On the Relationship Between a Hot-channel-like Solar Magnetic Flux Rope and its embedded Prominence

TL;DR

This study analyzes a solar eruption event, revealing that hot-channel magnetic flux ropes are likely the core structures of eruptions, with kink instability playing a key role in triggering flares and prominence dynamics.

Contribution

It provides observational evidence linking hot-channel flux ropes to magnetic flux ropes and highlights the role of kink instability in solar eruptions.

Findings

Hot-channel and prominence initially cospatial

Kink instability coincides with flare onset

Hot-channel likely the magnetic flux rope system

Abstract

Magnetic flux rope (MFR) is a coherent and helical magnetic field structure that is recently found probably to appear as an elongated hot-channel prior to a solar eruption. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between the hot-channel and associated prominence through analyzing a limb event on 2011 September 12. In the early rise phase, the hot-channel was cospatial with the prominence initially. It then quickly expanded, resulting in a separation of the top of the hot-channel from that of the prominence. Meanwhile, both of them experienced an instantaneous morphology transformation from a $\Lambda$ shape to a reversed-Y shape and the top of these two structures showed an exponential increase in height. These features are a good indication for the occurrence of the kink instability. Moreover, the onset of the kink instability is found to coincide in time with the impulsive enhancement of the flare emission underneath the hot-channel, suggesting that the ideal kink instability likely also plays an important role in triggering the fast flare reconnection besides initiating the impulsive acceleration of the hot-channel and distorting its morphology. We conclude that the hot-channel is most likely the MFR system and the prominence only corresponds to the cool materials that are collected in the bottom of the helical field lines of the MFR against the gravity.