Three Successive and Interacting Shock Waves Generated by a Solar Flare

Abstract

We discovered three successive Moreton waves generated by a single solar flare on 2005 August 3. Although this flare was not special in magnitude or configuration, Moreton waves (shock waves) successively occurred three times. Multiple shock waves generated during a single flare have not been reported before. Furthermore, the faster second-generated Moreton wave caught up and merged with the slower first-generated one. This is the first report of shock-shock interaction associated with a solar flare. The shock-plasma interaction was also detected. When the third-generated Moreton wave passed through an erupting filament, the filament was accelerated by the Moreton wave. In this event, filaments also erupted three times. On the basis of this observation, we consider that filament eruption is indispensable to the generation of Moreton waves.