Production of Filaments by Surges

Abstract

We have recently developed a new method for automatic detection of solar surges and other dark dynamic features. For the first time we find that some filaments can be quickly formed by trapping the cold material supplied by surges originating from the chromosphere. Two clear examples are presented in this Letter, showing the special process for new filament formation by surge injection. The data used here were taken from Hida Observatory and the Global Hα Network operated by Big Bear Solar Observatory. Both the filaments existed on the solar surface for not less than 20 hr, with an average length about 200'', and had obvious helical structures and barbs. The surge material was injected from one terminal along the main axis of the filaments or the filament channels. We conclude that there are two necessary conditions for new filament formation by surges at one location: (1) an "empty" filament channel, or magnetic trap, and (2) enough mass supplied by surge activity. In most other surge-filament events, apart from our two examples, the surges are observed moving toward and acting on a preexisting nearby filament. The close relationship between surge activity and filament formation and maintenance suggests that there should be a direct link between the filament axial fields and the large-scale background fields along which the surge material can be driven into the filament channel. On the other hand, it also supports the idea that the frequent injection of flow from below is an important way to convey mass and energy into the corona through magnetic reconnections driven by successive emerging flux and converging flow.