Numerical Simulations of the Magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in the Kippenhahn-Schl\"{u}ter Prominence Model

TL;DR

This study uses 3D MHD simulations to analyze the nonlinear development of magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in prominence models, revealing how buoyant plumes form and propagate under different magnetic field configurations.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the nonlinear behavior of magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability in prominence models using detailed 3D MHD simulations.

Findings

Upflows of up to 6 km/s observed in no guide field case.

Plume widths of approximately 1500 km and 900 km depending on magnetic configuration.

Nonlinear processes significantly influence plume dynamics.

Abstract

The launch of the Hinode satellite has allowed unprecedented high resolution, stable images of solar quiescent prominences to be taken over extended periods of time. These new images led to the discovery of dark upflows that propagated from the base of prominences developing highly turbulent profiles. As yet, how these flows are driven is not fully understood. To study the physics behind this phenomena we use 3-D magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations to investigate the nonlinear stability of the Kippenhahn-Shl\"{u}ter prominence model to the magnetic Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The model simulates the rise of a buoyant tube inside a quiescent prominence, where the upper boundary between the tube and prominence model is perturbed to excite the interchange of magnetic field lines. We found upflows of constant velocity (maximum found 6\,km\,s$^{-1}$) and a maximum plume width $\approx 1500$\,km which propagate through a height of approximately 6\,Mm in the no guide field case. The case with the strong guide field (initially $B_y=2B_x$) results in a large plume that rises though the prominence model at $\sim 5$\,km\,s$^{-1}$ with width $\sim 900$\,km (resulting in width of 2400\,km when viewed along the axis of the prominence) reaching a height of $\sim 3.1$\,Mm. In both cases nonlinear processes were important for determining plume dynamics.