Observation of interactions and eruptions of two filaments

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2007

Abstract

We present new observations of the interactions of two close, but distinct, Hα filaments and their successive eruptions on 5 November 1998. The magnetic fields of the filaments are both of the sinistral type. The interactions between the two filaments were initiated mainly by an active filament of one of them. Before the filament eruptions, two dark plasma ejections and chromospheric brightenings were observed. They indicate that possible magnetic reconnection had occurred between the two filaments. During the first filament eruption, salient dark mass motions transferring from the left erupting filament into the right one were observed. The right filament erupted 40 minutes later. This second filament eruption may have been the result of a loss of stability owing to the sudden mass injection from the left filament. Based on the Hα observations, we have created a sketch for understanding the interactions between two filaments and accompanying activities. The traditional theory of filament merger requires that the filaments share the same filament channel and that the reconnection occurs between the two heads, as simulated by DeVore, Antiochos, and Aulanier (Astrophys. J. 629, 1122, 2005; 646, 1349, 2006). Our interpretation is that the external bodily magnetic reconnection between flux ropes of the same chirality is another possible way for two filament bodies to coalesce. © 2007 Springer.

Identifier

34547154645 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Solar Physics

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-007-0213-y

e-ISSN

1573093X

ISSN

00380938

First Page

53

Last Page

63

Issue

1-2

Volume

242

Grant

2006CB806301

Fund Ref

National Science Foundation

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