NEW ASPECTS OF A LID-REMOVAL MECHANISM IN THE ONSET OF AN ERUPTION SEQUENCE THAT PRODUCED A LARGE SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLE (SEP) EVENT

Abstract

We examine a sequence of two ejective eruptions from a single active region on 2012 January 23, using magnetograms and EUV images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory's (SDO) Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) and Atmospheric and Imaging Assembly (AIA), and EUV images from STEREO/EUVI. This sequence produced two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and a strong solar energetic particle event (SEP); here we focus on the magnetic onset of this important space weather episode. Cheng et al. showed that the first eruption's (Eruption 1) flux rope was apparent only in hotter AIA channels, and that it removed overlying field that allowed the second eruption (Eruption 2) to begin via ideal MHD instability; here we say that Eruption 2 began via a lid removal mechanism. We show that during Eruption 1's onset, its flux rope underwent a tether weakening (TW) reconnection with field that arched from the eruption-source active region to an adjacent active region. Standard flare loops from Eruption 1 developed over Eruption 2's flux rope and enclosed filament, but these overarching new loops were unable to confine that flux rope/filament. Eruption 1's flare loops, from both TW reconnection and standard-flare-model internal reconnection, were much cooler than Eruption 2's flare loops (GOES thermal temperatures of ~7.5 MK and 9 MK, compared to ~14 MK). The corresponding three sequential GOES flares were, respectively, due to TW reconnection plus earlier phase Eruption 1 tether-cutting reconnection, Eruption 1 later-phase tether-cutting reconnection, and Eruption 2 tether-cutting reconnection.