Spectro-imagery of an active tornado-like prominence: formation and evolution

TL;DR

This study investigates the plasma dynamics and density distribution in a tornado-like solar prominence using multi-instrument observations, revealing counter-streaming flows and complex magnetic support structures.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the fine structure, plasma flows, and density variations in tornado-like prominences, challenging the rotation hypothesis and proposing a formation scenario involving plasma cooling and leakage.

Findings

Electron density at the top can reach 10^11 cm^{-3}.

Flows are counter-streaming rather than rotational.

Magnetic field lines extend along the prominence, preventing true rotation.

Abstract

The nature of flows in tornado-prominences is an open issue. While the AIA imager aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) allowed us to follow the global structure of a tornado-like prominence during five hours, the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), and the Multi subtractive Double pass spectrograph (MSDP) permitted to obtain plasma diagnostics of its fine structures. We aim to address two questions. Is the observed plasma rotation conceptually acceptable in a flux rope magnetic support configuration with dips? How is the plasma density distributed in the tornado-like prominence? We calculated line-of-sight velocities and non-thermal line widths using Gaussian fitting for Mg II lines and bisector method for H-alpha line. We determined the electron density from Mg II line integrated intensities and profile fitting methods using 1D NLTE radiative transfer theory models. The global structure of the prominence observed in H-alpha, and Mg II h and k lines fits with a magnetic field structure configuration with dips. Coherent Dopplershifts in red- and blue-shifted areas observed in both lines were detected along rapidly-changing vertical and horizontal structures. However, the tornado at the top of the prominence consists of multiple-fine threads with opposite flows suggesting counter streaming flows rather than rotation. Surprisingly we found that the electron density at the top of the prominence could be larger (10^11 cm^{-3}) than in the inner part of the prominence. We suggest that the tornado is in a formation state with cooling of hot plasma in a first phase, and following that, a phase of leakage of the formed blobs with large transverse flows of material along long loops extended away of the UV prominence top. The existence of such long magnetic field lines on both sides of the prominence would avoid the tornado-like prominence to really turn around its axis.