Large-scale contraction and subsequent disruption of coronal loops during various phases of the M6.2 flare associated with the confined flux rope eruption

TL;DR

This study provides a detailed multi-wavelength analysis of a confined M6.2 solar flare, revealing large-scale coronal loop contraction, localized heating, and complex evolution of erupting prominence without a CME, highlighting the dynamics of confined eruptions.

Contribution

It offers new insights into the contraction and confinement processes of coronal loops during a solar flare, supported by multi-wavelength observations and spectral analysis.

Findings

Coronal loops contracted by ~20 Mm over 30 min before flare onset.

Localized heating and non-thermal electron acceleration observed in the core region.

Erupting prominence was confined, not resulting in a CME, with evidence of hot plasma blobs.

Abstract

We present a detailed multi-wavelength study of the M6.2 flare which was associated with a confined eruption of a prominence using TRACE, RHESSI, and NoRH observations. The pre-flare phase of this event is characterized by spectacular large-scale contraction of overlying extreme ultraviolet (EUV) coronal loops during which the loop system was subjected to an altitude decrease of ~20 Mm for an extended span of ~30 min. This contraction phase is accompanied by sequential EUV brightenings associated with hard X-ray (HXR) (up to 25 keV) and microwave (MW) sources from low-lying loops in the core of the flaring region which together with X-ray spectra indicate strong localized heating in the source region before the filament activation and associated M-class flare. With the onset of the impulsive phase of the M6.2 flare, we detect HXR and MW sources that exhibit intricate temporal and spatial evolution in relation with the fast rise of the prominence. Following the flare maximum, the filament eruption slowed down and subsequently confined within the large overlying active region loops; the event did not lead to a coronal mass ejection (CME). During the confinement process of the erupting prominence, we detect MW emission from the extended coronal region with multiple emission centroids which likely represent emission from hot blobs of plasma formed after the collapse of the expanding flux rope and entailing prominence material. RHESSI observations reveal high plasma temperature (~30 MK) and substantial non-thermal characteristics with electron spectral index (~5) during the impulsive phase of the flare. The time-evolution of thermal energy exhibits a good correspondence with the variations in cumulative non-thermal energy which suggest that the energy of accelerated particles efficiently converted to hot flare plasma implying an effective validation of the Neupert effect.