Observations of Plasma Blob Ejection from a Quiescent Prominence by Hinode SOT

We report findings from 0.2" resolution observations of the 2007 October 03 quiescent prominence observed with the Solar Optical Telescope on the Hinode satellite. The observations show clear ejections from the top of the quiescent prominence of plasma blobs. The ejections, originating from the top of rising prominence threads, are impulsively accelerated to Alfvenic velocities and then undergo ballistic motion. The ejections have a characteristic size between ~ 1000 - 2000 km. These characteristics are similar to downwardly propagating knots (typical size ~ 700 km) that have been observed in prominence threads, we suggest that the plasma blob ejections could be the upward moving counterpart to the downwardly propagating knots. We discuss the tearing instability as a possible mechanism to explain the ejections.Comment: 9 Pages, 4 Figures, Accepted for publication in PASJ letter

Initiation of CME event observed on November 3, 2010: Multi-wavelength Perspective

One of the major unsolved problems in Solar Physics is that of CME initiation. In this paper, we have studied the initiation of a flare associated CME which occurred on 2010 November 03 using multi-wavelength observations recorded by Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI). We report an observation of an inflow structure initially in 304~{\AA} and in 1600~{\AA} images, a few seconds later. This inflow strucure was detected as one of the legs of the CME. We also observed a non-thermal compact source concurrent and near co-spatial with the brightening and movement of the inflow structure. The appearance of this compact non-thermal source, brightening and movement of the inflow structure and the subsequent outward movement of the CME structure in the corona led us to conclude that the CME initiation was caused by magnetic reconnection.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, Accepted for Publication in The Astrophysical Journa