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Freely propagating global waves in the solar atmosphere are commonly observed using extreme ultraviolet passbands (EUV or “EIT waves”), and less regularly in H-alpha (Moreton–Ramsey waves). Despite decades of research, joint observations of EUV and Moreton–Ramsey waves remain rare, complicating efforts to quantify the connection between these phenomena. We present observations of four homologous global waves originating from the same active region between 2014 March 28 and 30 and observed using both EUV and H-alpha data. Each global EUV wave was observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory, with the associated Moreton–Ramsey waves identified using the Global Oscillations Network Group network. All of the global waves exhibit high initial velocity (e.g., 842–1388 km s−1 in the 193 Å passband) and strong deceleration (e.g., −1437 to −782 m s−2 in the 193 Å passband) in each of the EUV passbands studied, with the EUV wave kinematics exceeding those of the Moreton–Ramsey wave. The density compression ratio of each global wave was estimated using both differential emission measure and intensity variation techniques, with both indicating that the observed waves were weakly shocked with a fast magnetosonic Mach number slightly greater than one. This suggests that, according to current models, the global coronal waves were not strong enough to produce Moreton–Ramsey waves, indicating an alternative explanation for these observations. Instead, we conclude that the evolution of the global waves was restricted by the surrounding coronal magnetic field, in each case producing a downward-angled wavefront propagating toward the north solar pole, which perturbed the chromosphere and was observed as a Moreton–Ramsey wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronal cavities have previously been observed to be associated with long-lived quiescent filaments and are thought to correspond to the associated magnetic flux rope. Although the standard flare model predicts a coronal cavity corresponding to the erupting flux rope, these have only been observed using broadband imaging data, restricting an analysis to the plane-of-sky. We present a unique set of spectroscopic observations of an active region filament seen erupting at the solar limb in the extreme ultraviolet. The cavity erupted and expanded rapidly, with the change in rise phase contemporaneous with an increase in nonthermal electron energy flux of the associated flare. Hot and cool filamentary material was observed to rise with the erupting flux rope, disappearing suddenly as the cavity appeared. Although strongly blueshifted plasma continued to be observed flowing from the apex of the erupting flux rope, this outflow soon ceased. These results indicate that the sudden injection of energy from the flare beneath forced the rapid eruption and expansion of the flux rope, driving strong plasma flows, which resulted in the eruption of an under-dense filamentary flux rope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positions, intensities, self-broadened widths, and collisional narrowing coefficients of the oxygen isotopologues 16O18O, 16O17O, 17O18O, and 18O18O have been measured for the b1Σg+← X3Σg−(0,0) band using frequency-stabilized cavity ring-down spectroscopy. Line positions of 156 P-branch transitions were referenced against the hyperfine components of the 39K D1(4s 2S1/2→ 4p 2P1/2) and D2(4s 2S1/2→ 4p 2P3/2) transitions, yielding precisions of ∼0.00005 cm−1and absolute accuracies of 0.00030 cm−1or better. New excited b1Σg+state molecular constants are reported for all four isotopologues. The measured line intensities of the 16O18O isotopologue are within 2% of the values currently assumed in molecular databases. However, the line intensities of the 16O17O isotopologue show a systematic, J-dependent offset between our results and the databases. Self-broadening half-widths for the various isotopologues are internally consistent to within 2%. This is the first comprehensive study of the line intensities and shapes for the 17O18O or 18O2isotopologues of the b1Σg+← X3Σg−(0,0) band of O2. The 16O2, 16O18O, and 16O17O line parameters for the oxygen A-band have been extensively revised in the HITRAN 2008 database using results from the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stealth coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are eruptions from the Sun that have no obvious low coronal signature. These CMEs are characteristically slower events but can still be geoeffective and affect space weather at Earth. Therefore, understanding the science underpinning these eruptions will greatly improve our ability to detect and, eventually, forecast them. We present a study of two stealth CMEs analyzed using advanced image processing techniques that reveal their faint signatures in observations from the extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) imagers on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, Solar Dynamics Observatory, and Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory spacecraft. The different viewpoints given by these spacecraft provide the opportunity to study each eruption from above and the side contemporaneously. For each event, EUV and magnetogram observations were combined to reveal the coronal structure that erupted. For one event, the observations indicate the presence of a magnetic flux rope before the CME’s fast-rise phase. We found that both events originated in active regions and are likely to be sympathetic CMEs triggered by a nearby eruption. We discuss the physical processes that occurred in the time leading up to the onset of each stealth CME and conclude that these eruptions are part of the low-energy and velocity tail of a distribution of CME events and are not a distinct phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The full 3D vector magnetic field of a solar filament prior to eruption is presented. The filament was observed with the Facility Infrared Spectropolarimeter at the Dunn Solar Telescope in the chromospheric He i line at 10830 Å on 2017 May 29 and 30. We inverted the spectropolarimetric observations with the Hanle and Zeeman Light code to obtain the chromospheric magnetic field. A bimodal distribution of field strength was found in or near the filament. The average field strength was 24 Gauss, but prior to the eruption we find the 90th percentile of field strength was 435 Gauss for the observations on May 29. The field inclination was about 67° from the solar vertical. The field azimuth made an angle of about 47°–65° to the spine axis. The results suggest an inverse configuration indicative of a flux rope topology. He i intensity threads were found to be coaligned with the magnetic field direction. The filament had a sinistral configuration as expected for the southern hemisphere. The filament was stable on 2017 May 29 and started to rise during two observations on May 30, before erupting and causing a minor coronal mass ejection. There was no obvious change of the magnetic topology during the eruption process. Such information on the magnetic topology of erupting filaments could improve the prediction of the geoeffectiveness of solar storms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active regions (ARs) are a candidate source of the slow solar wind (SW), the origins of which are a topic of ongoing research. We present a case study that examines the processes by which SW is modulated in the presence of an AR in the vicinity of the SW source. We compare properties of SW associated with a coronal hole (CH)–quiet Sun boundary to SW associated with the same CH but one Carrington rotation later, when this region bordered the newly emerged NOAA AR 12532. Differences found in a range of in situ parameters are compared between these rotations in the context of source region mapping and remote sensing observations. Marked changes exist in the structure and composition of the SW, which we attribute to the influence of the AR on SW production from the CH boundary. These unique observations suggest that the features that emerge in the AR-associated wind are consistent with an increased occurrence of interchange reconnection during SW production, compared with the initial quiet Sun case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding elemental abundance variations in the solar corona provides an insight into how matter and energy flow from the chromosphere into the heliosphere. Observed variations depend on the first ionization potential (FIP) of the main elements of the Sun’s atmosphere. High-FIP elements (>10 eV) maintain photospheric abundances in the corona, whereas low-FIP elements have enhanced abundances. Conversely, inverse FIP (IFIP) refers to the enhancement of high-FIP or depletion of low-FIP elements. We use spatially resolved spectroscopic observations, specifically the Ar xiv/Ca xiv intensity ratio, from Hinode’s Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer to investigate the distribution and evolution of plasma composition within two confined flares in a newly emerging, highly sheared active region. During the decay phase of the first flare, patches above the flare ribbons evolve from the FIP to the IFIP effect, while the flaring loop tops show a stronger FIP effect. The patch and loop compositions then evolve toward the preflare basal state. We propose an explanation of how flaring in strands of highly sheared emerging magnetic fields can lead to flare-modulated IFIP plasma composition over coalescing umbrae which are crossed by flare ribbons. Subsurface reconnection between the coalescing umbrae leads to the depletion of low-FIP elements as a result of an increased wave flux from below. This material is evaporated when the flare ribbons cross the umbrae. Our results are consistent with the ponderomotive fractionation model for the creation of IFIP-biased plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quiescent solar prominences are observed within the solar atmosphere for up to several solar rotations. Their eruption is commonly preceded by a slow increase in height that can last from hours to days. This increase in the prominence height is believed to be due to their host magnetic flux rope transitioning through a series of neighboring quasi-equilibria before the main loss of equilibrium that drives the eruption. Recent work suggests that the removal of prominence mass from a stable, quiescent flux rope is one possible cause for this change in height. However, these conclusions are drawn from observations and are subject to interpretation. Here, we present a simple model to quantify the effect of “mass-draining” during the pre-eruptive height evolution of a solar flux rope. The flux rope is modeled as a line current suspended within a background potential magnetic field. We first show that the inclusion of mass, up to 1012 kg, can modify the height at which the line current experiences loss of equilibrium by up to 14%. Next, we show that the rapid removal of mass prior to the loss of equilibrium can allow the height of the flux rope to increase sharply and without an upper bound as it approaches its loss-of-equilibrium point. This indicates that the critical height for the loss of equilibrium can occur at a range of heights depending explicitly on the amount and evolution of mass within the flux rope. Finally, we demonstrate that for the same amount of drained mass, the effect on the height of the flux rope is up to two orders of magnitude larger for quiescent prominences than for active region prominences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical composition of solar and stellar atmospheres differs from the composition of their photospheres. Abundances of elements with low first ionization potential (FIP) are enhanced in the corona relative to high-FIP elements with respect to the photosphere. This is known as the FIP effect and it is important for understanding the flow of mass and energy through solar and stellar atmospheres. We used spectroscopic observations from the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer on board the Hinode observatory to investigate the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of coronal plasma composition within solar emerging flux regions inside a coronal hole. Plasma evolved to values exceeding those of the quiet-Sun corona during the emergence/early-decay phase at a similar rate for two orders of magnitude in magnetic flux, a rate comparable to that observed in large active regions (ARs) containing an order of magnitude more flux. During the late-decay phase, the rate of change was significantly faster than what is observed in large, decaying ARs. Our results suggest that the rate of increase during the emergence/early-decay phase is linked to the fractionation mechanism that leads to the FIP effect, whereas the rate of decrease during the later decay phase depends on the rate of reconnection with the surrounding magnetic field and its plasma composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]