Launch of a CME-associated eruptive prominence as observed with IRIS and ancillary instruments

International audienceAims. In this paper we focus on the possible observational signatures of the processes which have been put forward for explaining eruptive prominences. We also try to understand the variations in the physical conditions of eruptive prominences and estimate the masses leaving the Sun versus the masses returning to the Sun during eruptive prominences. Methods. As far as velocities are concerned, we combined an optical flow method on the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) 304 Å and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). Mg ii h&k observations in order to derive the plane-of-sky velocities in the prominence, and a Doppler technique on the IRIS Mg ii h&k profiles to compute the line-of-sight velocities. As far as densities are concerned, we compared the absolute observed intensities with values derived from non-local thermodynamic equilibrium radiative transfer computations to derive the total (hydrogen) density and consequently compute the mass flows. Results. The derived electron densities range from 1.3 × 10 9 to 6.0 × 10 10 cm −3 and the derived total hydrogen densities range from 1.5 × 10 9 to 2.4 × 10 11 cm −3 in different regions of the prominence. The mean temperature is around 1.1 × 10 4 K, which is higher than in quiescent prominences. The ionization degree is in the range of 0.1-10. The total (hydrogen) mass is in the range of 1.3 × 10 14-3.2 × 10 14 g. The total mass drainage from the prominence to the solar surface during the whole observation time of IRIS is about one order of magnitude smaller than the total mass of the prominence

Some relationships between radiative and atmospheric quantities through 1D NLTE modeling of prominences in the Mg II lines

International audienceContext. With more than four years of IRIS observations, and in order to avoid building customized diagnostics for each observation, it is useful to derive some simple relations between spectra and physical quantities. This is even more useful for the k and h lines of Mg II, which require complex non-local-thermodynamic-equilibrium NLTE treatments.Aims. The aim of this work concerning prominences is to correlate observable spectral features in h and k lines of Mg II to physical quantities such as the density and the emission measure (EM) in the same way as similar correlations have been obtained in the hydrogen lines. In this way, and within approximations done on some parameters such as temperature, it is possible to build pixel by pixel an IRIS map of the above-mentioned quantities.Methods. In order to simplify and shorten the modeling, we chose to compute one-dimensional (1D) isothermal and isobaric models that are treated with the PROM7 NLTE code available at MEDOC (IAS). We built a set of models with large ranges of temperature, pressure, and thickness. At all altitudes considered, we paid attention to the exact computation of the incident radiation. Then we compared the emergent Mg II h and k intensities with the corresponding hydrogen and electron densities and EMs.Results. From the NLTE computation, we derive correlations between the k and h emergent intensities on one hand and the densities and EM on the other hand. With some assumptions on the temperature, we obtain a unique relation between the k (and h) intensities and the EM that should be useful for deriving either the hydrogen and electron densities or the effective thickness of an observed prominence.Conclusions. From NLTE modeling, we have provided a relationship between observable integrated intensities of the Mg II resonance lines and prominence plasma EM, which will contribute to a first-order analysis of long time series of spectroscopic observations, for example, with IRIS. We anticipate building more complex relations between the profiles and other plasma quantities

On the ultraviolet signatures of small scale heating in coronal loops

Studying the statistical properties of solar ultraviolet emission lines could provide information about the nature of small scale coronal heating. We expand on previous work to investigate these properties. We study whether the predicted statistical distribution of ion emission line intensities produced by a specified heating function is affected by the isoelectronic sequence to which the ion belongs, as well as the characteristic temperature at which it was formed. Particular emphasis is placed on the strong resonance lines belonging to the lithium isoelectronic sequence. Predictions for emission lines observed by existing space-based UV spectrometers are given. The effects on the statistics of a line when observed with a wide-band imaging instrument rather than a spectrometer are also investigated. We use a hydrodynamic model to simulate the UV emission of a loop system heated by nanoflares on small, spatially unresolved scales. We select lines emitted at similar temperatures but belonging to different isoelectronic groups: Fe IX and Ne VIII, Fe XII and Mg X, Fe XVII, Fe XIX and Fe XXIV. Our simulations confirm previous results that almost all lines have an intensity distribution that follows a power-law, in a similar way to the heating function. However, only the high temperature lines best preserve the heating function's power law index (Fe XIX being the best ion in the case presented here). The Li isoelectronic lines have different statistical properties with respect to the lines from other sequences, due to the extended high temperature tail of their contribution functions. However, this is not the case for Fe XXIV which may be used as a diagnostic of the coronal heating function. We also show that the power-law index of the heating function is effectively preserved when a line is observed by a wide-band imaging instrument rather than a spectromenter

Profiles of heating in turbulent coronal magnetic loops

Context: The location of coronal heating in magnetic loops has been the subject of a long-lasting controversy: does it occur mostly at the loop footpoints, at the top, is it random, or is the average profile uniform? Aims: We try to address this question in model loops with MHD turbulence and a profile of density and/or magnetic field along the loop. Methods: We use the ShellAtm MHD turbulent heating model described in Buchlin & Velli (2006), with a static mass density stratification obtained by the HydRad model (Bradshaw & Mason 2003). This assumes the absence of any flow or heat conduction subsequent to the dynamic heating. Results: The average profile of heating is quasi-uniform, unless there is an expansion of the flux tube (non-uniform axial magnetic field) or the variation of the kinetic and magnetic diffusion coefficients with temperature is taken into account: in the first case the heating is enhanced at footpoints, whereas in the second case it is enhanced where the dominant diffusion coefficient is enhanced. Conclusions: These simulations shed light on the consequences on heating profiles of the complex interactions between physical effects involved in a non-uniform turbulent coronal loop.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure

Investigating the Origin of the First Ionization Potential Effect With a Shell Turbulence Model

International audienceThe enrichment of coronal loops and the slow solar wind with elements that have low First Ionization Potential, known as the FIP effect, has often been interpreted as the tracer of a common origin. A current explanation for this FIP fractionation rests on the influence of ponderomotive forces and turbulent mixing acting at the top of the chromosphere. The implied wave transport and turbulence mechanisms are also key to wave-driven coronal heating and solar wind acceleration models. This work makes use of a shell turbulence model run on open and closed magnetic field lines of the solar corona to investigate with a unified approach the influence of magnetic topology, turbulence amplitude and dissipation on the FIP fractionation. We try in particular to assess whether there is a clear distinction between the FIP effect on closed and open field regions

Kinematics and helicity evolution of a loop-like eruptive prominence

We aim at investigating the morphology, kinematic and helicity evolution of a loop-like prominence during its eruption. We use multi-instrument observations from AIA/SDO, EUVI/STEREO and LASCO/SoHO. The kinematic, morphological, geometrical, and helicity evolution of a loop-like eruptive prominence are studied in the context of the magnetic flux rope model of solar prominences. The prominence eruption evolved as a height expanding twisted loop with both legs anchored in the chromosphere of a plage area. The eruption process consists of a prominence activation, acceleration, and a phase of constant velocity. The prominence body was composed of left-hand (counter-clockwise) twisted threads around the main prominence axis. The twist during the eruption was estimated at 6pi (3 turns). The prominence reached a maximum height of 526 Mm before contracting to its primary location and partially reformed in the same place two days after the eruption. This ejection, however, triggered a CME seen in LASCO C2. The prominence was located in the northern periphery of the CME magnetic field configuration and, therefore, the background magnetic field was asymmetric with respect to the filament position. The physical conditions of the falling plasma blobs were analysed with respect to the prominence kinematics. The same sign of the prominence body twist and writhe, as well as the amount of twisting above the critical value of 2pi after the activation phase indicate that possibly conditions for kink instability were present. No signature of magnetic reconnection was observed anywhere in the prominence body and its surroundings. The filament/prominence descent following the eruption and its partial reformation at the same place two days later suggest a confined type of eruption. The asymmetric background magnetic field possibly played an important role in the failed eruption.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, in press in A&

A statistical study of SUMER spectral images: events, turbulence, and intermittency

We analyze a series of full-Sun observations, which was performed with the SoHO/SUMER instrument between March and October 1996. Some parameters (radiance, shift and width) of the S VI 93.3 nm, S VI 94.4 nm, and Lyman Epsilon line profiles were computed on board. Radiances and line-of-sight velocities in a large central region of the Sun are studied statistically: distributions of solar structures, field Fourier spectra and structure functions are obtained. The structures have distributions with power-law tails, the Fourier spectra of the radiance fields also display power laws, and the normalized structure functions of the radiance and velocity fields increase at small scales. These results support the idea of the existence of small scales, created by turbulence, and of intermittency of the observed fields. These properties may provide insight into the processes needed for heating the transition region, or, if confirmed in the corona, the corona itself. The difficulties encountered in this analysis, especially for the velocity data, underline the needs for sensitive ultraviolet imaging spectrometers.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, Astronomy & Astrophysics, in pres

Infrared thermography study of heat transfer in an array of slot jets

Abstract The paper describes a study of convective heat transfer in a multiple-jet systems composed of straight and inclined slot nozzles. The application concerned is the fast cooling of moving strip. The experimental approach involves the application of infrared thermography associated with the steady-state heated foil technique. The study aims to determine the effect on the average heat transfer coefficient of the slot Reynolds number up to the value of 100000, the nozzle spacing normalised by the slot hydraulic diameter in the range 6 ≤ W/S ≤ 18, the normalised nozzle protrusion length, E/S, from 5 to 17 and the normalised nozzle to strip standoff distance Z/S from 3 to 10. The geometrical arrangements tested include perpendicular (90º) and tilted (60º) nozzles.The experimental findings are compared with existing correlation; deviations, which are observed at high values of the Reynolds number may reach 25%. Jet merging phenomenon is experimentally observed a low W/S-values

Extreme-ultraviolet brightenings in the quiet Sun: Signatures in spectral and imaging data from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

CONTEXT: Localised transient EUV brightenings, sometimes named ‘campfires’, occur throughout the quiet Sun. However, there are still many open questions about these events, in particular regarding their temperature range and dynamics. AIM: We aim to determine whether any transition region response can be detected for small-scale extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) brightenings and, if so, to identify whether the measured spectra correspond to any previously reported bursts in the transition region, such as explosive events (EEs). METHODS: EUV brightenings were detected in a ∼29.4 min dataset sampled by the Solar Orbiter Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on 8 March 2022 using an automated detection algorithm. Any potential transition region response was inferred through analysis of imaging and spectral data sampled through coordinated observations conducted by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS). RESULTS: EUV brightenings display a range of responses in IRIS slit-jaw imager (SJI) data. Some events have clear signatures in the Mg II and Si IV SJI filters, whilst others have no discernible counterpart. Both extended and more complex EUV brightenings are sometimes found to have responses in IRIS SJI data. Examples of EUI intensities peaking before, during, and after their IRIS counterparts were found in light curves constructed co-spatial to EUV brightenings. Importantly, therefore, it is likely that not all EUV brightenings are driven in the same way, with some events seemingly being magnetic reconnection driven and others not. A single EUV brightening occurred co-spatial to the IRIS slit, with the returned spectra matching the properties of EEs. CONCLUSIONS: EUV brightening is a term used to describe a range of small-scale events in the solar corona. The physics behind all EUV brightenings is likely not the same. More research is therefore required to assess their importance for global questions in the field, such as coronal heating