The Spontaneous Genesis of Solar Prominence Structures Driven by Supergranulation in Three-Dimensional Simulations

TL;DR

This study uses 3D magneto-frictional simulations driven by supergranulation to replicate and understand the formation of solar prominence structures, revealing their spontaneous development and key morphological features.

Contribution

First 3D simulation demonstrating the spontaneous formation of prominence structures driven by supergranular motions, aligning well with observations and highlighting the role of photospheric flows.

Findings

Simulated prominences exhibit multi-arch bridge morphology.

Void structures are caused by unbalanced supergranular flows.

Prominence feet are located at the bottom of helical magnetic field lines.

Abstract

Solar prominences usually have a horizontally elongated body with many feet extending to the solar surface, resembling a multi-arch bridge with many bridge piers. The basic mechanism by which solar prominences acquire these common structures during their evolution, however, remains an unresolved question. For the first time, our three-dimensional magneto-frictional simulation, driven by supergranular motions, self-consistently replicates the commonly observed multi-arch bridge morphology and its characteristic structures of solar quiescent prominences in a magnetic flux rope. In comparison with traditional views, our simulations demonstrate that the spine, feet, and voids (bubbles) are inherent prominence structures spontaneously forming as the flux rope evolves to a mature state. The voids mainly consist of legs of sheared magnetic loops caused by unbalanced supergranular flows, and prominence feet settle at the bottom of helical field lines piled up from the photosphere to the spine. Similarities between the simulated prominences and observed real prominences by the Chinese H$\alpha$ Solar Explorer, the New Vacuum Solar Telescope, and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory suggest the high validity of our model. This work corroborates the pivotal role of photospheric supergranulation as a helicity injection source in the formation and shaping of quiescent prominence structures within the solar atmosphere, thereby paving a new avenue for future investigations into their fine dynamics and stability.