A failed filament eruption inside a coronal mass ejection in active region 11121

TL;DR

This study analyzes a failed filament eruption within a coronal mass ejection in active region 11121, highlighting the magnetic processes and instabilities involved, with implications for understanding solar eruptions and their failures.

Contribution

It provides detailed observational evidence supporting the magnetic breakout model and suggests the MHD helical kink instability as a formation mechanism for flux ropes in failed eruptions.

Findings

Eruption was triggered by quadrupolar reconnection in the corona.

The filament exhibited a helical twist and inverse γ-shape, indicating kink instability.

Large overlying magnetic loops prevented the eruption from escaping.

Abstract

We study the formation and evolution of a failed filament eruption observed in NOAA active region 11121 near the southeast limb on November 6, 2010. We use a time series of SDO/AIA 304, 171, 131, 193, 335, 94 {\AA} images, SDO/HMI magnetograms, plus ROSA and ISOON H\alpha images, to study the erupting active region. We identify coronal loop arcades associated with a quadrupolar magnetic configuration, and show that the expansion and cancelation of the central loop arcade system over the filament is followed by the eruption of the filament. The erupting filament reveals a clear helical twist and develops a same sign of writhe in the form of inverse \gamma-shape. The observations support the "magnetic breakout" process with the eruption been triggered by quadrupolar reconnection in the corona. We suggest that the formation mechanism of the inverse \gamma-shape flux rope may be the MHD helical kink instability. The eruption has failed due to the large-scale, closed, overlying magnetic loop arcade that encloses the active region.