Non-linear force-free magnetic dip models of quiescent prominence fine structures

¹ Astronomical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic 25165 Ondřejov Czech Republic
e-mail: gunar@asu.cas.cz
² School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 9SS, UK
³ Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, 85740 Garching bei München, Germany

Received: 19 October 2012
Accepted: 21 December 2012

Abstract

Aims. We use 3D non-linear force-free magnetic field modeling of prominence/filament magnetic fields to develop the first 2D models of individual prominence fine structures based on the 3D configuration of the magnetic field of the whole prominence.

Methods. We use an iterative technique to fill the magnetic dips produced by the 3D modeling with realistic prominence plasma in hydrostatic equilibrium and with a temperature structure that contains the prominence-corona transition region. With this well-defined plasma structure the radiative transfer can be treated in detail in 2D and the resulting synthetic emission can be compared with prominence/filament observations.

Results. Newly developed non-linear force-free magnetic dip models are able to produce synthetic hydrogen Lyman spectra in a qualitative agreement with a range of quiescent prominence observations. Moreover, the plasma structure of these models agrees with the gravity induced prominence fine structure models which have already been shown to produce synthetic spectra in good qualitative agreement with several observed prominences.

Conclusions. We describe in detail the iterative technique which can be used to produce realistic plasma models of prominence fine structures located in prominence magnetic field configurations containing dips, obtained using any kind of magnetic field modeling.