Particle acceleration in a transient magnetic reconnection event

Context. In the present paper, we investigate particle acceleration by direct electric field in solar flares. Aims. Proton and electron kinetics are considered based on MHD simulations of magnetic reconnection, with the aim of determining the properties of accelerated particles in a time-dependent reconnecting event model. Methods. At first, we considered several two-dimensional numerical models of forced reconnection in the initially force-free Harris current sheet. The electric and magnetic fields from these models were then used to study proton and electron motion with the guiding centre, test particle approach. Results. It is shown that protons and electrons can be accelerated to very high energies up to tens of MeV in the present model. The energy spectra for both particle species are combinations of exponential and rather hard power-law shapes. Also, protons and electrons are ejected from the CS in different directions.