Publication detail

Dynamics of Large-scale Coronal Structures as Imaged during the 2012 and 2013 Total Solar Eclipses

NATHALIA, A. HABBAL, S. DRUCKMÜLLER, M. EMMANOUILIDIS, C. MORGAN, H.

Original Title

Dynamics of Large-scale Coronal Structures as Imaged during the 2012 and 2013 Total Solar Eclipses

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

White light images acquired at the peak of solar activity cycle 24, during the total solar eclipses of 2012 November 13 and 2013 November 3, serendipitously captured erupting prominences accompanied by CMEs. Application of state-of-the-art image processing techniques revealed the intricate details of two "atypical" large-scale structures, with strikingly sharp boundaries. By complementing the processed white light eclipse images with processed images from co-temporal Solar Dynamics Observatory/AIA and SOHO/LASCO observations, we show how the shape of these atypical structures matches the shape of faint CME shock fronts, which traversed the inner corona a few hours prior to the eclipse observations. The two events were not associated with any prominence eruption but were triggered by sudden brightening events on the solar surface accompanied by sprays and jets. The discovery of the indelible impact that frequent and innocuous transient events in the low corona can have on large-scale coronal structures was enabled by the radial span of the high-resolution white light eclipse images, starting from the solar surface out to several solar radii, currently unmatched by any coronagraphic instrumentation. These findings raise the interesting question as to whether large-scale coronal structures can ever be considered stationary. They also point to the existence of a much larger number of CMEs that goes undetected from the suite of instrumentation currently observing the Sun.

Keywords

Sun, corona, CME, filament, prominence

Authors

NATHALIA, A.; HABBAL, S.; DRUCKMÜLLER, M.; EMMANOUILIDIS, C.; MORGAN, H.

Released

17. 11. 2017

Publisher

IOP PUBLISHING

Location

TEMPLE CIRCUS, TEMPLE WAY, BRISTOL BS1 6BE, ENGLAND

ISBN

1538-4357

Periodical

Astrophysical Journal

Year of study

848

Number

84

State

United States of America

Pages from

84

Pages to

93

Pages count

9

URL

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aa8cd2

BibTex

@article{BUT144765,
  author="Alzate {Nathalia} and Shadia Rifai {Habbal} and Miloslav {Druckmüller} and Constantinos {Emmanouilidis} and Huw {Morgan}",
  title="Dynamics of Large-scale Coronal Structures as Imaged during the 2012 and 2013 Total Solar Eclipses",
  journal="Astrophysical Journal",
  year="2017",
  volume="848",
  number="84",
  pages="84--93",
  doi="10.3847/1538-4357/aa8cd2",
  issn="1538-4357",
  url="http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/aa8cd2"
}