Elongation of a Solar Filament and its Three-Dimensional Numerical Reconstruction for Magnetic Structures

TL;DR

This study combines multi-instrument observations and 3D MHD modeling to analyze the magnetic evolution and elongation of a quiescent solar filament, revealing the formation of a flux rope and the role of flux cancellation.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive multi-wavelength observational analysis and a 3D magnetic reconstruction of a filament's elongation, highlighting the flux rope formation process.

Findings

Parasitic polarities and flux cancelation are key to filament foot formation and elongation.

A 3D MHD model shows the filament's magnetic structure evolves into a flux rope.

Longitudinal oscillations are linked to flux cancellation and heating.

Abstract

Quiescent filaments are prominent features of the solar atmosphere, and their evolution reflects the coronal magnetic field's response to photospheric magnetic activity. Here, we report on a quiescent filament observed from 2023 September 28-29, aiming to understand how the magnetic configuration shapes its feet and drives its extension. For this purpose, high-resolution spectral data in H$\alpha$ and Mg II k are used from the T\'elescope H\'eliographique pour l'Etude du Magn\'etisme et des Instabilit\'es Solaires (THEMIS) and the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), respectively. To track changes in the filament, we utilise long-term data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and from the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG). We analyse the longitudinal magnetic field in the photosphere using the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) onboard Hinode, as well as SDO/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) data. In addition to this, we use GONG H$\alpha$ data to analyze the longitudinal oscillations in the filament. Observations show that parasitic polarities and canceling flux play a key role in forming and reorganizing the filament feet and in lengthening the filament. A 3D MHD reconstruction using vector magnetograms reveals that its magnetic configuration evolves into a full flux rope (FR), whose extension on the second day matches the observed filament growth. The FR is separated from the surrounding nearly potential field by quasi-separatrix layers, which in turn are separated by current layers. They get more organized around the FR as it is growing up. Moreover, the longitudinal oscillations in the extended filament are attributed to heating from flux cancellation in underlying bright points.