The Plasma Environment of Prominences – SOHO Observations

Abstract

AbstractWe describe the observational capabilities of the SOHO EIT and LASCO instruments for prominence research. A detailed comparison of EIT He II λ304 and BBSO Hα images of a quiescent prominence reveals differences in fine scale structure which are attributed to differences in radiation emission and transport mechanisms. Absorption features present in coronal EIT images are attributed to dense prominence features located between the source of the coronal emission and the observer. These features provide the locations of prominence material in coronal image sequences. Observations of a prominence eruption in both EIT He II and LASCO C1 Fe XIV images show the heating of chromospheric material to coronal temperatures during the prominence eruption. In the last phase of the prominence eruption, a coronal mass ejection (CME) is initiated as a dark cavity forms over the prominence material and a bright loop-like structure forms over the dark cavity.