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Last updated September 29, 2024

Solar Prominences: Filaments of Matter in the Solar Atmosphere

Solar Prominence: Filaments of Matter in the Solar Atmosphere

Solar Prominences: Magnetic Structures

Solar prominences are spectacular magnetic structures that appear in the solar corona, composed mainly of dense and relatively cool plasma (about 10,000 K) compared to the coronal environment (1 to 3 million K). These filaments of solar material can persist for several weeks before disintegrating or being ejected into space as solar flares.

Formation and Magnetic Structure

Prominences form in the active regions of the Sun where magnetic fields are particularly intense. Their stability is ensured by the balance between several forces:

The magnetic configuration can be described by the Lorentz force equation: \[ \mathbf{F} = q(\mathbf{E} + \mathbf{v} \times \mathbf{B}) \] where \( q \) is the charge of the plasma, \( \mathbf{v} \) its velocity, \( \mathbf{E} \) the electric field, and \( \mathbf{B} \) the magnetic field.

Classification of Prominences

There are mainly two types of prominences:

  1. Quiescent prominences: Stable, can last several months
  2. Eruptive prominences: Unstable, often lead to coronal mass ejections
Compared characteristics of solar prominences
TypeLifespanTypical height (km)Temperature (K)
Quiescent1-6 months50,000 - 100,0005,000 - 10,000
EruptiveMinutes to daysUp to 500,00010,000 - 50,000

The Enigma of Coronal Heating

Solar prominences play a key role in one of the great enigmas of solar physics: the mechanism of coronal heating that reaches temperatures of 1 to 3 million kelvins, while the visible surface (photosphere) does not exceed 5800 K. This inverse thermal gradient defies the classical laws of thermodynamics.

Explanatory Hypotheses

Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this phenomenon:

Role of Prominences

Prominences act as tracers of coronal processes:

Comparison of heating mechanisms
MechanismSpatial scaleEnergy per eventFrequency
MHD wavesGlobal (≈ 50 Mm)1017 - 1019 WContinuous
Reconnection1 - 10 Mm1020 - 1023 JDaily
Nanoflares≈ 100 km1024 J106/day

Source: Living Reviews in Solar Physics (2013)

Observation and Scientific Importance

Prominences are mainly observed:

Their study allows a better understanding of:

Solar prominences, although studied for over a century, continue to fascinate solar physicists with their magnetic complexity and their role in space weather. Their complete understanding still requires theoretical and observational advances, particularly thanks to new space missions dedicated to the study of the Sun.

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