Formation and eruption of a flux rope from the sigmoid active region NOAA 11719 and associated M6.5 flare: A multi-wavelength study

TL;DR

This study analyzes the formation, activation, and eruption of a flux rope in NOAA 11719, revealing magnetic reconnection processes, flux rope evolution, and flare dynamics through multi-wavelength observations.

Contribution

It provides detailed insights into flux rope formation via magnetic reconnection and its eruption mechanism, highlighting deviations from standard flare models.

Findings

Repetitive magnetic reconnections form the sigmoid flux rope.

Flux rope eruption causes a two-ribbon M6.5 flare with a 21-minute rise.

Flare ribbons show converging motions and sigmoid-to-arcade transformation.

Abstract

We investigate the formation, activation and eruption of a flux rope from the sigmoid active region NOAA 11719 by analyzing E(UV), X-ray and radio measurements. During the pre-eruption period of ~7 hours, the AIA 94 A images reveal the emergence of a coronal sigmoid through the interaction between two J-shaped bundles of loops which proceeds with multiple episodes of coronal loop brightenings and significant variations in the magnetic flux through the photosphere. These observations imply that repetitive magnetic reconnections likely play a key role in the formation of the sigmoidal flux rope in the corona and also contribute toward sustaining the temperature of the flux rope higher than the ambient coronal structures. Notably, the formation of the sigmoid is associated with the fast morphological evolution of an S-shaped filament channel in the chromosphere. The sigmoid activates toward eruption with the ascend of a large flux rope in the corona which is preceded by the decrease of photospheric magnetic flux through the core flaring region suggesting tether-cutting reconnection as a possible triggering mechanism. The flux rope eruption results in a two-ribbon M6.5 flare with a prolonged rise phase of ~21 min. The flare exhibits significant deviation from the standard flare model in the early rise phase during which a pair of J-shaped flare ribbons form and apparently exhibit converging motions parallel to the polarity inversion line which is further confirmed by the motions of HXR footpoint sources. In the later stages, the flare follows the standard flare model and the source region undergoes a complete sigmoid-to-arcade transformation.