Our study suggests that the bubble-like components of twin CMEs lacking an obvious core are related to the expansion of the closed-loop systems next to the fan-spine topology, while the jet-like component is from the coronal extension of the jet plasma along open fields. Based on the statistical results, we conclude that the morphology of jet-related CMEs in the high corona may be related to the filament length and the initial magnetic null point height of the fan-spine structures.

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Formation of Fan-spine Magnetic Topology through Flux Emergence and Subsequent Jet Production

Fan-spine magnetic structure, as a fundamental three-dimensional topology in magnetic reconnection theory, plays a crucial role in producing solar jets. However, how fan-spine configurations form in the solar atmosphere remains elusive. Using the Chinese H$α$ Solar Explorer (CHASE) and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), we present a case study on the complete buildup of fan-spine topology driven by flux emergence and the subsequent jet production. Two fan-spine structures and the two associated null points are present. Variations in null-point heights and locations were tracked over time during flux emergence. The north fan-spine structure is found to be created through magnetic reconnection between the newly emerged flux and the background field. Gentle reconnection persistently occurs after formation of the north fan-spine structure, resulting in weak plasma outflows. Subsequently, as flux emergence and magnetic helicity injection continue, the formation and eruption of mini-filaments after reconnection at the quasi-separatrix layer between the two nulls trigger three homologous jets. The CHASE observations reveal that the circular flare ribbon, inner bright patch, and remote brightening all exhibit redshifted signatures during these jet ejections. This work unveils the key role of flux emergence in the formation of fan-spine topology, and highlights the importance of mini-filaments for subsequent jet production.

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Double-decker Pair of Flux Ropes Formed by Two Successive Tether-cutting Eruptions

Double-decker filaments and their eruptions have been widely observed in recent years, but their physical formation mechanism is still unclear. Using high spatiotemporal resolution, multi-wavelength observations taken by the New Vacuum Solar Telescope and the Solar Dynamics Observatory, we show the formation of a double-decker pair of flux rope system by two successive tether-cutting eruptions in a bipolar active region. Due to the combined effect of photospheric shearing and convergence motions around the active region's polarity inversion line (PIL), the arms of two overlapping inverse-S-shaped short filaments reconnected at their intersection, which created a simultaneous upward-moving magnetic flux rope (MFR) and a downward-moving post-flare-loop (PFL) system striding the PIL. Meanwhile, four bright flare ribbons appeared at the footpoints of the newly formed MFR and the PFL. As the MFR rose, two elongated flare ribbons connected by a relatively larger PFL appeared on either side of the PIL. After a few minutes, another MFR formed in the same way at the same location and then erupted in the same direction as the first one. Detailed observational results suggest that the eruption of the first MFR might experienced a short pause before its successful eruption, while the second MFR was a failed eruption. This implies that the two newly formed MFRs might reach a new equilibrium at relatively higher heights for a while, which can be regarded as a transient double-decker flux rope system. The observations can well be explained by the tether-cutting model, and we propose that two successive confined tether-cutting eruptions can naturally produce a double-decker flux rope system, especially when the background coronal magnetic field has a saddle-like distribution of magnetic decay index profile in height.

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Stereoscopic Observation of Simultaneous Longitudinal and Transverse Oscillations in a Single Filament Driven by Two-sided-loop Jet

We report the first observations of simultaneous large-amplitude longitudinal and transverse oscillations of a quiescent filament trigged by a two-sided-loop jet formed by the magnetic reconnection between the filament and an emerging loop in the filament channel, recorded by the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory. The north arm of the jet firstly pushed the filament mass moving northwardly along the magnetic field lines consisting of the coronal cavity, then some elevated filament mass fell back and started to oscillate longitudinally at the bottom of the cavity (i.e., the magnetic dip). The northernmost part of the filament also showed transverse oscillation simultaneously. The amplitude and period of the longitudinal (transverse) oscillation are 12.96 (2.99) Mm and 1.18 (0.33) hours, respectively. By using the method of filament seismology, the radius of curvature of the magnetic dip is about 151 Mm, consistent with that obtained by the 3D reconstruction (166 Mm). Using different physical parameters of the observed longitudinal and transverse oscillations, the magnetic field strength of the filament is estimated to be about 23 and 21 Gauss, respectively. By calculating the energy of the moving filament mass, the minimum energy of the jet is estimated to be about 1.96 x 10^28 erg. We conclude that the newly formed jet can not only trigger simultaneous longitudinal and transverse oscillations in a single filament, but also can be used as a seismology tool for diagnosing filament information, such as the magnetic structure, magnetic field strength, and magnetic twists.

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Macrospicules and Their Connection to Magnetic Reconnection in the Lower Atmosphere

Solar macrospicules are beam-like cool plasma ejections of size in-between spicules and coronal jets, which can elucidate potential connections between plasma jetting activity at different scales. With high-resolution observations from the {\em New Vacuum Solar Telescope} and Solar Dynamic Observatory, we investigate the origin of five groups of recurrent active-region macrospicules. Before the launch of each macrospicule, we detect a compact bright patch (BP) at its base where a newly emerging dipole contacts and cancel with the pre-existing ambient field. The spectral diagnosis from the {\em Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph} at one of BPs reveals signatures of reconnection at the lower atmosphere. Multiwavelength imaging of these BPs show that they mainly occur at the rising phase of the flux emergence and slowly ascend from the lower to the upper chromosphere. Remarkable macrospicules occur and fade out once the BPs appear and decay from the AIA 304 A images, respectively. We suggest that these macrospicules and related BPs form in a common reconnection process, in which the increasing reconnection height between the emerging dipole and the ambient field results in the observed variations from BPs to macrospicules. Interestingly, most macrospicules show similar characteristics to larger-scale coronal jets and/or smaller-scale spicules, i.e., the rotating motions, the presence of minifilaments and BPs before the eruptions, and magnetic flux emergence and cancellation. We conclude that the formation mechanism of macrospicules should be the same as spicules and coronal jets, i.e., solar jetting phenomena at different scales share the same physical mechanism in association with magnetic reconnection.

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Recurrent narrow quasi-periodic fast-propagating wave trains excited by the intermittent energy release in the accompanying solar flare

About the driven mechanisms of the quasi-periodic fast-propagating (QFP) wave trains, there exist two dominant competing physical explanations: associated with the flaring energy release or attributed to the waveguide dispersion. Employing Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) 171 A images, we investigated a series of QFP wave trains composed of multiple wavefronts propagating along a loop system during the accompanying flare on 2011 November 11. The wave trains showed a high correlation in start time with the energy release of the accompanying flare. Measurements show that the wave trains phase speed is almost consistent with its group speed with a value of about 1000 km s-1, indicating that the wave trains should not be dispersed waves. The period of the wave trains was the same as that of the oscillatory signal in X ray emissions released by the flare. Thus we propose that the QFP wave trains were most likely triggered by the flare rather than by dispersion. We investigated the seismological application with the QFP waves and then obtained that the magnetic field strength of the waveguide was about 10 Gauss. Meanwhile, we also estimated that the energy flux of the wave trains was about 1.2X105 erg cm-2 s-1.

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White-light QFP Wave Train and the Associated Failed Breakout Eruption

Quasi-periodic fast-propagating (QFP) magnetosonic wave trains are commonly observed in the low corona at extreme ultraviolet wavelength bands. Here, we report the first white-light imaging observation of a QFP wave train propagating outwardly in the outer corona ranging from 2 to 4 solar Radii. The wave train was recorded by the Large Angle Spectroscopic Coronagraph on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, and it was associated with a GOES M1.5 flare in NOAA active region AR12172 at the southwest limb of the solar disk. Measurements show that the speed and period of the wave train were about 218 km/s and 26 minutes, respectively. The extreme ultraviolet imaging observations taken by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory reveals that in the low corona the QFP wave train was associated with the failed eruption of a breakout magnetic system consisting of three low-lying closed loop systems enclosed by a high-lying large-scale one. Data analysis results show that the failed eruption of the breakout magnetic system was mainly because of the magnetic reconnection occurred between the two sided low-lying closed-loop systems. This reconnection enhances the confinement capacity of the magnetic breakout system because the upward-moving reconnected loops continuously feed new magnetic fluxes to the high-lying large-scale loop system. For the generation of the QFP wave train, we propose that it could be excited by the intermittent energy pulses released by the quasi-periodic generation, rapid stretching and expansion of the upward-moving, strongly bent reconnected loops.

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