A MODEL FOR AN INVERSE-POLARITY PROMINENCE SUPPORTED IN A DIP OF A QUADRUPOLAR REGION

We investigate the formation and support of solar prominences in a quadrupolar magnetic configuration. The prominence is modeled as a current sheet with mass in equilibrium in a two-dimensional field. The model possesses an important property which is now thought to be necessary, namely that the prominence forms within the dip, rather than the dip being created by the prominence. The approach of two bipolar regions of the same sign gives a natural way to form a dip in the magnetic field in a horizontal band above the photospheric polarity inversion line. As the approach proceeds, the height of the dip region decreases but, in agreement with observations, a corridor, free of significant magnetic field, is needed in order to obtain a dip at low heights. Support is achieved locally just as for normal-polarity configurations, so the model avoids the strong self-pinching effect of several inverse-polarity configurations (such as the Kuperus and Raadu model). The role of the strong field component along the prominence axis, which is here modelled by a uniform field in that direction, may well be to provide the necessary thermal properties for prominence formation. The model thus has several attractive features which make it credible for inverse polarity prominences: (i) both the dip and the inverse orientation are naturally present; (ii) prominence formation is by converging rather than shearing motions, in agreement with observations; converging photospheric motions induce a horizontal upward motion in the filament; (iii) the orientation of the axial field, opposite to what is expected from differential rotation, is naturally accounted for; (iv) the observed relation between chromospheric and prominence magnetic field strengths is naturally reproduced; (v) the field configuration is more complex than a simple bipole, in agreement with observations.