Navin Chandra Joshi

NameNavin Chandra Joshi
AffiliationSRM University, Delhi-NCR
TitleSequential Lid Removal in a Triple-decker Chain of CME-producing Solar Eruptions
AuthorsNavin Chandra Joshi, Alphonse C. Sterling, Ronald L. Moore, Bhuwan Joshi
AbstractWe investigate the onsets of three consecutive coronal mass ejection (CME) eruptions in 12 hr from a large bipolar active region (AR) observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI), and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES). Evidently, the AR initially had a “triple-decker” configuration: three flux ropes in a vertical stack above the polarity inversion line (PIL). Upon being bumped by a confined eruption of the middle flux rope, the top flux rope erupts to make the first CME and its accompanying AR-spanning flare arcade rooted in a far apart pair of flare ribbons. The second CME is made by eruption of the previously arrested middle flux rope, which blows open the flare arcade of the first CME and produces a flare arcade rooted in a pair of flare ribbons closer to the PIL than those of the first CME. The third CME is made by blowout eruption of the bottom flux rope, which blows open the second flare arcade and makes its own flare arcade and pair of flare ribbons. Flux cancellation observed at the PIL likely triggers the initial confined eruption of the middle flux rope. That confined eruption evidently triggers the first CME eruption. The lid-removal mechanism instigated by the first CME eruption plausibly triggers the second CME eruption. Further lid removal by the second CME eruption plausibly triggers the final CME eruption.