High cadence , multiwavelength , optical observations of a solar active region are presented , obtained with the Swedish Solar Telescope .
Two magnetic bright points are seen to separate in opposite directions at a constant velocity of 2.8Â kms ^ { -1 } .
After a separation distance of \approx 4400Â km is reached , multiple Ellerman bombs are observed in both H \alpha and Ca-K images .
As a result of the Ellerman bombs , periodic velocity perturbations in the vicinity of the magnetic neutral line , derived from simultaneous mdi data , are generated with amplitude \pm 6Â kms ^ { -1 } and wavelength \approx 1000Â km .
The velocity oscillations are followed by an impulsive brightening visible in H \alpha and Ca-K , with a peak intensity enhancement of 63 % .
We interpret these velocity perturbations as the magnetic field deformation necessary to trigger forced reconnection .
A time delay of \approx 3Â min between the H \alpha -wing and Ca-K observations indicate that the observed magnetic reconnection occurs at a height of \sim 200Â km above the solar surface .
These observations are consistent with theoretical predictions and provide the first observational evidence of microflare activity driven by forced magnetic reconnection .