Horizontal photospheric flows trigger a filament eruption

TL;DR

This study links horizontal photospheric flows, especially converging motions along the magnetic polarity inversion line, to the destabilization and eruption of a large solar filament, highlighting the role of large-scale convection patterns.

Contribution

It demonstrates how converging photospheric flows and shear along the PIL trigger filament eruptions, using detailed flow analysis with the CST algorithm and multi-wavelength observations.

Findings

Horizontal flows are strong on the west side of the filament.

Converging flows along the PIL destabilize the filament.

Eruption occurs when the filament reaches the critical height of 60 Mm.

Abstract

A large filament composed principally of two sections erupted sequentially in the southern hemisphere on January 26 2016. The central, thick part of the northern section was first lifted up and lead to the eruption of the full filament. This event was observed in H-alpha with GONG and CLIMSO, and in ultraviolet (UV) with the AIA/SDO imager. The aim of the paper is to relate the photospheric motions below the filament and its environment to the eruption of the filament. An analysis of the photospheric motions using SDO/HMI continuum images with the coherent structure tracking (CST) algorithm developed to track granules, as well as large-scale photospheric flows, has been performed. The supergranule pattern is clearly visible outside the filament channel but difficult to detect inside because the modulus of the vector velocity is reduced in the filament channel, mainly in the magnetized areas. The horizontal photospheric flows are strong on the west side of the filament channel and oriented towards the filament. The ends of the filament sections are found in areas of concentration of corks. Whirled flows are found locally around the feet. The strong horizontal flows with an opposite direction to the differential rotation create strong shear and convergence along the magnetic polarity inversion line (PIL) in the filament channel. The filament has been destabilized by the converging flows, which initiate an ascent of the middle section of the filament until the filament reaches the critical height of the torus instability inducing, consequently, the eruption. The "n" decay index indicated an altitude of 60 Mm for the critical height. It is conjectured that the convergence along the PIL is due to the large-scale size cells of convection that transport the magnetic field to their borders.