PRE-FLARE CORONAL JET AND EVOLUTIONARY PHASES OF A SOLAR ERUPTIVE PROMINENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE M1.8 FLARE: SDO AND RHESSI OBSERVATIONS

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal 2016-12, Vol.832 (2), p.130
• Main Authors: Joshi, Bhuwan, Kushwaha, Upendra, Veronig, Astrid M., Cho, K.-S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACCELERATION; Activation; Astrophysics; ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; BLOWOUTS; Corona; CORRELATIONS; Ejection; Eruptions; EXPANSION; EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION; FILAMENTS; Fluctuations; Flux; HELIOSPHERE; MAGNETIC RECONNECTION; Observatories; Particle acceleration; PLASMOIDS; Power law; Prominences; Solar activity; SOLAR CORONA; Solar energy; Solar observatories; SOLAR PROMINENCES; SUN; Sun: activity; Sun: corona; Sun: filaments, prominences; Sun: flares; Sun: X-rays, gamma rays; Terrestrial environments; VELOCITY; X RADIATION; X-ray emissions
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.3847/0004-637X/832/2/130

ABSTRACT We investigate the triggering, activation, and ejection of a solar eruptive prominence that occurred in a multi-polar flux system of active region NOAA 11548 on 2012 August 18 by analyzing data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager, and the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager/Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation on board the Solar Terrestrial Relation Observatory. Prior to the prominence activation, we observed striking coronal activities in the form of a blowout jet, which is associated with the rapid eruption of a cool flux rope. Furthermore, the jet-associated flux rope eruption underwent splitting and rotation during its outward expansion. These coronal activities are followed by the prominence activation during which it slowly rises with a speed of ∼12 km s−1 while the region below the prominence emits gradually varying EUV and thermal X-ray emissions. From these observations, we propose that the prominence eruption is a complex, multi-step phenomenon in which a combination of internal (tether-cutting reconnection) and external (i.e., pre-eruption coronal activities) processes are involved. The prominence underwent catastrophic loss of equilibrium with the onset of the impulsive phase of an M1.8 flare, suggesting large-scale energy release by coronal magnetic reconnection. We obtained signatures of particle acceleration in the form of power-law spectra with hard electron spectral index (δ ∼ 3) and strong HXR footpoint sources. During the impulsive phase, a hot EUV plasmoid was observed below the apex of the erupting prominence that ejected in the direction of the prominence with a speed of ∼177 km s−1. The temporal, spatial, and kinematic correlations between the erupting prominence and the plasmoid imply that the magnetic reconnection supported the fast ejection of prominence in the lower corona.