Pre-flare coronal jet and evolutionary phases of a solar eruptive prominence associated with M1.8 flare: SDO and RHESSI observations

Abstract

We investigate 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 AIA on board SDO, RHESSI, and EUVI/SECCHI on board STEREO. Prior to the prominence activation, we observed striking coronal activities in the form of a blowout jet which is associated with rapid eruption of a cool flux rope. Further, 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 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 (delta ~ 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. 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.

17 pages, 10 figures, The Astrophysical Journal

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• Large-scale contraction and subsequent disruption of coronal loops during various phases of the M6.2 flare associated with the confined flux rope eruption
• Multi-wavelength signatures of magnetic reconnection of a flare associated coronal mass ejection

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• Sequential Lid Removal in a Triple-Decker Chain of CME-Producing Solar Eruptions
• A Study of a long duration B9 flare-CME event and associated piston-driven shock
• A Hot Cusp-Shaped Confined Solar Flare
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• A Transient Coronal Sigmoid in Active Region NOAA 11909: Build-up Phase, M-class Eruptive Flare, and Associated Fast Coronal Mass Ejection
• Evolution of magnetic fields and energy release processes during homologous eruptive flares
• HEL1OS -- A Hard X-ray Spectrometer on Board Aditya-L1