Magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor Interchange Shapes Chiral Barbs in Solar Prominences
- 1High Altitude Observatory
Abstract
Solar prominences are cool, dense condensations suspended in the million-degree corona by stressed magnetic fields. Because these fields store free magnetic energy before space-weather-relevant eruptions, prominence morphology provides a visible probe of otherwise hidden preeruptive coronal structure. A persistent observational puzzle is why filament barbs, the lateral extensions of prominences, show a preferred bearing linked to the chirality of the filament channel. Here we use a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a condensation-formed prominence in an emerged flux rope to show that barb chirality arises from the coupling of helical magnetic geometry and magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor interchange. Cool plasma accumulates in skewed flux-rope dips, causing the rope handedness to set the projected barb bearing. Meanwhile, density inversions at the prominence–corona boundary trigger localized interchange motions that continually restructure the barb-bearing lower boundary. Synthetic EUV emission shows persistent right-bearing barbs in a left-handed flux rope, consistent with the observed morphology of dextral filament channels. These results establish filament barbs as observable signatures of hidden flux-rope helicity and show how magnetic topology regulates gravity-driven interchange in magnetically confined astrophysical plasmas.
Related
- Survey of small amplitude waves in solar prominences
- Insights into the Kinematic Evolution of Filament-Induced Jets: Coupling of Interchange and Flare Reconnection
- Insights into the Kinematic Evolution of Filament-induced Jets: Coupling of Interchange and Flare Reconnection
- Pressure–Strain Channels in Interchange Reconnection Simulation and Comparisons with MMS Observations
- Breakout/Interchange Reconnection as a driver of Jets, Fast Coronal Mass Ejection, and Solar Energetic Particles
BibTeX
@article{luo2026magnetic,
title = {{Magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor Interchange Shapes Chiral Barbs in Solar Prominences}},
author = {Hongyang Luo and Yuhong Fan},
journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3847/2041-8213/aeaa2e},
url = {https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/aeaa2e},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor Interchange Shapes Chiral Barbs in Solar Prominences
AU - Hongyang Luo
AU - Yuhong Fan
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/05
JO - The Astrophysical Journal Letters
DO - 10.3847/2041-8213/aeaa2e
UR - https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/aeaa2e
AB - Solar prominences are cool, dense condensations suspended in the million-degree corona by stressed magnetic fields. Because these fields store free magnetic energy before space-weather-relevant eruptions, prominence morphology provides a visible probe of otherwise hidden preeruptive coronal structure. A persistent observational puzzle is why filament barbs, the lateral extensions of prominences, show a preferred bearing linked to the chirality of the filament channel. Here we use a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulation of a condensation-formed prominence in an emerged flux rope to show that barb chirality arises from the coupling of helical magnetic geometry and magnetic Rayleigh–Taylor interchange. Cool plasma accumulates in skewed flux-rope dips, causing the rope handedness to set the projected barb bearing. Meanwhile, density inversions at the prominence–corona boundary trigger localized interchange motions that continually restructure the barb-bearing lower boundary. Synthetic EUV emission shows persistent right-bearing barbs in a left-handed flux rope, consistent with the observed morphology of dextral filament channels. These results establish filament barbs as observable signatures of hidden flux-rope helicity and show how magnetic topology regulates gravity-driven interchange in magnetically confined astrophysical plasmas.
SN - 2041-8205
SN - 2041-8213
ER -