Magnetic reconnection at the sun

Theoretical models of magnetic reconnection processes in the sun are reviewed and illustrated with diagrams, drawings, graphs, and visual and X-ray images. Topics examined include pathways to reconnection (nonlinear development of tearing instabilities; ideal versus resistive instability; and Petschek-Sonnerup, supercritical/flux-pile-up, and impulsive-bursty regimes of fast reconnection), quiescent solar prominences, coronal heating, (wave heating and tearing turbulence in slowly evolving fields), and solar flares (observations, small flares with emerging flux, and large two-ribbon flares). Some important similarities between solar and magnetospheric phenomena are indicated. 83 references