Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Apr 1997
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1997apj...479..448g&link_type=abstract
Astrophysical Journal v.479, p.448
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
54
Sun: Activity, Sun: Chromosphere, Sun: Magnetic Fields, Sun: Prominences
Scientific paper
We present observations of the early stages of formation of a filament channel when a compact activity complex emerged in a previously quiet, near-equatorial area. In a few hours, and while flux was rising rapidly in one bipolar component in the complex, H alpha fine structure overlying a polarity inversion zone organized into a conspicuous pattern of parallel fibrils enclosing the trailing end of the new activity complex. Yet it took another 4 days for a stable filament to form inside that pattern. It did so at a place where migrating positive polarity flux from the new activity complex contacted the negative polarity flux in a plage of an adjacent decaying bipolar active region. In contrast, no filament formed along an existing channel inside the adjacent decaying region; the opposite-polarity fluxes on the borders of the existing channel showed no signs of convergence. We attribute the fibril-aligning forces in the new channel to the horizontal component of an extended nonpotential magnetic field caused by currents in the multipolar activity complex. The channel is, in this view, an elementary part of the magnetic topology of an activity complex. We propose that the later formation of the filament in the new channel requires an additional and separate process. A plausible candidate for this second step is the development of a current sheet at the site of converging magnetic flux.
Gaizauskas Victor
Kovacs Agnes
Sweetland C.
Zirker Jack B.
No associations
LandOfFree
Formation of a Solar Filament Channel does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Formation of a Solar Filament Channel, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Formation of a Solar Filament Channel will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1316707