1,657 research outputs found
Coronal mass ejections from the same active region cluster: Two different perspectives
The cluster formed by active regions (ARs) NOAA 11121 and 11123,
approximately located on the solar central meridian on 11 November 2010, is of
great scientific interest. This complex was the site of violent flux emergence
and the source of a series of Earth-directed events on the same day. The onset
of the events was nearly simultaneously observed by the Atmospheric Imaging
Assembly (AIA) telescope aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and the
Extreme-Ultraviolet Imagers (EUVI) on the Sun-Earth Connection Coronal and
Heliospheric Investigation (SECCHI) suite of telescopes onboard the
Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) twin spacecraft. The
progression of these events in the low corona was tracked by the Large Angle
Spectroscopic Coronagraphs (LASCO) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric
Observatory (SOHO) and the SECCHI/COR coronagraphs on STEREO. SDO and SOHO
imagers provided data from the Earth's perspective, whilst the STEREO twin
instruments procured images from the orthogonal directions. This spatial
configuration of spacecraft allowed optimum simultaneous observations of the AR
cluster and the coronal mass ejections that originated in it. Quadrature
coronal observations provided by STEREO revealed a notably large amount of
ejective events compared to those detected from Earth's perspective.
Furthermore, joint observations by SDO/AIA and STEREO/SECCHI EUVI of the source
region indicate that all events classified by GOES as X-ray flares had an
ejective coronal counterpart in quadrature observations. These results have
direct impact on current space weather forecasting because of the probable
missing alarms when there is a lack of solar observations in a view direction
perpendicular to the Sun-Earth line.Comment: Solar Physics - Accepted for publication 2015-Apr-25 v2: Corrected
metadat
Topological Analysis of Emerging Bipole Clusters Producing Violent Solar Events
During the rising phase of Solar Cycle 24 tremendous activity occurred on the
Sun with fast and compact emergence of magnetic flux leading to bursts of
flares (C to M and even X-class). We investigate the violent events occurring
in the cluster of two active regions (ARs), NOAA numbers 11121 and 11123,
observed in November 2010 with instruments onboard the {\it Solar Dynamics
Observatory} and from Earth. Within one day the total magnetic flux increased
by with the emergence of new groups of bipoles in AR 11123. From all the
events on 11 November, we study, in particular, the ones starting at around
07:16 UT in GOES soft X-ray data and the brightenings preceding them. A
magnetic-field topological analysis indicates the presence of null points,
associated separatrices and quasi-separatrix layers (QSLs) where magnetic
reconnection is prone to occur. The presence of null points is confirmed by a
linear and a non-linear force-free magnetic-field model. Their locations and
general characteristics are similar in both modelling approaches, which
supports their robustness. However, in order to explain the full extension of
the analysed event brightenings, which are not restricted to the photospheric
traces of the null separatrices, we compute the locations of QSLs. Based on
this more complete topological analysis, we propose a scenario to explain the
origin of a low-energy event preceding a filament eruption, which is
accompanied by a two-ribbon flare, and a consecutive confined flare in AR
11123. The results of our topology computation can also explain the locations
of flare ribbons in two other events, one preceding and one following the ones
at 07:16 UT. Finally, this study provides further examples where flare-ribbon
locations can be explained when compared to QSLs and only, partially, when
using separatrices.Comment: 42 pages, 15 figure
Open questions on prominences from coordinated observations by IRIS, Hinode, SDO/AIA, THEMIS, and the Meudon/MSDP
Context. A large prominence was observed on September 24, 2013, for three
hours (12:12 UT -15:12 UT) with the newly launched (June 2013) Interface Region
Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), THEMIS (Tenerife), the Hinode Solar Optical
Telescope (SOT), the Solar Dynamic Observatory Atmospheric Imaging Assembly
(SDO/AIA), and the Multichannel Subtractive Double Pass spectrograph (MSDP) in
the Meudon Solar Tower. Aims. The aim of this work is to study the dynamics of
the prominence fine structures in multiple wavelengths to understand their
formation. Methods. The spectrographs IRIS and MSDP provided line profiles with
a high cadence in Mg II and in Halpha lines. Results. The magnetic field is
found to be globally horizontal with a relatively weak field strength (8-15
Gauss). The Ca II movie reveals turbulent-like motion that is not organized in
specific parts of the prominence. On the other hand, the Mg II line profiles
show multiple peaks well separated in wavelength. Each peak corresponds to a
Gaussian profile, and not to a reversed profile as was expected by the present
non-LTE radiative transfer modeling. Conclusions. Turbulent fields on top of
the macroscopic horizontal component of the magnetic field supporting the
prominence give rise to the complex dynamics of the plasma. The plasma with the
high velocities (70 km/s to 100 km/s if we take into account the transverse
velocities) may correspond to condensation of plasma along more or less
horizontal threads of the arch-shape structure visible in 304 A. The steady
flows (5 km/s) would correspond to a more quiescent plasma (cool and
prominence-corona transition region) of the prominence packed into dips in
horizontal magnetic field lines. The very weak secondary peaks in the Mg II
profiles may reflect the turbulent nature of parts of the prominence.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figure
3D evolution of a filament disappearance event observed by STEREO
A filament disappearance event was observed on 22 May 2008 during our recent
campaign JOP 178. The filament, situated in the southern hemisphere, showed
sinistral chirality consistent with the hemispheric rule. The event was well
observed by several observatories in particular by THEMIS. One day before the
disappearance, H observations showed up and down flows in adjacent
locations along the filament, which suggest plasma motions along twisted flux
rope. THEMIS and GONG observations show shearing photospheric motions leading
to magnetic flux canceling around barbs. STEREO A, B spacecraft with separation
angle 52.4 degrees, showed quite different views of this untwisting flux rope
in He II 304 \AA\ images. Here, we reconstruct the 3D geometry of the filament
during its eruption phase using STEREO EUV He II 304 \AA\ images and find that
the filament was highly inclined to the solar normal. The He II 304 \AA\ movies
show individual threads, which oscillate and rise to an altitude of about 120
Mm with apparent velocities of about 100 km s, during the rapid
evolution phase. Finally, as the flux rope expands into the corona, the
filament disappears by becoming optically thin to undetectable levels. No CME
was detected by STEREO, only a faint CME was recorded by LASCO at the beginning
of the disappearance phase at 02:00 UT, which could be due to partial filament
eruption. Further, STEREO Fe XII 195 \AA\ images showed bright loops beneath
the filament prior to the disappearance phase, suggesting magnetic reconnection
below the flux rope
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