view Abstract Citations (1) References Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS A New Model for Solar Filaments. Sturrock, P. A. ; Woodbury, E. Abstract Filaments are known to run along the "neutral line" which divides regions of the photo sphere of opposite magnetic polarity. However, this characteristic alone does not account for the properties of filaments. It is suggested that filaments (quiescent prominences) result from slippage of the photo sphere, and that such slippage occurs preferentially along a neutral line. The resulting magnetic field will not be current-free but if the amount of gas supported is not too large, it will be nearly force-free. A relaxation method has been devised for computing force- free magnetic field configurations and used to calculate the structure of a model filament. It is found that, for heights smaller than the slip distance, the magnetic field lines' rise almost vertically, run nearly parallel to the slip line almost horizontally, and then descend almost vertically. Such a field configuration is well suited for supporting a mass of gas. The shape of the suspended gas would then simulate the "sheet" or "veil"-like structure of a filament. It is also clear that such a structure permits flow of gas parallel to the neutral line. This interpretation of a filament provided a mechanism for supplying the dense gas supported by the magnetic field, since slippage tends to raise magnetic- field lines and so to raise the gas in which the field lines are embedded. The relationship between filaments and flares may be understood by identifying the pre-flare state of a recent flare model (Sturrock, P. A., and Coppi, B., "A New Model of Solar Flares," Stanford University Rept. SUPR 6, April 1965) with a massive filament (or part of a filament) in the low chromosphere. Work supported by the U. S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Publication: The Astronomical Journal Pub Date: November 1965 DOI: 10.1086/109801 Bibcode: 1965AJ.....70..694S full text sources ADS |