Eruptive Prominences and Their Association with Coronal Mass Ejections

Abstract

We discuss the origins and characteristics of solar eruptive phenomena focusing on coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and their associated phenomena, particularly erupting prominences (EPs). Statistically, CMEs are most frequently associated with EPs and X-ray long-duration events. In a few large events the masses of the EP and CME have been separately measured, with the EP mass comprising a large fraction of the total CME mass. EP and CME near-surface precursors include the development of sigmoids, the darkening and broadening of filaments, and their slow rise and Doppler shifts, and the cancellation of magnetic flux near filament channels. Prominences exist within coronal cavities which themselves are embedded in helmet streamers extending to high heights. This entire structure can erupt bodily to become a CME; indeed the most massive and energetic CMEs appear to be of this type. CMEs carry into the heliosphere large quantities of coronal magnetic fields and plasma which are detected by remote sensing and measured in-situ at spacecraft. The most important in-situ CME signature is a magnetic cloud, considered to be the flux rope embedded in most if not all CMEs. Although most CMEs are frequently associated with EPs near the Sun, it is still not known why the prominence material is only rarely identified in-situ. In the last decade, however, we have had heliospheric imaging observations that are helping to distinguish prominence material from the rest of a CME.