The eruption of a prominence and coronal mass ejection which drive reconnection

Abstract

Two possible limiting scenarios are proposed for the production of a coronal mass ejection. In the first the magnetic field around a prominence evolves until it loses equilibrium and erupts, which drives reconnection below the prominence and an eruption of the overlying magnetic arcade. In the second a large-scale magnetic arcade evolves until it loses equilibrium and erupts, thereby causing a prominence to erupt. In general it is likely to be the non-equilibrium of the coupled system which creates the eruption. Furthermore, large quiescent prominences are expected to be centred within the magnetic bubble of a coronal mass ejection whereas when active-region prominences erupt they are likely to be located initially to one side of the bubble.