Association between a Failed Prominence Eruption and the Drainage of Mass from Another Prominence

TL;DR

This study investigates two related failed prominence eruptions on the Sun, revealing how one eruption can trigger mass drainage and influence neighboring prominences through magnetic reconnection and structural connections.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the causal links and mechanisms behind sympathetic prominence eruptions and mass drainage using stereoscopic solar observations.

Findings

PRO-S eruption was initiated by kink instability and failed due to reconnection.

PRO-N rose with PRO-S and experienced mass drainage due to magnetic connections.

Eruption dynamics can lead to prominence decay through mass drainage.

Abstract

Sympathetic eruptions of solar prominences have been studied for decades, however, it is usually difficult to identify their causal links. Here we present two failed prominence eruptions on 26 October 2022 and explore their connections. Using stereoscopic observations, the south prominence (PRO-S) erupts with untwisting motions, flare ribbons occur underneath, and new connections are formed during the eruption. The north prominence (PRO-N) rises up along with PRO-S, and its upper part disappears due to catastrophic mass draining along an elongated structure after PRO-S failed eruption. We suggest that the eruption of PRO-S initiates due to a kink instability, further rises up, and fails to erupt due to reconnection with surrounding fields. The elongated structure connecting PRO-N overlies PRO-S, which causes the rising up of PRO-N along with PRO-S and mass drainage after PRO-S eruption. This study suggests that a prominence may end its life through mass drainage forced by an eruption underneath.