Solar prominences can form self-consistently in simulations

What the study found: Solar prominences, which are cool and dense plasma structures floating in the hot solar corona, formed self-consistently in the simulations when the magnetic field began with appropriate initial conditions.

Why the authors say this matters: The authors conclude that dynamics at and below the solar surface are important for the formation and evolution of solar prominences. The study suggests that subsurface dynamics should also be considered when studying prominence eruptions, which can be associated with coronal mass ejections.

What the researchers tested: The researchers performed comprehensive fully three-dimensional numerical simulations of prominence formation that included the physics needed to describe all atmospheric layers of the Sun. They started with appropriate magnetic-field initial conditions and examined how prominences developed in the model.

What worked and what didn't: In the simulations, prominence formation began with the random ejection of a dense plasma seed from the chromosphere, the Sun's lower atmospheric layer, into the corona. The prominence was then built up by both plasma injections from the chromosphere and condensation of inflowing coronal plasma. The resulting prominence properties qualitatively matched observed prominences.

What to keep in mind: The abstract does not describe specific limitations, and the reported match to observations is qualitative rather than quantitative.

Key points

• Solar prominences formed self-consistently in fully three-dimensional simulations.
• Formation occurred when the magnetic field started with appropriate initial conditions.
• The prominence grew through plasma injections from the chromosphere and condensation of inflowing coronal plasma.
• The simulated prominence properties qualitatively matched observed prominences.
• The authors say dynamics at and below the solar surface are important for prominence evolution.