The evolution of solar magnetic arcades is investigated with the use of MHD simulations imposing resistivity on sheared magnetic fields. It is found that there is a critical amount of shear, over which magnetic reconnection can take place ill an arcade-like field geometry to create a magnetic island. The process leading to reconnect ion cannot. be solely attributed to a tearing instability, but rather to a reactive evolution of the magnetic arcade under resistivity. The natures of the arcade reconnection are governed by the spatial pattern of resistivity. A fast reconnection with a small shock angle can only be achieved when the diffusion region is localized. In this case. a highly collimated reconnect ion outflow can tear the plasmoid into a pair, and most of principal features in solar eruptive processes are reproduced.

• G. S. CHOE(Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University)