Formation of the Coronal Cloud Prominences Inside Magnetic Funnels
Abstract
We describe observations of coronal cloud prominences with the Solar Dynamics Observatory and STEREO. Observations of this phenomenon during the month of September 2012, in similar locations but over widely separated periods, are used to investigate the reasons for the appearance of coronal cloud prominces at different times in the same location. In particular, we focus on the large scale structure of the background magnetic field. Using a potential field source-surface extrapolation to compute the coronal field from photospheric maps, we find that coronal cloud prominences always form after filament eruptions and CMEs have occurred nearby. The location of the cloud prominence coincides with a magnetic field region which appears to be open but rapidly expanding, an open field with a funnel structure. Part of the plasma from the neighboring eruption falling back towards the sun is captured and accumulates in these field regions of strong expansion of the field. The plasma suspension at heights of 0.3 Rs, coinciding with the largest gradients in the field naturally lead to a diamagnetic hypothesis for the force counteracting gravity. We study the evolution of the funnel-like open fields during several solar rotations and find a direct relation between funnels and the presence of coronal clouds at great heights in the solar corona.
- Publication:
-
SDO-3: Exploring the Network of SDO Science
- Pub Date:
- March 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013enss.confE..94P
- Keywords:
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- SDO;
- SDO-7;
- SDO 7;
- SDO Workshop;
- 2013 LWS/SDO Science Workshop;
- Solar Dynamic Observatory