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Coronal Cavities: Observations and Implications for the Magnetic Environment of Prominences

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Solar Prominences

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 415))

Abstract

Dark and elliptical, coronal cavities yield important clues to the magnetic structures that cradle prominences, and to the forces that ultimately lead to their eruption. We review observational analyses of cavity morphology, thermal properties (density and temperature), line-of-sight and plane-of-sky flows, substructure including hot cores and central voids, linear polarization signatures, and observational precursors and predictors of eruption. We discuss a magnetohydrodynamic interpretation of these observations which argues that the cavity is a magnetic flux rope, and pose a set of open questions for further study.

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Acknowledgements

The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. AIA data courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams. H α image courtesy of Big Bear Solar Observatory/New Jersey institute of Technology. Hinode is a Japanese mission developed and launched by ISAS/JAXA, with NAOJ as domestic partner and NASA and STFC (UK) as international partners. It is operated by these agencies in co-operation with ESA and NSC (Norway). Much of the work presented here directly relates to, or benefited greatly from research undertaken by the International Space Science Institute (ISSI) international teams on coronal cavities (2008–2010) and coronal magnetism (2013–2014). I am indebted to all of the members of both of these teams, particularly Urszula Bak-Steslicka, Terry Kucera, Laurel Rachmeler, Kathy Reeves, and Don Schmit. In addition, I thank Tom Berger, Giuliana de Toma, Yuhong Fan, Blake Forland, Jim Fuller, Judy Karpen, Jim Klimchuk, Olga Panasenco, Marco Velli, and especially B. C. Low for many helpful discussions.

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  1. High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 3000, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA

    Sarah Gibson

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Université Paris-Sud 11, Institute of Astrophysics Space, Orsay, France

    Jean-Claude Vial

  2. University of Oslo, Blindern, Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, Oslo, Norway

    Oddbjørn Engvold

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Gibson, S. (2015). Coronal Cavities: Observations and Implications for the Magnetic Environment of Prominences. In: Vial, JC., Engvold, O. (eds) Solar Prominences. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 415. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10416-4_13

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