Formation of a solar filament by magnetic reconnection and coronal condensation

TL;DR

This study provides observational evidence that solar filaments form through magnetic reconnection creating sigmoids, followed by plasma cooling and condensation within these structures, resulting in filament formation.

Contribution

It uniquely demonstrates the complete process of filament formation via magnetic reconnection and coronal condensation with detailed observational data.

Findings

Formation of a sigmoid through magnetic reconnection.

Cooling and condensation of plasma inside the sigmoid.

Bi-directional plasma flow into the filament.

Abstract

In solar filament formation mechanisms, magnetic reconnection between two sets of sheared arcades forms helical structures of the filament with numerous magnetic dips, and cooling and condensation of plasma trapped inside the helical structures supply mass to the filament. Although each of these processes, namely, magnetic reconnection and coronal condensation have been separately reported, observations that show the whole process of filament formation are rare. In this Letter, we present the formation of a sigmoid via reconnection between two sets of coronal loops, and the subsequent formation of a filament through cooling and condensation of plasma inside the newly formed sigmoid. On 2014 August 27, a set of loops in the active region 12151 reconnected with another set of loops that are located to the east. A longer twisted sigmoidal structure and a set of shorter lower-lying loops then formed. The observations coincide well with the tether-cutting model. The newly formed sigmoid remains stable and does not erupt as a coronal mass ejection. From the eastern endpoint, signatures of injection of material into the sigmoid (as brightenings) are detected, which closely outline the features of increasing emission measure at these locations. This may indicate the chromospheric evaporation caused by reconnection, supplying heated plasma into the sigmoid. In the sigmoid, thermal instability occurs, and rapid cooling and condensation of plasma take place, forming a filament. The condensations then flow bi-directionally to the filament endpoints. Our results provide a clear observational evidence of the filament formation via magnetic reconnection and coronal condensation.