No Arabic abstract
A highly important aspect of solar activity is the coupling between eruptions and the surrounding coronal magnetic-field topology, which determines the trajectory and morphology of the event and can even lead to sympathetic eruptions from multiple sources. In this paper, we report on a numerical simulation of a new type of coupled eruption, in which a coronal jet initiated by a large pseudostreamer filament eruption triggers a streamer-blowout coronal mass ejection (CME) from the neighboring helmet streamer. Our configuration has a large opposite-polarity region positioned between the polar coronal hole and a small equatorial coronal hole, forming a pseudostreamer flanked by the coronal holes and the helmet streamer. Further out, the pseudostreamer stalk takes the shape of an extended arc in the heliosphere. We energize the system by applying photospheric shear along a section of the polarity inversion line within the pseudostreamer. The resulting sheared-arcade filament channel develops a flux rope that eventually erupts as a classic coronal-hole-type jet. However, the enhanced breakout reconnection above the channel as the jet is launched progresses into the neighboring helmet streamer, partially launching the jet along closed helmet streamer field lines and blowing out the streamer top to produce a classic bubble-like CME. This CME is strongly deflected from the jets initial trajectory and contains a mixture of open and closed magnetic field lines. We present the detailed dynamics of this new type of coupled eruption, its underlying mechanisms and the implications of this work for the interpretation of in-situ and remote-sensing observations.
We report on the first observation of a single hybrid magnetic structure that contains both a pseudostreamer and a double helmet streamer. This structure was originally observed by the SWAP instrument aboard the PROBA2 satellite between 5 and 10~May~2013. It consists of a pair of filament channels near the south pole of the sun. On the western edge of the structure, the magnetic morphology above the filaments is that of a side-by-side double helmet streamer, with open field between the two channels. On the eastern edge, the magnetic morphology is that of a coronal pseudostreamer without the central open field. We investigated this structure with multiple observations and modelling techniques. We describe the topology and dynamic consequences of such a unified structure.
Recent studies show that active-region (AR) upflowing plasma, observed by the EUV-Imaging Spectrometer (EIS), onboard Hinode, can gain access to open field-lines and be released into the solar wind (SW) via magnetic-interchange reconnection at magnetic null-points in pseudo-streamer configurations. When only one bipolar AR is present on the Sun and it is fully covered by the separatrix of a streamer, such as AR 10978 in December 2007, it seems unlikely that the upflowing AR plasma can find its way into the slow SW. However, signatures of plasma with AR composition have been found at 1 AU by Culhane et al. (2014) apparently originating from the West of AR 10978. We present a detailed topology analysis of AR 10978 and the surrounding large-scale corona based on a potential-field source-surface (PFSS) model. Our study shows that it is possible for the AR plasma to get around the streamer separatrix and be released into the SW via magnetic reconnection, occurring in at least two main steps. We analyse data from the Nanc{c}ay Radioheliograph (NRH) searching for evidence of the chain of magnetic reconnections proposed. We find a noise storm above the AR and several varying sources at 150.9 MHz. Their locations suggest that they could be associated with particles accelerated during the first-step reconnection process and at a null point well outside of the AR. However, we find no evidence of the second-step reconnection in the radio data. Our results demonstrate that even when it appears highly improbable for the AR plasma to reach the SW, indirect channels involving a sequence of reconnections can make it possible.
Sympathetic eruptions on the Sun have been observed for several decades, but the mechanisms by which one eruption can trigger another one remain poorly understood. We present a 3D MHD simulation that suggests two possible magnetic trigger mechanisms for sympathetic eruptions. We consider a configuration that contains two coronal flux ropes located within a pseudo-streamer and one rope located next to it. A sequence of eruptions is initiated by triggering the eruption of the flux rope next to the streamer. The expansion of the rope leads to two consecutive reconnection events, each of which triggers the eruption of a flux rope by removing a sufficient amount of overlying flux. The simulation qualitatively reproduces important aspects of the global sympathetic event on 2010 August 1 and provides a scenario for so-called twin filament eruptions. The suggested mechanisms are applicable also for sympathetic eruptions occurring in other magnetic configurations.
Context. Prominence eruptions provide key observations to understand the launch of coronal mass ejections as their cold plasma traces a part of the unstable magnetic configuration. Aims. We select a well observed case to derive observational constraints for eruption models. Methods. We analyze the prominence eruption and loop expansion and contraction observed on 02 March 2015 associated with a GOES M3.7 class flare (SOL2015-03-02T15:27) using the data from Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI). We study the prominence eruption and the evolution of loops using the time-distance techniques. Results. The source region is a decaying bipolar active region where magnetic flux cancellation is present for several days before the eruption. AIA observations locate the erupting prominence within a flux rope viewed along its local axis direction. We identify and quantify the motion of loops in contraction and expansion located on the side of the erupting flux rope. Finally, RHESSI hard X-ray observations identify the loop top and two foot-point sources. Conclusions. Both AIA and RHESSI observations support the standard model of eruptive flares. The contraction occurs 19 minutes after the start of the prominence eruption indicating that this contraction is not associated with the eruption driver. Rather, this prominence eruption is compatible with an unstable flux rope where the contraction and expansion of the lateral loop is the consequence of a side vortex developing after the flux rope is launched.
Multiple-ribbon flares are usually complex in their magnetic topologies and eruption mechanisms. In this paper, we investigate an X2.1 flare (SOL2015-03-11T16:22) that occurred in active region 12297 near the center of the solar disk by both potential and nonlinear force-free field models extrapolated with the data observed by the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We calculate the three-dimensional squashing degree distribution. The results reveal that there are two flux ropes in this active region, covered by a large scale hyperbolic flux tube (HFT), which is the intersection of quasi-separatrix layers with a null point embedded in it. When the background magnetic field diminishes due to the separation of the northwest dipole and the flux cancellation, the central flux rope rises up forming the two brightest central ribbons. It then squeezes the upper lying HFT structure to generate further brightenings. This very energetic flare with a complex shape is accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME). We adopt the simplified line-tied force-balance equation of the current ring model and assign the observed value of the decay index to the equation to simulate the acceleration profile of the CME in the early stage. It is found that the path with an inclination of $45^circ$ from radial best fits the profile of the actual acceleration.