Twisting/Swirling Motions During a Prominence Eruption as seen from SDO/AIA

TL;DR

This study analyzes twisting and swirling motions during a solar prominence eruption using SDO/AIA data, revealing rotational behaviors, asymmetries, and magnetic field dynamics associated with the eruption and CME.

Contribution

It provides detailed observations of rotational motions at different scales and links these to magnetic field configurations and prominence eruption mechanisms.

Findings

Small scale rotations occur in prominence barbs.

Large scale roll motion observed during eruption.

Swirling plasma motions indicate twisted magnetic fields.

Abstract

A quiescent prominence was observed at north-west limb of the Sun using different channels of Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We report and analyse twisting/swirling motions during and after the prominence eruption. We segregate the observed rotational motions into small and large scale. Small scale rotational motions manifest in the barbs of the prominence while the large scale rotation manifests as the roll motion during the prominence eruption. We noticed that both footpoints of the prominence rotate in the counter-clockwise direction. We propose that similar sense of rotation in both footpoints leads to prominence eruption. The prominence erupted asymmetrically near the southern footpoint which may be due to uneven mass distribution and location of the cavity near southern footpoint. Furthermore, we study the swirling motion of the plasma along different circular paths in the cavity of the prominence after the prominence eruption. The rotational velocities of the plasma moving along different circular paths are estimated to be $\sim$ 9-40 km s$^{-1}$. These swirling motions can be explained in terms of twisted magnetic field lines in the prominence cavity. Finally, we observe the twist built up in the prominence, being carried away by the coronal mass ejection (CME) as seen in the Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) onboard Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).