No Arabic abstract
We report an observation of a partially erupting prominence and associated dynamical plasma processes based on observations recorded by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The prominence first goes through a slow rise (SR) phase followed by a fast rise (FR). The slow rise phase started after a couple of small brightenings seen toward the footpoints. At the turning point from SR to FR, the prominence had already become kinked. The prominence shows strong brightening at the central kink location during the start of FR. We interpret this as internal magnetic reconnection occurring at a vertical current sheet forming between the two legs of the erupting prominence (flux-rope). The brightening at the central kink location is seen in all the EUV channels of AIA. The contributions of differential emission at higher temperatures are larger compared to that for typical coronal temperatures supporting a reconnection scenario at the central kink location. The plasma above the brightening location gets ejected as a hot plasmoid-like structure embedded in a CME, and those below drain down in the form of blobs moving towards the Suns surface. The unique time resolution of the AIA has allowed all of these eruptive aspects, including SR-to-FR, kinking, central current sheet formation, plasmoid-like eruption, and filament splitting, to be observed in a single event, providing strong and comprehensive evidence in favour of the model of partially erupting flux ropes.
We report on a statistical study of prominence eruptions (PEs) using a catalog of these events routinely imaged by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in the 304 r{A} pass band. Using an algorithm developed as part of an LWS project, we have detected PEs in 304 r{A} synoptic images with 2-min cadence since May 2010. A catalog of these PEs is made available online (https://cdaw.gsfc.nasa.gov/CME_list/autope/). The 304 r{A} images are polar-transformed and divided by a background map (pixels with minimum intensity during one day) to get the ratio maps above the limb. The prominence regions are defined as pixels with a ratio $ge$2. Two prominence regions with more than 50% of pixels overlapping are considered the same prominence. If the height of a prominence increases monotonically in 5 successive images, it is considered eruptive. All the PEs seen above the limb are detected by the routine, but only PEs with width $ge$15{deg} are included in the catalog to eliminate polar jets and other small-scale mass motions. The identifications are also cross-checked with the PEs identified in Nobeyama Radioheliograph images (http://solar.nro.nao.ac.jp/norh/html/prominence/). The catalog gives the date, time, central position angle, latitude, and width of the eruptive prominence. The catalog also provides links to JavaScript movies that combine SDO/AIA images with GOES soft X-ray data to identify the associated flares, and with SOHO/LASCO C2 images to identify the associated coronal mass ejections. We examined the statistical properties of the PEs and found that the high-latitude PE speed decreased with the decreasing of the average polar magnetic field strength of the previous cycle.
A bright prominence associated with a coronal mass ejection (CME) was seen erupting from the Sun on 9 April 2008. This prominence was tracked by both the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) EUVI and COR1 telescopes, and was seen to rotate about the line of sight as it erupted; therefore, the event has been nicknamed the Cartwheel CME. The threads of the prominence in the core of the CME quite clearly indicate the structure of a weakly to moderately twisted flux rope throughout the field of view, up to heliocentric heights of 4 solar radii. Although the STEREO separation was 48 degrees, it was possible to match some sharp features in the later part of the eruption as seen in the 304 {AA} line in EUVI and in the Halpha-sensitive bandpass of COR1 by both STEREO Ahead and Behind. These features could then be traced out in three-dimensional space, and reprojected into a view in which the eruption is directed towards the observer. The reconstructed view shows that the alignment of the prominence to the vertical axis rotates as it rises up to a leading-edge height of approx 2.5 solar radii, and then remains approximately constant. The alignment at 2.5 solar radii differs by about 115 degrees from the original filament orientation inferred from H{alpha} and EUV data, and the height profile of the rotation, obtained here for the first time, shows that two thirds of the total rotation is reached within approx 0.5 solar radii above the photosphere. These features are well reproduced by numerical simulations of an unstable moderately twisted flux rope embedded in external flux with a relatively strong shear field component.
Waves have long been thought to contribute to the heating of the solar corona and the generation of the solar wind. Recent observations have demonstrated evidence of quasi-periodic longitudinal disturbances and ubiquitous transverse wave propagation in many different coronal environments. This paper investigates signatures of different types of oscillatory behaviour, both above the solar limb and on-disk, by comparing findings from the Coronal Multi-channel Polarimeter (CoMP) and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) for the same active region. We study both transverse and longitudinal motion by comparing and contrasting time-distance images of parallel and perpendicular cuts along/across active region fan loops. Comparisons between parallel space-time features in CoMP Doppler velocity and transverse oscillations in AIA images are made, together with space-time analysis of propagating quasi-periodic intensity features seen near the base of loops in AIA. Signatures of transverse motions are observed along the same magnetic structure using CoMP Doppler velocity (Vphase=600-750km/s, P=3-6mins) and in AIA/SDO above the limb (P=3-8mins). Quasi-periodic intensity features (Vphase=100-200km/s, P=6-11mins) also travel along the base of the same structure. On the disk, signatures of both transverse and longitudinal intensity features were observed by AIA; both show similar properties to signatures found along structures anchored in the same active region three days earlier above the limb. Correlated features are recovered by space-time analysis of neighbouring tracks over perpendicular distances of <2.6Mm.
We report on the variability of rotation periods of solar coronal layers with respect to temperature (or, height). For this purpose, we have used the observations from Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) telescope on board Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) space mission. The images used are at the wavelengths 94 {AA}, 131 {AA}, 171 {AA}, 193 {AA}, 211 {AA}, and 335 {AA} for the period from 2012 to 2018. Analysis of solar full disk images obtained at these wavelengths by AIA is carried out using flux modulation method. Seventeen rectangular strips/bins at equal interval of 10 degrees (extending from 80 degree South to 80 degree North on the Sun) are selected to extract a time series of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) intensity variations to obtain auto-correlation coefficient. The peak of Gaussian fit to first secondary maxima in the autocorrelogram gives synodic rotation period. Our analysis shows the differential rotation with respect to latitude as well as temperature (or, height). In the present study, we find that the sidereal rotation periods of different coronal layers decrease with increasing temperature (or, height). Average sidereal rotation period at the lowest temperature (~ 600000 Kelvin) corresponding to AIA-171 {AA} which originates from the upper transition region/quiet corona is 27.03 days. The sidereal rotation period decreases with temperature (or, height) to 25.47 days at the higher temperature (~10 million Kelvin) corresponding to the flaring regions of solar corona as seen in AIA-131 {AA} observations.
AIM: To investigate several partially-erupting prominences to study their relationship with other CME-associated phenomena and to compare these observations with observables predicted by a model of partially-expelled flux ropes (Gibson & Fan, 2006a, b). METHODS: We have studied 6 selected events with partially-erupting prominences using multi wavelength observations recorded by the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT), Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE), Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (MLSO), Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) and soft X-ray telescope (SXT). The observational features associated with partially-erupting prominences were then compared with the predicted observables from the model. RESULTS: The partially-expelled-flux-rope (PEFR) model of Gibson & Fan (2006a, b) can explain the partial eruption of these prominences, and in addition predicts a variety of other CME-related observables that provide evidence for internal reconnection during eruption. We find that all of the partially-erupting prominences studied in this paper exhibit indirect evidence for internal reconnection. Moreover, all cases showed evidence of at least one observable unique to the PEFR model, e.g., dimmings external to the source region, and/or a soft X-ray cusp overlying a reformed sigmoid. CONCLUSIONS: The PEFR model provides a plausible mechanism to explain the observed evolution of partially-erupting-prominence-associated CMEs in our study.