Imaging solar coronal magnetic structures in 3D

Abstract

The study of solar coronal structures and, in particular prominences, is a key part of understanding the highly complex physical mechanisms occurring in the Sun's atmosphere. Solar prominences are important in their own right and some of the most puzzling questions in solar theory have arisen through their study. For example, how do they form and how is their mass continuously replenished? How can the magnetic field provide their continuous support against gravity over time periods of several months? How can such cool, dense material exist in thermal equilibrium in the surrounding coronal environment? Why do they erupt? A study of their structure and that of the surrounding medium is important in determining the nature of the coronal plasma and magnetic field. Also, prominences are closely associated with other key phenomena such as coronal mass ejections and eruptive solar flares which occur as a prominence loses equilibrium and rises from the solar surface. Our current understanding of these fascinating structures is extremely limited and we know very little about their basic global structure. In fact, recent prominence observations have caused our basic paradigms to be challenged (Priest, 1996) and so we must set up new models in order to gain even a fundamental understanding. Prominences are highly nonlinear, three-dimensional structures. Large feet (or barbs) reach out from the main body of a prominence and reach down to the photosphere where the dense material continuously drains away. These provide a real clue to the three-dimensional nature of the coronal field and its relation to the photospheric field. It is important, therefore, to make stereographic observations of prominences in order to gain a basic understanding of their essentially three-dimensional nature and attempt to formulate new paradigms for their structure and evolution. There is no doubt that the study of prominences in three dimensions is a crucial exercise if we are to develop a better understanding of the solar magnetic field and the physical processes occurring in the corona. This will only be possible with the aid of stereographic observations.